Ploceus tricolor
The Yellow-mantled Weaver (Ploceus tricolor) is a striking passerine bird, renowned for the brilliant plumage of the male and its intricate nest-building prowess. Males are predominantly glossy black with a vivid yellow mantle, which can extend to the nape and lesser coverts, sometimes even having yellow underparts, depending on the subspecies. They typically measure between 14-16 cm in length and weigh 20-30 grams. Distinctive field marks include the stark contrast between the male's black b...
Primarily inhabits dense lowland rainforests, mature secondary growth, and forest edges, often found near rivers or swampy areas from sea level up to 1,500 meters.
Feeds predominantly on insects, particularly caterpillars, beetles, and ants, supplemented with seeds, berries, and nectar, foraging by gleaning foliage and occasionally sallying for flying insects.
Yellow-mantled Weavers are diurnal and highly active, often foraging throughout the day in the forest canopy and understory, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks outside the breeding season. Males are renowned for their elaborate nest construction, weaving intricate retort-shaped nests from pla...
The Yellow-mantled Weaver boasts a broad, though somewhat disjunct, distribution across Central and West Africa. Its range extends from Sierra Leone eastward through Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. Further east, it occurs in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (including Bioko Isla...
Least Concern
- The male Yellow-mantled Weaver is a master architect, capable of weaving incredibly intricate, retort-shaped nests with a downward-pointing entrance tunnel using only its beak and feet. - Unlike many other weaver species, the male retains his striking black and yellow breeding plumage throughou...