About Ploceus nigricollis (Vieillot, 1805)
The black-necked weaver, Ploceus nigricollis (Vieillot, 1805), is a stocky bird that measures 16 cm in length, with a strong conical bill. The adult male of the northern race has olive upper parts and wings, yellow underparts and a yellow head, a black eye-mask and bib, and a pale yellow iris. Non-breeding males have a yellow head with an olive crown, grey upper parts, and whitish underparts; their wings remain patterned yellow and black. Adult females also have olive upper parts and wings, yellow underparts and a yellow head, and a black eyemask, but lack a bib. The southern race, which occurs from Nigeria eastwards, has a very different appearance, with almost black upper parts and tail. This species feeds on insects and vegetable matter, and its calls include a wheezing dew-dew-twee. The black-necked weaver lives in forests, particularly in wet habitats. It builds a large, coarsely woven nest from grass and creepers; the nest has a 15 cm downward-facing entrance tunnel that hangs from the globular egg chamber. The nest is suspended from a tree branch, and females lay 2 to 3 eggs. This weaver nests in pairs, but forms small flocks when it is not breeding.
