Sakalava weaver

Sakalava weaver
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Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Ploceidae
Genus:	Ploceus
Species:	P. sakalava
Binomial name
Ploceus sakalava Hartlaub, 1861

The Sakalava weaver (Ploceus sakalava) sometimes known as the Sakalava fody is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar.

Distribution

It is found in small flocks. It's natural habitat is the dry lowland forests and scrubland of the north, west and south of Madagascar.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

Description

The adult male has a yellow head and upper breast during the breeding season, with a pale grey belly and light and brown wings with white wing-tips. The male has distinctive red eye-rings and silver bill extending with a 'V' shape into the forehead. The non-breeding male has a dark brown head and pale grey breast, flanked with white.

The female has the appearance more of a house sparrow with pale almost white breast and duller slightly pink bill. The female also has a red eye-ring and sometimes small flashes of red around the eye.

Gallery

• Sakalava Weaver female RWD.jpg

  Female

• Sakalava Weaver SJ1.JPG

  Sakalava weaver near Toliara

• Sakalava Weaver SJ2.JPG

  Sakalava weaver at Soalara

• Weaver bird nesting (3445341247).jpg

  Male sakalava weaver

• Sakalava Weaver nests RWD.jpg

  Sakalava weaver bird nests

• Ploceus sakalava MHNT 228 Province de Diego-Suarez.jpg

  Eggs of Ploceus sakalava MHNT

External links

• Sakalava weaver - Species text in Weaver Watch.
• Image at ADW