Northern Red Bishop

Description:

The Northern Red Bishop, also known as Orange bishop is a weaver belonging to the family Ploceidae. Breeding male has a black crown and cheeks, and black waistcoat and wings; with bright red mantle. Non breeding male and female are rather non-descript, looking alike any other female from this family. Pictured here (first three photos) is a male in plain transition, acquiring his breeding attire. Second male was a part of the same spotting, seen few hundred meters down the road, is in full breeding regalia.

Habitat:

Seen on Tuti island, a small island on the jonction of White and Blue Nile. The most of the island is cultivated land, patched with some forested areas and hedges.

Notes:

Northern Red was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) of the southern half of Africa. The two are now usually classified as separate species, and northern is observed in subsaharan region north of equator.