Black-breasted Weaver
Ploceus benghalensis
The Black-breasted Weaver (Ploceus benghalensis) is a rare weaver found in 5 countries, weighing about 20 g. The black-breasted weaver, also known as the Bengal weaver or black-throated weaver, is a weaver resident in the northern river plains of the Indian subcontinent.
About the Black-breasted Weaver
The black-breasted weaver, also known as the Bengal weaver or black-throated weaver, is a weaver resident in the northern river plains of the Indian subcontinent. Like the other weavers, the males build an enclosed nest from reeds and mud, and visiting females select a mate at least partially based on the quality of the nest.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The black-breasted weaver is sparrow-sized with a total body length of about 15 cm. The male in breeding plumage has a brilliant golden-yellow crown and a variable amount of black on the head and breast; some males have an entirely black head (apart from the yellow crown) and breast, while others have a whitish throat or an entirely buffy-white face with a black band separating it from the fulvous-white underparts. In the non-breeding male and female, the crown is brown like the rest of the upperpart plumage, and the black pectoral band is less developed.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in December. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black-breasted Weaver?
- The black-breasted weaver is sparrow-sized with a total body length of about 15 cm. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black-breasted Weaver?
- The Black-breasted Weaver is a small sized bird weighing about 20 g.
- Where can you see a Black-breasted Weaver?
- The Black-breasted Weaver occurs in 5 countries, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
- What birds look similar to a Black-breasted Weaver?
- The Black-breasted Weaver is most easily confused with the Asian Golden Weaver, the Little Weaver and the Little Weaver.
- Is the Black-breasted Weaver endangered?
- The Black-breasted Weaver is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black-breasted Weaver for real
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