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By Alexander Wetmore
Among all the weaver finches the most curious in plumage are the whydahs, in which the
tail of the male is greatly elongated (Plate V).
The name of this group is unusual and is
subject to two interpretations. The ordinary
spelling is that just given, and the name is said
to come from that of the coast town of Ouidah
in Dahomey, French West Africa. The Portuguese traders, however, called the birds "widows" from their long, dark trains, and they are
known today as "veuve" in French, and are
often called "widows" or "widow birds" in
English.
While whydahs are kept sometimes in cages,
they are at their best in aviaries, where the
handsomely decorated males can be seen to
advantage.
These decorations are
confined to the males,
as females and immature males are streaked,
sparrowlike birds with
the tail short, as in
most species of this
group. In a native state
the paradise whydah
has a wide distribution
in Africa.
The giant whydah
(Diatropura progne)
of eastern and south-
ern Africa is nearly as
large in body as a red-winged blackbird, and
the streaming tail
feathers are eighteen
inches in length. It is
one of the most showy
of aviary birds. Each
male has favorite
perches where he sings
a sibilant song and flutters his wings in display, showing his red
shoulders in brilliant
contrast with his black
wings and body.
Originally appeared in the December 1938 issue of the National Geographic Magazine
This Web version COPYRIGHT 2004
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