Katanga Masked Weaver distribution, type locality circled
Introduction
The Katanga Masked Weaver was formally described by Rene K. Verheyen, a Belgian ornithologist.
The Katanga Masked Weaver was collected by Hans J Bredo, a Belgian government entomologist, who also collected many birds in Central Africa in the 1930s. Bredo wrote many papers on insects, especially locusts. Bredo collected two specimens, both adult males, of the Katanga Masked Weaver, near the station at Musosa, where he was based. Musosa, NE of Lake Mwero, was part of the Belgian Congo (in Katanga Province) but now lies just within the borders of Zambia.
The Katanga Masked Weaver was described as a subspecies of the Southern Masked Weaver by Verheyen. This has been followed by many authors initially, but it is considered a separate species by a growing number of authors.
The Katanga Masked Weaver was first illustrated by Benson 1971b as a colour painting of a male. The next illustration of the species was published in Mackworth 1973a, showing both male and female.
Weaver Watch
