Weaver species list / RELATED SPECIES: Black-billed Weaver / Black-chinned Weaver / Black-necked Weaver / Clarke’s Weaver / Lesser Masked Weaver / Little Weaver / Loanga Weaver / Slender-billed Weaver / Spectacled Weaver / Strange Weaver / Tanganyika Masked Weaver
IUCN: Least concern Discovery: 046
Categories: white eggs, , acacias, fruit, waterbirds, gum, baobab, Gymnogene, nectar, Nest use, palm, double nests, Ploceus 5: ‘Sitagra’
Discovery
  
IntroductionThe Lesser Masked Weaver was formally named 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.The Lesser Masked Weaver was collected by Major Sir William Cornwallis Harris, an English military engineer, artist and hunter. Harris led a British diplomatic mission (1841 to 1843) from Bombay to Sahle Selassie, Negus of Shewa, at the time an autonomous district of Ethiopia, with whom they negotiated a commercial treaty. Harris collected birds and other scientific data during the trip. Harris wrote about these travels in 3 volumes (The highlands of Aethiopia) in which he makes occasional reference to birds, but does not appear to have written about the Lesser Masked Weaver which he collected. The type specimen was taken to the East India Company Museum and later [between 1858 and 1971] transferred to the British Museum. Rüppell illustrated many of the birds he described, but did not illustrate the Lesser Masked Weaver. The first illustration of a Lesser Masked Weaver is a colour painting of its head in Heuglin 1871. Interestingly, the species was not illustrated again for many decades and the second illustration pertaining to this species is a photo of a nest in Hoesch 1936. Scientific citationPloceus intermedius Ruppell 1845 Syst. Uebers, pp 71, 76. Shoa, central Abyssinia. Meaning of namesintermedius – Latin: intermedius, intermediate (i.e. sharing characteristics with or acting as a link between two other species). First English nameCabanis’ Weaver Bird (Layard 1884). One of the subspecies of the Lesser Masked Weaver was named after Cabanis, hence this early English name – the subspecies is no longer recognised. Alternate namesAbyssinian Masked Weaver, Black-cheeked Weaver, Cababis’s Masked Weaver, Cabanis’ Weaver Bird, Cabanis’s Masked Weaver, Ethiopian Masked Weaver, Masked Weaver. CollectorMajor WC Harris. Date collected1841-43. Locality collectedShoa = Shewa, central Ethiopia. Type specimensOne specimen is known to be in the British Museum (BM 1861.5.8.41). |
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 [163] – Discovery [46]: Lesser Masked Weaver on 2015-07-29
1. Basic biology
  Identification. The Lesser Masked Weaver adult male in breeding plumage (above) is yellow with a black mask, pale eye and thin bill. Females (above) and non-breeding males are dull coloured, with a pale eye and blue-grey legs. Read about eye colours in weavers, including the Lesser Masked Weaver, here (821 kB). Juveniles have a dark eye. Distribution. The Lesser Masked Weaver is a widespread weaver in eastern Africa and the northern parts of southern Africa (see map above, based on Birds of Africa). Many subspecies have been recorded but currently there are two accepted subspecies: There is a slight range expansion of this species in KwaZulu-Natal. Habitat. The Lesser Masked Weaver occurs in a variety of habitats including acacia savanna, bushveld, open woodland and riverine trees, preferring areas close to water and also human habitation. Food. The Lesser Masked Weaver feeds on insects, especially caterpillars, termites, and grasshoppers. It also feeds on nectar (mainly of aloes), mulberries, and small seeds. Nestlings are fed on insects.  Breeding. The Lesser Masked Weaver is polygynous and a male can have 2-3 females simultaneously, and probably several more during a breeding season. Nests are usually very close together, and sometimes are suspended below other nests. Colonies may be monospecific or mixed with a variety of other weaver species. Nests have a short, narrow entrance tunnel. Nests look untidy due to short lengths of material sticking out from the nest. Nests are built by the male, and lined by the female, although sometimes no lining is added to breeding nests. Nests are placed in trees, reeds, roof edges of buildings, or from telephone wires. Eggs (usually 2-4) are white or pale bluish white. Incubation is by the female but both parents help feed the young, although the female does more feeding. This is one of the smallest host species to the Diederik Cuckoo. Nest predators include snakes, especially boomslang Dispholidus typus, African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus, and Vervet Monkeys Cercopithecus aethiops. |
The above is based on Weaver Wednesday, a weekly series about weaver species.
This species text first appeared as Weaver Wednesday [20]: Lesser Masked Weaver on 2012-10-31
2. Breeding facts
| Pair bond Polygynous, with two or three females per male Breeding season Nest site Nest building Colony size Clutch size Egg colour Egg size Incubation Chicks and nestling period |
Breeding information based on Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15.
3. Photos of Weaver Nests
 Vm 29287 |
 Vm 29277 |
 Vm 29233 |
 Vm 29177 |
 Vm 29120 |
 Vm 29115 |
Thumb-nails of recent PHOWN records