- Dinemellia dinemelli
Identification
18 cm (7 in)
A striking bird whose white head and underparts contrast vividly with its red rump and under tail coverts.
Distribution
Africa: found in Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia to Tanzania.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Two subspecies are known[1]:
- D. d. dinemelli:
- D. d. boehmi:
- South East Kenya to Tanzania
Habitat
Dry brushland, savanna thornveld and acacia woodland.
Behaviour
Like the other buffalo-weavers this is a gregarious bird - it is often found foraging on the ground for seeds alongside starlings.
Diet
Ground feeders their diet consists of insects such as beetles and caterpillars; seeds and small fruits.
Breeding
Both adults construct the large untidy nest from twigs and coarse grasses; it is lined with grass and feathers.There is a short tubular entrance at the bottom. The clutch contains 3-5 greenish white eggs, marked with red or brown spots. They are incubated for 14 days. After a further 21 days the young fledge.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) White-headed Buffalo Weaver. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-headed_Buffalo_Weaver
