Black-headed weaver

Not to be confused with Village weaver or Golden-backed weaver.

Black-backed weaver
breeding male
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Ploceidae
Genus:	Ploceus
Species:	P. melanocephalus
Binomial name
Ploceus melanocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Loxia melanocephala Linnaeus, 1758

The black-headed weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus), also known as yellow-backed weaver, is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.

Taxonomy and systematics

P. victoriae Ash, 1986 is now thought to be a hybrid between P. melanocephalus and P. castanops.

Description

Breeding males have a black head and yellow nuchal collar, which is absent in the Juba and golden-backed weavers. It also differs from the latter species and village weaver by its plain, greenish mantle plumage.^[2] The pale yellow underpart plumage is suffused with a variable amount of chestnut.

The female and non-breeding male lack the black head, and resemble a female masked weaver, except that they have dark eyes and a darker bill. Their buffy breast plumage also distinguishes them from non-breeding golden-backed weavers.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

It occurs in West, Central, and East Africa, but it has also been introduced to the Iberian Peninsula.^[3] It is found in savanna and similar habitats, typically near water. It often lives on an Acacia tree 3 meter away from land to prevent predation.^{[1][failed verification]}

Gallery

• 
  Building nest at Kibale forest National Park
• 
  Black-headed weaver gathering nest material
• 
  Male displaying in papyrus marsh
• 
  Male bird in Queen Elizabeth N.P., Uganda
• 
  Clutch of eggs from Senegal (MHNT)

Media related to Ploceus melanocephalus at Wikimedia Commons

References

1. BirdLife International (2018) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Ploceus melanocephalus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22718949A125533442. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718949A125533442.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. Sinclair, Ian; Ryan, Peter (2010). Birds of Africa south of the Sahara (2nd ed.). Cape Town: Struik Nature. p. 676. ISBN 9781770076235.
3. John Cantelo. "Aliens amongst us ..." Cadiz Birding Blog.