Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus

Male

Female

Distribution. The Baya Weaver occurs in eastern Pakistan to Vietnam and western Indonesia (see map below, based on Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15).

Several subspecies of the Baya Weaver are recognised:
P. p. philippinus occurs on the Indus floodplain in Pakistan, most of India, southern Nepal and Sri Lanka (see yellow on map).
P. p. travancoreensis, occurs in SW India from Goa to Travancore (see green on map). The male is darker above and the breast is darker yellow than in the nominate.
P. p. burmanicus occurs in India (West Bengal, Assam), Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar (see purple on map). It is larger than the nominate, the male has a paler face and throat, and buff breast with darker mottling.
P. p. angelorum occurs in Thailand and Laos (see brown on map). This subspecies has a buff breast and black streaking on the upperparts.
P. p. infortunatus occurs in Myanmar to Vietnam, and south to Java and Bali (see light blue on map). This subspecies is more rufous on the upperparts, breast and flanks than in the other races.

Habitat. The Baya Weaver inhabits grassland, scrub with scattered trees, mangroves and cultivated areas. It is generally found in open country near water.

Food. The Baya Weaver feeds on seeds, including those of grass, rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, millet and sunflowers. Insects include grasshoppers, flies, termites, beetles, caterpillars and butterflies. It also feeds on nectar, spiders, small snails, and rice frogs. Rice is often the most important food item. The Baya Weaver occupies midday roosts near the feeding grounds.

Breeding. The Baya Weaver is polygynous, with 3-5 females per male. It is usually colonial, with up to 60 nests in a single tree and more than 200 in some colonies, but solitary nests may be found. It sometimes breeds in mixed colonies with other weavers.

The nest is retort-shaped, and usually with a long entrance tunnel. It is woven by the male from strips of palm, grass or rice-plant leaves. The male builds a ring and then completes the roof, so that the nest resembles a helmet with a chinstrap. Blobs of mud are added to the nest, most probably for reinforcement. The nest is only completed if a female accepts it. The entrance tunnel is built last, often 40-65 cm or more in length. The nest is placed 2-30 m above the ground or water. More than 35 plant species have been used, but Acacias are often favoured. Often colonies are close to human habitation, and are also found on telephone lines. Nests are sometimes associated with wasps or aggressive ants.

The eggs, most commonly clutch of 3, are white. The female incubates and feeds the chicks, although some males help feed in later stages. Nest predators include snakes, crows, and probably monkeys. Nest destruction by humans is probably the most important source of loss. Old nests are used by a variety of birds and animals, including Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata, Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica, long-tailed tree mouse Vandeleuria oleracea, and nests abandoned at the helmet stage may be used as roost sites by painted bats Kerivoula picta.

Breeding season
May-Sept in Pakistan, Apr-Oct in India (local variation depending on monsoon rainfall, while timing of male sexual development is influenced by seasonal changes in daylength), Mar-Apr and Aug-Sept in Sri Lanka; mainly Dec-Jun in SE Asia, but Jun-Aug in Myanmar, Apr-May in S Laos; Mar-May in Java

Nest site
placed 2-30 m above ground or water, more than 35 tree and plant species (including mangroves and cycads) used, and in plantations selects open areas where canopy not too dense; in Rajasthan (W India) favours Acacia nilotica as nest-site, elsewhere mostly single nests in Acacia arabica though some of latter held 2-19 nests; often nests close to human habitation, with colonies regularly sited in or overhanging irrigation wells, rarely on house eaves or on power or telephone lines (nests on wires generally lack entrance tunnel)

Nest building
woven by male, female sometimes participating by bringing lining material

Colony size
usually colonial, with up to 60 nests in single tree and more than 200 in some colonies

Clutch size
2-5 eggs, most commonly 3 (regionally variable)

Egg colour
white

Egg size
average size of 100 eggs 20.3 x 14.5 mm (India)

Incubation
incubation by female, period 14-15 days

Chicks and nestling period
chicks fed primarily by female, some males assist in later stages (adults may feed through opening direct to nest-bowl, not entering through tunnel each time), nestling period typically c. 16 days (13-23 days reported); fledglings fed by both sexes, for up to 14 days