We know these birds under one common name- weavers. In fact, there are more than 200 species of them, and although they all belong to the weaver family (Ploceidae), each bird has its own name. The most numerous and typical genus in the family is Ploceus. In another way, its representatives are called "real weavers." Does this mean that there are fake ones? No - there are simply many other kinds of weavers, for example, finches, fire weavers, mustachioed weavers, social weavers, etc. The family is very diverse appearance birds, but their name - weavers - they all deserved because of one common feature. Weavers are considered skilled nest builders, which seem to be woven from leaves and plant fibers. These nests often come in a variety of shapes. Real weavers are able to "weave" them even in captivity. In general, they easily get used to a person and do not require special care. And the most beautiful due to the combination of bright colors in plumage are finches weavers. Bird lovers appreciate them for their exotic appearance and pleasant singing. IN mating season many types of weavers acquire a brighter outfit. By the way, some types of sparrows, which everyone can observe nearby, also belong to the weaver family. And there are weavers, reminiscent of starlings. In general, weavers are perhaps the most numerous and diverse family of birds, the place of origin of which is considered to be Africa.

Ploceidae weavers

Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordates
Subtype: Vertebrates
Class: Birds
Subclass: New palatine
Order: Passerines
Suborder: Songbirds
Family: Weaver (Ploceidae)

Appearance

Different types weavers, being widespread on different continents, adapt to different habitat conditions. This also applies to their appearance. It is difficult to single out specific standards here. The sizes of weavers are very diverse - from the size of a small warbler bird, that is, about 7 cm - to not the smallest thrush, 30 cm. The physique of these birds is usually dense and compact, the head is round on a short neck, short wings, slightly rounded, but there are and slender individuals with small heads and pointed wings. The shape of the beak is also not monotonous. In some weavers, it is conical - this feature is most common, but there is also an elongated beak or with an upper part resembling an arc. In birds that prefer grain food, the beak is usually convex, but weavers with a flattened beak are also found, however, it is never hook-shaped, but always sharp at the end. The nostrils of weavers are rounded, sometimes feathered, but more often bare, slightly shifted to the crest of the beak. Real weavers differ from their finches relatives by three longitudinal rollers located in the sky. The paws of all weavers are strong, short or medium, fingers with claws are covered on top with hard shields. The plumage is close to the body, but its coloration is extremely diverse. However, it is possible to highlight some general trends. The inhabitants of the Palearctic, that is, Europe, Asia (excluding the Arab countries and south to the Himalayas) and North Africa, are distinguished by brown plumage with brown, white and black patches. Among tropical and subtropical weavers, bright, contrasting feather outfits predominate. From birth and as they grow older, all these birds change their plumage color several times and are characterized by sexual morphism - male birds are noticeably brighter than females. Some types of weavers are additionally distinguished by seasonal color changes, such weavers molt 2 times a year - partly in the spring on the eve of the mating season and fully after nesting.

Distribution and habitation

Weavers settled throughout the old world. They can be found in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, on the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Although the African continent is initially considered the birthplace of these birds. However, most modern types of weavers still prefer a warm climate. In temperate latitudes, from the family of weavers, only sparrows are found, among which the house and field species live next to humans, even in the northern territories near polar circle. It was man who contributed to the spread of these types of weavers, as well as the large masked and scaly finches in the New World, North and South America and on the islands in Atlantic Ocean. Representatives of this family cannot be called tied to any specific habitat conditions. They can live on plains and mountains, inhabit forest edges and steppes, occur in deserts and on river or swampy banks, and even live near people in cities and on agricultural lands. In the villages and cities of our country, everyone can see house and field sparrows, and in Africa and Asia, wax-billed weavers settle next to a person.

Behavior and lifestyle

The nests that weavers build are varied, as are their locations. These dwellings can be spherical, pear-shaped, oval in shape with a narrow half-meter tube on the side or at the bottom for entry. Some species of weavers disguise their nests by hiding them in hollow trees, other people's burrows, rock crevices, and even in the attics of residential buildings. Other weavers build entire nesting colonies under one roof, similar to honeycombs. And although these birds belong to the suborder of songbirds, the calls they make are not harmonious in all species and are more like creaking and clicking than singing. Although some weavers, for example, from the genus of paradise widows and finches, are able to imitate the trills of other birds. And weavers are surprisingly mobile and very interesting to watch, which is probably why some lovers domesticate these birds and accustom them to life in captivity. But small and seemingly very cute weavers, it turns out, have not only positive qualities. These birds are capable of causing serious damage to agriculture, for example, in Africa, where the largest number of weaver species live, they destroy almost half of the entire grain harvest on the continent.

Nutrition

Weavers are predominantly herbivores. But even here the characteristics of some species differ. Some weavers dilute their diet with insects, others attack grain fields. In most cases, the food of weavers consists of various seeds, berries, grains. So feeding a weaver in captivity is quite simple. Emphasis should be placed on millet, diluted with canary seed, seeds of meadow grasses, lettuce, rapeseed, flax. Among especially favorite delicacies are chumiza and mogar. Weavers, which are large in size, can be fed with hemp and sunflower seeds. In summer, it is recommended to give birds milk grains, and in winter germinated - best sources vitamins. Of the most available mineral supplements suitable for weavers, crushed eggshells, chalk, charcoal. And for a change, less familiar foods can be introduced into the diet of birds, such as dandelion leaves, lettuce, plantain, mealworms, bloodworms, insect larvae.

