Weyns's weaver facts for kids
The Weyns's Weaver is a small, colorful bird found in parts of Africa. It's known for its unique looks and how it finds food in groups. This bird is part of the weaver family, famous for building amazing nests.
Quick facts for kids Weyns's weaver |
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| Specimen at Nairobi National Museum Eyes should be yellow. |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ploceus
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| Species: |
weynsi
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Contents
What is a Weyns's Weaver?
The Weyns's Weaver is a type of animal. It belongs to the group of animals with backbones, called Chordata. It is also a bird, specifically a passerine or "perching bird." This bird is part of the Ploceidae family, known as weavers. Its scientific name is Ploceus weynsi. This bird is monotypic, meaning it doesn't have any smaller groups or subspecies within its kind.
How to Spot a Weyns's Weaver
Male and female Weyns's Weavers look a bit different. Males are usually heavier, weighing about 24 to 36 grams. Females are a bit lighter, weighing 23 to 34 grams.
- Males: They are darker, with black on their heads and backs. Their bellies are bright yellow and orange.
- Females: They are much more yellow overall.
- Young Birds: Young Weyns's Weavers look a lot like the females. They are mostly yellow with some black.
Where Weyns's Weavers Live
You can find the Weyns's Weaver in several countries in Africa. These include the Northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Uganda, Northwest Tanzania, and even Kenya. The areas where these birds live are often protected areas.
These birds like to live in:
- Land areas, like forests with tall trees.
- Wetlands, which are areas with lots of water.
- Places near freshwater bodies, such as lakes.
What Weyns's Weavers Eat
Weyns's Weavers mainly eat fruits, especially wild figs. They usually find their food high up in the forest canopy.
- Group Foraging: These birds often search for food in pairs or large flocks. They do most things in groups.
- Flock Size: Feeding flocks usually have about 20 birds. Sometimes, they can gather in much larger groups of 200 or more!
How Weyns's Weavers Move
Weyns's Weavers seem to move around in an unplanned way. They are not migratory birds, meaning they don't travel long distances between seasons. However, their movements do change with the seasons. For example, they are not found in certain shore areas from June to September.
Weyns's Weaver Reproduction
Weyns's Weavers get ready to reproduce at different times depending on where they live.
- In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, adults are ready to breed from April to June.
- In Uganda, this happens in June and July. The young birds, called offspring, are usually seen in November.
- After the breeding period, the birds go through a process called molting. This is when they shed their old feathers and grow new ones. This happens from September to November.
Weyns's Weaver Sounds
The Weyns's Weaver makes a very high-pitched, sizzling sound. Their songs include many short chirps and longer squeaking sounds. They are usually quiet birds unless they are in a group. When many birds are together, they can be quite noisy!
Weyns's Weaver Conservation Status
The Weyns's Weaver is considered a species of least concern. This means they are not currently threatened with extinction.
- Population: You can find a good number of these birds, and their population seems stable.
- Presence: While they are common in some places, it can be hard to predict exactly where and when you will see them.
- Future: Experts believe their population will stay stable for at least the next four years, as long as there are no major new threats.
