Baglafecht weaver

  • SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ploceus baglafecht

  • SWAHILI NAME: Kwera Uso-mweusi

Its distinctive name may have come from a meeting between James Bruce, who traveled in Africa in the late 1700s and described Bagla as a tribe or language, and Georges Louis Leclerc Buffon, a noted French naturalist who was the first person known to use the name “baglafecht weaver” in his writings.

Baglafecht weaver

Baglafecht weaver

Type

Bird

Daily Rhythm

Diurnal

Diet

Omnivorous

Conservation Status

least concern

Weight

24-37 gm

Size

15 cm

Baglafecht weaver

Trivia Question

At birdbaths and feeders, how do baglafecht weavers behave towards other bird species?

Correct!

Birdbaths and feeders are areas where the birds feel territorial and aggressive as they compete for space and food sources.

Social Structure

This bird is never found in large flocks, but is often observed in smaller groups, in pairs, or by itself.

Communication

Its typical song is a complex mix of buzzing churrs and loud calls of “zwink zwink.” Although the baglafecht weaver has several distinct races, they all have similar calls.

Behavior

Monogamous and territorial, this weaver is a solitary nester, although two pairs can sometimes be found nesting in the same area.

Conservation

Least concern

Diet

This bird is not a picky eater—insects, seeds, plants, fruit, and nectar are all on the menu. It searches for insects and other food in dry leaf clusters and branches, and brings home spiders, larvae, crickets, beetles, and other prey small enough to feed to its young.

Breeding

Hanging from a frond or branch, a nest is carefully concealed by foliage. Only the male builds the nest, and then the male and female work together to line the nest with grass, feathers, and other material. Around 1-3 eggs are laid in each clutch. Chicks are fed by the female for the first few days, and then the male joins in as well.

Friends & Foes

In 2013, an observer published reports about a velvet monkey that was seen raiding a baglafecht weaver nest in Kenya.

Population in Kenya

Pairs are common in the Kenya highlands.

Range & Habitat

Several subspecies have been identified in Eritrea, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, and Malawi.

It can be found in a range of habitats, including forest edges, cultivated landscapes, gardens, and open woodlands.

Did you know?

The various baglafecht weaver subspecies display the widest variation in plumage of any weaver species and have either yellow or black crowns. However, all males and females have black faces and yellow eyes, and their wings are edged either with yellow or green.