The Birds of Livingstone Township, Northern Rhodesia, 1942–1950

Winterbottom, J. M.

doi:10.1080/00306525.1956.9639037

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 4 publications

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“…In contrast, L. nitidula has a limited distributional range, mainly outside that of the red‐billed indigobirds V. c. amauropteryx . L. nitidula has been known from the upper Zambezi for more than 60 years and was seen near Kazungula at least 20 years ago, whereas red‐billed V. c. amauropteryx is known upstream on the upper Zambezi only as far as 50 km from Kazungula in western Zambia (Winterbottom 1942, 1956, Benson et al . 1971, Payne 1973, Irwin 1981).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural and genetic evidence of a recent population switch to a novel host species in brood‐parasitic indigobirds Vidua chalybeata

Payne

Hustler²,

Stjernstedt³

et al. 2002

Ibis

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We describe a population of Village Indigobirds Vidua chalybeata on the Zambezi River that parasitizes the nests and mimics the songs of a novel host species, Brown Firefinch Lagonosticta nitidula, yet coexists with a population that mimics the usual host species of this indigobird, Red‐billed Firefinch L. senegala. Male indigobirds mimicking the song of L. nitidula are morphologically indistinguishable from those that mimic songs of the usual host, L. senegala. Likewise, nestling indigobirds in broods of L. nitidula and L. senegala are similar in having mouth markings that mimic the nestlings of L. senegala rather than those of the novel host. Molecular genetic evidence indicates that the host switch to L. nitidula has involved at least four different indigobird matrilines. Indigobirds that are associated with L. nitidula are genetically similar to the indigobirds associated with sympatric L. senegala, and not to the indigobirds associated with west African Bar‐breasted Firefinch L. rufopicta, the species that is most closely related to L. nitidula. Because field and experimental studies show that female indigobirds prefer males that mimic the songs of their own foster species, and females choose the same host to parasitize, the indigobirds reared by a novel host form a distinct breeding population. Taken together, behavioural, morphological and genetic evidence indicates a recent host switch by indigobirds in the Zambezi region from their old host L. senegala to a new host L. nitidula.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%