Village indigobirds are 11–12 cm in length. Adult males are entirely greenish-black or bluish-black except for their orange-red legs and conical white bills. Females resemble female house sparrows, with streaked brown upperparts, buff underparts, a whitish supercilium and a yellowish bill, but, like the males, they have red legs. Immature birds are like the female but plainer and without a supercilium.
Reproduction: Like all Indigobirds, Village Indigobirds are brood parasites. This means they lay their eggs in the nests of other species. In the case of the Village Indigobird, they usually choose the nests of Red-billed Firefinches.
Many indigobirds are very similar in appearance, with the males difficult to separate in the field, and the young and females near impossible. Helpful pointers with the village indigobird are the association with its host species, the Red-billed Firefinch, and its presence near human habitation.
Diet: The diet of Village Indigobirds consists of seeds and grain.
Habitat: This indigobird is found in many open habitats including open woodland, scrub and cultivation, but it is most readily seen near villages.
There are 6 subspecies of Vidua chalybeata. They differ somewhat in their coloring and range. Although they may be difficult for humans to distinguish, it seems the virds can tell each other apart.