ML108993891

Age and sex

Unknown age, Male - X

Observation details

Pin-tailed whydah Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) breeding male.jpg male in breeding plumage Matetsi Safari Area, Zimbabwe Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification e Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Viduidae Genus: Vidua Species: V. macroura Binomial name Vidua macroura (Pallas, 1764) The pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) is a small songbird with a conspicuous pennant-like tail in breeding males. It is a resident breeding bird in most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. The pin-tailed whydah is 12–13 cm in length, although the breeding male's tail adds another 20 cm to this. The adult male has a black back and crown, and a very long black tail. The wings are dark brown with white patches, and the underparts and the head, apart from the crown, are white. The bill is bright red. The female and non-breeding male have streaked brown upperparts, whitish underparts with buff flanks, and a buff and black face pattern. They lack the long tail extension, but retain the red bill. Immature birds are like the female but plainer and with a greyish bill.

Technical information

Model

NIKON D4

Lens

200.0-500.0 mm f/5.6

ISO

5000

Focal length

350 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/2500 sec

Dimensions

2791 pixels x 1570 pixels

Original file size

2.9 MB