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PHOWN species summary
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See published breeding information below the map.
Yellow-backed Weaver Ploceus melanocephalus
(species text)PHOWN priorities: none yet
Most recent PHOWN record for this species (recent thumbnails and full species listing at end of this web page):
Vm 30392
No of records in PHOWN for this species: 21
Colony size
Colony size for this species in PHOWN (min - mean - max, sample size) and published data:PHOWN | Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15 |
1 - 9.9 - 25 (n=14) | No information |
Nest site
Type of nest site for this species in PHOWN:other - 3 reed - 10 tree - 8 |
Breeding seasonality
PHOWN Records per month for this species
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15 | May-Oct in Mauritania, Apr-Nov in Senegal, Jun-Sept in Gambia, Jul-Oct in Mali, Aug-Oct in Bukina Fasso (Jul-Aug at Ouagadougou), Jun-Nov in Niger, Aug in Togo, May and Jul-Oct in Nigeria; in DRCongo, Jun-Aug in NE, Nov-Apr in Kimbombo, Jan-May in Itombwe and E region, Aug-Sept in C regions; Aug-Sept in Sudan and Ethiopia, Mar-May and Aug-Sept in Uganda and Feb-Mar in Zambia |
Figure above right: breeding seasonality shown as records per month (if available), where months are numbered from January where January=1 etc.
The records are grouped into 6 regions: Safr=southern Africa, Cafr=central Africa, Wafr=western Africa, Eafr=eastern Africa, Asia=southern Asia, IO=Indian Ocean islands
Read more about these figures here.
Breeding distribution
Google map of records for this species (you may need to zoom out to see all records)
Google map showing distribution and PHOWN records for the weaver species.
Yellow areas show distribution of the species; for species with small ranges you need to zoom in at the correct area to see the range. Read more about these maps here.
PHOWN pin colours show Nest site type:
- Reed
- Tree
- Man-made
- Other
- Nest Record Cards
CLICK on the marker on the map to see individual record details.
Published breeding information
Breeding information based on Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15.bond Polygynous, with two or three females in territory simultaneously; sometimes monogamous season May-Oct in Mauritania, Apr-Nov in Senegal, Jun-Sept in Gambia, Jul-Oct in Mali, Aug-Oct in Bukina Fasso (Jul-Aug at Ouagadougou), Jun-Nov in Niger, Aug in Togo, May and Jul-Oct in Nigeria; in DRCongo, Jun-Aug in NE, Nov-Apr in Kimbombo, Jan-May in Itombwe and E region, Aug-Sept in C regions; Aug-Sept in Sudan and Ethiopia, Mar-May and Aug-Sept in Uganda and Feb-Mar in Zambia nsite slung between vertical stems (supported at one side only) in elephant grass, reeds or papyrus over water, sometimes suspended from pendulous twigs in bush or small tree, even in maize (Zea mays) field, generally more than 2 m above ground or water level nbuild woven by male, lined by female colsize No information clutch 2-3 eggs eggcolour dull white, blue-green, pinkish-grey or brown, either plain or heavily freckled with olive-brown eggsize average size of ten eggs 18.9 x 13.8 mm (Nigeria) incub incubation by female only chicks both sexes feed nestlings and fledglings |
Thumb-nails of most recent PHOWN records
Click on one to see its full record
Vm 30392 | Vm 28588 | Vm 26336 | Vm 26183 | Vm 26182 | Vm 25068 |
Vm 25066 | Vm 25026 | Vm 25024 | Vm 25023 | Vm 25022 | Vm 25018 |
Vm 25017 | Vm 24538 | Vm 24453 | Vm 24450 | Vm 24441 | Vm 18155 |
List of all PHOWN records for this species
Click on one to see its full record
1221, 2011-9-12,1,South Africa, Zandvlei NR, Marks vlei, Oschadleus HD, reed
1241, 2011-9-16,1,South Africa, Sandvlei NR Marks vlei, Oschadleus HD, reed
12429, 2013-3-10,8,Tanzania, A lodge in Soroti, Oliver, Paul, tree
18155, 2015-6-25,0,Rwanda, Nyabarongo River @ RN15 junction, Krochuk Billi, other
24441, 2016-10-16,12,Senegal, north of Hotel Calao, Oschadleus HD, tree
24450, 2016-10-16,0,Senegal, Technopole wetland, Brooks M, tree
24453, 2016-10-18,0,Senegal, north of Hotel Calao, Oschadleus HD, tree
24538, 2016-10-23,7,Senegal, Iles des Madeleines, island, Beale C, tree
25017, 2017-1-28,0,Congo (DRC), kashobwe, de Cauwer R, reed
25018, 2017-1-28,0,Congo (DRC), kashobwe, de Cauwer R, reed
25022, 2017-1-29,18,Congo (DRC), kashobwe, de Cauwer R, tree
25023, 2017-1-29,0,Congo (DRC), kashobwe, de Cauwer R, tree
25024, 2017-1-22,8,Congo (DRC), kashiobwe luapula river, de Cauwer R, reed
25026, 2017-1-21,18,Congo (DRC), kashobwe, de Cauwer R, tree
25066, 2017-2-12,25,DRC, Kashiobwe Luapula River, de Cauwer R, other
25068, 2017-2-12,15,DRC, Kashiobwe Luapula River, de Cauwer R, other
26182, 2017-5-7,8,Congo (DRC), kashobwe, de Cauwer R, reed
26183, 2017-5-7,8,Congo (DRC), kashobwe, de Cauwer R, reed
26336, 2017-6-18,4,Congo (DRC), Luapula river camp, de Cauwer R, reed
28588, 2019-7-23,0,Uganda, Biso area, Booysen M., reed
30392, 2021-11-27,6,Uganda, Queen Elizabeth Safari Guides and Boat Agency, Cronje Pieter, reed
All PHOWN news items relating to this species
The headers below refer to Weaver News items featuring PHOWN and this species. Click on a header to see the News item, which includes the full news item. (The number in brackets is the date that the news item appeared on Weaver Watch).
Weaver Wednesday [120] - Discovery [3]: Yellow-backed Weaver (2014-10-01)
Weaver Wednesday [107]: Yellow-backed Weaver (2014-07-02)
Black-headed (Yellow-backed) Weaver in Cape Town (2011-09-12)