Bird Guide

Southern Masked Weaver vs Village Weaver

Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Small31 gShrubland

The southern masked weaver is 11–14.5 cm (4.3–5.7 in) long with a short, strong, conical bill and pinkish brown legs. The adult male in breeding plumage has a black face, throat and beak, red eye, bright yellow head and underparts, and a plain yellowish-green back, The female has a pinkish-brown bill, brown or red-brown eye and is dull greenish-yellow, streaked darker on the upper back. The throat is yellowish, fading to off-white on the belly. The non-breeding male resembles the female but retains the red eye. The juvenile of this species is like the female.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Shaun Swanepoel · CC BY 4.0
Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)

Village Weaver

Ploceus cucullatus

Small36 gWoodland

The village weaver is a stocky, 15–17 cm (5.9–6.7 in) bird with a strong conical bill and dark reddish eyes. In the northern part of its range, the breeding male has a black head edged by chestnut (typically most distinct on the nape and chest). Towards the southern part of its range, the amount of black and chestnut diminish, and the breeding males of the southernmost subspecies only have a black face and throat, while the nape and crown are yellow. In all subspecies, the breeding male has a black bill, black and yellow upperparts and wings, and yellow underparts.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Village Weaver
Recorded by Anne Ndung'u · Call · Kilifi County, Kenya · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Southern Masked Weaver and Village Weaver.