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Golden-naped Weaver Ploceus aureonucha

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Taxonomic history

Ploceus (Melanopteryx) aureonucha Sassi, 1920, Orn. Monatsber. 28, p.81
The Golden-naped Weaver was first described in 1920 by Sassi, based on specimens from Beni-Mawambi und Ukaika, Democratic Republic of Congo. The specimens were collected by Rudolf Grauer in 1910. The first illustration of the Golden-naped Weaver was published in Gyldenstolpe 1924.


Sassi's type description of the Golden-naped Weaver (1920)
Gyldenstolpe's illustration of a Golden-naped Weaver (1924) - centre bird

Identification, ageing and sexing

Identification and sexing: The male is black with a red-brown crown, yellow collar on the nape, maroon breast and white undertail coverts. The female is duller.

Where to watch

This species has been recorded in Ituri Forest, DRC, and Semliki NP, Uganda. A list of all sightings is listed below.

Locality Status Date Person Reference
Mawambi, DRC type specimens NMW 4583 - 85 1910 Rudolf Grauer Sassi 1920, Wilson et al. 2007
Campi ya Wambutti, Ituri forest, DRC specimen NRM 601271; also seen 11 June 1921 Gyldenstolpe Gyldenstolpe 1924, Wilson et al. 2007
8km N of new post of Beni, DRC 2 specimens; party of 20-25 seen c5 October 1926 Chapin Chapin 1954
Forest nr Udembo, 48km from Irumu on Rd to Beni, DRC specimens AMNH 26478 - 80 30 September 1926 Chapin Chapin 1954, Wilson et al. 2007
Epulu, DRC seen: flock of 60 1986 MC Catsis Butchart 2007
Ituri Forest, DRC seen: flock of 22, other sightings 1986 J & T Hart, D Lawson Anon. 1986
Epulu, DRC seen: pair with young 1994 M Languy Butchart 2007
Okapi Faunal Reserve, DRC seen     Stephenson & Newby 1997
Semliki NP, Kirumia trail, 1st oxbow lake, Uganda seen: 2, range extended 80km 1 August 2006 Wilson Malcolm Wilson et al. 2007
Semliki NP, Kirumia trail, 1st oxbow lake, Uganda seen 16 June 2009 Herbert Byaruhanga Africanbirding
References
Anon., 1986. Weaver alive and well. World Birdwatch 8(3): 5
Butchart S, 2007. Birds to find: a review of 'lost', obscure and poorly known African bird species. Bull. African Bird Club 14:139-157
Chapin JP, 1954. The birds of the Belgian Congo. Part IV. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 75B:1-846
Gyldenstolpe N, 1924. Zoological results of the Swedish Expedition to Central Africa 1921. Vertebrata I. Birds. Kungl. Svenska Vetensk. Akad. Handl. Ser. 3,1(3):1-326
Sassi M, 1920. Zwei neue Weber aus Mittelafrika. Ornith. Monatsber. 28:81
Stephenson PJ & Newby JE, 1997. Conservation of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Zaire. Oryx 31: 49-58
Wilson M et al, 2007. First record of Golden-naped Weaver in Uganda. Bull. African Bird Club 14:200-202

Add your own Golden-naped Weaver colony - see Weaver Watch project, although no breeding records exist yet.

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