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Difference between revisions of "Village Weaver" - BirdForum Opus

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;Ploceus cucullatus
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[[Image:Village_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|xentox|xentox}}<br />[[Liberia]], Summer 2005]]
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[[Image:Village_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by xentox]]
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;[[:Category:Ploceus|Ploceus]] cucullatus
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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[[Image:Village weaver breeding male.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Breeding male <br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Scottishdude|Scottishdude}}<br/> [[Gambia]]  March, 2010]]
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15-17cm (6-6¾ in)<br />
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Strong conical bill <br />
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'''Breeding male'''
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*Black head and bill
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*Chestnut nape
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*Upperparts and wings are yellow and black
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*Yellow underparts<br />
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'''Non-breeding male'''
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*Yellow head
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*Olive crown
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*Grey upperparts
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*Whitish underparts
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*Yellow and black wings
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*Red eyes  <br />
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'''Adult female'''
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*Dark eyes
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*Streaked olive upperparts
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*Yellow and black wings
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*Pale yellow underparts<br />
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'''Young birds''' browner back, otherwise similar to the female
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====Variation====
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[[Image:Village Weaver 33 - Copy.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|whiteheadedvulture|whiteheadedvulture}}<br />Accra, [[Ghana]], October 2016]]
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Most subspecies have mostly dark head but differ in color of nape and back of male. The southernmost subspecies ''spilonotus'' differ in having a black mask that only reaches the side of the bill and is yellow above that.
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==Distribution==
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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]], [[South 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]], [[eSwatini]]<br />
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'''African Islands''': Gulf of Guinea Islands, [[Bioko]] (Fernando Po), [[Sao Tome]], [[Principe]], [[Mauritius Island]] and [[Reunion Island]].
  
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The Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) is a resident breeding bird species found in much of sub-Saharan Africa, and has been introduced to Haiti.
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Escaped populations can be found in many countries world-wide and has been introduced to [[Haiti]].
  
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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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==Taxonomy==
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[[Image:STH 6367a.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Male developing breeding plumage; subspecies ''abyssinicus'' <br />Photo &copy; by {{user|volker+sthamer|volker sthamer}}<br />Hawassa, [[Ethiopia]], February 2017]]
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====Subspecies====
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[[Image:Village Weaver Female 4-1-1.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|whiteheadedvulture|whiteheadedvulture}}<br />Accra, [[Ghana]], 1 May 2020]]
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''Ploceus cucullatus'' has eight subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
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*''P. c. cucullatus''
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:*[[Mauritania]] to [[Chad]], south to northern [[Gabon]] and north-western [[DRC]]; also [[Bioko]]
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*''P. c. collaris''
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:*[[Gabon]] to south-western [[DRC]] and northern [[Angola]]
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*''P. c. bohndorffi''
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:*Northern [[Gabon]], [[Central African Republic]], northern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], southwestern [[South Sudan]], [[Uganda]], western [[Kenya]], and northwestern [[Tanzania]]
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*''P. c. frobenii''
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:*Southern [[DRC]]
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*''P. c. graueri''
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:*Eastern [[DRC]] to [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]] and adjacent western [[Tanzania]]
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*''P. c. abyssinicus''
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:*[[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], southeastern [[Sudan]], and eastern [[South Sudan]]
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*''P. c. nigriceps''
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:*Southern [[Somalia]] to [[Kenya]], [[Tanzania]] and northern [[Mozambique]]; also [[São Tomé]]
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*''P. c. spilonotus''
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:*South-eastern [[Botswana]] to southern [[Mozambique]], [[South Africa]] and [[Lesotho]]
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==Habitat==
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They occupy a variety of open habitats, from open woodlands to towns and villages.
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==Behaviour==
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[[Image:It takes a village.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Nesting colony<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Doc+Duck|Doc Duck}}<br />Blyde river canyon, [[South Africa]], February 2017]]
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They often form large noisy colonies.
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====Breeding====
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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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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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A colonial breeder, many nests may be found in a single tree.
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====Diet====
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The Village Weaver is a stocky 15-17cm bird with a strong conical bill. 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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Their diet consists mostly of seeds and grain, and can be a crop pest; also insects, particularly when feeding young.  
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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.  The adult female has 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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====Vocalisation====
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'''Call''': includes harsh buzzes and chattering
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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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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#Avibase
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#Avian Web
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{{ref}}
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Ploceus cucullatus" {{!}} "Village Weaver"}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
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==External Links==
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Ploceus]]
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{{GSearch|Ploceus+cucullatus}}
 
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[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 15:03, 26 September 2023

Male
Photo © by xentox
Liberia, Summer 2005
Ploceus cucullatus

Identification

Breeding male
Photo © by Scottishdude
Gambia March, 2010

15-17cm (6-6¾ in)
Strong conical bill
Breeding male

  • Black head and bill
  • Chestnut nape
  • Upperparts and wings are yellow and black
  • Yellow underparts

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

Variation

Photo © by whiteheadedvulture
Accra, Ghana, October 2016

Most subspecies have mostly dark head but differ in color of nape and back of male. The southernmost subspecies spilonotus differ in having a black mask that only reaches the side of the bill and is yellow above that.

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, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, eSwatini
African Islands: Gulf of Guinea Islands, Bioko (Fernando Po), Sao Tome, Principe, Mauritius Island and Reunion Island.

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

Taxonomy

Male developing breeding plumage; subspecies abyssinicus
Photo © by volker sthamer
Hawassa, Ethiopia, February 2017

Subspecies

Female
Photo © by whiteheadedvulture
Accra, Ghana, 1 May 2020

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

Nesting colony
Photo © by Doc Duck
Blyde river canyon, South Africa, February 2017

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, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Avian Web

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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