SONG MIMICRY AND SPECIES STATUS OF THE GREEN WIDOWFINCH VIDUA CODRINGTONI

Summary

Payne, R. B., Payne, L. L. & Nhlane, M. E. D. 1992. Song mimicry and species status of the Green Widowfinch Vidua codringtoni. Ostrich 63:86-97.

The Green Widowfinch Vidua codringtoni mimics the songs of the Redthroated Twinspot Hypargos niveoguttatus, its apparent foster species, in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malaŵi. Of 38 male Green Widowfinches, 37 mimicked the twinspot; one mimicked a firefinch and not the twinspot. A wild-captured juvenile developed mimicry of twinspot song after six months and retained its mimicry through the next year. Male Green Widowfinches have glossy breeding plumage (green to blue), black wings, white bill and bright orange feet, a colour combination unlike other widowfinches in their range in southern Africa. Females are marginally distinguishable from other widowfinch species. Green Widowfinches occur together locally with Black V. funerea nigerrima, Purple V. purpurascens and Steelblue V. chalybeata Widowfinches and do not interbreed with them. The four species of widowfinches in southern Africa each have distributional ranges within the limits of their foster species.