Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Speke’s Weaver
Ploceus spekei
Speke's Weaver (Ploceus spekei) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Speke’s Weaver (Ploceus spekei) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 35.1 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 spekei
Quick facts
- Weight
- 35.1 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Speke’s Weaver is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Speke’s Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Speke’s Weaver (Ploceus spekei) belongs to the Ploceidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Ethiopia and Somalia to n Tanzania.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 35.1 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 4.5 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 369,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Speke’s Weaver?
The Speke’s Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 35.1 g.
Where does the Speke’s Weaver live?
The Speke’s Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF Ethiopia and Somalia to n Tanzania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Speke’s Weaver belong to?
The Speke’s Weaver (Ploceus spekei) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Speke’s Weaver eat?
The Speke’s Weaver is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Speke’s Weaver migrate?
The Speke’s Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Speke’s 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 Speke’s Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Speke’s 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 Speke’s Weaver's range?
The Speke’s Weaver has a mapped global range of about 369,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Ploceidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Endangered
Least Concern
Vulnerable
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.