Alternative name: Yellow-backed Weaver
- Ploceus melanocephalus
Identification
14 cm (5½ in)
- Black head
- Yellowish-green upperparts
- Yellower rump
- Yellow fringed black primaries
Notice that females do not necessarily have dark eyes.
Distribution
Africa
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia
African Islands: Gulf of Guinea Islands, Sao Tome
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 4 subspecies[1]:
- P. m. melanocephalus:
- Northern Senegal to southern Mauritania, Niger and Mali
- P. m. capitalis:
- Guinea-Bissau to Niger, southern Chad and Central African Republic
- P. m. duboisi:
- Congo, southern Central African Republic and northern Zaire
- P. m. dimidiatus:
An addition al subspecies fischeri is not recognised by all authorities.[2]
Habitat
Moist shrubland and swamps, open bush and wooded areas.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet consists of seeds and insects, with insects generally being used to feed the young.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved February 2017)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Black-headed Weaver. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-headed_Weaver