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Red Bishop


Red Bishop
Photo Information
Copyright: Stephen Earle (StephenE) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 19 W: 0 N: 111] (533)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-11-02
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40 D
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of South Africa 2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-11-09 1:13
Viewed: 4467
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I caught this guy and his friends in a territorial display.

A sparrow sized bird with brilliant red and black breeding plumage. Size 10-11cm: About the same size as a Cape Sparrow. Afrikaans: Rooivink

The male Red Bishop is a brilliant red and black. The bill is short, strong and conical. The bill is black in breeding males and pinkish horn in females or non-breeding males. The legs and feet are pinkish brown.

The male Red Bishop has a black facemask and black underparts. The black extends onto the forehead. The rest of the head, back rump and mangle are brilliant red. There is a wide red collar between the red throat and breast.

The wings are brownish, merging into the red adjacent to the back. The upperparts of the female are light brown, with darker streaking. The eyebrow is paler and the underparts are off-white with fine dark streaks on the breast and flanks.

This species is found in close association with reedbeds, but also in rank grass, bulrushes and sedges as well as adjacent country, which may include farmland, gardens or savannah.

It is generally a gregarious species, usually seen in flocks, which usually include a number of males and the drab looking females. In the non-breeding season the males become like the females and they form large flocks, often together with other seed-eating species such as weavers or sparrows.

They eat seeds, grain and insects, which are fed to the young.

The call is a sharp chiz chiz and when displaying males have a swizzly song not unlike that of the weavers, but more whining and wheezy, with many higher pitched notes.

It nests mainly from July to December in the South-Western Cape , and later elsewhere. Males are polygynous (have more than one partner) and several males usually nest in close proximity in colonies. Colonies are usually in reedbeds, standing in water. The nests are weaver-like, but with a side-top entrance, and are attached between two or three reed stems.
SelenE, nainnain, Truja, vanderschelden, earthtraveler, ralfsworld, jaycee, sranjan has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2007-11-09 1:31]

Hi Stephen,
Beautiful bird with charming colors. Pose, clarity, focus, sharpness, plain grey background and composition are very good. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

hello
que de magnifiques couleurs de cet oiseau, réussite parfaite, tres beaux détails dans le plumage, bon bg et POV
bravo et merci de partager
edith

amazing pic of an amazing bird, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • Wasiak (22)
  • [2007-11-09 2:14]

bavo:)
Excellent:)
I love this colours:)
Regards Paweł:)

  • Great 
  • Truja (18)
  • [2007-11-09 2:40]

Hi Stephen,
peculiar bird with those very beautiful reddish tonalities.
Great colors and quality of image.
Bravo by the photographer and the model!!
Salut, Jordi

Amazing clarity - it looks like painting. Excellent.

Hello Stephen,
Congrats,
A wonderful image.
This guy ha s the colours and you photographed these very well.
TFS
Annick

Stephen,

How funny, the feathers all blowed out, put the colors are stunning,
you done your part here,
very nice,

fototab

Hi Stephen,
Fine image of this Red Bishop
Great pov/pose and composition
Sweet clarity and color
Well done
Richard

  • Great 
  • Zeno Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 483 W: 0 N: 1345] (10867)
  • [2007-11-09 6:28]

Hi Stephen,

One of my favorites this beautiful red bishop. Saw it in Africa a couple of times but never managed to make a decent phot. Congrats on this fantastic shot.

regards,
Zeno.

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-11-09 6:31]

Hello Stephen, gorgeous bird and a great image of it ! Very sharp, great exposure and excellent colors. I like its aggressive pose. thanks,

Mario

Hi Stephen
What a cool looking bird captured with good quality!
Nice pose, details, colours and expression.
TFS
Ralf

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2007-11-09 13:26]

Hello Stephen,
What an expression! The pose is perfect. Great details and excellent clear colours. Fantastic composition, focus, POV and BG.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • darwin Gold Star Critiquer [C: 259 W: 0 N: 403] (1401)
  • [2007-11-09 15:29]

Hi Stephen
Stunning shot
Image crystal clear
Amazing color and detail
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2007-11-09 15:51]

Hi Stephen,

What an amazing looking bird and you captured it perfectly. The colors are marvelous. Excellent details of the face, wings and plummage. I love that beak! Fantastic pose and a superb background.

Jane

What a stunning bird and you caught him so well, its so sharp.

Hello Stephen,
Handsome gorgeous bird and a great image of it ! Very sharp, great details, POV, exposure and excellent colors. I do like its aggressive pose. TFS
Regards-Subhash

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