Figures from: Sorenson, Sefc & Payne. 2003. Nature 424: 928-931.
| Fig. 1 | Fig. 2 | Fig.3 |
Vidua purpurascens at Lochinvar National Park, Zambia - photo by Robert B. Payne
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Vidua raricola at Tibati, Cameroon - photo by Michael D. Sorenson
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Vidua chalybeata from Guinea, West Africa (note dark wings) - photo by Michael D. Sorenson
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Vidua raricola from Tibati, Cameroon (note green plumage and light brown wings) - photo by Michael D. Sorenson
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In both of the following examples, the contrast here between indigobird vocalizations and some of the clearer tones heard when they are mimicking their firefinch hosts is quite distinct. These rather different sounds come out of the same indigobird over the course of a few seconds (as is quite typical) - we've done no cutting or pasting here.
Note: Vidua camerunensis is associated with several hosts in West Africa, but we continue to treat these birds as a single species because there is no discernible morphological differences between the birds using different hosts. Nonetheless, it is possible that V. camerunensis actually comprises several reproductively isolated populations associated with different hosts.
songs of Vidua camerunensis mimicking African Firefinch Lagonosticta rubricata at Tibati, Cameroon
0-2 seconds - indigobird chatter
4-16 seconds - indigobird song
16-21 seconds - mimicry of Lagonosticta rubricata
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songs of Vidua camerunensis mimicking Black-bellied Firefinch Lagonosticta rara at Tibati, Cameroon
0-8 seconds - indigobird chatter and song
8-25 seconds - mimicry of Lagonosticta rara
sonogram (740 KB tif)
Brown Firefinch Lagonosticta nitidula from the Zambezi River region between Zimbabwe and Zambia - photo by Michael D. Sorenson
Note: uncommon host of V. chalybeata
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Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala from Lochinvar National Park, Zambia - photo by Michael D. Sorenson
Note: usual host of V. chalybeata
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Village Indigobird Vidua chalybeata from Lochinvar National Park, Zambia - photo by Michael D. Sorenson
(note red bill unlike other indigobirds)
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Cameroon Indigobird Vidua camerunensis from Guinea, West Africa - photo by Michael D. Sorenson
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Mouth of Vidua camerunensis chick (mimics black-bellied firefinch Lagonosticta rara) - photo by Robert B. Payne
Mouth of Vidua chalybeata chick (mimics red-billed firefinch Lagonosticta senegala) - photo by Robert B. Payne
