Chestnut Weaver
Ploceus rubiginosus
The Chestnut Weaver (Ploceus rubiginosus) is a rare weaver found in 11 countries, weighing about 30 g. The chestnut weaver is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.
About the Chestnut Weaver
The chestnut weaver is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in eastern and south-western Africa. They can typically be found in Kenya, Botswana, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola, and Namibia. Chestnut Weavers are considered locally abundant and of least concern. It is a nomadic as well as residential species that moves in response to rainfall and food availability.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Both the male and female look different from one another. The non-breeding male has dull red eyes, a grayish-brown head, with the rest of his body being an ombre of dark orange to a brighter orange; its wings are covered in black and beige colors, and it has a long brown tail. The female is a pale brown, with yellow coloring around their dark eyes, it has black edges around the feathers of its wings, and a brown tail. The female is also smaller; the male is 28-37 g, and the female is 25-31 g. It has a distinct song, it is a harsh, sizzling sound with occasional high-pitched chirps.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa.
When to see it
The Chestnut Weaver can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Chestnut Weaver?
- Both the male and female look different from one another. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Chestnut Weaver?
- The Chestnut Weaver is a small sized bird weighing about 30 g.
- Where can you see a Chestnut Weaver?
- The Chestnut Weaver occurs in 11 countries, including Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Somalia.
- What birds look similar to a Chestnut Weaver?
- The Chestnut Weaver is most easily confused with the Black-necked Weaver, the Black-necked Weaver and the Little Weaver.
- Is the Chestnut Weaver endangered?
- The Chestnut Weaver is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Chestnut Weaver for real
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