Ploceus intermedius
The Lesser Masked Weaver (*Ploceus intermedius*) is a small, vibrant passerine, typically measuring 12-14 cm in length and weighing 16-25g. Breeding males are instantly recognizable by their brilliant yellow underparts and nape, contrasting sharply with a glossy black facial mask that extends from the bill to the ear coverts, all framed by bright red eyes and a chestnut crown wash. Upperparts are greenish-yellow with dark streaking, completing a striking plumage. Outside the breeding season, ...
Inhabits a wide variety of open woodlands, savannas, shrublands, cultivated fields, and gardens, often favoring areas near water bodies, generally at low to moderate elevations.
Mainly insectivorous during breeding season, consuming caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers. Supplements its diet with various seeds, particularly grass seeds, and nectar at other times, primarily foraging by gleaning and probing.
Lesser Masked Weavers are diurnal, often forming large, noisy communal roosts in reedbeds or large trees outside the breeding season. They primarily forage by gleaning insects from foliage and grasses, and also descend to the ground to pick up seeds. During the breeding season, males establish an...
The Lesser Masked Weaver boasts a very extensive distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Its range spans from West Africa, including countries like Senegal and Gambia, eastward through the Sahel region into Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. From there, it continues south through East Africa (Somalia,...
Least Concern
- The Lesser Masked Weaver's nest is a true architectural marvel, a skillfully woven, retort-shaped structure with a downward-facing entrance tunnel, designed to deter predators. - Male weavers are prolific builders, often constructing several nests in quick succession to attract multiple females...