Introduction

It is not known who collected the Cinnamon Weaver. The earliest record of the type specimen is in the possession of Victor Massena, Duc de Rivoli, Prince d'Esling, a French amateur ornithologist living in Paris. Rivoli had a large collection of birds, about 12500 specimens, which were bought by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, formerly the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANSP), the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the New World.

The collection arrived in Philadelphia in September 1846 (Stone 1899) and Cassin described many of these specimens as new bird species, including the Cinnamon Weaver.

In 1855 Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a French biologist and ornithologist, wrote that he had seen specimens of the Cinnamon Weaver as early as 1838 [presumably in the collection of Rivoli, although he was living in Italy at that time]. It is possible that Ruppell collected the Cinnamon Weaver on his Ethiopian trip in 1831 to 1834 when he reached the border with Sudan.

The first illustration of a Cinnamon Weaver is a colour painting published by Cassin 1850. No more published until 1955 when several illustrations were published, including the first illustration of a female by Mackworth 1955.

Scientific citation

Meaning of names

First English name

Alternate names

Collector

Date collected

Locality collected

Type specimens

Identification. The Cinnamon Weaver occurs in Sudan and South Sudan. The male in breeding plumage has a black head and chestnut body, closely resembling the Chestnut Weaver. The Cinnamon Weaver is distinguished from the Chestnut by yellow wing edges (rather than pale) and yellow vent (rather than brown). Also their ranges are mostly separate. Female and non-breeding male Cinnamon Weavers are sparrowy, streaked above, and with olive-green heads and yellow eye-stripes.

Distribution. The Cinnamon Weaver is found in Sudan and South Sudan, especially along the Nile River and its tributaries, as far north as 16N, and south to the Uganda border (see red on map left, based on Birds of Africa). It is common to locally abundant. It occurs in some protected areas but is apparently hunted in Bandingilo National Park. No subspecies are currently recognised.

Habitat. The Cinnamon Weaver inhabits tall grassland near rivers, with some bush and scattered trees. It is gregarious, occurring in small flocks in the non-breeding season. It roosts communally in tall trees.

Food. The diet of the Cinnamon Weaver includes seeds, but no other details are known.

Breeding. The Cinnamon Weaver is colonial and may be monogamous. Colonies may be large or small. The male displays from the nest or nearby vegetation.

The nest is roughly globular, with an entrance at one side. It is closely woven from grass blades and strips torn from sorghum leaves. The nest is placed 1.5-2 m above the ground or water. It is supported by vertical stems, in tall grass in flooded areas, or suspended on twigs in trees.

The clutch is 2-3 eggs, which are lightly or heavily spotted. Very little is known about this species and its breeding habits.