Village weaver
The village weaver is a small bird known for its striking black, yellow, and chestnut plumage, primarily found in Africa. These birds are aptly named for their remarkable ability to construct intricately woven nests, which they hang in large, noisy colonies from tree branches near villages. They thrive in a variety of habitats, including woodland savannas, grasslands, and gardens, but avoid dense tropical forests. Village weavers are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, grains, fruits, and occasionally insects, which can make them pests for farmers.
Males are noted for their vibrant plumage during mating season when they attract females with elaborate displays and loud calls. The breeding season typically occurs from September to February, during which males may mate with multiple females, while females are solely responsible for incubating eggs and raising the young. Their nests are characterized by a spherical shape with a bottom entrance, showcasing their architectural skills. Village weavers are social creatures, often seen in large groups, creating a lively atmosphere filled with their distinctive calls. Despite facing natural predators, they have a life span of 14 to 24 years and are not considered a threatened species.
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Village weaver
Village weavers are small birds with black, yellow, and chestnut plumage. They are suitably named for all the skillfully-woven nests which large, noisy colonies suspend from the branches of trees near villages. These birds are very familiar sights in Africa.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Ploceidae
Genus: Ploceus
Species: Cucullatus
Village weavers are one species in the subfamily Ploceinae, the group of true weavers, which is one of four groups, or subfamilies, within the larger weaver family.
Village weavers are sparrow-sized birds which live in habitats over 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) elevation. These habitats are the woodland savannas, grasslands, marshes, farmlands with scattered trees, and gardens. They avoid dense tropical forests.
These birds are six to 6 1/2 inches (15 to 17 centimeters) long, and their wingspans are around 9 1/2 inches (24 to 25 centimeters). They weigh between one and 1 /2 ounces (32 to 45 grams). Females have light yellow plumage on their breasts and bellies and chestnut plumage on their backs and wings. When they are not mating and nesting the males are similar to the females. Otherwise, the males have bright yellow with some chestnut tinges on their breasts and bellies along with parts of their wings. The rest of their wings are black and chestnut. Their heads are black.
Village weavers forage on the ground and in trees for seeds, grain, and fruit. Their thick, cone-shaped bills are strong for crushing these hard foods. They may also drink the juices of flowers and feed on crops, which makes them unpopular pests with farmers and gardeners. Village weavers also eat insects, mealworms, and larvae. This diet of both plants and meat makes the village weaver an omnivore.
Village weavers live up to their name by living in large, noisy colonies in trees over water near villages. The branches of the trees may be filled with the finely- and skillfully-woven nests. Each one is a spherical, or rounded, work of art in home construction. At the start of the breeding season each male village weaver begins by making a circular frame of grass and palm leaves around which he then weaves grass and leaves into a large, ball-shaped nest with an entrance on the bottom.
Mating season varies from region to region across the bird's range but is usually from September through February. The male hangs upside down near the entrance to his nest and beats his wings and chatters loudly to attract a female. When a female chooses to mate with him, she lines the nest with parts of seeds and other soft material. After mating, she lays two or three blue eggs in the nest. At this time, the male may start another nest and attract another mate, since most village weavers are polygamous. Polygamous means a creature has more than one mate in one mating season. Males may have up to five mates in one mating season, while females may have up to three mates. Most colonies have more females than males. The female is solely responsible for incubating the eggs and then raising the young once they hatch. Incubation lasts two weeks, and the young weavers are able to fly after three weeks. The female may then mate again.
The nesting and roosting sites of village weavers are filled with the loud, riotous chattering of the birds. Other sounds are "chuck-chuck" when the males bring nesting material to the colonies. Their alarm calls sound like "zip."
Birds of prey, snakes, monkeys, baboons, and crows are just a few of the village weavers many predators. The life span of the village weaver is between 14 and 24 years. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Village Weaver - Ploceus Cucullatus.” Birds of the World, 2024, birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/vilwea1/cur/introduction. Accessed 7 May 2024.
“Village Weaver - Facts, Diet, Habitat, & Pictures on Animalia.bio.” Animalia, 2024, www.animalia.bio/village-weaver. Accessed 7 May 2024.