The barka indigobird is a species of bird in the family Viduidae. It is found in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sudan, and South Sudan. It is also known as the baka indigobird but the spelling "barka" is more correct; the word is a greeting in the Hausa language.
Region
West and Northeast Africa (Sahel to the Upper Nile)
Typical Environment
Occurs from West Africa eastward through the Sahel and savanna belt into the Upper Nile basin, including countries such as Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Sudan, South Sudan, and parts of Ethiopia. It favors open woodland, savanna, and cultivated areas with scattered shrubs and grasses. Proximity to habitats used by the Black-faced Firefinch is typical, often near watercourses, bushy edges, and village margins. It avoids dense forest but readily uses human-modified landscapes where seed resources are abundant.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Barka indigobird is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of the Black-faced Firefinch, and its chicks are raised by the host. Males famously mimic the songs and calls of their host species, which helps attract females that were raised by the same host. Breeding males show a glossy blue-black sheen, while females are cryptic and sparrow-like. It is sometimes called the Baka indigobird, but 'Barka' (a Hausa greeting) is the more accurate spelling.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief undulating glides
Social Behavior
Males hold song perches and display to females within small territories. As a brood parasite, the species does not build its own nest, instead laying eggs in the nests of Black-faced Firefinches. Pairs are not strongly bonded, and courtship involves aerial chases and persistent singing by the male.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Male song prominently mimics the calls and songs of the Black-faced Firefinch, interwoven with thin, buzzy trills and high, sibilant notes. Song delivery is persistent from exposed perches, especially in early morning and late afternoon.
