The bird that is commonly known as the “dancing bird” is the male paradise whydah, a small passerine bird that is native to Africa. The paradise whydah is known for its unique and elaborate breeding plumage and courtship displays, in which the male whydah jumps and “dances” to attract potential mates. In this article, we will explore why the paradise whydah has earned the nickname “dancing bird” and provide an overview of this fascinating species.
Paradise Whydah Natural History
The paradise whydah (Vidua paradisaea) belongs to the family Viduidae, a group of small passerine birds that are native to sub-Saharan Africa. There are approximately 10 species of whydahs, including the paradise whydah, pin-tailed whydah, broad-tailed paradise whydah, and long-tailed paradise whydah.
Some key facts about the paradise whydah:
– Scientific name: Vidua paradisaea
– Other common names: paradise widowbird
– Size: 5-6 inches long (15 cm); weighs 0.5-0.7 oz (15-20 g)
– Plumage: Dramatic breeding plumage featuring long tapering tail feathers. Dull brown nonbreeding plumage. Male is significantly more colorful than female.
– Habitat: Grasslands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa.
– Diet: Seeds and insects.
– Behavior: Gregarious, forms large flocks except in breeding season. Males are polygamous.
– Breeding: Males court females by jumping and fluttering around them. Females build nests in grass stems and lay 2-4 eggs.
– Conservation status: Least concern
The paradise whydah is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa in various types of grassland and savanna habitats. They feed mainly on grass and other plant seeds as well as insects. Whydahs gather in large nomadic flocks for most of the year, though they disperse into breeding pairs during the mating season.
Range and Habitat
The paradise whydah occupies a broad swath of Africa south of the Sahara desert. Their breeding range spans from Senegal east to Ethiopia, and south throughout the interior of the continent into South Africa.
Whydahs favor open grassland habitats including savannas, plains, fields, and grassy clearings in open woodlands. They avoid dense forest as well as extremely arid desert regions. Whydahs commonly inhabit agricultural areas and pasturelands. They are numerous at the edges of wetlands, lakes, and rivers.
During the nonbreeding season, whydahs gather in large nomadic flocks that may number into the thousands of birds. These roaming flocks follow the rains and track the abundance of grass seeds across the landscape.
During breeding season, males establish and defend small territories and court females. Nesting occurs in thick grassy areas where the female builds a well-concealed nest deep in the grass.
Physical Description
The paradise whydah is a relatively small songbird, measuring 5-6 inches in total length and weighing around 0.5-0.7 ounces. As with many bird species, males and females differ dramatically in their plumage.
Male paradise whydahs in breeding plumage have a black head, chin, throat, and upper breast. Their belly is white. Most striking are their very long, thin tail feathers that stream behind them in flight. These tapering tail feathers may reach 6-8 inches in length, several times the bird’s body length. The wings are also black with white markings. Females and males in nonbreeding plumage are plain light brown.
The long tail feathers and black-and-white plumage of breeding male whydahs make them unmistakable. Females, on the other hand, are nondescript and easily overlooked among grass stems. Juveniles resemble females but have some streaky markings on the breast.
Whydahs have typical conical bird beaks for eating seeds and insects. Their feet are adapted for perching. Despite the male’s elaborate feathers, whydahs are nimble, quick fliers. The long tail feathers do not substantially hamper their flight ability.
Diet
Like most small seed-eating birds, paradise whydahs are opportunistic generalists when it comes to diet. Their natural diet consists mainly of grass seeds, which they collect from the ground or directly from the seed heads. Whydahs supplement this with other small seeds, grain crops, and some insects when available.
Whydahs forage in flocks, scouring grasslands for suitable seeds. The wide availability of grass seeds across different African habitats allows whydah populations to fluctuate nomadically within their broad geographic range. When not breeding, they wander widely in massive flocks that follow seasonal rains and food availability.
Whydahs frequent agricultural areas where they glean waste grain from croplands. Their propensity to forage on cultivated grains makes them agricultural pests in some regions. They cause only localized damage however, not at levels that significantly impact crop yields over wide areas.
When feeding nestlings, whydah parents gather insects and other small invertebrates to provision the chicks. Caterpillars and flying termites provide a critical source of protein for developing young. Adults continue eating mainly grass seeds when not breeding.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Whydahs have a polygynous mating system in which each male mates with multiple females. During the breeding season, males establish a breeding territory which they defend from other males. Their elaborate plumage and courtship displays have evolved to attract female attention.
When courting, male whydahs strut around on the ground with wings flared and tail feathers fanned upward. They loudly sing their repetitive metallic chipping song while rapidly hopping up and down. This fluttering and jumping dance display gives whydahs their “dancing bird” nickname.
If a female approves the display, she crouches her body low in a receptive posture. Mating then occurs very quickly. The male plays no role in subsequent nesting activities. He continues displaying to attract additional mates while females build nests and raise young alone.
Using woven grass stems, the female whydah constructs a sturdy nest lined with softer plant fibers and feathers. She lays 2-4 eggs which she incubates alone for around two weeks. Upon hatching, both parents gather insects to feed the nestlings. After a further two weeks, the chicks fledge and leave the nest.
Whydahs may produce two or three broods per mating season. Each brood is fathered by a different male. Young whydahs reach sexual maturity after one year. Their maximum lifespan in the wild is uncertain but likely 5-10 years.
Elaborate Breeding Plumage and Displays
Male whydahs only exhibit their spectacular breeding plumage during the mating season. Their elongated tail feathers and bold black-and-white patterns are a product of sexual selection driven by female choice. Females select males with the longest, most symmetrical feathers and most vigorous courtship displays.
