From Opus

Euplectes franciscanus

Photo by AJDH
Badaan Farm, Bahrain

[edit] Identification

Bright orange-red body and black belly. Head has black crown, face, and bill. Wings are brown. Orange-red uppertail coverts are very long and extend over short, brown tail. Nonbreeding male, female, and juvenile have brown-streaked upperparts, pale yellow throats, brown-streaked yellow sides, white underparts, and pink-grey bills.

[edit] Distribution

Native across Africa south of Sahara, it is found naturalized in other parts of the world due to the cage trade.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is either a monotypic species or one containing two subspecies, franciscanus and pusillus.

[edit] Habitat

Open savanna with tall shrubs and trees.

[edit] Behaviour

Diet includes the green and ripe seeds of grasses and small brush. They may feed on the ground or by hanging from seed heads of grass and plant stems.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on the African Bird Image Database.