The Sahel paradise whydah, yellow-naped whydah or northern paradise whydah is a small songbird.
Region
Sahel belt of West and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs across the semi-arid Sahel from Senegal and Gambia east through Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, northern Nigeria and Cameroon to Chad, South Sudan and western Sudan. It favors open savanna, scrubby acacia grasslands, and lightly wooded farmland. The species often concentrates near villages and fields where millet and other grasses seed. It avoids dense rainforest and true desert, using scattered shrubs and low trees for perches. Local movements track seeding grasses after rains.
Altitude Range
0–1800 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Sahel paradise whydah (also called yellow-naped or northern paradise whydah) is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of estrildid finches, especially Pytilia species. Breeding males grow spectacularly long black tail streamers and develop a striking yellow nape patch for display flights. Males often mimic the songs of their host species to attract mates. It follows seasonal rains across the Sahel, appearing where grasses are seeding.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; exaggerated display flights
Social Behavior
Often seen in small flocks outside the breeding season, feeding and moving together. A brood parasite, it lays eggs in the nests of Pytilia finches; the hosts rear the chicks. Males perform aerial display flights and court multiple females, while females seek host nests for parasitism.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Males deliver a varied series of high-pitched whistles and trills, frequently mimicking the calls of their host finches. Display songs are given from exposed perches or during buoyant, looping flights.
