This striking weaver, characterized by its substantial and robust build, is a captivating sight in a range of open and savanna environments. Distinguished by its prominent features, it boasts a predominantly white head and underparts, with a striking red undertail and rump, making it a truly eye-catching avian species.
Meet the White-headed Buffalo Weaver:
“white-headed buffalo weaver” by Stefan Haag is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Description: The white-headed buffalo weaver, scientifically known as Dinemellia dinemelli, belongs to the passerine bird family Ploceidae. Measuring between 170 to 190 mm (6.7–7.5 inches) in length and weighing between 57 to 85 g (2.0–3.0 ounces), the white-headed buffalo weaver exhibits distinctive features. It showcases a white head and underparts, contrasting with a strikingly orange-red rump and undertail coverts. Its thighs are dark brown, and there are slender white bands on the wings, more pronounced when the wings are outstretched.
“White Headed Buffalo Weaver” by jdnx is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Both males and females share similar plumage, with a conical black bill. Notably, D. d. dinemelli possesses a brown tail, while D. d. boehmi sports a black tail.
There are two recognized subspecies of this bird.
“Dinemellia dinemelli -Buffalo Springs National Park, Kenya-8 (1)” by Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
This species is native to several East African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. It thrives in habitats like savannas, shrublands, dry brush, and acacia thickets.
“White-headed Buffalo Weaver” by Rod Waddington is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
It has earned its peculiar name from its habit of trailing African buffaloes and feasting on insects stirred up by their movements. White-headed buffalo weavers exhibit gregarious behavior, foraging on the ground for insects, particularly beetles and butterflies, along with fruits and seeds. They often forage in groups of 3 to 6 individuals.
“_GTL9226-CR3_DxO_DeepPRIME” by gary_leavens is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Breeding pairs maintain monogamous relationships and construct nests together. Nest building is influenced by rainfall patterns and local conditions, resulting in oval-shaped nests with multiple rooms. The outer layers of the nests feature defensive thorny branches. These birds are protective of their nests, vocalizing as a form of defense against intruders. These confrontations are typically non-lethal and revolve around vocal displays. The breeding season is determined by rainfall and regional variations. Nests are composed of materials pressed together, not intricately woven. They usually feature a short entrance tube facing downwards, situated at an elevation of about 2 to 4 meters (6.6–13.1 feet) above the ground. Soft materials line the interior of the nest. These birds often build several nests in a single large tree, which are sometimes used by other bird species, such as the African pygmy-falcon, instead of building their own nests. Female white-headed buffalo weavers incubate 3–5 eggs, which are grayish to pale blue with red, brown, and olive markings, for a period of 11–14 days. Both parents share the responsibility of feeding the chicks.
“Dinemellia dinemelli -Buffalo Springs National Park, Kenya-8” by Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
These birds produce various calls, some resembling parrot-like sounds such as “skwieeer” and “kiiyerr.” Breeding and roosting sites witness the addition of variable sounds, including chuckles and whistles. Males engage in elaborate displays for females by flaunting their white wing-patches and red-orange tail-coverts. They are also known to perch in trees, sometimes hanging upside-down and creating considerable noise.
“File:White-headed Buffalo-weaver Dinemellia dinemelli 2000px.jpg” by Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5.
This bird is regarded as of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