Childbirth and generic features

There are 17 main genera in the family of weavers. However, there are related families, for example, finches, widows. And there are simply similar species of their other families. For example, some passerines have been noted in resemblance to weavers. But let's focus on the main types.
Big-billed or thick-billed weaver (Amblyospiza). Already from the name the main feature of these birds is clear. Most often in the genus there are weavers with brown plumage. They live in the warm African climate, south of the Sahara.
The red-winged malimbus (Anaplectes) is both a genus and the only species of weavers whose external features also correspond to the name.
The cuckoo weaver (Anomalospiza) is a small bird with yellow plumage. She earned the name because of the love of throwing her eggs into other people's nests. characteristic of the African savannas.
The short-tailed weaver (Brachycope) is the only species in the weaver genus of the same name.
Buffalo weavers (Bubalornis) are large birds with monophonic almost black plumage with sparse speckles and a yellow beak, live in Africa, nest in colonies and run surprisingly fast and dexterously.
White-headed starling weavers (Dinemellia) - slightly smaller than buffalo weavers with a white head and brownish feathers on the wings and tail, indeed, they look like starlings. They often live near pastures, feeding on insects from the backs of livestock. It is strange that these weavers were not called buffaloes. Habitat - inner Africa and Abyssinia.
Velvet weavers (Euplectes) are the most beautiful representatives of the family. They are distinguished by bright plumage in red and yellow tones and a velvety black belly. In another way they are called fiery weavers and also live in Africa.
Foodies (Foudia) live in Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Real exotic birds are small, brightly colored, and instead of trills, they make sounds resembling a buzz.
Red-tailed weavers (Histurgops) - the genus is represented by a single species, variegated birds, with an orange-red tinge of the tail.
Malimbus weavers are otherwise called red-headed weavers because of the brightly colored upper part of the head, which stands out against the black body.
Ordinary social weavers (Philetairus) are outwardly unremarkable, but the most typical of the family. They inhabit Africa and South Asia. Birds with plumage of brown shades and a pronounced cone-shaped beak.
Weaver sparrows (Plocepasser) live in Kenya. Outwardly, they are slightly larger than ordinary sparrows, the plumage on the back, tail and wings is gray-brown, and the abdomen and breast are white and wide above the eye. white stripe- "eyebrow". Otherwise, they are very similar to sparrows. These weavers are recommended to start at home, as the most interesting and sociable birds.
Weavers (Ploceus) are small African birds with dark or contrasting bright plumage.
Social weavers (Pseudonigrita) are social birds. They are distinguished by large-scale "colonial" nesting "cities", under the weight of which trees even break off.
Red-billed weavers (Quelea) or Quelia are weavers with a black face mask and crimson beak. They cause the most damage to agriculture.
Mustachioed weavers (Sporopipes) got their name from the black stripes on the feathers that run from the corners of the mouth along the neck and resemble a mustache. It is also African and very similar to ordinary sparrows.

reproduction

For different weavers, the time of onset of puberty varies: some are ready to hatch chicks in one and a half to two months, others only in a year. But the standard terms for birds are 4-8 months. During the mating season, males try on a new brighter outfit to attract females, and also “sing” to them. Weaver marriage ceremonies can be extremely unusual. Male weavers from some species demonstrate their building skills to females, and "girls" give preference to weavers who have the most beautiful nests. However, the polygamous weaver is not limited to this. Leaving one female to incubate eggs in the nest, he builds a shelter for another, and even for a third. But it remains to bring up the offspring of the weaver, usually with a "girl", the brood of which turned out to be the last. As for the females, they make clutches 2-3 times a year, each with 3-6 small eggs. Like other birds, weaver mother warms the masonry with her body, hatching chicks for about 10-12 days. Weaver children hatch blind and naked and spend almost half a month more completely “dependent” on their parents, only then starting to fly.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.zooclub.ru
http://iva-bird.narod.ru
http://zhivotnye.dljatebja.ru
http://www.ornithologist.ru/
http://dic.academic.ru
http://www.apus.ru/
http://www.veterinarian.ru
http://ours-nature.ru/
http://www.mad-love.ru/
http://www.zoodrug.ru


Health to you and your pets!


weavers

Among the numerous birds of the passerine order in nature there is a family of weavers, uniting up to three hundred species of the most diverse in shape, size and plumage of the original small birds. Their sizes are very small - together with the tail 8-12 cm (amaranth weaver finches, golden-breasted, blue astrilds, Sinegalese weaver and others), 20-25 cm (buffalo and others).

Different types of weavers sing in a peculiar way. But their main "wealth" is an amazingly colorful plumage, combining the whole gamut of different color shades. And, perhaps, none of the small birds can compete with them.

Weavers settled all over the globe. They are found even in Antarctica (these are field and house sparrows). But the most numerous and diverse representatives of the weaver family are in the subtropics and in the countries of Africa, Australia, Asia and South America.

In the Soviet Union, there are 11 species of weavers belonging to four genera: snow finches (one species), earth sparrows (two species), stone sparrows (two species), sparrows (six species).

These birds got their name from amazing art build nests from palm leaves and flexible blades of grass, moistening them with saliva. They very cleverly separate the fibers along the entire length of the sheet. The shapes of the nests can be ovoid, spherical, bottle-shaped, etc. They are distinguished by their extraordinary strength. 60

Weavers nest in large colonies on thin branches of various trees along river banks. In order to protect themselves from the attack of their enemies, sometimes up to a hundred nests are located on one tree.

Most weavers are granivorous. But among them there are birds with a massive beak, belonging to the group of various finches, and thin-beaked, belonging to the group of astrilds. The latter, along with grain food, willingly include insects in their diet and especially zealously hunt for them during the breeding season: it is with them that weavers feed their chicks.

The food for all types of weavers is the grains of various cereals, they prefer reed seeds to everything else.

