Any PHOWN records are valuable, but even more valuable are particular surveys. These can be done in a variety of ways, the most common being area surveys, or finding all weaver nests in a small area. Here are examples of some large surveys that have been conducted:

• Area surveys:
  Cape Weavers on Robben island, by Dieter Oschadleus
  Sociable Weavers at Benfontein, Northern Cape, by Rita Covas
  Sociable Weavers at Tswalu, Northern Cape, by Robert Thomson
  Sociable Weavers north of Plateau Farm, Namibia (and comparison), by Res Altwegg
  Southern Masked Weavers in eastern Pretoria, Gauteng, by Pieter Cronje
  Village & Spectacled Weavers at Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, by Pieter Cronje
• Road surveys:
  Southern Masked Weavers in the eastern Free State, by Pieter Cronje
• Boat surveys:
  Southern Masked Weavers and Southern Red Bishops on part of the Vaal Dam, by Dieter Oschadleus
• River surveys:
  none yet
• Time surveys - repeats (see also here):
  Red-headed Weavers at Serengeti, Tanzania, by Ann Harris
• Historic surveys: (this point was added later)
  Sociable Weavers in Kgalagadi, comparing surveys in 2013 with 1967!, by Gill and Helm van Zijl

The data from these surveys can be used to look at breeding densities, as well as how colony sizes and nest sites vary in these areas. Pieter recently surveyed southern Johannesburg and this shows that Southern Masked Weavers in gardens already have new green nests while colonies adjacent to the suburban areas do not have green nests yet.