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Difference between revisions of "Southern Masked Weaver" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:Southern_Masked_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Max+Holdt|Max Holdt}}<br />Windhoek, [[Namibia]], November 2005]]
 
[[Image:Southern_Masked_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Max+Holdt|Max Holdt}}<br />Windhoek, [[Namibia]], November 2005]]
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'''Alternative name: African Masked Weaver'''<br />
 +
''Includes Vetelline Weaver''
 
;[[: Category:Ploceus|Ploceus]] velatus
 
;[[: Category:Ploceus|Ploceus]] velatus
  
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 
[[Image:SG107862.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|AHH|AHH}}<br />Johannesburg, [[South Africa]], October 2007]]
 
[[Image:SG107862.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|AHH|AHH}}<br />Johannesburg, [[South Africa]], October 2007]]
Length: 13 cm (5 in), mass 29-45 g. Males larger than females<br />
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Length: 13 cm (5 in), mass 29-45 g. Males larger than females
'''Breeding male''': Black face, throat and beak, red eye, bright yellow head and underparts, plain yellowish-green back, short, strong, conical bill and pink brown legs.<br />
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'''Adult female and non-breeding male''': Pink-brown bill (not grey contra one field guide), brown or red-brown eye.  Upper parts yellow-olive, streaked darker on the upper back, yellow throat fading to off-white on the belly. The non-breeding male resembles the female but retains the red eye.<br />
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'''Breeding male''':
 +
* face, throat and beak black. Black extends above beak base in a band
 +
* eye red
 +
* head and underparts bright yellow
 +
* back plain yellowish-green
 +
* bill short, strong, conical
 +
* legs pink-brown
 +
'''Adult female and non-breeding male''':  
 +
* bill pink-brown (not grey contra one field guide)
 +
* throat yellow or orangey fading to off-white on the belly
 +
* brown or red-brown eye
 +
* upper parts yellow-olive, streaked darker on the upper back
 +
* rump diffuse yellowish (not extensive or marked)
 +
The non-breeding male resembles the female but retains the red eye.
 +
 
 
'''Juvenile''': Similar to the female.
 
'''Juvenile''': Similar to the female.
 +
 +
====Similar species====
 +
Some [[Village Weaver]]s have a black mask similar to the mask of this species, but they do not have black above the bill.
 +
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
 
[[Africa]]: <br />
 
[[Africa]]: <br />
 
'''Western Africa''': [[Democratic Republic of Congo]] and [[Angola]]<br />
 
'''Western Africa''': [[Democratic Republic of Congo]] and [[Angola]]<br />
 
'''Eastern Africa''': [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br />
 
'''Eastern Africa''': [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br />
'''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[Lesotho]] and [[Swaziland]].
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'''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[Lesotho]] and [[eSwatini]].
 +
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 
====Subspecies====
 
====Subspecies====
 +
[[Image:TZP AfricanMaskedWeaverJ TAR499 2 .jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|mikemik|mikemik}}<br />Tarangire park, [[Tanzania]], April 2018]]
 
[[Image:4578IMG 9951.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo by {{user|rony_roshtov|rony_roshtov}}<br />Etosha, [[Namibia]], October 2005]]
 
[[Image:4578IMG 9951.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Photo by {{user|rony_roshtov|rony_roshtov}}<br />Etosha, [[Namibia]], October 2005]]
Six subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:  
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Clements recognises the following subspecies [[#References|[1]]]:  
*''P. v. velatus'':
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*''P. v. velatus'': Western Cape, Northern Cape and Free State
:*Western Cape, Northern Cape and Free State
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*''P. v. nigrifrons'': Eastern Cape, northern and western [[Natal]] and western [[eSwatini]]
*''P. v. nigrifrons'':
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*''P. v. tahatali'': [[Zimbabwe]], south-eastern [[Botswana]], south-western [[Mozambique]], eastern [[eSwatini]], north-eastern Natal
:*Eastern Cape, northern and western [[Natal]] and western [[Swaziland]]
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*''P. v. shelleyi'': [[Zambia]], [[Malawi]] and [[Mozambique]]
*''P. v. tahatali'':
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*''P. v. caurinus'': Southern [[Angola]], [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]] and northern Cape Province
:*[[Zimbabwe]], south-eastern [[Botswana]], south-western [[Mozambique]], eastern [[Swaziland]], north-eastern Natal
+
*''P. v. finschi'': Coastal [[Angola]]
*''P. v. shelleyi'':
+
 
:*[[Zambia]], [[Malawi]] and [[Mozambique]]
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Subspecies ''tahatali'', ''shelleyi'', caurinus'' and ''finschi'' are not recognised by all authorities [[#References|[2]]].
*''P. v. caurinus'':
 
:*Southern [[Angola]], [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]] and northern Cape Province
 
*''P. v. finschi'':
 
:*Coastal [[Angola]]
 
  
Subspecies ''tahatali, shelleyi, caurinu'' and ''finschi'' are not recognised by all authorities<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>.
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Shrubland, savanna, grassland, coastal fynbos, open woodland, inland wetlands, semi-desert areas, suburban gardens,  and parks.
 
Shrubland, savanna, grassland, coastal fynbos, open woodland, inland wetlands, semi-desert areas, suburban gardens,  and parks.
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{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Ploceus+velatus}}
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{{GSearch|"Ploceus velatus" {{!}} "Southern Masked Weaver" {{!}} "African Masked Weaver" {{!}} "Vitelline Masked Weaver" }}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
 
<br />
 
<br />
{{Video|Southern_Masked_Weaver}}
 
  
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Ploceus]] [[Category:Videos]]
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Ploceus]]

Latest revision as of 18:19, 25 September 2023

Photo by Max Holdt
Windhoek, Namibia, November 2005

Alternative name: African Masked Weaver
Includes Vetelline Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Identification

Female
Photo by AHH
Johannesburg, South Africa, October 2007

Length: 13 cm (5 in), mass 29-45 g. Males larger than females

Breeding male:

  • face, throat and beak black. Black extends above beak base in a band
  • eye red
  • head and underparts bright yellow
  • back plain yellowish-green
  • bill short, strong, conical
  • legs pink-brown

Adult female and non-breeding male:

  • bill pink-brown (not grey contra one field guide)
  • throat yellow or orangey fading to off-white on the belly
  • brown or red-brown eye
  • upper parts yellow-olive, streaked darker on the upper back
  • rump diffuse yellowish (not extensive or marked)

The non-breeding male resembles the female but retains the red eye.

Juvenile: Similar to the female.

Similar species

Some Village Weavers have a black mask similar to the mask of this species, but they do not have black above the bill.

Distribution

Africa:
Western Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola
Eastern Africa: Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho and eSwatini.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Juvenile
Photo by mikemik
Tarangire park, Tanzania, April 2018
Photo by rony_roshtov
Etosha, Namibia, October 2005

Clements recognises the following subspecies [1]:

Subspecies tahatali, shelleyi, caurinus and finschi are not recognised by all authorities [2].

Habitat

Shrubland, savanna, grassland, coastal fynbos, open woodland, inland wetlands, semi-desert areas, suburban gardens, and parks.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes insects, seeds and nectar, and it will come to feeding tables.

Breeding

They nest singly or in small colonies, mainly from September to January. The males build up to 15 nests in a season and have several female partners. The nests are woven from reed, palm or grass and built in a tree or in reeds. A female selects a nest and lines it with soft grass and feathers. One to six eggs are incubated for 12-14 days by the female.

Parasitised by Dideric Cuckoo.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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