In the Soviet Union, weavers first appeared relatively recently. Back in the early 60s of the current century, weavers were extremely rare among bird lovers. The importation of them from abroad by the All-Union Zoological Association began only in recent years, and now lovers of exotic birds in our country have the opportunity to purchase weavers in pet stores. However, some fanciers complain that the bird in captivity quickly dies.

Experience and observations have shown that a significant percentage of weavers die due to improper feeding and maintenance.

The content of weavers in cage-enclosure conditions is not difficult. Considering that many of them are very small in size, it is recommended to make special cages for weavers with a distance between the bars of no more than 1 cm. The joint maintenance of various types of weavers is undesirable, since the big ones offend the small ones. Cages must be kept in perfect cleanliness, otherwise the birds may get sick and even die.

For many years of passion for birds, I managed to collect a large collection of singing exotic and ornamental birds, and among them there are more than 30 varieties of weavers. It is difficult to say which of them is better or worse. Each type is good in its own way. Amaranth weaver finches, astrilds, finches and others in a certain period of time with their fabulously colorful plumage are able to conquer even the most indifferent people to nature.

Most weavers are close to finches, but far from them in terms of the quality of their singing. Only males sing. Each type of weaver has its own song, which is their characteristic feature. The singing of a fiery weaver, for example, is even unpleasant, it resembles the friction of pieces of iron. Amaranth weaver finches, Sinegalese steel weavers, tiger and blue astrilds, widows, and also panthers sing much more pleasantly.

All weavers coming from abroad feed on certain foods in their homeland, but in our country the types of feed change dramatically, which leads to a significant death of birds.

In July-August 1971, the All-Union Animal Association brought to the Soviet Union a large batch of various animals, and among them there was a significant number of weavers. Part of the birds came for sale in the pet stores of the republics of Central Asia. Observations have shown that a sharp transition from feeding in natural conditions to feeding when kept in cage-aviary conditions led to a large percentage of the death of imported birds.

In order to preserve the incoming batches of weavers, the All-Union Zoo Association and their branches in various republics Soviet Union when selling birds through pet stores, countries are required to provide bird lovers with printed instructions and special feeds for them.

Feeding

Observations over many years of weavers have shown that the following types of feed can be recommended to amateurs. From the very beginning, freshly brought birds must be given kunok (Italian bristles), canary seed from the grain mixture, using separate feeders. In addition to these feeds, an ordinary grain mixture should be given.

From soft food, you can give fresh cottage cheese, hard-boiled and finely chopped chicken eggs, baked white and gray bread (in crumbs), as well as various cereals (semolina, millet, buckwheat) boiled with the addition of a small amount of salt and sugar to taste.

From green vegetable and fruit feed, any vegetables, fruits and greens are suitable, depending on the season and time of year. Dill, parsley, watermelons, melons, carrots, cabbage are especially useful for weavers. Vegetables and herbs must be finely chopped. Carrots, beets and other vegetables are best cooked with a grater.

It is possible that in the first days the birds will not willingly eat soft and green food. Therefore, you need to be patient, change feed daily so that they are always fresh. Over time, any bird gets used to new conditions and feed.

Feeding wild cereals are very useful and well accepted from the very beginning by all types of weavers, but they are especially willing to eat Panicum Krugzali and Festuk.

All weavers, and especially thin-billed ones (astrilds), must also be given animal food: various insect larvae, caterpillars, boiled meat (very finely chopped), as well as flour worms. Animal food is necessary during the period of feeding the chicks.

Weavers are recommended to give glazed millet. Take one glass of millet, a chicken egg and granulated sugar. chicken yolk with sugar (4-5 tablespoons) they beat down like "mogul-mogul", and then they fill it with millet. The mixture is stirred and spread in a thin layer to dry on thick paper. Such glazed millet is given to birds 2-3 times a week.

When mating, laying eggs and feeding chicks, it is advisable to add "nightingale" food to the main food - a mixture of dry ant eggs with grated carrots and crushed white crackers. This is how she prepares. Dry ant eggs are scalded with boiling water, then boiling water should be added in small portions until the swollen eggs stop absorbing water. They are put in a colander or sieve, washed cold water and squeeze lightly. To the grated carrots, mixing it thoroughly, add a little crushed white crackers until a crumbly homogeneous mass is obtained. All this is mixed with scalded ant eggs. Weight ratio 5:4 (grated carrots in relation to dry uncooked eggs are always taken one part more).

It is very useful to feed mealworms to weavers, which can be bred in a box with a tight-fitting lid. A hole 15X10 cm in size is cut out in the lid, tightened with a fine mesh. Cotton cloth is placed at the bottom of the box and a layer of bran up to 2 cm thick is poured. Then again a layer of cloth and bran. It is in such an "apartment" that flour worms are settled. It is necessary to ensure that there is enough moisture in the box. To do this, you can put boiled and raw potatoes, carrots. But it is best to take an ordinary lamp wick, make a slot on the front wall of the box (along the width of the wick), lower one end of the wick into the box by 10-15 cm, and leave the other outside. The outer part of the wick should be 2-3 cm long.

Every day, the outer end of the wick should be moistened with water until it is all wet. With this method of maintaining humidity, the contents of the box are completely protected from mold and decay. The box should be in a dark place, the temperature in it should not exceed + 20-25 °. It is recommended to put in the box three or four days old bread in large pieces, always with a crust. Inside this bread, mealworms go through their cycle of reproduction.

Weavers, like canaries, are very clean and love to swim. Therefore, special bathing suits made of glass or plastic with water are hung in cages.

It is advisable to change drinking water twice a day, especially in summer time. And mineral substances (eggshell, charcoal, school chalk, river sand) should be changed at least once every 10-15 days.

