Ruppell’s Weaver Ploceus galbula

Weaver species list / RELATED SPECIES: Eastern Golden Weaver / Golden-backed Weaver / Holub’s Golden Weaver / Juba Weaver / Katanga Masked Weaver / Lufira Masked Weaver / Ruppell’s Weaver / Southern Masked Weaver / Vitelline Masked Weaver

IUCN: Least concern Discovery: 043

Categories: acacias, gum, nectar, pest

Discovery

Ruppell’s Weaver male, figure from Ruppell 1840
Rüppell's Weaver
Rüppell’s Weaver, different race, figure from Reichenbach 1863

Ruppell’s Weaver distribution, type locality circled

 

Introduction

The Rüppell’s Weaver was formally described by Wilhelm Peter Eduard Simon Rüppell, a German naturalist and explorer, especially in north-east Africa. Rüppell was the first naturalist to travel through Ethiopia and many birds are named after him.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

Ploceus galbula Ruppell 1840 Neue Wirbelt., Vogel, p.92, pl. 32 (fig. 2); Modat Valley, Eritrea.

Meaning of names

galbula – Latin: a small yellowish bird (dim. of galbina, a small yellow bird; galbus, yellow).

First English name

The Oriole Weawer (Reichenbach 1863).

Alternate names

Canary Weaver, The Oriole Weawer.

Collector

Eduard Rüppell.

Date collected

1831 or 1832.

Locality collected

Modat Valley [=Massaua area], Eritrea.

Type specimens

One specimen is known to be in the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt (specimen 12644), but more types should still exist.

The above is based on Weaver Wednesday 2, a weekly series about the discovery of each weaver species.
This species text first appeared as Weaver Wednesday [160] – Discovery [43]: Rüppell’s Weaver on 2015-07-08

1. Basic biology

Rüppell’s Weaver, figure by Rüppell

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) by Eduard Rüppell, who also described the Lesser Masked, Chestnut and White-headed Buffalo Weavers from North-East Africa.

The distribution map (above) 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.

Rüppell’s Weaver, male at nest in Ethiopia

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.

The above is based on Weaver Wednesday, a weekly series about weaver species.
This species text first appeared as Weaver Wednesday [17]: Rüppell’s Weaver on 2012-10-10

2. Breeding facts

Pair bond
Polygynous, sometimes single male with up to three females and eight nests


Breeding season
Sudan, season May-Aug in Gedaref area, Mar-May elsewhere; breeds in all months except Jun-Aug in Eritrea, all months except Mar-Apr in Ethiopia; Feb-Mar, May-Jun and Nov in Somalia; in Yemen mainly Mar-Aug, but in any month when rain falls (one observer noted breeding in Feb, Apr, Jun-Jul, Oct and Dec); Dec-Mar in Saudi Arabia and Mar-Sept in Oman


Nest site
supended 2-6 m above ground, where possible over water, from end of branch in tree, bush or mature durra Sorghum bicolor) stalks, sometimes eucalypt (Eucalytus), date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) or tamarind trees (Tamarindus), in Arabia also Ziziphus spina


Nest building
woven by male


Colony size
sometimes single male with up to three females and eight nests. Often colonial nester


Clutch size
2-3 eggs


Egg colour
white or deep blue, usually heavily spotted with brick-red, sometimes only finely speckled


Egg size
average size of 17 eggs 20 x 13.8 mm (Somalia)


Incubation
incubation by female, period 14-15 days


Chicks and nestling period
chicks brooded by female, initially food brought by male, which feeds chicks by regurgitation, after day 4 both sexes feed, nestling period c. 18 days


Breeding information based on Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15.

3. Photos of Weaver Nests


Vm 27671

Vm 26602

Vm 26601

Vm 5639

Vm 2484

Vm 710

Thumb-nails of recent PHOWN records