Newsletter / Blog
2012-06-16 Aves bird of the week - Sociable Weaver – Philetairus socius
Sociable
Weaver
The Sociable Weaver - Philetairus
socius - is endemic to Southern Africa.
The species ranges across northwestern South
Africa, southwest Botswana
and extending northwards across Namibia.
The area is semi-arid with low and unpredictable rainfall occurring mostly in
the summer.
Description
A buff brown bird with a
conspicuous black chin and its whitish underparts. They have blackish back and
wings, and buff brown rump. A scaled pattern on back, nape and wings coverts.
The tail is blackish with buff median tail feathers. Underparts are buff white.
Flanks present scaly pattern forming a patch of bold black chevrons. The crown
is buff brown and nape shows scaled pattern. Chin is black, and this colour
extends to lores forming a black mask. Cheeks are whitish. These birds have a
strong conical bill which is bluish grey, eyes are dark brown and the legs and
feet are bluish grey. Sexes are similar.
Call
The call is a chattering
“chicker-chicker”, often given in flight.
Food
It mainly eats seeds,
supplemented with termites and other insects, foraging in large flocks which
pluck food from the ground.
Breeding
Breeding may occur any time of
the year and is closely linked to rainfall. They may skip breeding during years
when there is low rainfall. They build large compound community nests, a rarity
among birds. These nests are perhaps the most spectacular structure built by
any bird and are large enough to house over a hundred pairs of birds. The nests
are highly structured, the central chambers retain heat and are used for
nighttime roosting. The outer rooms are used for daytime shade. Sociable weaver
nests are used commensally by several other bird species, most commonly the
Pygmy Falcon.
Sociable weaver’s exhibit delayed
onset of breeding, sometimes up to two years of age. The female lays between 2
to 6 eggs, which are incubated for between 13 to 15 days by both sexes. The
chicks are brooded continuously by both parents for the first 10 to14 days and
are assisted with feeding the chicks by up to 9 helpers. They leave the nest
after about 23 days, remaining dependent on their parents for food for between
30 to 45 days.
Conservation Status – Least Concern
Not threatened, in fact its
population has increased substantially over the past 100 years, as it has moved
into treeless areas where it uses artificial structures such as electricity
pylons and other man-made structures as nest sites.
Birdwatching
Ask Aves Birding
Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create an Aves custom tour for you or
book on the following scheduled Aves Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure: -
Aves Arid Tour/Safari/Adventure.
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