Breeding

The plumage of weavers before the onset of the mating season resembles the plumage of sparrows. It is difficult to distinguish male from female during this period.

With the onset of the mating season, the color of the males gradually begins to change and from a simple gray bird they turn into beautiful birds. So, the male fiery weaver "dresses" in black and fiery red colors; the Napoleon weaver becomes olive-yellow-black, the Sinegalese steel weaver becomes black with a bluish-greenish tint. Amaranth weaver finches are diverse in color: brownish-red alternates with various shades of other colors. Brindle Astrilds become raspberry-brown-red with many white dots.

We managed to achieve offspring from silver-billed, red-throated, zebra, Japanese and Indian finches, from panthers, blue finches.

The Moscow poultry breeder R. G. Vasilevsky keeps weavers in pairs and successfully breeds from them. M. Zakharov from Tashkent also achieved great success in breeding weaver varieties with the same method of keeping birds. One detail is characteristic: M. Zakharov receives offspring from golden-breasted astrilds only in winter time. Apparently, our winter corresponds in time to spring in tropical countries, perhaps the humidity of the surrounding air also plays a big role.

During the mating period, dry soft grass, rice straw, building material for building a nest are placed in a cage or aviary. For nests, you can use tin cans, wooden boxes or cardboard boxes, as well as nest boxes such as small birdhouses.

As soon as the bird begins to intensively build a nest in a cage, down and small feathers of chickens, ducks, geese are laid to "complete the construction".

Females lay two to five eggs. Chicks hatch at 12-14 days. Male and female zebra finches take turns incubating the eggs. Moreover, only females sit at night, and males "stand on guard."

If Japanese and Indian finches live in a cage, then at night they are all placed together in a nest. This variety of weavers is the most friendly, which is what distinguishes it from its counterparts.

The black-headed weaver is a small and very sociable bird. The male of this species is able to build a nest of complex shape from grass and plant fibers.
Habitat. Distributed in Africa.

Habitat.
The black-headed weaver inhabits the west of the central part of Africa, as well as vast areas in the southeast of this continent. For habitation, he chose the savannas, the edges of forests, palm groves, parks and gardens. The proximity of human habitation does not bother this bird - as long as there is a source of water nearby. During the day, the weaver spends a lot of time hiding under the cover of foliage.

Species: Black-headed weaver - Ploceus cucullatus.
Family: Weavers.
Order: Sparrows.
Class: Birds.
Subtype: Vertebrates.

Security.
This species is not threatened with extinction today. Some relatives of the black-headed weaver - especially those that live on the islands located off east coast Africa - life is not so cloudless (for example, a small population of the Seychelles weaver is now found on only one island). But other representatives of the weaver family, including the most famous of them, the red-billed weaver, are very common and form huge flocks numbering many thousands of individuals. Since weavers delight in feeding on young rice and wheat, they are considered pests in many agricultural regions; indeed, a visit to the field by a large flock of these birds can only be compared with the consequences of a locust invasion. Although farmers in Africa kill millions of red-billed weavers every year, this has little effect on the overall population.

Lifestyle.
The black-headed weaver is by no means accustomed to living alone - on the contrary, it forms flocks of many hundreds of individuals. Leading sedentary life, this bird tries not to move too far from familiar places, even in search of food. Except during the mating season, when the weaver is concerned with finding suitable tree to build a nest, the bird is ready to settle in any calm place where there would be enough food and water. The weaver waits out the hot midday hours in the shade of the leaves, from time to time flying to the watering place. At dusk, together with his relatives, he arranges noisy concerts, and at nightfall he falls silent and sleeps until dawn. From morning to afternoon the weaver is busy looking for food. The bird's diet consists of small insects and their larvae, stamens, ovaries and flower nectar; some also feed on scraps found near human habitation. In order not to get caught by a predator, the weaver drinks and eats little by little and very quickly, without stopping even for an extra second. Its legs are well adapted for both walking on the ground and moving along branches. The weaver is an excellent flyer, feeling confident in the air and able to cover fairly long distances. Weavers communicate with each other with high, ringing sounds.

Reproduction.
The mating season for weavers is timed to coincide with the beginning of the rainy season. In meadow expanses, birds form colonies numbering several tens of pairs, and proceed to the construction of nests. First of all, the male chooses a suitable branch (necessarily with a fork), and begins to build a house of green grass, sometimes weaving fragments of palm leaves into it. At the first stage, a frame ring attached to the branch is woven, then “walls” begin to be erected around it, and the feathered builder carefully ensures that there are no gaps in them and, if necessary, caulking the last pieces of leaves. The nesting chamber and the entrance are connected by a small corridor. After the construction is completed, the male starts displaying. Sitting on a branch opposite the entrance to the nest, it vigorously shakes its wings and makes characteristic calls. Soon, the enchanted chosen one can enter the nest; if the skill of the builder is appreciated by her, the female will leave the nest and let the male come to her. After copulation, the new hostess actively takes up the arrangement, lining the nesting chamber with soft fragments of plants. Meanwhile, the male, having finally completed the weaving of the entrance corridor, begins to build a new nest in order to attract the next female (as a rule, during the mating season, he manages to give birth to two broods). The female lays 2-3 eggs at regular intervals and incubates them herself for 12 days. The father helps to feed the babies that are born. The basis of the diet of chicks is insects, which are abundant around during the nesting period. The fry remain in the nest for 17-21 days, after which they quickly learn to fly and gain independence. The end of the mating season is marked by the collapse of the colonies, although their inhabitants never scatter far from nesting sites.

Did you know?

