Weavers of South Africa
25 weavers recorded in South Africa on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
25 weavers have been recorded in South Africa on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Ploceidae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Weavers of South Africa to know first
Cape WeaverPloceus capensis
Chestnut WeaverPloceus rubiginosus
Dark-backed WeaverPloceus bicolor
Eastern Golden WeaverPloceus subaureus
Fan-tailed WidowbirdEuplectes axillaris
Holub’s Golden WeaverPloceus xanthops
Lesser Masked WeaverPloceus intermedius
Long-tailed WidowbirdEuplectes progne
Red-billed Buffalo WeaverBubalornis niger
Red-billed QueleaQuelea quelea
Red-collared WidowbirdEuplectes ardens
Red-headed QueleaQuelea erythrops
Red-headed WeaverAnaplectes rubriceps
Scaly-feathered WeaverSporopipes squamifrons
Sociable WeaverPhiletairus socius
Southern Brown-throated WeaverPloceus xanthopterus
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatus
Southern Red BishopEuplectes orix
The full list — 25 weavers of South Africa in our library
- Cape Weaver
- Chestnut Weaver
- Dark-backed Weaver
- Eastern Golden Weaver
- Fan-tailed Widowbird
- Holub’s Golden Weaver
- Lesser Masked Weaver
- Long-tailed Widowbird
- Red-billed Buffalo Weaver
- Red-billed Quelea
- Red-collared Widowbird
- Red-headed Quelea
- Red-headed Weaver
- Scaly-feathered Weaver
- Sociable Weaver
- Southern Brown-throated Weaver
- Southern Masked Weaver
- Southern Red Bishop
- Spectacled Weaver
- Thick-billed Weaver
- Village Weaver
- White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
- White-winged Widowbird
- Yellow Bishop
- Yellow-crowned Bishop
Keep exploring
- Birds of South Africa
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of South Africa (51 species)
- Old World Flycatchers & Chats of South Africa (42 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of South Africa (37 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of South Africa (35 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Africa (33 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of South Africa (33 species)
- Cisticolas & Allies of South Africa (32 species)
- Larks of South Africa (27 species)
- Wagtails & Pipits of South Africa (24 species)
- Waxbills & Munias of South Africa (23 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of South Africa (21 species)
- Plovers of South Africa (20 species)
- Swallows & Martins of South Africa (19 species)
- Cuckoos of South Africa (18 species)
Weavers in other regions
- Weavers of Kenya (62 species)
- Weavers of Tanzania (59 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many weavers are found in South Africa?
25 weavers that we profile appear on South Africa's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these weavers really found there?
Yes — each one is on South Africa's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these weavers belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see weavers in South Africa right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.