Bird Species - Paradise Whydah

Origins	Throughout Ethiopia. Inhabits dry thorn scrub and open or woodland savannah. From s Sudan and Eritrea south through Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia east to Dem Rep Congo and Angola, and south to n s Africa; in s Africa in Namibia from Windhoek north to Cunene R, Botswana (absent from sw corner), throughout Zimbabwe and Mozambique, NW, Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces, n Free State, Swaziland and ne KwaZulu-Natal.
Sexing
Males	During the breeding season, this species is dichromatic and dimorphic. The male's nuptial plumage is glossy black on his head, back, wings, and tail while the upper chest is a vibrant rust colour graduating to a white abdomen. For this special occasion, (mating) he also grows new tail feathers which reach of length of up to 14 inches. They may be very aggressive during this cycle. Once the season is over, however, he goes "out of colour" and resembles the sparrow-like hens and juvenile males while becoming much more docile. (breeding): Upper parts black; tail black, nape golden yellow when fresh, fading to straw; upper breast chestnut shading to buff on lower breast, belly and under tail coverts. Bill black, eyes dark brown, legs and feet blackish, dark grey or pinkish-brown. (non-breeding): Similar to ad f, but black stripes on crown and black marks on face broader and more distinct, head stripe less buffy, more distinctly streaked black on breast; bill grey.
Females	Upper parts greyish-brown streaked blackish, head boldly streaked buff and dark brown, face with pale eye stripe and a vertical dark ‘C’ mark over ear and open towards bill; below, breast pale grey to buffy, indistinctly streaked, belly white, under tail coverts whitish, under wing coverts pale grey; bill grey, paler on base of lower mandible.
Young	Upper parts plain greyish-brown, rump grey; face with slight pale grey eye stripe but otherwise unmarked, wings and tail brownish-grey, under parts paler grey, white on belly and under tail coverts. Bill black, brownish on centre of upper bill and at base of lower bill, eyes dark brown, legs and feet brownish grey to dark grey. Juvenile males may have incomplete breeding plumage during first year.
Size
Weight	21 g
Rings
Character	It should be mentioned that keeping one male whydah to three of four hens seems to work best. If you are lucky enough to have many hens, you may increase the number of mates but only over three. Two males will often fight to the death, one being able to overpower one other adversary whereas one male against two or three others usually keeps them all in line.
Feeding	Feeds on large grass seeds such as millet, wild oats and spinifex along with the occasional termite and grubs. May feed on the ground or in bushes where grasses have grown winding and tangled in the branches.
Breeding Cages
Nest	Width
	Depth
	Height
	Hole Diameter
Nesting Material
Breeding Period
Eggs	3-4 could be in different nests. 1 a day.
Incubating	11 days. Host is 13 days.
Incubation
Fledging
Batches
Lifespan
Breeding Life
Sexual Maturity
Aviaries
Temperatures
Health Problems
Observations	This species is both polygamous and parasitic in its breeding biology. One male may mate with 10 or 12 females in a given season. As they lay their eggs in other birds' nests (usually the Green-winged Pytilia), there are no nursery chores to perform and they are free to distribute their gene pool widely, time and energy not being taken up with raising offspring.

3-4 could be in different nests. 1 a day.

11 days. Host is 13 days.