Scientific name: Steganura paradisaea
Habitat:
The Paradise Whydah is found throughout the African country of Ethiopia and prefers wooded or open savanna and dry, scrubby torn bushes.
Features and Identifying Marks:
The species is dimorphic and dichromatic during the breeding season. The male bird has glossy black wings, head, back and tail, while the abdomen area is white and the upper chest is a striking and very noticeable rust color.
Reproduction Habits:
The species is polygamous and a male Paradise Whydah can mate with up to a dozen females during the season. The female does not have a need to care for her young, as she lays her eggs in the nests of other birds, most commonly the Green-winged Pytilia.
DIET:
Feeds on large grass seeds such as millet, wild oats and spinifex along with the occasional termite and grubs. May feed on the ground or in bushes where grasses have grown winding and tangled in the branches.