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Doug J | all galleries >> Birds, Birds, Birds >> Passeriformes Gallery > Pin-tailed Whydah - male with breeding plummage
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Pin-tailed Whydah - male with breeding plummage

Scientific name: Vidua macroura
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Viduidae

The Pin-tailed Whydah is a resident breeding bird in most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. This whydah is found in many open habitats including open woodland, scrub and cultivation. The diet of this species consists of seeds and grain.

It is a brood parasite which lays its eggs in the nests of estrildid finches, especially waxbills. Unlike the Common Cuckoo, it does not destroy the host's eggs. Typically, 2-4 eggs are added to those already present. The eggs of both the host and the firefinch are white, although the whydah's are slightly larger. The nestling whydahs mimic the unique gape pattern of the fledglings of the host species.

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Canon EOS 10D ,Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
1/100s f/5.0 at 280mm (EF 70-200mm + EF 1.4x TC) ISO 800 with Flash hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time28-Sep-2003 14:04:38
MakeCanon
ModelEOS 10D
Flash UsedYes
Focal Length280 mm
Exposure Time1/100 sec
Aperturef/5
ISO Equivalent800
Exposure Bias-0.67
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modepartial (6)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Program
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
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