Ploceus flavipes
The Yellow-legged Weaver (*Ploceus flavipes*) is a truly enigmatic and Critically Endangered passerine, known only from a few isolated pockets of lowland rainforest in Central Africa. Males are striking, featuring a largely glossy black plumage contrasted sharply by a vibrant yellow patch on the nape and hindneck, and pale yellow underwing coverts; their legs are indeed yellow, though rarely seen in the field, giving the species its name. Measuring approximately 12-14 cm in length, its most d...
Exclusively inhabits evergreen lowland rainforests, often preferring areas near streams, swamps, or forest edges, typically at elevations below 1,000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on caterpillars, beetles, ants, and other arthropods, supplemented by some seeds or small fruits, gleaned directly from foliage.
As a resident of the dense rainforest understory and canopy, the Yellow-legged Weaver's daily activity patterns are poorly documented, though it is presumed to be diurnal. Foraging primarily involves gleaning insects from leaves and branches, usually in the mid to upper canopy, often observed sin...
The Yellow-legged Weaver possesses an extremely restricted and fragmented geographic distribution, confined to a handful of lowland rainforest sites in Central Africa. Its primary range is within the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with confirmed records from the Ituri Forest, includi...
Critically Endangered
- The Yellow-legged Weaver is one of the most poorly known and least studied bird species in the world, often referred to as 'enigmatic'. - Despite its name, the yellow legs are a feature rarely observed in the field; the male's bright yellow nape patch is a more prominent identification mark. - ...