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To the Beauty of Birds

The Black-necked Weaver (Ploceus nigricollis) is a resident breeding bird species in much of tropical Africa from Senegal and northern Angola, South Sudan and Tanzania.

This weaver occurs in forests, especially in wet habitats. It builds a large coarsely woven nest made of grass and creepers with a 15 cm downward facing entrance tunnel hanging from the globular egg chamber. The nest is suspended from a branch in a tree and 2-3 eggs are laid. It nests in pairs but forms small flocks when not breeding.

The black-necked weaver is a stocky 16 cm bird with a strong conical bill. The adult male of the northern race has olive upperparts and wings, and yellow underparts and head. It has a black eyemask and bib, and a pale yellow iris. The non-breeding male has a yellow head with an olive crown, grey upperparts and whitish. The wings remain yellow and black.

The adult female also has olive upperparts and wings, and yellow underparts and head. It has a black eyemask but no bib.

The black-necked weaver feeds on insects and vegetable matter. The calls of this bird include a wheezing dew-dew-twee .

Males have an extensive black hood and face tapering to a point on the breast. The nape is yellow with and attractive brownish yellow area between the black crown and yellow back of the neck.

Black-headed Weaver

Weaver Black-headed male 0474

Weaver Black-headed male 0489

Weaver Black-headed male 0475

Weaver Black-headed male 0477

Weaver Black-necked female 2588

Weaver Black-necked female 2585