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whydah

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noun whyd·ah \ ˈhwi-də , ˈwi- \

Definition of whydah

:any of various mostly brownish African passerine birds (genera Euplectes and Vidua) often kept as cage birds and distinguished in the male by black-and-white plumage and by long tail feathers during the breeding season

Recent Examples of whydah from the Web

The flashy whydah, Vidua macroura, is a native of sub-Saharan Africa.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "This Beautiful Species Could Be Trouble for Native Birds," 1 July 2017
And in California, scaly-breasted munias have been found feeding young whydahs.

— joanna klein, New York Times, "This Beautiful Parasitic Bird Could Soon Turn Up in Your Yard," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whydah.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of whydah

alteration of widow (bird)

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First Known Use: 1783

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