The indigobirds and whydahs are finch-like birds native to Africa. The breeding male whydahs have very long tails. All are obligate brood parasites they lay their eggs in the nests of estrildid finch species. Most indigobirds use firefinches as hosts, whereas the paradise whydahs chose pytilias. The indigobirds and whydahs do not destroy the host's eggs. Typically, they lay 2–4 eggs in with those already present. The eggs of both the host and the victim are white, although the indigobird's are slightly larger.
Many of the indigobirds are very similar in appearance, with the males difficult to separate in the field, and the young and females near impossible. The best guide is often the estrildid finch with which they are associating, since each indigobird parasitises a different host species. Indigobirds and whydahs imitate their host's song, which the males learn in the nest.
Genus Anomalospiza - 1 species
Weaver,_Parasitic also Cuckoo-finch Anomalospiza imberbis Found: Afica
The male Cuckoo-finch has olive-green upperparts with black streaks; yellow head, underparts; black bill. Female has buff plumage; heavy black streaking on upperparts; light streaks on flanks; black upper mandible; pale lower mandible.
Image by: 1) B_Attard - South Africa 2) Dick Daniels - specimen in Nairobi National Museum, Kenya 3) Alan Manson
1) Female 2, 3) Male
Genus Viduidae
Indigobird,_Barka Vidua larvaticola Found: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sudan, South Sudan.
Image by: 1, 2) Nigel Voaden - Cameroon `
Indigobird,_Cameroon Vidua camerunensis Found: west-central Africa
The host species of the Cameroon Indigobird: African Firefinch, Black-bellied Firefinch, Brown Twinspot, Dubowski Twinspot.
Image by: 1)John_Caddick - Sierra Leone
Indigobird,_Green also Zambezi Indgobird Vidua codringtoni Found:Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Image by: 1) Niall_Perrins
Indigobird,_Jambandu Vidua raricola Found: central Africa
The host species of the Jambandu Indigobird: Zebra Waxwing
Image by: 1)John_Caddick
Indigobird,_Jos_Plateau Vidua maryae Found: Nigeria
The host species of the Jos Plateaqu Indigobird: Rock Firefinch
Image by: 1) gorgeousgeorge76
Indigobird,_Purple Vidua purpurascens Found: DR Congo and Kenya south to South America
The host species of the Purple Indigobird: Jamesons Firefinch
Image by: 1) Jerry_Oldenettel - Botswana 2) Alan_Manson - South Africa.jpg){kind=link}
Indigobird,_Quailfinch Vidua nigeriae Found:The Gambia, Nigeria and Cameroon
The male quailfinch Indigo bird has greenish-black plumage. Female has streaked brown upperparts; whitish supercilium; buff underparts. The host species of the Quailfinch Indigobird: Black-faced Quailfinch.
Image by: 1, 2) Seth_Of_Rabi - Nigeria
Indigobird,_Variable also Dusky Indigobird Vidua funerea Found: Africa
Image by: 1) ruslou_koorts - South Africa 2) Alan_Manson - South Africa
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Indigobird, Village Vidua chalybeata Found: Africa
The male Village Indigo is bluish-black; whitish bill; orange-red legs. Female has streaked brown upperparts; buff underparts; whitish supercilium; yellowish bill. Helpful pointers with the Village Indigobird identification is association with its host species, the Red-billed Firefinch, and its presence near human habitation.
Image by: 1) Atamari - Gambia 2) Hectonichus 3) Derek_Keats - South Africa
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1) Female 2, 3) Male
Indigobird,_Wilson's also Pale-winged Indigobird Vidua wilsoni Found: Africa
The host species of the Wilson's Indigobird: Bar-breasted Firefinch
Image by: 1) Rich_Hoyer 2) Bruno_Portier
Whyday,_Broad-tailed_Paradise- Vidua obtusa Found: DR Congo and Kenya south to South Africa
The breeding male Broad-tailed Paradise-Whyday has black upperparts; chestnut-orange nape patch; buffy underparts; very long tail. Nonbreeding male had female has gray-brown upperparts with streaks; pale supercilium; buffy underparts.
Image by: 1) Nik Borrow 2)Hiyashi_Haka1) Non-breeding male 2) Breeding male
Whydah, Eastern Paradise also Long-tailed Paradise Whydah Vidua paradisaea Found: eastern Africa
The breeding male Eastern Paradise Whydah has black back, head, bill; yellowish nape; rusty-brown breast; buffy-white belly; black tail with very long feathers. The female or nonbreeding male has white median crown stripe, supercilium; off white belly.
Image by: 1, 2, 6) Dick Daniels - National Aviary 3, 5, 7) Dick - San Diego Zoo 4) Doug Janson 8) Sandy Cole - National Aviary 
1 - 4) Female 5 - 8) Male
Whyday,_Exclamatory_Paradise- Vidua interjecta Found: central Africa
Image by: 1) Seth_Of_Rab 2) Chris_Eason
Whydah, Pintail Vidua macroura Found: Africa, Puerto Rico (introduced)
The breeding male Pintail Whydah has black hood, back, tail; dark brown wings with white patches; white face, underparts; red bill. Female and nonbreeding male has streaked brown upperparts; whitish underparts with buff flanks; buff and black face pattern; red bill.
Image by: 1) Dick Daniels - Puerto Rico (ID by Chuck Schussman 2, 3) Dick - San Diego Zoo 6) Joseph Mochoge - Eburu Kenya 4) Alan Manson 5) New Jersey Birds 
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1,2, 3) Female or nonbreeding male 4, 5, 6) Breeding male
Whyday,_Sahel_Paradise- Vidua orientalis Found: west Africa
The breeding male Sahel Paradise-Whyday has black back, wings, tail; black head with chestnut nape; rufous breast. Nonbreeding male and female similar: tawny upperparts; with narrow mantle streaking; whitish supercilium. Host species: Green-winged Pytilia.
Image by: 1) P_Choo 2) Thom_Haslam - The Gambia
Whydah,_Shaft-tailed Vidua regia Found: Angola and Zambia and south to South Africa
The breeding male Shaft-tailed Whyday has black upperparts, crown; golden breast; narrow tail, wider at the end. Nonbreeding male and female has olive-brown plumage.
Image by: 1) Arthur_Chapman 2) Jerry Oldenettel - Namibia 3) Tude e João - South Africa
Whyday,_Steel-blue Vidua hypocherina Found: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Image by: 1) Abdi_jama - Solmalia 2) Demetrius_John_Kessy - Tanzania 3) Nik_Borrow
Whydah, Straw-tailed Vidua fischeri Found: Africa
Image by: 1, 2) Joseph Mochoge - Gilgil, Kenya 3) Peter Steward - Kenya 4) Kris Maes - Ethiopia
1) Female 2) Juvenile male 3, 4) Male
Whyday,_Togo_Paradise- Vidua togoensis Found: west Africa
Image by: 1) Graham_Ekins - Ghana 2) Gavin_Edmondstone
