Olive-naped Weaver
Ploceus brachypterus
A medium-sized, pale-eyed weaver in which males and females are distinctly different, but both are colorful. Note olive-green back and nape and slender black mask through the eye. Male has a black throat and cinnamon-brown blush around the face. Found in woodland, thick scrub, moist savanna, gallery forest, and forest clearings and edge. Usually alone or in pairs. Vocalizations are typical of weavers: “chet” notes and a sizzling, “radio static” song. Formerly treated as the same species as Black-naped Weaver, under the name “Black-necked Weaver.”
Identification
The olive-naped weaver (Ploceus brachypterus) is a bird species in the family Ploceidae. It is found in West Africa from Senegal and Gambia to Cameroon.
Taxonomy
The olive-naped weaver was formally described and illustrated in 1837 by the English naturalist William John Swainson. He did not specify the origin of his specimens but they probably came from Senegal. He placed the species in the genus Ploceus and coined the binomial name Ploceus brachypterus. The specific epithet is from Ancient Greek brakhupteros meaning "short-winged".<p>The olive-naped weaver was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the black-necked weaver (Ploceus nigricollis). The two species differ in plumage and in the colour of the iris, but a molecular study published in 2019 found that they are genetically very similar.
- Scientific name
- Ploceus brachypterus
- Authority
- Swainson, 1837
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Genus
- Ploceus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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