  • Not all weavers build nests: there are several species that occupy the old nests of their relatives during the mating season.
  • Ornithologists distinguish eight subspecies of the black-headed weaver, differing in plumage and habitats. In males of different subspecies, dissimilar forms of the black “mask” are observed and the number of reddish feathers around it does not match.
  • The small anterior section of the weaver's stomach contains small pebbles that help grind food.
  • The color of the iris of the weaver's eyes depends on the sex and age of the individual. During the mating season, the iris of an adult male acquires a rich red or yellow color and becomes noticeably brighter than that of a female.
  • Some types of weavers have chosen certain parts of flowers - for example, only stamens, pistils or ovaries.
  • In search of food, the weaver is able to cover up to 60 kilometers in a day.

Black-headed weaver - Ploceus cucullatus
Body length: 15-17 cm.
Wingspan: 20 cm.
Weight: male - 41 g.
Number of eggs: 2-3.
Incubation time: 12 days.
Food: insects, grains, stamens and flower ovaries.
Sexual maturity: 1 year
Lifespan: 5-6 years.

Structure.
Eyes. The black pupil is surrounded by a yellow or red iris.
Beak. The short and strong beak is gray-black.
Body. The body is small and slender.
Wings. Rather short wings do not allow gliding.
Color. On the head and neck, the feathers are mostly black, on the back they are interspersed with yellow, on the sides and abdomen - bright yellow with a reddish tint.
Tail. In the average length of the tail, yellow regular feathers stand out.
Legs. Thin legs Pink colour not covered with feathers.
Fingers. Three fingers point forward, one back.

related species.
The weaver family has about 130 species. Most of them live in Africa, some are found in Asia and on the islands of the Indian Ocean. These are very sociable and noisy birds; many species form colonies with huge amount concurrent inhabitants. From blades of grass, plant fibers and branches, weavers build complex nests. Some members of the family are monogamous, others are polygamous. Some species prefer to feed on seeds, others prefer stamens and flower ovaries.

This is a species-rich group of passerine birds, close to the finches family. Different species have adapted to a wide variety of conditions, but most lead an arboreal lifestyle. The sizes of weavers are from a warbler to a large thrush. Their physique is dense, the head is rounded, the neck is short. The beak is conical. The wings of most species are short and rounded.

The plumage, which is close to the body, is modestly colored in the inhabitants of the northern and temperate latitudes, while in tropical and subtropical species it is brightly colored. Among the latter, some have small tufts on their heads, and collars on their necks. On the ground they move by jumping. They like to bathe in dust or sand. They keep in flocks, some species - even during the nesting period.

They nest both in colonies and in pairs. Huge nesting colonies of weavers are a characteristic phenomenon for tropical countries. In some species, common colonial nests are observed, sometimes so large that the trees break off under their weight. Nests are always closed, carefully and skillfully made, of various shapes: spherical, bottle-shaped with different lengths of the throat, etc. These birds got their name for the surprisingly skillful weaving of nests.

Clutch contains 3-6 eggs. 1-2 clutches per year. Incubation lasts 11 - 12 days. The chicks hatch blind and naked. Their parents feed them in the nest for 12 to 20 days.

Adult birds molt once or twice a year. In the latter case, there is a complete molt in the fall, and a partial molt in the spring.

As a rule, weavers are sedentary birds, they make only migrations and flights over short distances.

They feed mainly on plant foods - seeds, berries, etc., as well as insects, which are usually fed to chicks.

Some species cause significant damage to grain farming. For example, over 1.5 billion people live in West Africa. red-billed weavers(Quelea quelea), which destroy about 1.5 million tons of grain, which is up to 50% of the total crop. The vast majority of species live in the tropics and subtropics of the Eastern Hemisphere. They inhabit Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The largest number of weavers belongs to Africa, where at least 4/s of all their species live. In total, there are about 200 species in this family. In Russia, there are 11 species belonging to 4 genera and belonging to the subfamily real sparrows(Passerinae).

house sparrow(Passer domesticus) is one of the most widely known birds living in the neighborhood of humans. Its mass is 23-35 g.

The general color of its plumage is brownish-brown above, whitish below. The male differs from the female in a large black spot covering the chin, throat, crop and upper chest, as well as a dark gray (rather than dark brown) top of the head.

The described species is widely distributed in Europe and Asia, with the exception of the Arctic, northeastern, southeastern and central Asia, as well as in North and East Africa, in Asia Minor and Arabia. Introduced to different countries, the house sparrow settled widely there and now, in addition to the places indicated above, also lives in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and on many islands.

Almost everywhere the sparrow is a sedentary bird, only from the northernmost parts of its range migrates to the south for the winter (up to 1000 km), and from Central Asia it flies to Western Asia and India.

The sparrow nests in separate pairs, but sometimes in colonies. It settles directly at the dwelling of a person or near his settlements. Only in the south of the range it often builds nests away from them, in tree or shrub plantations, in ravines, along steep clay cliffs next to the fields.

In the clutch there are from 4 to 10 (usually 5-7) white eggs with brownish speckles and spots. Incubation lasts 11-13 days. The male and female feed the chicks mainly with insects. They fly out of the nest 10 days after hatching, which in middle lane happens at the end of May - beginning of June. Sparrows are very prolific and during the summer they manage to bring out two broods in the north, and three broods in the south. The second laying occurs in the second half of June, the chicks hatch in July.

In places, especially in the south, where sparrows are numerous, in summer they cause significant damage to ripening crops, as well as berries, sunflowers and hemp. In the rest of the year, the damage from them is negligible. During the period of feeding chicks, they are even useful in the destruction of harmful insects, especially in cities where there are few other insectivorous birds.

