Weaver species category

Choose different species category from drop-down list and press 'Go' button.

Nest use

phown 18035
Red-headed Finch male in Cape Weaver nest
Weaver nests are well constructed, and are thus sometimes taken over by other birds or animals for roosting or breeding, see examples.
Sociable Weaver nests have been used more than the nest of any other weaver species, see examples.
Weaver nests may be used as a platform for the nests of other species, eg Verreaux's Eagle.
The PHOWN database can be searched for individual species that are known to take over weaver nests, eg. Red-headed Finch.

List of weavers whose nests are often used by other birds or animals (in desc order of No. of records)

More than 50 records:
Sociable Weaver Philetairus socius
Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis niger
Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus
White-browed Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser mahali
phown 4912
Old Southern Masked Weaver nest
taken over by Dendromus mouse

Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus
Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix
Cape Weaver Ploceus capensis
Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps

Less than 50 records:
Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis
Holub's Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops
Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius
Speke's Weaver Ploceus spekei
Thick-billed Weaver Amblyospiza albifrons
Dark-backed Weaver Ploceus bicolor
Chestnut Weaver Ploceus rubiginosus
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli
Grey-headed Social-weaver Pseudonigrita arnaudi
Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar
Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigricollis
Vitelline Masked Weaver Ploceus vitellinus
Rufous-tailed Weaver Histurgops ruficauda
Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis
Southern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus xanthopterus
Heuglin's Masked Weaver Ploceus heuglini
Scaly-feathered Finch Sporopipes squamifrons

View an interactive map showing inter-relationships between breeding weavers and other species here.