Alektoweber

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alektoweber
Male alekto weaver

Male alekto weaver

Systematics
Order : Passerines (Passeriformes)
Subordination : Songbirds (passeri)
Family : Weaver birds (Ploceidae)
Subfamily : Bubalornithinae
Genre : Bubalornis
Type : Alektoweber
Scientific name
Bubalornis albirostris
( Vieillot , 1817)

The 24-centimeter Alektoweber ( Bubalornis albirostris ) is a bird art from the family of weaver birds .

Appearance

The males of this species have black plumage, but the spring root is white. The beak is white or salmon-colored. The female has brown spotted plumage and its beak is pink with a black tip. The legs are black or gray.

Special anatomy

The male is the only songbird to have a phallus . During the breeding season, the male also has an extension on the beak.

distribution and habitat

This species occurs throughout sub- Saharan Africa . It inhabits the savannahs and bush landscapes there, and also occurs in the vicinity of human settlements and agricultural areas.

Way of life

The Alektoweber lives together in small groups of up to eight animals. They mostly look for grass seeds and small insects on the ground to feed on.

Reproduction

During the breeding season, these birds set up community nests on trees that can accommodate up to eight breeding pairs. These are usually used and expanded by the birds for several years. They use thorny twigs as a framework for the nest. The nest chambers inside are lined with grass and root fibers. The female lays 2 to 4 eggs in the nest. The young are supplied with insects.

Hazards and protective measures

Since this species is still relatively common and no threats are known, it is classified by the IUCN as ( Least Concern ) not endangered.

literature

  • Philip Whitfield (ed.): The great world empire of the animals. Planet Media AG, Zug 1992, ISBN 3-8247-8614-1 , pp. 390, 391.
  • Wilhelm owner (ed.), Erna Mohr: Encyclopedia of the animals. Volume 2, Weltbild, Augsburg 1991, ISBN 978-3-89350-361-2 , p. 382.
  • Christopher M. Perrins (Ed.): The FSVO encyclopedia birds of the world. Translated from the English by Einhard Bezzel. BLV, Munich / Vienna / Zurich 2004, ISBN 978-3-405-16682-3 , p. 594 (title of the original English edition: The New Encyclopedia Of Birds. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2003).
  • Joseph Michael Forshaw (ed.), David Kirshner: Encyclopedia of the Wildlife: Birds. Translated from the English by Derek Vinyard. Orbis, Hamburg 2003, ISBN 978-3-572-01378-4 , p. 221.

Web links

Commons : Alektoweber ( Bubalornis albirostris )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files