The Comparative Breeding Ecology of Two Species of Euplectes (Bishop Birds) in Usambara

Abstract

E. nigroventris breeds from the period of highest daily temps. to the middle of the cool period; E. hordeacea breeds during the coolest months. Considerable irregularity occurs from year to year in date at which general breeding occurs. In neither species does availability of food or topography affect size or position of the territory, although in E. hordeacca grass is always present and in E. nigro centris there may be none. In E. hordeacea the size of the territory is rather definite at about 900 sq. yds. and is not much compressed by an abundance of [male][male] in E. niyroventris territories are very compressible, even to under 10 sq. yds. Population density can thus be limited by size of territory in the one species but not in the other. Both spp. are polygamous, E. niyroventris with up to 5 breeding [female][female] at one time, E. hordeacca with not more than 3. In the breeding populations of both spp., [female][female] outnumber [male][male] 4:1.