Photo: DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Heuglin’s Masked Weaver
Ploceus heuglini
Heuglin's Masked Weaver (Ploceus heuglini) — 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 Heuglin’s Masked Weaver (Ploceus heuglini) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 22.8 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 heuglini
Where it lives
Senegal and Gambia; Mali to the Ivory Coast and east to Uganda and western Kenya
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver (Ploceus heuglini) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Senegal and Gambia; Mali to the Ivory Coast and e to Uganda and w Kenya.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 4.1 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 2.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Heuglin’s Masked Weaver?
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 22.8 g.
Where does the Heuglin’s Masked Weaver live?
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF Senegal and Gambia; Mali to the Ivory Coast and e to Uganda and w Kenya, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Heuglin’s Masked Weaver belong to?
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver (Ploceus heuglini) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Heuglin’s Masked Weaver eat?
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Heuglin’s Masked Weaver migrate?
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Heuglin’s Masked 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 Heuglin’s Masked Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Heuglin’s Masked 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 Heuglin’s Masked Weaver's range?
The Heuglin’s Masked Weaver has a mapped global range of about 2.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Ploceidae
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.