Weaver finches
Weaver bird, name for the Ploceidae, a family of Old World
seed-eating birds closely resembling finches (hence the alternate name
weaver finch). It includes a number of so-called goldfinches and waxbill
finches that are actually weaver birds, rather than true finches of the
family Fringillidae. The weavers are named for the highly complex woven
nests built by many species, though others build only crude nests, and
the parasitic widow weavers build no nests at all. Most weavers are
sedentary, noisy, gregarious, and polygynous, with elaborate courtship
rituals. The weaver group is divided into the buffalo, sparrow, typical,
and widow weavers. The African buffalo weavers are black-and-brown
birds 8 to 10 in. (20.3–25.4 cm) long, that travel in small flocks and
build bulky compartmented nests with separate chambers for two or more
pairs. Of the 35 sparrow weavers the best known, and in fact one of the
most widely distributed and familiar small birds in the world, is the
English sparrow native to Europe, W Asia, and N Africa. It is the most
successful town and city dweller among birds, and has followed European
civilization wherever it has gone; it was introduced to North America in
1852. As common in Asia is the Eurasian tree sparrow (also introduced
in the United States), a nuisance in rice fields and sold in great
quantities for food. These birds build untidy domed nests with side
entrances. Most specialized of the sparrow weavers is the social weaver
of Africa, famous for its apartment-house nest, in which 100 to 300
pairs have separate flask-shaped chambers entered by tubes at the
bottom. They build these structures, which may be 10 ft (3 m) high and
15 ft (4.5 m) across, high in a sturdy tree, beginning with a roof of
straw thatch. Of the 100 or more African and Asian typical weavers, the
small quelea, only 5 in. (12.7 cm) long, sometimes causes huge crop
losses in Africa by feeding on grain in flocks numbering as many as one
million birds. The African widow weavers (named for the long, drooping
black tail plumes of the breeding male), or whydahs, are notable for
their selective parasitic nesting habits; they lay their eggs in the
nests of waxbills, and their eggs are white, as are those of the
waxbill, rather than spotted, as are those of all other weavers. Many of
the weaver family are kept as cage birds, especially the colorful
waxbills (e.g., the Java sparrow, mannikin, munia, grenadier, cutthroat,
and cordon-bleu, locust, parrot, Gouldian, and fire finches). Weaver
birds are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class
Aves, order Passeriformes.» HABITAT AND RANGE:worldwide, except Australia and Pacific Islands, in woods and scrub
» DESCRIPTION:11-19 cm; bill conical, sharply pointed; wide variety of plumages with various streaking and/or red or yellow predominating; male often more colorful than female;
» FOOD:feed on seeds, buds and fruits and some insects
» BREEDING:unusual or unpredictable breeding seasons; most spp. gregarious and many nomadic; monogamous; 2-7 eggs; biparental care.
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