About Bubalornis albirostris (Vieillot, 1817)
The white-billed buffalo weaver, scientifically named Bubalornis albirostris, is a resident breeding bird species found across most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. This common weaver lives in open areas, particularly cultivated land and scrub. It is a communal breeder that builds large, messy stick nests in tree colonies; each large colony nest holds multiple smaller, spherical woven nests inside. Females lay between two and four eggs per clutch. This species is large and stocky, typically reaching 23 to 24 centimeters in length. Adult individuals are mostly black, with white flecking on their backs and wings. They have a very thick conical bill that looks even thicker due to a white frontal shield above it. In breeding males, the bill itself is white. Adult females and non-breeding males have similar plumage to breeding males, but their bills are black. Juvenile white-billed buffalo weavers have dark brown plumage. This is a gregarious species that feeds on grain and insects. It is also a noisy bird, especially when gathered in nesting colonies, and produces a variety of cackling and squeaking calls.
