Black-headed weaver

species of bird

The black-headed weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus), also known as the yellow-backed weaver, is a bird with a black head and golden body.[1] The male black-headed weaver usually does the weaving, however, and the female sits for the eggs. The male stitches strips of straws to make a basket with a roof. He uses grasses to tie knots and make sure the nest is completely secure. Finally, he shows the nest to females, in effort to attract a mate.[1] The males usually mate with many females during the mating season to get more offspring. They all nest in colonies, and in the end the females are left to raise their young alone. The seeds that the black-headed weaver tends to feed on is very common, so they do not need to stay and defend their family's territory or food.[1]

A Black-headed Weaver, at Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Ploceus melanocephalus

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Edward S. Brinkley (2000). Creatures of the Air and Sea. Singapore: Reader's Digest Children's Books. pp. 30, 31. ISBN 0-7944-0353-0.