Weaver news

Weaver Wednesday 4 [278] - Weaver themes [15]: Genus Anaplectes

2017-10-11 (803)

Weaver Wednesday 4: Weaver themes (Series)

Genus Anaplectes

Red-headed Weaver male, *A.r. leuconotos*

Red-headed Weaver, A.r. jubaensis
(no photos)

The Red-headed Weaver is in a
monotypic genus (only one
species in the genus),
although the 3 subspecies
have been upgraded to
species level in the latest
"Handbook of the Birds of
the World".

Differences in Male mask (MM),
and Primary edges (PE):
leuconotos - MM black mask, PE red
jubaensis - MM black lores, PE red
rubriceps - MM red head, PE yellow

Proposed names of the 3 new species ("Handbook of the Birds of the World"):
A. leuconotos - Northern Red-headed Weaver
A. jubaensis - Red Weaver
A. rubriceps - Southern Red-headed Weaver

These taxa are fairly similar, although the Red Weaver is very poorly known. Also, having split the Red-headed Weaver into 3 species, may result in birders and ornithologists finding more differences in biology.
Read about the Red-headed Weaver.