Photo: Greg Tee / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-billed Buffalo Weaver
Bubalornis niger
Red-billed Buffalo Weaver (Bubalornis niger) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver (Bubalornis niger) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 76.2 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 Bubalornis
- Species niger
Quick facts
- Weight
- 76.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver (Bubalornis niger) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, se, s.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 76.2 g, with a wing length of about 11.6 cm and a tail of around 10 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 2.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-billed Buffalo Weaver?
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 76.2 g.
Where does the Red-billed Buffalo Weaver live?
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, se, s, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Red-billed Buffalo Weaver belong to?
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver (Bubalornis niger) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-billed Buffalo Weaver eat?
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-billed Buffalo Weaver migrate?
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-billed Buffalo 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 Red-billed Buffalo Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Red-billed Buffalo 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 Red-billed Buffalo Weaver's range?
The Red-billed Buffalo Weaver has a mapped global range of about 2.7 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.
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