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Difference between revisions of "Village Weaver" - BirdForum Opus

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(Photo captions. Attempt to disguise copied text. Distribution expanded. References)
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[[Image:Village_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by xentox]]
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[[Image:Village_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br />Photo by {{user|xentox|xentox}}<br />[[Liberia]], Summer 2005]]
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[[Image:Village weaver breeding male.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo of breeding male by {{user|Scottishdude|Scottishdude}}<br/> [[Gambia]] March,   2010]]
 
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;[[:Category:Ploceus|Ploceus]] cucullatus
 
;[[:Category:Ploceus|Ploceus]] cucullatus
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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The Village Weaver is a stocky 15-17cm bird with a strong conical bill. <br />
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15-17cm<br />
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The breeding male has a black head and bill and chestnut nape. The upperparts and wings are yellow and black, and the underparts are yellow.
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Strong conical bill <br />
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The non-breeding male has a yellow head with an olive crown, grey upperparts and whitish underparts. The wings remain yellow and black, and the eyes remain red. <br />
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'''Breeding male'''
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The adult female has dark eyes, streaked olive upperparts, yellow and black wings, and pale yellow underparts. Young birds are like the female but browner on the back.
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*Black head and bill
 +
*Chestnut nape
 +
*Upperparts and wings are yellow and black
 +
*Yellow underparts<br />
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[[Image:Village weaver breeding male.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Breeding male <br />{{user|Scottishdude|Scottishdude}}<br/> [[Gambia]]  March, 2010]]
 +
'''Non-breeding male'''
 +
*Yellow head
 +
*Olive crown
 +
*Grey upperparts
 +
*Whitish underparts
 +
*Yellow and black wings
 +
*Red eyes  <br />
 +
'''Adult female'''
 +
*Dark eyes
 +
*Streaked olive upperparts
 +
*Yellow and black wings
 +
*Pale yellow underparts<br />
 +
'''Young birds''' browner back, otherwise similar to the female
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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The Village Weaver is a resident breeding bird species found in much of sub-Saharan [[Africa]], and has been introduced to [[Haiti]].
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Sub-Saharan [[Africa]]<br />
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'''Western Africa''': [[Mauritania]], [[Senegambia]], [[Senegal]], The [[Gambia]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Guinea]], [[Mali]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Liberia]], [[Ivory Coast]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Ghana]], [[Togo]], [[Benin]], [[Nigeria]], [[Niger]], [[Chad]], [[Cameroon]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], [[Gabon]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Angola]]<br />
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'''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br />
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'''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[Lesotho]], [[Swaziland]]<br />
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'''African Islands''': Gulf of Guinea Islands, [[Bioko]] (Fernando Po), [[Sao Tome]], [[Principe]], [[Mauritius]] and Reunion
  
 +
Escaped populations can be found in many countries world-wide and has been introduced to [[Haiti]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 
''Ploceus cucullatus'' has eight subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
 
''Ploceus cucullatus'' has eight subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
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*''P. c. spilonotus''
 
*''P. c. spilonotus''
 
:*South-eastern [[Botswana]] to southern [[Mozambique]], [[South Africa]] and [[Lesotho]]
 
:*South-eastern [[Botswana]] to southern [[Mozambique]], [[South Africa]] and [[Lesotho]]
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==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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The species lives in a wide range of open habitats, including open woodlands and human habitation, and often  forms large noisy colonies in towns, villages and hotel grounds.
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They occupy a variety of open habitats, from open woodlands to towns and villages.  
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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This weaver builds a large coarsely woven nest made of grass and leaf strips with a downward facing entrance which is suspended from a branch in a tree. 2-3 eggs are laid. This is a colonial breeder, so many nests may hang from one tree.
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They often form large noisy colonies.
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====Breeding====
 +
The large nest is coarsely woven from grass and leaf strips, suspended from a branch. It has a downward facing entrance. The clutch consists of 2-3 eggs.  
  
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Village Weaver feeds mainly on seeds and grain, and can be a crop pest, but it will readily take insects, especially when feeding young. The calls of this bird include harsh buzzes and chattering
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A colonial breeder, many nests may be found in a single tree.
 +
====Diet====
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Their diet consists mostly of seeds and grain, and can be a crop pest; also insects, particularly when feeding young.  
 +
====Vocalisation====
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'''Call''': includes harsh buzzes and chattering
 
==References==
 
==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}  
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#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#Avibase
 +
#Avian Web
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Ploceus+cucullatus}}
 
{{GSearch|Ploceus+cucullatus}}
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Ploceus]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Ploceus]]

Revision as of 21:04, 22 June 2010

Male
Photo by xentox
Liberia, Summer 2005
Ploceus cucullatus

Identification

15-17cm
Strong conical bill
Breeding male

  • Black head and bill
  • Chestnut nape
  • Upperparts and wings are yellow and black
  • Yellow underparts
Breeding male
Scottishdude
Gambia March, 2010

Non-breeding male

  • Yellow head
  • Olive crown
  • Grey upperparts
  • Whitish underparts
  • Yellow and black wings
  • Red eyes

Adult female

  • Dark eyes
  • Streaked olive upperparts
  • Yellow and black wings
  • Pale yellow underparts

Young birds browner back, otherwise similar to the female

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Swaziland
African Islands: Gulf of Guinea Islands, Bioko (Fernando Po), Sao Tome, Principe, Mauritius and Reunion

Escaped populations can be found in many countries world-wide and has been introduced to Haiti.

Taxonomy

Ploceus cucullatus has eight subspecies:[1]

  • P. c. cucullatus
  • P. c. collaris
  • P. c. bohndorffi
  • P. c. frobenii
  • P. c. graueri
  • P. c. abyssinicus
  • P. c. nigriceps
  • P. c. spilonotus

Habitat

They occupy a variety of open habitats, from open woodlands to towns and villages.

Behaviour

They often form large noisy colonies.

Breeding

The large nest is coarsely woven from grass and leaf strips, suspended from a branch. It has a downward facing entrance. The clutch consists of 2-3 eggs.

A colonial breeder, many nests may be found in a single tree.

Diet

Their diet consists mostly of seeds and grain, and can be a crop pest; also insects, particularly when feeding young.

Vocalisation

Call: includes harsh buzzes and chattering

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
  2. Avibase
  3. Avian Web

Recommended Citation

External Links

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