Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-billed Weaver
Ploceus melanogaster
Black-billed Weaver (Ploceus melanogaster) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-billed Weaver (Ploceus melanogaster) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 22.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Ploceidae Weavers, Widowbirds
- Genus Ploceus
- Species melanogaster
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-billed Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-billed Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-billed Weaver (Ploceus melanogaster) is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.4 g, with a wing length of about 6.9 cm and a tail of around 4.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 222,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-billed Weaver?
The Black-billed Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 22.4 g.
Where does the Black-billed Weaver live?
The Black-billed Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-billed Weaver belong to?
The Black-billed Weaver (Ploceus melanogaster) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-billed Weaver eat?
The Black-billed Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-billed Weaver migrate?
The Black-billed Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-billed Weaver endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Black-billed Weaver's range?
The Black-billed Weaver has a mapped global range of about 222,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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