Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sociable Weaver
Philetairus socius
Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius) — 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 Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 27.4 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 Philetairus
- Species socius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27.4 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sociable Weaver is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Sociable Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Namibia to Botswana and South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.4 g, with a wing length of about 7.2 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 658,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sociable Weaver?
The Sociable Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 27.4 g.
Where does the Sociable Weaver live?
The Sociable Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF Namibia to Botswana and South Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Sociable Weaver belong to?
The Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sociable Weaver eat?
The Sociable Weaver is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Sociable Weaver migrate?
The Sociable Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sociable 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 Sociable Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Sociable 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 Sociable Weaver's range?
The Sociable Weaver has a mapped global range of about 658,000 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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