Sparrows are carriers of various pests and some diseases. They carry on their plumage from one elevator to another dangerous grain pests - barn mites, spread smallpox, night blindness, diphtheria and some other diseases of poultry.

black-breasted sparrow(P. hispaniolensis) is slightly larger than the house sparrow, weight 27-30 g. The male is easily distinguished by the black back and black chest, as well as by the large longitudinal streaks on the sides of the body.

It is distributed from Southern Europe and North Africa through Asia Minor to Afghanistan in Northwestern India. In our country it is found in the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is a migratory bird and only in the south of its range is a settled bird. Inhabits the cultural landscape - groves, gardens, tugai thickets, outskirts of settlements.

In the deserts and semi-deserts of Central and Central Asia is found saxaul sparrow(P. ammodendri). It inhabits thickets of saxaul and other shrubs. It is characterized by a light sandy-gray color and a wide black stripe running along the head.

Habits are similar to other sparrows, but very cautious. It feeds on seeds of wild trees and insects. Does not harm agriculture.

field sparrow(P. montanus) is somewhat smaller than the brownie, but slimmer, weighing 20-25 g. It is easy to distinguish it from the house sparrow by its brown crown, black spots (brackets) on white cheeks and two light stripes on the wing. The black throat patch is small and does not stand out very much. Males and females are almost the same color.

The field sparrow is distributed throughout Europe and Asia, excluding the extreme north, northeast and southwest of Asia, as well as southern regions Balkans. Basically, it is a sedentary bird, but from the northern parts of its range, for example, from the Lower Volga region, it migrates for the winter and even flies to more southern regions.

In human settlements, he places nests in approximately the same places as the brownie. The construction of the nest is similar to that of the latter. The clutch consists of 4-8 (usually 5-6) white or grayish eggs with dense dark speckles.

In the southern regions with developed arable farming, where the field sparrow is numerous, the harm from it is significant. In areas of field-protective forest belts, this sparrow is the scourge of field crops. After the ripening of grain crops, especially millet, as well as hemp, sunflower, it sometimes causes such damage to the crop that it many times exceeds the benefit brought by eating insects in the first half of summer. There are cases when sparrows destroyed millet in such quantities that harvesting turned out to be unprofitable. Along forest belts they sometimes peck up to 90% of ears of wheat. Significantly harm berry plantings and orchards. The field sparrow is more harmful to Agriculture than brownie. In areas of its high numbers, they are fighting with it.

desert sparrow(P. simplex) is well distinguished from other species of sparrows by the light color of plumage. His voice is not at all like the voice of most other sparrows, only some of the sounds he makes are reminiscent of the chirping of a house sparrow.

Distributed in North and East Africa, East Iran. It occurs in the Eastern and Central Karakum and South Kyzyl Kum. Inhabits dune and hilly deserts with shrub vegetation. Leads a sedentary lifestyle. It feeds on larvae and pupae of small insects and plant seeds.

Found in South and East Asia gingersparrow(P. rutilans), which differs from other sparrows in the chestnut-red color of the plumage of the top of the head and back. Breeds in sparse forests, mostly deciduous, along forest margins and floodplain forests. Nests are usually arranged in hollows or bushes.

alpine finch(Montifringilla nivalis) is similar in habits to sparrows. It differs from sparrows in larger sizes (weight 34 - 45 g), long wings and a strong development of white in plumage.

Alpine finches are widespread in the mountains of Southern Europe, Asia Minor, Western and Central Asia and the western part of Mongolia. It is found in the Caucasus and in the mountains of Central Asia. This is a resident bird. It lives on rocks, stones and cliffs, interspersed with meadows of the subalpine and alpine belts of mountains.

Pairing takes place in April - May, when there is still snow around. The male sings while sitting on a dais or on the fly, the singing is loud. The nest is built by the female, placing it in a crack, in an old marmot burrow, in a pothole in a tower wall, under the roof of a hut, and in other shelters. In laying 4 - 7 snow-white eggs. Full clutches can be found from mid-May to July. The female incubates for 13-14 days. Both old birds feed the chicks with insect larvae, spiders and worms, later with insects.

earth sparrow(Pyrgilauda davidiana) in appearance and plumage color is similar to real sparrows, but differs from them in white spots on the tail and wings.

Distributed in the Gobi desert, and within Russia - in the South-Eastern Altai and South-Eastern Transbaikalia. By way of life, this is a sedentary bird that lives in hilly steppes and desert mountains, in wide valleys, on flat areas with sparse grass.

It nests, sleeps and hides in abandoned burrows of pikas and other rodents. The nest is placed at a depth of up to 75 cm from the entrance to the hole, in the former living chamber of the rodent. The nest is a recess lined with wool, sometimes with feathers, in a heap of hay, dragged by the animal. Clutch contains 5-6 eggs. Some time after the departure of the chicks, the broods unite into small flocks, which persist throughout the winter. It feeds on insects and seeds of steppe grasses.

In northern Afghanistan, another species of earthen sparrows is found - afghan sparrow(R. theresae), similar to the previous one.

stone sparrow(Petronia petronia) is slightly larger than a brownie, weighing 30 - 36 g. It is a very mobile noisy bird, which is easiest to detect by voice. On the ground, it moves in jumps, flies quickly and easily, rises high and can stay in the air for a long time.

The coloration of the plumage of the stone sparrow is modest, uniformly brown. It differs from field and house sparrows by the presence of a white preapical stripe on the tail, a yellow spot on the chest, and the absence of light transverse stripes on the upper part of the wing.

This sparrow is widespread in Southern Europe, Northwest Africa and from Asia Minor and Israel to India, China, Mongolia and Transbaikalia. Occurs sporadically everywhere. In the northern parts of the range it is a migratory bird, in the southern parts it is a sedentary and nomadic bird. Settles on rocky and clay cliffs, rocks and rocky mountain slopes.

