This bird not only has eye-catching beauty but also possesses skills that would make any craftsman jealous.
Originally found over a small range of sub-Saharan Africa, it has now been introduced to Portugal and several Caribbean islands.
Found abundantly in open habitats such as woodlands as well as human habitats such as towns and villages.
They often form large, noisy flocks by building large nests woven of leaves and grass.
Since the village weavers are colonial breeders, they often have multiple nests on a tree, each containing two to three eggs.
Village weavers are known to be noisy birds, and since they are often found in flocks of up to 150 at a time, their presence is often known.
Their special talent lies in their name, and the male birds build intricate and beautiful nests for the female to lay her eggs.
Each male takes about 9-14 hours to complete, and they usually make up to 3-5 nests at a time.
Complex nests are usually kidney-shaped, with a roof, doors at the bottom, and inside made of grass and leaves.
A single nest requires about three hundred long strips of leaves, which the male will tear off one by one and weave into the nest.
In the end, he works towards making half of the globe, and that is the complete nesting chamber.
Nests are usually ready for mating season from early September to October as well as January to February.
In fact, the beautiful architecture attracted the females to the nest in the first place.
Each male reproduces with as many females as he builds nests.
Basically, he’s showing off his house to females, saying “hey, how beautiful my house is,” and if the female likes it, she’s going to take up residence.
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