Photo: Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser donaldsoni
Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni) — 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 Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 39.9 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 donaldsoni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni) is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s Ethiopia to c Kenya and s Somalia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.9 g, with a wing length of about 9.1 cm and a tail of around 5.4 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 190,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver?
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 39.9 g.
Where does the Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver live?
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF s Ethiopia to c Kenya and s Somalia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver belong to?
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver eat?
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver migrate?
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Donaldson Smith’s 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 Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver's range?
The Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver has a mapped global range of about 190,000 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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