Lesser Masked Weaver

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Photo by IvoZafirov.
Location: Uganda.

Ploceus intermedius

Identification

Length 13-14 cm.

Adult male: A pale-eyed masked weaver; the black mask extends onto the front half of the crown, and has a notch above the eye.

Distribution

Africa: North-eastern South Africa to Congo, DRC and Ethiopia, with an isolated popualtion in Central African Republic.

Taxonomy

The Lesser Masked Weaver has four subspecies:¹

• P. i. intermedius

• South-eastern Sudan to southern Ethiopia, Somalia, eastern Zaire, Kenya and Tanzania

• P. i. beattyi

• Arid coastal western Angola

• P. i. lübberti

• Extreme southern Angola to northern Namibia

• P. i. cabanisii

• South-eastern Zaire to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and eastern South Africa

Habitat

Open woodland close to water.

Behaviour

Forages in tree canopy for insects and nectar. Also eats flowers, fruit and small seeds.

Breeding

It makes a round nest from grass, with an entrance at the bottom. Two to four eggs are incubated for 13 days by the female. Parasitised by Dideric Cuckoo and (rarely) Klaas's Cuckoo.

References

1. Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
2. Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
3. Sinclair I & Ryan P. 2003. Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0620207299

External Links

Search for photos of Lesser Masked Weaver in the gallery