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Difference between revisions of "White-browed Sparrow-Weaver" - BirdForum Opus

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(Attempt to disguise some copied text. Distributio & Taxonomy expanded. References.)
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[[Image:White-browed_Sparrow_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Mybs<br />Photo taken: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, [[South Africa]].]]
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[[Image:White-browed_Sparrow_Weaver.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Mybs|Mybs}}<br />[[Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park]], [[South Africa]], September 2005]]
 
;[[:Category:Plocepasser|Plocepasser]] mahali
 
;[[:Category:Plocepasser|Plocepasser]] mahali
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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Length 16-19 cm, mass 40-55 g.
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Length 16-19 cm, mass 40-55 g
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*Broad, white eyebrow stripe and white rump
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Broad, white eyebrow stripe and white rump, male has black bill, female's horn-coloured; that of the juvenile is pinkish-brown.
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*Bill: black in male; female - horn-coloured; juvenile - pinkish-brown
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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Northern [[South Africa]], [[Botswana]], northern and central [[Namibia]], and western [[Zimbabwe]].
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[[Africa]]<br />
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'''Western Africa''': [[Angola]]<br />
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'''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br />
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'''Southern Africa''': northern and central [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], western [[Zimbabwe]], northern [[South Africa]], Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, [[Lesotho]]
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
 
There are four recognized subspecies:  
 
There are four recognized subspecies:  
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*''P. m. mahali'' - eastern part of the northern Cape Province of South Africa.
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*''P. m. melanorhynchus'':
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*''P. m. stentor'' - western part of the northern Cape Province northwards along the Namibian escarpment.
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:*[[Sudan]] to [[Kenya]]
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*''P. m. terricolor'' - eastern Botswana.
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*''P. m. ansorgei'':
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*''P. m. pectoralis'' - northeastern Zimbabwe along the lower Zambezi river.
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:*Southern [[Angola]] to extreme northern [[Namibia]]
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*''P. m. pectoralis'':
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:*[[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]], [[Malawi]], [[Mozambique]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Botswana]]
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*''P. m. mahali'':
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:*Southern [[Namibia]], southern [[Botswana]], southern [[Zimbabwe]] and [[South Africa]]
  
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Two additional subspecies, ''stentor'' and ''terricolor'' are not recognised by all authorities.<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Dry regions with woodland or savanna.
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Dry acacia and mopane woodland, thornveld and dry river courses, acacia savannah.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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A noisy, active and gregarious Sparrow-weaver.
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====Diet====
 
Forage in groups (usually less than 10 individuals) on the ground, mostly near the nest tree. Diet includes insects, seeds, fruit and leaves.
 
Forage in groups (usually less than 10 individuals) on the ground, mostly near the nest tree. Diet includes insects, seeds, fruit and leaves.
 
====Breeding====
 
====Breeding====
 
Monogamous; colonial and cooperative breeder. They build  inverted-U-shaped nests of dry grass. One to three eggs are incubated for about 14 days; The nestling period is about 22 days.
 
Monogamous; colonial and cooperative breeder. They build  inverted-U-shaped nests of dry grass. One to three eggs are incubated for about 14 days; The nestling period is about 22 days.
 +
==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}#Avibase
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#Wikipedia
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#BF Member observations
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Plocepasser+mahali}}
 
{{GSearch|Plocepasser+mahali}}
  
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Plocepasser]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Plocepasser]]

Revision as of 00:59, 5 March 2010

Photo by Mybs
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, September 2005
Plocepasser mahali

Identification

Length 16-19 cm, mass 40-55 g

  • Broad, white eyebrow stripe and white rump
  • Bill: black in male; female - horn-coloured; juvenile - pinkish-brown

Distribution

Africa
Western Africa: Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: northern and central Namibia, Botswana, western Zimbabwe, northern South Africa, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Lesotho

Taxonomy

Subspecies[1]

There are four recognized subspecies:

  • P. m. melanorhynchus:
  • P. m. ansorgei:
  • P. m. pectoralis:
  • P. m. mahali:

Two additional subspecies, stentor and terricolor are not recognised by all authorities.[2]

Habitat

Dry acacia and mopane woodland, thornveld and dry river courses, acacia savannah.

Behaviour

A noisy, active and gregarious Sparrow-weaver.

Diet

Forage in groups (usually less than 10 individuals) on the ground, mostly near the nest tree. Diet includes insects, seeds, fruit and leaves.

Breeding

Monogamous; colonial and cooperative breeder. They build inverted-U-shaped nests of dry grass. One to three eggs are incubated for about 14 days; The nestling period is about 22 days.

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
  2. Avibase
  3. Wikipedia
  4. BF Member observations

Recommended Citation

External Links

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