Gold weaver
| Gold weaver | ||||||||||||
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Gold weaver ( Ploceus subaureus ), Zanzibar |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ploceus subaureus | ||||||||||||
| Smith , 1839 |
The gold weaver ( Ploceus subaureus ) belongs within the family of weaver birds (Ploceidae) to the genus of the bunting weaver ( Ploceus ).
The Latin additional species comes from Latin sub 'below' and Latin aureus 'golden' .
The bird is found in East Africa and Southeast Africa, in Kenya , Malawi , South Africa and Tanzania .
The range includes plains on the coast, river valleys and floodplains, mainly within 50 km inland to 1800 m altitude.
features
The species is 15 cm tall, the male weighs between 30 and 39 g, the female between 22 and 31 g. The male has yellow on the forehead, crown, cheeks and ear-covers in the brood-plumage, the top is greenish-yellow. It resembles the palm weaver (Ploceus bojeri), but is dull orange on the head, the iris is pale red and not dark. In the simple dress, the head is more olive-colored. The female is similar in the breeding dress to the female of the palm weaver, but has reddish eyes. In the plain dress, like young birds, it is broadly striped on the upper side with a yellow chest and white underside.
Geographic variation
The following subspecies are recognized:
- P. s. aureoflavus A. Smith , 1839 - southeastern Kenya, coast of Tanzania including Zanzibar , eastern Malawi and northern Mozambique
- P. s. subaureus A. Smith , 1839, nominate form - Mozambique south of the coast to the far east of Swaziland and south-east South Africa
voice
The male's song is described as drawn out, rolling with short "tsip tsip ..." tones at the beginning, ending like a canary.
Way of life
The diet consists mainly of seeds, but also insects such as termites .
The breeding season is between October and February in Malawi and between September and February in South Africa. Gold weavers are believed to be polygynous and breed in colonies .
Hazardous situation
The stock is not considered to be at risk ( least concern ).
literature
- A. Smith: Ploceus subaureus. Aves Plate XXX in: A. Smith: Zoology of South Africa , 1839, doi: https: //doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.10416 Biodiversity Library
Web links
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Ploceus subaureus in the Internet Bird Collection
- Weaver Watch
Individual evidence
- ↑ Goldweber , in Avibase - The World Bird Database
- ^ JA Jobling: A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. Oxford University Press. 1991. ISBN 0-19-854634-3 .
- ↑ a b c d e Handbook of the Birds of the World
- ↑ a b c d T. Stevenson, J. Fanshawe: Birds of East Africa. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Princeton University Press, 2002, ISBN 978-0-691-12665-4 .
- ↑ Old World sparrows, snowfinches, weavers
- ↑ Redlist