Least Concern Birds

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Euplectes afer

Yellow-crowned Bishop eats seeds in African wetlands and grasslands.

Scientific name	Euplectes afer
Swahili name	Mkorongo wa Kijani
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Passeriformes
Family	Estrildidae
Size	Male: approximately 12-14 cm, weight about 20-30 g; female: slightly smaller and slightly lighter in weight

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How to identify

Male has a bright yellow crown on the head; body plumage is black with yellow patches; female is duller in color, mainly brown and pale yellow; male plumage is vivid during breeding season and duller outside it; short, stout bill adapted for seed eating.

Habitat

Wetlands, reed beds, grasslands, edges of farmland, and near sparse wooded savannas

Diet

Primarily seeds, occasionally insects and other small invertebrates

When it is active

Diurnal, active during the day, especially at dawn and dusk

Where it lives

Widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa; commonly seen in Masai Mara National Reserve.

How to spot it

Observe at dawn or dusk along wetland and reed bed edges; note the male’s bright breeding plumage; use a telephoto lens to capture details.

Photography tips

Use natural lighting for photography, select simple wetland backgrounds; capture moments when the male displays its crown and courtship behavior.

Threats

Habitat loss and wetland degradation; agricultural expansion and pesticide use may impact food sources.

Similar species

Similar to other Euplectes species, such as the Red-crowned Bishop (Euplectes orix); distinguished by the male’s yellow crown, whereas the Red-crowned Bishop has a red crown.

📖 how to spot the yellow crowned bishop on safari