About Ploceus capensis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Ploceus capensis (Linnaeus, 1766), commonly called the Cape weaver, is a stocky 17 centimeter long bird. It has streaked olive-brown upperparts and a long, pointed conical bill. Breeding males have a yellow head and underparts, an orange face, and a white iris. Adult females have an olive-yellow head and breast, that shades to pale yellow on the lower belly. Females normally have brown eyes, but 19% have pale eyes in summer, so sex cannot be identified by eye colour alone. Young Cape weavers are similar in appearance to adult females. This species is endemic to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. It occurs across much of this region, excluding the Kalahari Desert. Its range extends from the Orange River in the Northern Cape, south to the Cape of Good Hope, then east to northern KwaZulu Natal, and inland almost to Bloemfontein in the Free State. The Cape weaver lives in open grassland, lowland fynbos, coastal thicket and farmland, as long as permanent water and trees are present. In hotter, more arid regions, it is restricted to upland areas, and it is never found in forest. When not breeding, Cape weavers form flocks, and gather in large roosts year-round. These roosts may be shared with other bird species, including other types of weavers. In some areas, Cape weavers leave breeding colonies and return at the start of the next breeding season. Anting has been observed in this species, and the birds bathe even in rain or mist.
