Ploceus pelzelni
The Slender-billed Weaver (*Ploceus pelzelni*) is a diminutive and engaging passerine bird belonging to the highly diverse weaver family (Ploceidae), notable for its intricate nest-building skills. Measuring a mere 10-11 cm in length and weighing around 10-14 grams, this species is among the smallest of its genus. Breeding males are striking, characterized by a glossy black face and throat contrasting sharply with vibrant yellow underparts and olive-green upperparts, a coloration that makes t...
This species primarily inhabits dense, often swampy, riparian vegetation, including reedbeds, papyrus stands, and the edges of secondary forests, always in close proximity to water bodies. It is typically found in lowland areas, rarely venturing far from its aquatic environments.
Its diet primarily consists of small insects, including beetles, flies, and larvae, which it gleans from foliage and stems. It also consumes seeds and occasionally nectar.
Slender-billed Weavers are diurnal and active, spending their days meticulously foraging among dense aquatic and riparian vegetation. They employ a gleaning foraging strategy, carefully picking small insects and seeds from leaves and stems. During the breeding season, males are territorial, defen...
The Slender-billed Weaver has a disjunct but widespread distribution across equatorial Africa, primarily in a band stretching from West to East Africa. Its main breeding range extends from Liberia and Sierra Leone eastward through southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, and the Democratic Repub...
Least Concern
- The Slender-billed Weaver is one of the smallest members of the *Ploceus* genus, barely larger than a kinglet or chickadee. - Its common name directly refers to its distinctive, finely pointed bill, a key feature for identification and foraging. - Males often build multiple 'starter' nests to a...