Sociable weaver

Sociable weaver
At Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Ploceidae
Genus: Philetairus
A. Smith, 1837
Species:
P. socius
Binomial name
Philetairus socius
(Latham, 1790)
  range centred on the Kalahari, Namib and northern Karoo regions
An adult and juvenile bird in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

The sociable weaver (Philetairus socius) is a species of bird in the weaver family, endemic to Southern Africa.[2] It is the only species in its genus Philetairus. It is found in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana,[1] but its range is centered within the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.[3] The species builds large, compound, community nests, a rarity among birds. These nests are perhaps the most spectacular structure built by any bird.[4]

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Philetairus socius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22718731A94593843. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718731A94593843.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ Covas, R. (2002). Life-history Evolution and Cooperative Breeding in the Sociable Weaver (PDF) (PhD). Percy Fitzpatrick Institute - University of Cape Town. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  3. ^ Mendelsohn, J.M.; Anderson, M.D. (1997). "Sociable Weaver Philetairus socius" (PDF). In J.A. Harrison; D.G. Allan; L.G. Underhill; M. Herremans; A.J. Tree; V. Parker; C.J. Brown (eds.). The Atlas of Southern African Birds. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa. pp. 534–535. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-15.
  4. ^ Collias, Nicholas E; Collias, Elsie C. (January 1977). "Weaverbird nest aggregation and evolution of the compound nest" (PDF). The Auk. 94: 50–64. Retrieved 18 January 2011.