Introduction

Rüppell thought this species was an oriole, hence the latin name he chose (see below). He described a male, female and young bird, finding Rüppell's Weaver to be a common species in the Modat valley on the coast of Eritrea, where he collected the specimens. On Rüppell's third journey to Africa, in 1831-34, he travelled to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, and along the coast of the Red Sea to Massawa (Steinheimer 2005). It is unclear where the Modat valley lies, and the area of Massawa on the coast is considered the modern type locality for the Rüppell's Weaver. Rüppell stayed in this area a few months at the end of 1831 and into early 1832.

The first illustration of a Rüppell's Weaver is a colour painting in Ruppell 1840. The next illustration is by Reichenbach (1863), also of an adult male.

Scientific citation

Meaning of names

First English name

Alternate names

Collector

Date collected

Locality collected

Type specimens

Identification. The adult male Rüppell's Weaver is yellow with a red eye and a chestnut mask which may appear black from a distance. Females and non-breeding males are dull coloured.

Distribution. Rüppell's Weaver is the only weaver found naturally in the Middle East.

A few subspecies have been described for Rüppell's Weaver in the past, but are no longer considered valid. This species was first described and illustrated (painting left) by Eduard Rüppell, who also described the Lesser Masked, Chestnut and White-headed Buffalo Weavers from North-East Africa.

The distribution map (below) of Rüppell's Weaver is based on Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15, showing the current PHOWN records. It has been recorded in NE and E Sudan, N Eritrea (including Dahlak Archipelago in the Red Sea), C and NE Ethiopia, Djibouti, N Somalia, and S Arabian Peninsula (SW Saudi Arabia, Yemen, W Oman).

There is an introduced population of Rüppell's Weaver in Kuwait.

Habitat. Rüppell's Weaver is found in savanna, arid coastal plains, cultivated areas, wetlands and gardens.

Food. Rüppell's Weaver feeds on seeds, including cereal crops. It may flock in thousands and cause crop damage, while in Arabia flocks are smaller.

Breeding. Rüppell's Weaver often nests in colonies of several males, but single-male colonies may occur. In Yemen colony size varies from 4 to 50 nests. Nest sites include a variety of tree species, often thorny species, and often built over water.

Males are polygnous and will breed with up to three females, and typically build up to eight globular nests. The nests are woven from grass or long strips of palm fronds. lnitially the nest lacks an entrance tunnel, but a tunnel of 50 mm may be added later.

Two or three eggs are laid and these vary in colour - either white or blue, usually heavily spotted, sometimes only finely speckled, with brick-red. Incubation is by the female.

Usually in polygnous weavers the female does most of the work of feeding chicks. In Rüppell's Weaver the male feeds the young chicks by regurgitation while the female broods them. After four days, both sexes feed the chicks.