When not breeding, male whydahs molt into a drab brown-gray plumage that resembles females. Their tail feathers also shorten to a more typical length. This nonbreeding appearance provides camouflage from predators when whydahs congregate in enormous nomadic flocks.
Prior to mating season, male whydahs undergo a complete molt into vibrant breeding dress. At the same time, surges in testosterone stimulate their energetic courtship dances. Both the male’s appearance and behavior induce a strong response from watching females.
The male’s tail feathers continue growing throughout the breeding season. The longest feathers exceed 20 centimeters (8 inches) in length. Aerodynamically, such elongated plumes should impair flight. However, whydahs are skillful flyers despite this handicap. The hindquarters and flight muscles of male whydahs are larger and more powerful than those of females.
When pursuing mates, male whydahs flaunt their feathers in extravagant ways. They point the tail vertically upward or arc it forward over the head. Rapid hops, jumps, and fluttering flight further accentuate the visual display. Females assess details like feather symmetry, length, and condition when selecting a mate.
This mating system, with elaborate male displays and drab female appearance, is common among bird species. It results from strong sexual selection pressure on males to compete for female attention. The fittest, healthiest males gain the most mates and pass on their successful traits to male offspring.
Song and Calls
Vocalizations are an important part of paradise whydah courtship. Males sing a high-pitched, metallic tinkling song while displaying. The song is a short repetitive chip-chip-chip series of notes. It sounds like small bells or coins dropping.
Whydahs produce three other common calls. A sharp alarm call signals danger or threats. A buzzy trilling contact call maintains flock cohesion. And begging calls from nestlings stimulate feeding by parents.
Like their appearance, whydah vocalizations are sexually dimorphic. Only males sing the courtship song. Male and female alarm and contact calls sound distinct from each other. This further enables sex identification among flock and breeding pair members.
Whydah songs and calls are adapted for transmission across open grassland habitats. Their high-pitched nature aids long-distance communication in such landscapes. Vocalizations contrast markedly with the lower, denser songs of forest-dwelling African birds.
Brood Parasitism of Estrildid Finches
Whydahs exhibit the unusual breeding behavior of obligate brood parasitism. They lay their eggs in the nests of certain estrildid finches, tricking those host parents into raising whydah young instead of their own. This releases female whydahs from most parental duties beyond egg laying.
When a female whydah is ready to lay an egg, she leaves her mate’s territory in search of an active finch nest. Common host species include waxbills, mannikins, and weavers. The female whydah removes one finch egg, lays her own in its place, and departs.
If successful, the unsuspecting finch parents will incubate the whydah egg. Upon hatching, the whydah chick often has a size advantage over the smaller finch nestlings. It can outcompete them for food brought by the host parents. Within two weeks, the whydah fledgling leaves the nest.
Meanwhile, the female whydah mates with additional males to lay more eggs. Each egg goes in a different host nest, sometimes of varying finch species. Whydahs are not exclusive to any particular host. This spreading of eggs among many nests ensures breeding success despite losses.
Whydah eggs and chicks mimic the appearance of their estrildid finch hosts. This further disguises the brood parasitism. Host parents cannot easily recognize the imposter egg or chick. Whydah nestlings even imitate the begging calls of their host species.
This brood parasite strategy provides major fitness benefits to whydahs at the expense of their hosts. Female whydahs can lay 15 or more eggs per season without incubating or feeding young. Host finch pairs lose much of their own brood but still expend energy raising the unrelated whydah chick.
Relationship with Humans
Paradise whydahs are popular cage birds, particularly breeding-plumage males. Their bright black-and-white coloration, energetic courtship displays, and uniquely elongated tail feathers are attractive aviary qualities. Captive whydahs may live 10 or more years.
In the wild, whydahs are considered agricultural pests in some areas due to flock grain foraging. However, their damage is typically limited. Whydahs may also compete for nesting sites with estrildid finches similarly desired by people for aviculture.
Most whydah populations remain resilient across a wide natural range. They are not threatened by current levels of capture for the pet trade. Whydahs adapt readily to agricultural habitats. This habitat flexibility helps offset any local losses.
Across Africa, whydahs are abundant and readily observed in suitable grassland habitat. Many Africans are familiar with the males’ spectacular courtship displays accompanying the onset of seasonal rains. Their brood parasitism of songbird finches is also well known.
For birdwatchers, paradise whydahs are a highlight species when encountered in breeding dress. Along with their relatives the indigobirds and widows, whydahs showcase the wonders of avian sexual selection and mating adaptations. Their beautiful plumage, graceful displays, and interesting natural history make whydahs a delight to experience.
Conclusion
In summary, the paradise whydah earns its common name of “dancing bird” thanks to the flamboyant courtship displays of breeding males. As part of competitive mating rituals, male whydahs jumper, hop, and flutter among potential mates while exhibiting their extravagant tail plumage. Their calls, appearance, and actions all evolved to charm females and outcompete other males during the brief mating season.
Whydahs are fascinating in other respects too. Their sharp seasonal dichotomy between dazzling breeding dress and nondescript nonbreeding appearance is extreme. And obligately parasitizing the nests of other finch species is an unusual reproductive strategy. Whydahs thrive across a diversity of African habitats by following seasonal rains and grass seed abundance.
For their beautiful plumage, energetic dances, and broad adaptability, paradise whydahs will continue to impress both biologists and casual bird watchers alike for the indefinite future. Their visually engaging courtship rituals explain why above all other birds, whydahs have earned the moniker of Africa’s “dancing bird.”
