SAFRING results

Redshouldered Widow Euplectes axillaris

1. Numbers ringed with SAFRING rings, 1948-2002

• Total ringed: 4228
• First ringed: 1959/60 ringing year
• Trapping method: Mistnets

Number of Redshouldered Widows ringed per year with SAFRING rings

Note that a total of 323 (average 80.75 per year) were ringed in the period 1970-73; the individual year totals are not known.

2. Computerised records, 1975-2002

Note: electronic records sent by ringers were extracted; no attempt was made to computerise other records.

• Number of records: 638
• Ring sizes used: 23 with 2.3 mm, 2 with 2.5-4 mm, 223 with 2.8 mm, 358 with 3 mm, 28 with 3.3 mm, 4 with 3.5 mm rings
• Recommended ring size: 3 mm Stainless steel or Aluminium Alloy
• Top ringers: 42 ringers; top 5 ringers: Mr M Bowker (127), Prof SE Piper (105), Dr DN Johnson (59), Mr JMH Raijmakers (59), Mr AJ Botha (44)
• Bird age distribution: Unknown (32), Juvenile (4), Immature (27), Adult (553), 0-6 months (7), 6-12 months (12), 1-2 years (3)
• Bird sex distribution: Unknown (82), Male (290), Female (229), Possibly male (17), Possibly female (20)
• Markings: Metal only (638)
• Condition: Good (638)
• Birds ringed per region:

  Locality	n
  KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa	381
  Mpumulanga, South Africa	228
  Malawi	14
  Eastern Cape, South Africa	5
  Gauteng, South Africa	4
  Namibia	4
  Free State, South Africa	1
  Swaziland	1

Map of localities where Redshouldered Widows have been ringed, 1975-2002

3. Biometrics and moult for Redshouldered Widows

Mass data (g)

Age	n	Min	Mean	Max
Adult male	231	18	27.8	36.5
Adult female	193	16	22.7	34.5

Wing length (mm)

Age	n	Min	Mean	Max
Adult male	230	59	87.8	98
Adult female	193	62	73.6	91.5

Moult data

Primary moult March to May.

4. Recovery history (SAFRING's database)

• Number of recoveries: 6 recoveries and 69 recaptures
• Greatest distance: 47 km (BB14645)
• Greatest elapsed time: 8y 2m 5d (E09444)
• Causes of mortality of ringed birds: None
  • Shot (2)
  • Poisoned unintentionally (1)
  • Collision with motor vehicle (1)
  • Rest unknown

5. Ringing references

Craig AJFK. 1978. Seasonal variations in the weights of Red Bishops, Redcollared Widows and Redshouldered Widows. Ostrich 49:153-157.

Craig AJFK. 1982. Mortality rates of some South African Ploceidae. Ostrich 53: 54-57.

Craig AJFK. 1983. Moult in southern African passerine birds: a review. Ostrich 54:220-237.

Craig AJFK. 1992. The identification of Euplectes species in non-breeding plumage. BBOC 112:102-108.

Craig AJFK. 1993. Geographical variation and taxonomy of the genus Euplectes (Aves, Ploceidae). Part II: the long-tailed widow birds. Journal of African Zoology 107:139-151.

Craig AJFK. 1993. Are there common patterns of variation in bishop-bird Euplectes species? PAOC 8: 53-59.

Craig AJFK & Manson AJ. 1979. Sex ratios among three Euplectes species in southern Africa. Ibis 121:224-227.

Craig AJFK & Manson AJ. 1979. Moult of the Red Bishop and related species of Euplectes. Ostrich 50: 65-69.

Craig AJFK & Manson AJ. 1981. Sexing Euplectes species by wing-length. Ostrich 52: 9-16.

Craig AJFK & Villet MH. 1998. Sexual dimorphism and tail-length in widowbirds and bishopbirds (Ploceidae: Euplectes spp.): a reassessment. Ibis 140:137-143.

6. Research

None.