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This page lists books that are totally or partially about Indigobirds and Whydahs. The books are listed in order of publication date with the most recent at the top.

Indigobirds and Whydahs

Genus: Vidua

The Viduidae are a family of African passerines. There are 19 species in the family, 10 of which are indigobirds and 9 whydahs.

Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15: Weavers to New World Warblers

Edited by Josep Del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott and David Christie

2010

879 pages, 60 colour plates, 400+ colour photos, 612 distribution maps.

This volume covers weavers, waxbills, indigobirds, vireos, finches, hawaiian honeycreepers and new world warblers.

The Birds of Africa, Volume VII: Sparrows to Buntings

Editors: C Hilary Fry and Stuart Keith

Poyser

2004

"This is the final volume in the Birds of Africa series - looking at the rich avifauna of the world's second largest continent. Volume VII treats the remainder of the passerine families of Africa and various offshore islands, covering the sparrows, weavers, whydahs, waxbills, finches and buntings. Like its predecessors, this book boasts an exhaustively researched and referenced text, distilling all available data on the identification, ecology, distribution, behaviour and status of the species covered. Martin Woodcock's colour identification plates are complemented by a wealth of line drawings by Ian Willis which illustrate details of Africa's birdlife such as weaver nest structure and Ploceidae display postures."

The Evolution of Begging: Competition, Cooperation and Communication

Jonathan Wright and Marty L. Leonard

2002

Includes a chapter concerned with indigobirds.

"Begging by nestling birds has become the model system for investigating evolutionary conflicts of interest within families and their theoretical resolution provided by honest signals of offspring need. In response to the recent explosions of scientific papers on the revolution of begging; we have brought together twenty-four original contributions from major researchers in all areas of this dynamic field. Organised into six sections: I: Theoretical approaches; II: Begging as a signal; III: Nestling physiology; IV: Sibling competition; V: Brood parasitism; and VI: Statistical approaches; this book is primarily aimed at research scientists and those at the graduate student level. For the first time, the theoretical and empirical literature on begging is fully reviewed. New ideas and data are also presented from a wide range of natural systems, and each chapter ends with suggestions for future study."

The Avian Brood Parasites: Deception at the Nest

Paul A. Johnsgard

1997

"The evolutionary, ecological and behavioral questions posed by obligate brood parasites are among the most intriguing of all contemporary ornithological topics. Avian brood parasites lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and may be a major contributing factor driving several species of songbirds to near extinction. As one of the first books to present a comprehensive overview of this fascinating phenomenon, this work discusses the comparative biology and co-evolutionary adaptations exhibited by the five families of birds that engage in such behavior. Several chapters dealing with the comparative biology of both intraspecific and interspecific brood parasites, are followed by individual accounts of all known species - nearly 100 altogether, primarily cowbirds and cuckoos. Some of the more remarkable behavioral and structural adaptations of these birds include egg mimicry, juvenile mimicry, elimination by starvation or actual attack of other nestlings or host eggs, and even the learning and partial mimicry of host song traits. An extended glossary, a list of Latin names, 400 literature citations and range maps of all parasitic species discussed are also included. Detailed line drawings by the author enhance this synthesis of biological and ecological information."

Includes a section on Honeyguides which discusses 17 species.

Proceedings of the Eighth Pan-African Ornithological Congress

Editor: R.T. Wilson

1993

Proceedings of congress held at Bujumbura, Burundi, from 30 September to 5 October 1992. Includes the paper:

Species status and distribution of the parasitic indigo-birds Vidua in east and southern Africa

by R.B. Payne, L.L. Payne, M.E.D. Nhlane & K. Hustler.

Species Limits In The Indigobirds Of West Africa: Mouth Mimicry, Song Mimicry, And Description Of New Species

Robert B. Payne

1982

"The evolutionary, ecological and behavioral questions posed by obligate brood parasites are among the most intriguing of all contemporary ornithological topics. Avian brood parasites lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and may be a major contributing factor driving several species of songbirds to near extinction. As one of the first books to present a comprehensive overview of this fascinating phenomenon, this work discusses the comparative biology and co-evolutionary adaptations exhibited by the five families of birds that engage in such behavior. Several chapters dealing with the comparative biology of both intraspecific and interspecific brood parasites, are followed by individual accounts of all known species - nearly 100 altogether, primarily cowbirds and cuckoos. Some of the more remarkable behavioral and structural adaptations of these birds include egg mimicry, juvenile mimicry, elimination by starvation or actual attack of other nestlings or host eggs, and even the learning and partial mimicry of host song traits. An extended glossary, a list of Latin names, 400 literature citations and range maps of all parasitic species discussed are also included. Detailed line drawings by the author enhance this synthesis of biological and ecological information."

Includes a section on Honeyguides which discusses 17 species.

Behavior, Mimetic Songs And Song Dialects, And Relationships Of The Parasitic Indigobirds (Vidua) Of Africa

Robert P. Payne

American Ornithologists' Union

1973

A 333 page study.

Contents:

• Introduction
• Breeding Behavior Of Indigobirds
• Brood Parasitism And The Interactions Of Indigobirds And Firefinches
• Vocalizations Of Firefinches And Their Mimicry By The Indigobirds
• Nonmimetic Vocalizations And Song Dialects
• Song Dialects And Population Structure
• Behavioral Context Of Indigobirds Vocalizations And The Responses Of Birds To Songs
• Assortative Mating And Isolating Mechanisms
• Variation And Relationships In The Indigobirds
• The Importance Of Song Behavior And Geographic Isolation In Differentiation And Speciation Of The Indigobirds
• Summary