Fan-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes axillaris

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 axillaris (Fan-tailed Widowbird)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at South Luangwa National Park

3 Verified sightings at South Luangwa National Park From 2019 to 2026

3,879 Verified sightings across all 33 parks From 2019 to 2026

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

About the Fan-tailed Widowbird

The fan-tailed widowbird (Euplectes axillaris), also known as the red-shouldered widowbird, is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae, which is native to grassy and swampy areas of the tropical and subtropical Afrotropics.

It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

There are five accepted races: E. a. subsp. bocagei (Sharpe, 1871) – West Africa from Mali to CAR and DRC, and southwards to the Caprivi Strip, Okavango and upper Zambezi regions. E. a. subsp. phoeniceus (Heuglin, 1862) – East Africa (Sudan to upland Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi)

E. a. subsp. traversii (Salvadori, 1888) – Ethiopian Highlands E. a. subsp. zanzibaricus (Shelley, 1881) – African east coast (Somalia to Tanzania) E. a. subsp. axillaris (A.Smith, 1838) – southeastern Africa (lowland Malawi to eastern South Africa)

(Fan-tailed widowbird = ) Red-shouldered widowbird - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at South Luangwa National Park

Euplectes orix

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Euplectes hartlaubi

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Euplectes hordeaceus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Euplectes albonotatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Euplectes capensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Euplectes ardens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Euplectes macroura

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Quelea quelea

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Bubalornis niger

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Ploceus ocularis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Ploceus velatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Ploceus cucullatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

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	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~30%
2	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
3	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
4	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
5	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
6	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
7	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
8	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
9	Golden Gate Highlands National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
10	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
11	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	~10%
12	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
13	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
14	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
15	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	<5%
16	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
17	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	<5%
18	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
19	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
20	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
21	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
22	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
23	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
24	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
25	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
26	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
27	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
28	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
29	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
30	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
31	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
32	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	Insufficient data
33	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data

← Back to South Luangwa National Park

Fan-tailed Widowbird

About the Fan-tailed Widowbird

Recent sightings of Fan-tailed Widowbird in South Luangwa National Park

Closest Relatives at South Luangwa National Park

Red Bishop

Marsh Widowbird

Black-winged Bishop

White-winged Widowbird

Yellow-rumped Widowbird

Red-collared Widowbird

Yellow-shouldered Widowbird

Red-billed Quelea

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver

Spectacled Weaver

Southern Masked Weaver

Village Weaver

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found