This sparrow feeds on insects and berries. If there are fields nearby, it feeds on grain and. then it can cause significant damage.

In Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, as well as in Turkmenistan and Transcaucasia, a close relative of the described species is found - short-toed stone sparrow(P. brachydactyla). This migrant. Winters in Arabia and Africa.

common public weaver(Philaeterus socius) is a modestly colored bird. In the male, the upper side of the body is gray-brown, the throat is black, the underside is pale sandy-brown. This species got its name because it lives in numerous colonies throughout the year.

The common social weaver is remarkable for its large colonial nests. The latter are a huge pile of grass, thrown on the branches of a thorny tree in the form of a huge umbrella. From above, this building is even and smooth, its lower side is almost flat and is all drilled with numerous holes leading into the cavity. These cavities serve not only as individual nests, but also as shelters from rain and wind. Nest cavities are lined with feathers. The eggs are gray in color with dense lilac-gray streaks.

Nests of the social weaver serve for several years and are constantly repaired by their little inhabitants. The peculiar roof-like buildings of the weavers from a distance are very reminiscent of the huts of the natives.

A few members of the subfamily buffalo birds(Bubalornithinae), resembling thrushes or starlings, are inhabitants of the African continent.

For red-billed buffalo bird(Bubalornis albirostris), like its other close relatives, is characterized by a relatively long conical beak and relatively long wings. In size, it resembles our large finch. It is easily distinguished by the overall black coloration of the male with white outer feathers and a red beak.

Red-billed buffalo birds nest in colonies, with many nests per tree. The buildings are very large, and each of them is in turn a colonial dwelling. The building looks like a large pile of dry grass, branches and sticks. Inside it is placed from 4 to 6 nests made of grass. Such a colonial dwelling protects eggs and chicks well from attack by enemies, with the exception of small snakes. In the nest, the female lays 3 - 4 eggs, similar to passerines, but larger. These nests are occupied by birds from year to year and, if damaged, are repaired by all members of the colony.

The buffalo bird feeds on berries, plant seeds and insects. She often visits herds of buffaloes, on whose backs she looks for insects. For this feature, buffalo birds got their name.

Subfamily real weavers(Ploceinae) is represented by 100 species living mainly in sub-Saharan Africa; few species live in the Indo-Malay region. All of them are skilled nest builders and build complex structures woven from thin stems of herbaceous plants in the form of a retort or pear with an elongated entrance. Sometimes other forms of nests are also used. The inside of the nest is lined with soft bedding.

red-billed weaver(Quelea quelea) is one of the most numerous birds of the sub-Saharan acacia savannas. Nesting colonies have 10 million nests (up to 5000 nests per tree), and after the emergence of young birds, up to 40 million birds gather in some flocks. Young weavers breed at the age of 9 - 10 months. The breeding efficiency is exceptionally high: 87% of the eggs laid turn into fledglings, 80% of the chicks begin to live independently.

Dwelling in South Africa fiery weaver(Euplectes orix) nests in small communities, anchoring the nests on reed or tall grass stalks. The plumage of the male is dominated by red, a high collar around the neck. Numerous, in some areas it causes tangible harm to grain farming.

Common throughout the African savannas cuckookovy weaver(Anomalospiza imberbis) is a small yellow-colored bird that lays its eggs in the nests of small passerines.

Among the Asian species (there are only 5 of them), the most numerous and well-known baya weaver(Ploceus philippinus), found from Pakistan to Thailand and Sumatra. During the mating season, the male weaves several hanging nests with a long entrance, and each of them is occupied by females.

Paradise widows(Steganura paradisea) non-breeding period are painted in a modest brown-black outfit. With the onset of rains, the male puts on a courtship outfit, represented by yellow-red and black tones; the central tail feathers lengthen (the total length of the bird reaches 30 cm) and their fans turn vertically.

Lives in South Africa royal widow(Tetraenura regia) - a yellow-brown bird with a black top and elongated central tail feathers, pubescent only in its terminal part (the rest of the rods are naked), parasitizing on pomegranate astrild(Granatina granatina).

Dressmaker birds live in India, Ceylon, Indochina and Java: 7 species and all sew nests from leaves. One or more nearby growing leaves are bent in a bag, their edges are pierced with a beak and the leaves are sewn together, threading cobwebs or fibers from plant fluff into holes. Inside the green cradle, the bird makes a soft nest of cotton, down and wool.


Tailor birds live close to populated areas, in gardens, on plantations. They also settle on the verandas of residential buildings and "sew" their nests from the leaves of indoor plants.

In some countries along the coast mediterranean sea, in Africa, South Asia and Northern Australia live other seamstress birds - from the genus Cisticola. In the rice and corn fields of Spain and Greece, cisticolas are not uncommon. The nest is made by the male. He, like the Indian seamstress, sews two sheets of cobwebs together and makes a soft nest.

There are 68 species in the subfamily of true weaver birds. Almost all in sub-Saharan Africa, only 5 in South Asia, 2 in Madagascar and 1 in southern Arabia. Many of them look like sparrows, which, by the way, are also from the weaver family, but they are brightly and variegated. Perhaps none of the birds has mastered the art of weaving nests with such skill as weavers. It is “weaving”, one might say, even “knitting” with a certain pattern. This is not a simple heap or interweaving of building material in a mess, but a real woven work from plant fibers. Loops and puffs alternate and intertwine in a certain order. The nest itself is tied to branches or stems of tall grasses with real knots. The fibers pulled from plants are passed through the fingers several times, so that a loop is obtained, and then it takes the end of the “rope” with its beak and tightens the knot tightly.



