Village Indigobird

Description:

A.k.a. Steel-Blue Widowfinch, is a small finch, somewhat smaller that a sparrow. Breeding male is all black and with red-orange legs. Non-breeding male and females are whitish below and streaked brown above, with a boldly streaked head - difficult to distinguish from Whydahs. In this northern part of the species distribution, the bill is pale pinkish to white (in SE Africa, the bill is red-orange).

Habitat:

Common bird in woodlands and savannas, here observed in urban area.

Notes:

All members of Viduidae (whydahs and indigobirds) family are obligate brood parasites, and lay their eggs in nests of estrildid finches. Village indigobird parasites Red-billed and Brown firefinches (unfortunately, this time, I had no chance to spot these two too... )