Ploceus brachypterus
The Olive-naped Weaver (*Ploceus brachypterus*) is a vibrant and industrious passerine bird, renowned for its intricate nest-building prowess. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm in length, breeding males are strikingly adorned with bright golden-yellow underparts, olive-green upperparts, and a distinctive black mask that extends from the lores to the ear-coverts, often covering the throat and upper breast. A key field mark is the olive-green nape, which helps distinguish it from similar *Ploceu...
Found in open woodlands, savannas, grasslands with scattered trees, cultivated lands, and forest edges. Typically inhabits low to mid-elevations across its range.
Mainly insects, such as caterpillars, beetles, and ants, along with a significant portion of seeds. It also supplements its diet with nectar from flowers and small fruits, foraging by gleaning and probing.
A diurnal species, the Olive-naped Weaver is an active forager, gleaning insects from foliage and bark in trees and shrubs, and descending to the ground for seeds. During the breeding season, males are polygynous, establishing small territories centered around their nest-building sites. They are ...
The Olive-naped Weaver is broadly distributed across Sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting a vast belt from West Africa eastward to Ethiopia and south through Central Africa to parts of Southern Africa. Its western range extends from Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, through Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côt...
Least Concern
- The Olive-naped Weaver is a master architect, with males constructing multiple intricate, suspended nests to entice potential mates. - Its scientific name, *Ploceus*, comes from Ancient Greek, meaning "weaver," a direct nod to its remarkable nest-building skills. - Unlike many birds, males of t...