The Red Bishop Weaver

 Other common names

                           

Red Bishop, Grenadier Weaver, Grenadier Bishop, Orange Bishop, Orange Bishop Weaver, Orange Weaver, Crimson Grenadier, Scarlet Grenadier.

E. o. franciscana is the species called the Orange Weaver (or Orange Bishop) or Northern Red Bishop, and is the most commonly encountered in aviculture. Some authors consider it its own species, Euplectes franciscanus. It ranges from Senegal to Sudan.

E. o. orix is called the Southern Red Bishop, Grenadier Weaver or simply Red Bishop. It is not commonly kept in captivity, and can be differentiated from E. o. franciscana by its larger size and the fact that it has black feathers under its chin. It hails from South Africa.

                                             

       

Origin

Africa

Area of distribution

Across northern Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia and Tanzania, and south to Angola and South Africa.

Disposition

Aggressive while breeding.

Physical descriptions

When in color ("nuptial plumage"--which occurs seasonally), the male appears as follows: black beak, the top of the head and area around the eyes are black, the abdomen is black, the wings are brown, and the rest of the bird (chin, throat, chest, nape of the neck, back, undertail, and upper tail coverts) are orange to red in color.

   

                                         

When out of color ("eclipse plumage"), he appears similar to the hen: sparrow-like coloration with horn-colored beak, tawny brown body color with dark streaks to the feathers, cream belly.

Sexing

The cocks seasonally enter a more colorful black-and-orange nuptial plumage which the hens do not sport. Hen are generally smaller in stature than cocks. When compared to cocks that are out-of color, hens may have darker streaking on the underparts. E. o. orix hens have darker cheek patches bordered by a lighter brown, lighter eyestripes, and paler upper flanks and breast areas; the bill is paler. E. o. franciscanus hens, when compared to cocks, have a broader eyestripe that lacks the dark underline; the cheek patch is less rusty brown and lacks flecking along the lower rear aspect; the underparts are paler; the bill is lighter in color; the striping on the crown is less delineated.

Favorite foods

Small cereal seeds, live food (e.g. crickets, moths, etc.), green food.

Natural habitat

Reed beds near surface water, open grasslands, parks, gardens, farmland. Nests among tall grasses and reeds in wet areas.

Habits

This species is polygamous; males tend to maintain harems of 3-4 hens on average in the wild. When not breeding, flocks tend to become pests to cereal crops. Orange Weavers love to bathe and should be given regular bathing opportunities.