In real weavers, nests are “woven” by males. Females only finish the interior of the finished house, lining the spherical “floor” with soft materials, and weaving a “ceiling” under the roof - obviously, additional protection from the tropical sun.

Males do not live in monogamy: each weaves nests for several females and leaves them, leaving them to incubate and feed offspring in a cozy house.



Weavers living in the savannas settle on trees in large colonies, up to a hundred nests on one baobab or acacia. Each hangs at the end of a branch, and all together from a distance look like large fruits. In tropical forests, weavers live in families outside of a close community. From the entrance to the nest, usually long tubes are woven out - a kind of vestibule or canopy. The steppe weavers have short vestibules or none at all: only a round entrance at the bottom, in the “floor” of the nest.

Any construction begins with the procurement of material. The weaver, having split off a narrow strip from a palm leaf with its beak, holds it in its beak and flies, pulls along and tears off a workpiece of the required size. Some build nests from grass stalks. From such fibers in the fork of thin terminal branches, the nest frame is first woven - a dense ring oriented vertically. Then, on the one hand, this ring is extended with a bag or a dome - a hemisphere is obtained, the back wall of the nest. When it is finished, on the other hand, vegetable fibers are woven into the ring - the front hemispherical wall is woven. It has an inlet at the bottom.

The house is built - the tenants (that is, the female) themselves will take care of its interior decoration and current, if necessary, repairs.

Indian weavers have such a rhythm of building and raising children. After five days of hard work, the nest is already half ready, and then the female appears. She will carefully examine sometimes more than twenty nests before choosing one of them. Males who build bad nests find it difficult to find a bride, and they remain bachelors for the whole summer. As soon as the female gets comfortable in his house, the male begins to weave a new nest, usually on another branch of the same tree. For him, too, soon there is a hostess. Together they complete the nest. She lays her eggs, and the male leaves her.



By that time, his first nest is already free of tenants. The second time it is not used for its intended purpose, but only as a convenient support for weaving another nest below it (already No. 3). When it is done and the female approves of the work, the male is taken to nest number 4 (usually under nest number 2). The most diligent and skillful builders have up to five nests during the summer: one under the other - No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5, on the other branch - No. 2 and No. 4.

“It has long been known that males bring lumps of clay to the nests and smear them into the walls of the nesting chamber for strength ... In rainy times, numerous fireflies appear in the rice fields, females catch them to feed their chicks. Previously, it was incorrectly believed that birds stuck their heads into the clay on the walls of the nest to light up their children's room at night ”(Gerhard Grummer).

Social weavers from a subfamily close to real weavers, with the help of many families, build a common apartment house. On strong branches of a large tree (now often on telegraph poles) they lay a bunch of twigs and grass - a kind of thatched roof grows in breadth and upwards. The old nests of social weavers, built on for many years, are up to three or even five meters in diameter. Birds, generation after generation, live in them for decades, until, under the weight of their house, the branch collapses to the ground along with the entire building.

Below, under a common roof, there are separate nesting chambers for each family. There are hundreds or more of them. Small falcons, parrots and other birds settle in empty apartments, with which weavers get along peacefully. They do not have polygamy, like real weavers, but monogamy. Public weavers live in South Africa.

The Astrild family, decorated, or blood-red, weavers, consists of 125 species. They live in Africa, South Asia and Australia. Birds of amazing colors: local bright red, yellow, blue, black, green and many other indescribable tones are combined amazingly colorful, elegant and tasteful. Not as "vulgar" as, say, parrots. Many of the astrilds, such as African amaranths, are now fashionable among lovers as indoor birds.



Nests like those of real weavers, but less complex weaving. In addition to those in which chicks are bred, nests are also built for joint overnight stays.

Some Australian astrilds do not drink water like, say, chickens, sparrows and other passerine birds, raising their heads from the water with each sip, but suck it, plunging their beak, like doves and sandgrouse.

The mating dance of astrilds is very unusual: the male sings, bouncing, bending and throwing out other frisky “knees”, sitting ... astride the female, or in a similar way lek in front of her. The "dancer" often holds a blade of grass or a feather in its beak as a "nesting symbol".

Astrild chicks have yellow, white, blue tubercles in the corners of the mouth, sometimes bordered by a black ring, and black dots and stripes on the palate, tongue and along the edges of the beak. When such a colorful mouth opens, it is difficult for parents to contain their impatience: feed and feed him! It is clearly visible in the twilight of the nest: multi-colored tubercles, in any case, in some species of astrilds, reflecting the rays, glow in the dark!


The chicks of each Astrild species have different combinations of colors and basic tones of mouth ornaments. The color of bare skin on the body (meat, brown, black) or thick down is also different, some astrilds are born in down. Squeaks of a special sound and dissimilar manners of turning their heads, begging for food.

It would seem that it is not difficult for astrilds to distinguish their chicks, endowed with such clear identification marks, from other people's foundlings, and no cuckoo will fool them.


The chicks of weaver-widows have the same signs and similarities in the mouth, and on the body, and in the manners of nesting behavior, as in young astrilds of the very species whose cares their offspring are brought up.

They throw eggs into the nests of astrilds. And here, not like cuckoos, there is a wide choice of educators, but a narrow specialization: the chicks of each species of widows are raised by astrilds, also of one species.

When mating season approaches, the tail feathers of many male widows grow incredibly long and wide. Several times longer than a bird and almost as wide as its body! Because of these bulky feathers, it is difficult for a bird to fly, even impossible against the wind. And yet they fly, current in the air, two feathers, which are shorter, lifting up, and two, the longest, lowering obliquely down. They also lek on bitches, spreading their tail feathers in the same way, bowing their heads down and “burping” with their open mouths: a symbolic image of the now unnecessary feeding of chicks.