Ploceus philippinus
The Baya Weaver, Ploceus philippinus, is a fascinating passerine bird renowned for its extraordinary nest-building prowess, earning it the moniker 'architect bird.' This small, sparrow-sized weaver measures about 15 cm (6 inches) in length and weighs between 20-25 grams, characterized by its conical bill. Males in breeding plumage are strikingly distinct, boasting a vibrant yellow crown, a dark brown face mask, a yellow breast band, and a streaked brown back and underparts. Females and non-br...
Found primarily in open grasslands, cultivated fields, scrublands, and wetland edges, often near water sources. It thrives from lowlands up to elevations of approximately 1,500 meters.
Their diet consists mainly of seeds, particularly grains like rice and wheat, and various grass seeds. During the breeding season, they supplement this with insects, including caterpillars, beetles, and ants, to provide protein for their young.
Baya Weavers are diurnal, highly social birds, often forming large, noisy flocks outside the breeding season that engage in communal roosting, typically in reed beds or thorny trees. Their foraging involves gleaning seeds from the ground and vegetation, supplemented by insects. During the breedin...
The Baya Weaver is widely distributed across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Its breeding range encompasses Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, extending eastward through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and south into Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra...
Least Concern
- Baya Weavers are master architects, constructing some of the most elaborate and structurally complex nests in the avian world. - The male alone initiates the nest-building process, weaving the initial retort-shaped structure to attract a female; she then inspects and completes it if approved. -...