The village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus ), also known as the spotted-backed weaver or black-headed weaver (the latter leading to easy confusion with P. melanocephalus ), is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae found in much of sub-Saharan Africa. It has also been introduced to Portugal as well as to the islands of Hispaniola, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Mauritius and Réunion.
This often abundant species occurs in a wide range of open or semi-open habitats, including woodlands and human habitation, and frequently forms large noisy colonies in towns, villages and hotel grounds. This weaver builds a large coarsely woven nest made of grass and leaf strips with a downward facing entrance which is suspended from a branch in a tree. Two to three eggs are laid. Village weavers are colonial breeders, so many nests may hang from one tree.
During the breeding season, the male Black-headed Weaver can be identified by its black head and the bright yellow collar gracing the nape of its neck. The mantle is a plain, greenish hue, and the underparts are a pale yellow, often infused with varying degrees of chestnut. Females and non-breeding males lack the black head and are more easily confused with the female Masked Weaver, though they can be distinguished by their dark eyes, darker bill, and buffy breast plumage.
The Black-headed Weaver is typically found in savannas and similar environments, often in proximity to water sources. It has a particular affinity for Acacia trees, which it uses for nesting, usually situated about 3 meters from land to deter predators.
This species is native to West, Central, and East Africa. It has also expanded its range to the Iberian Peninsula, where it has been introduced.
The Black-headed Weaver is known for its elaborate nesting behavior, often constructing its nest in Acacia trees to provide a measure of safety from ground predators.
The vocalizations of the Black-headed Weaver are an integral part of its breeding display, with the male often singing to attract a mate.
The breeding male's plumage is a key aspect of its courtship display, with the black head and yellow collar playing a significant role in attracting females. It is also known for its elaborate nesting behavior, often constructing its nest in Acacia trees to provide a measure of safety from ground predators.
The Black-headed Weaver can be confused with the Juba Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver, and the Village Weaver. However, its plain greenish mantle and the chestnut tinges on its underparts, along with the absence of a yellow nuchal collar in the Juba and Golden-backed Weavers, help in distinguishing it from these similar species.
Village weavers forage and roost in large groups, often with other weaver species. In some areas, they move periodically along fixed routes. The birds look for food on the ground, but also look up to search vegetation and trees. The village weaver nests in colonies and is very active during the breeding season. Birds fly in and leave again constantly, making a lot of noise. Colonies can contain as many as 150 nests, but anything between eight and a hundred nests in a single tree is usual.
A village weaver's nest is 14–17 cm (5.5–6.7 in) long and 11–13 cm (4.3–5.1 in) high. The entrance is mostly extended into a tube of 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) long. The male weaves the structure of the nest using long strips of leaf, that he has torn from palms or large grass species such as Arundo donax. The nest is roofed, ovoid or kidney-shaped, internally consisting of a nesting chamber that is separated by a ground sill from an antechamber, that has the entrance of the entire nest at the bottom. On the inside, the ceiling is made of strips of grass or other leaves, which are simply inserted instead of woven-in. The floor on the inside is lined by short, thatched strips of palm, grass blades or heads, and feathers. The nest requires about three hundred long strips of leaf, which the male tears off and transports one by one. The male gathers building material throughout the building process, during which he works with his feet in exactly the same position, and maintaining the same orientation. He starts by creating the attachment by weaving around mostly two hanging branches just below a fork, a foot on both of them, which he includes in a ring he constructs by weaving in the plain of the branches at the edge of his reach. He than extends the high end of the ring in front of its head, gradually working towards his feet creating a half-globe, that is the nesting chamber. The male continues by constructing the roof of the antechamber, working over his head. This is followed by lining the ceiling, and constructing the entrance tube, hanging upside-down, but still with his feet at the same spots. The weaving technique consists of seizing a strip of near the end and double the strip back on itself. Next he pokes the end with a vibrating movement in between his previous work until it sticks. He then release it, moves his head to the other side of the nest wall, seizes the strip again and pokes it in somewhere. He keeps repeating this, regularly reversing the direction in which he weaves the strip, poking and pulling the strip through holes until the entire length is used. The female collects material too, but she occupies herself only with the lining of the nesting cup.
