Audubon

Guide to North American Birds

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Northern Red Bishop

Euplectes franciscanus

Native to Africa, this colorful weaver is a popular cagebird, and escapees have established nesting populations in coastal southern California and in the Houston area in Texas. Escaped birds are sometimes seen elsewhere, especially in Florida, and the species is well established in Puerto Rico.
Habitat Widespread in semi-open habitats, including brushy thickets, overgrown fields, and the edges of marshes and ponds.
Native to Africa, this colorful weaver is a popular cagebird, and escapees have established nesting populations in coastal southern California and in the Houston area in Texas. Escaped birds are sometimes seen elsewhere, especially in Florida, and the species is well established in Puerto Rico.
Photo Gallery
Feeding Behavior

Usually forages in small flocks, feeding on the ground or in dense low cover.


Eggs

2-4 plain blue eggs. Incubation is by the female, about 2 weeks. Young: Female feeds the young in the nest for about 2 weeks until they fledge.


Diet

Feeds mainly on seeds, especially those of grasses; also some insects.


Nesting

Male performs a courtship display by flying about slowly over his territory with his red and black body plumage fully puffed out. The male builds the nest, a spherical mass of plant stems with the entrance on the side, and the female adds finer material inside to line the nest.

Illustration © David Allen Sibley.
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Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from
Lives of North American Birds

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Songs and Calls
Song is a complex series of twittering and buzzing notes.
Audio © Lang Elliott, Bob McGuire, Kevin Colver, Martyn Stewart and others.
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