Ploceus nigricollis
The Black-necked Weaver, *Ploceus nigricollis*, is a striking passerine bird renowned for its intricate nest-building and vibrant plumage. Measuring approximately 16 cm (6.3 inches) in length, adult males exhibit a distinctive velvety black head and neck, contrasting sharply with bright yellow underparts and an olive-green back. A prominent black bill and a striking red eye further enhance its unique appearance, making it easily identifiable amidst the dense foliage of its forest habitat. Fem...
Found primarily in a variety of forest habitats, including tropical rainforests, gallery forests, forest edges, and cultivated areas with tall trees. They are typically found in low to mid-elevation areas, seldom venturing into montane regions.
Their diet consists mainly of insects, particularly caterpillars, beetles, and other arthropods, supplemented with small fruits and nectar. They forage by gleaning from foliage and bark in the forest canopy and mid-storey.
Black-necked Weavers are diurnal and generally observed singly or in pairs, occasionally forming small, loose foraging groups, often associating with mixed-species flocks. They forage actively in the forest canopy and mid-storey, gleaning insects from leaves and branches with agile movements. Mal...
The Black-necked Weaver has a wide distribution across tropical Africa, generally west to east from Sierra Leone to western Kenya and south to northern Angola. Four subspecies are recognized, each with distinct geographic ranges: *Ploceus nigricollis nigricollis* occupies parts of Central Africa,...
Least Concern
- The male Black-necked Weaver is an accomplished architect, weaving elaborate, purse-shaped nests often suspended from the very tip of a thin branch, making them difficult for predators to access. - Unlike many colonial weaver species, Black-necked Weavers often nest solitarily or in very loose ...