White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyPloceidae (Weavers and Allies)
GenusEuplectes (Bishops and Widowbirds)
SpeciesEuplectes albonotatus (White-winged Widowbird)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Murchison Falls National Park

3 Verified sightings at Murchison Falls National Park From 2019 to 2026

3,868 Verified sightings across all 37 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the White-winged Widowbird

The white-winged widowbird (Euplectes albonotatus) is a species of passerine bird in the family Ploceidae native to Africa south of the Sahara. It is highly sexually dimorphic in its breeding season, during which the male's yellow plumage turns dark and he gains more white feathers, contrasting with the female's predominantly pale coloration. Three subspecies are recognised.

The white-winged widowbird was first described by the American ornithologist John Cassin in 1848. Hybrids with "red bishops", probably northern red bishop (E. franciscanus), have been reported in captivity. Non-captive interbreeding of race eques with nominate appears to occur in southern Tanzania, but they appear to stay segregated in Burundi and western Tanzania. A proposal has been made for race sassii, which is found along the northwestern shore of Lake Tanganyika. Alternate common names include: white-fronted/white-shouldered widowbird, white-winged/white-shouldered whydah, long-tailed black whydah.

Three subspecies of the white-winged widowbird are now recognized. E. a. albonotatus (Cassin, 1848), inhabits Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Murchison Falls National Park

Euplectes franciscanus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Euplectes hordeaceus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Euplectes macroura

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Euplectes gierowii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Euplectes ardens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Euplectes orix

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Euplectes capensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Euplectes axillaris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Euplectes hartlaubi

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Sporopipes frontalis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Ploceus melanocephalus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Ploceus luteolus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~40%
2	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
3	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
4	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
5	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
6	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
7	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
8	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
9	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
10	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
11	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
12	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
13	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
14	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
15	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
16	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
17	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
18	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
19	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
20	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
21	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
22	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
23	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
24	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
25	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
26	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
27	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
28	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
29	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
30	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
31	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
32	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
33	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	Insufficient data
34	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	Insufficient data
35	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
36	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
37	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	Insufficient data

← Back to Murchison Falls National Park

White-winged Widowbird

About the White-winged Widowbird

Recent sightings of White-winged Widowbird in Murchison Falls National Park

Closest Relatives at Murchison Falls National Park

Orange Bishop

Black-winged Bishop

Yellow-shouldered Widowbird

Black Bishop

Red-collared Widowbird

Red Bishop

Yellow-rumped Widowbird

Fan-tailed Widowbird

Marsh Widowbird

Speckle-fronted Weaver

Black-headed Weaver

Little Weaver

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found