Southern Red Bishop or Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)
The Southern Red Bishop or Red Bishop is a small passerine bird belonging to the bishop and widowbird in the weaver family. It is common in wetlands and grassland in Africa south of the Equator.
This is another bird that goes through a change before breeding… a sort of trooping of the colours you might call it… the male is very similar to the female in colouring when not breeding… but changes into this magnificent red or orange red colour to breed…
It is 10–11 centimetres (4 inches) long and has a thick conical bill. Breeding males are brightly-coloured with red (occasionally orange) and black plumage. The forehead, face and throat are black and the rest of the head is red. The upper parts are red apart from the brown wings and tail. The upper breast and under tail-coverts are red while the lower breast and belly are black. The non-breeding male and female have streaky brown plumage, paler below. Females are smaller than the males. Here’s firstly, a few photos of the males going through the “change of life”.. having hot flushes by the looks of it….
And then for the change…
This last photo is probably a life size shot…. showing his true size…. Below is a female…..
We are eagerly waiting for our one to change as we feed the garden birds and he visits the table.
Amazing!
That it is.. thanks..
incredible photos, so vibrant, surely he will get a date with that pimped out look!
One would hope so… but then as a male he’s bound to have the odd disappointment… dressed for success, only to fail….
Wow that is quite a dramatic change! Super photos BD!
Another male that has to dress for success….
I wish I could pretty myself up like that! What a cute bird 😀
I wish I could do that… lol… he is a real colourful example of natures wonders…
Amazing creatures and gorgeous photos. I’m sure these guys thought you did the proud with these shots.
Thanks Gina… not to easy to capture amid their flit around for females… but a few came and sat near to where I was patiently waiting… maybe they thought I was the Paparazzi… lol
Extraordinary! How long does the change take?
they change in a month… one can see the new growth coming and before you realise they are in their new clothes…
He looks as though you could reach out and touch his fluffiness! Great captures (and no birdie butts this time LOL )
They shoot around trying to show off to the females… so getting pictures is a case of patience and waiting for one to land close by to where you hide… but these obviously love me as no birdie butts…
That’s a heck of a “hot flash”…beautiful!
Yep he can certainly turn it on…
their beauty amazes me…vibrant orange from dull brown, wow! they remind me of a velvet print, almost touchable! Great pics, love that male birds ‘dress up’ to attract females, hmmm there’s something to be said about the male putting on some finer duds 😉
Yes what the poor birds have to do… and then sometimes not even attract a female… this change always amazes me as during the winter they are all together and difficult to tell apart… I’d be charming a female then and hope she follows me instead of relying on colour….lol…
hehehe, really? You’re right about the difficulty in telling them apart, I’ve noticed that with the bluebirds and finches around here…tho’ the cardinals are easy to spot males from females 😉
What a pretty bird. I’m sure that I’ve have seen these in Johannesburg.
They are pretty well spread all over the country you might have even seen him in Natal….
What beautiful little birds!
Aren’t they just… once again the male bird getting dressed for breeding time…
Wonderful photos, they look gorgeous 🙂
They are so plain most of the year … then comes breeding time and walla beautiful red colour…