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 [146] – Discovery [29]: Southern Masked Weaver on 2015-04-01
1. Basic biology
Southern Masked Weaver, adult male in breeding plumageSouthern Masked Weaver, adult female
Identification. The Southern Masked Weaver male in breeding plumage (photo above) is bright yellow with a black mask and red eye. In non-breeding plumage it resembles the dull-coloured female, but retains a reddish eye. The female usually has a brown eye but about 29% of breeding females have a reddish eye (photo above, see pdf paper on weaver eye colours).
Distribution. The Southern Masked Weaver has no subspecies listed in the Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15. Several subspecies have been proposed in the past, but this species is likely to show penotypic variation, ie. the size and plumage variation is due to environmental factors rather than geographic variation in genotypes. It is found in the southern third of Africa as far north as Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
It did not occur in the Western Cape historically (see map here). Originally its distribution ranged from the lower Orange River across to Port Elizabeth. It then expanded its range into the Western Cape and then Northern Cape as shown in the map. It is still sparse in the arid region south of the lower Orange River.
Habitat. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, including gardens, but is usually less common in coastal regions. This species is gregarious when not breeding, often roosting and feeding in large numbers.
Food. It is mainly a seed-eater, although also feeds on arthropods, nectar, and other items.
Breeding. The Southern Masked Weaver is polygnous. The male builds a neat nest which contains a ceiling inside the main structure as rain-protection. If a female accepts a nest, she lines the chamber with grass seed heads or feathers. Nests are built in trees, bushes, reeds, bamboos or man-made structures, like barbed wire fences. The latter is well illustrated by the very first PHOWN record (Photo below, phown 1). One of the most abnormal weaver nests was built by this species – see phown 694.
Southern Masked Weaver colony on fence
Colonies in drier areas tend to be larger with several males present, while this weaver tends to disperse into single-male colonies in urban areas with around 3-10 nests per male.
Eggs vary in colour, bluish or whitish, being plain or marked with fine or larger spots and blotches. This is one of the most common host species to the Diederik Cuckoo.
Chicks are fed by the female, and very rarely by the male. When fledged, the juveniles may remain in the same area or disperse several kilometers.
The above is based on Weaver Wednesday, a weekly series about weaver species.
This species text first appeared as Weaver Wednesday [10]: Southern Masked Weaver on 2012-08-22
2. Breeding facts
Pair bond
Polygynous, with two or three females present in the territory simultaneously and up to twelve females acquired by one male during a season
Breeding season
Dec-Jan (sometimes to Mar) on Sao Tome; Nov-Apr in Angola, Oct-Mar in Zambia, Jan-Apr in Malawi, Nov-Feb in Mozambique, Aug-Mar in Zimbabwe, Sept-Mar (peak in Nov) in Botswana; in South Africa, Aug-Oct in Western Cape (winter-rainfall region) and Jul-Mar elsewhere; within a region timing can vary locally depending on rainfall
Nest site
often placed at tips of branches over dry land, seldom in reeds, sometimes in tree over water
Nest building
woven by male, lined by female
Colony size
one male apparently built 52 nests during single breeding season
Clutch size
2-4 eggs (mean 2.5 in South Africa)
Egg colour
white, pink, pale green or blue, either plain or speckled, spotted and blotched with grey, brown, red or purple
Egg size
average size of 389 eggs 20.9 x 14.5 mm (South Africa)
Incubation
incubation by female, period c. 14 days
Chicks and nestling period
chicks usually fed by female only, nestling period average 16 days; male feeds nestlings or fledglings only rarely but sometimes feeds second brood
Breeding information based on Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15.