Bannerman's Weaver distribution, type locality circled
Introduction
Bannerman's Weaver was formally described by James Paul Chapin, an American ornithologist.
Bannerman's Weaver was collected in Cameroon by RH Drinkwater, who collected many birds in West Africa. Mr. Drinkwater obtained two adult specimens of this new weaver: one in the Nkongsamba district on 3 May 1930, and one in the Djang district on 7 May 1930.
Chapin also found an older specimen that he recognised as the same species, and thus included in the type description. This specimen had been collected by Captain Boyd Alexander on 12 June 1909, at Ninong, Manenguba Mts., Cameroon. At the same site Alexander also collected two hybrid weavers and it was assumed that his Bannerman's Weaver was a hybrdi rather than a new species.
Chapin named this new weaver in honor of David Armitage Bannerman, a Scottish ornithologist, collector, and author. Bannerman had already published many papers on West African birds, and later wrote a handbook of 8 volumes on the birds of West Africa.
The two Drinkwater specimens are in the American Museum of Natural History, while the Alexander specimen may be in the British Museum.
Bannerman's Weaver was first illustrated by Bannerman 1949a, being a line drawing of an adult. The next illustration of the species was a colour painting published in Mackworth 1973a.
Weaver Watch
