Photo: Nigel Voaden from UK / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser rufoscapulatus
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser rufoscapulatus) — 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 Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser rufoscapulatus) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 44.6 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 Plocepasser
- Species rufoscapulatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 44.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser rufoscapulatus) is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Angola and s DR Congo to Zambia and Malawi.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 44.6 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 6.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 404,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver?
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 44.6 g.
Where does the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver live?
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF Angola and s DR Congo to Zambia and Malawi, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver belong to?
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser rufoscapulatus) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver eat?
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver migrate?
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-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.
What sound does the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver's range?
The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver has a mapped global range of about 404,000 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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Guides for this bird
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