Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Vieillot’s Black Weaver
Ploceus nigerrimus
Vieillot's Black Weaver (Ploceus nigerrimus) — 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 Vieillot’s Black Weaver (Ploceus nigerrimus) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 34.3 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 nigerrimus
Where it lives
Southeastern Nigeria to southern Sudan, Uganda, western Kenya, western Tanzania, southern DR Congo and Angola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 34.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Vieillot’s Black 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 Vieillot’s Black Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Vieillot’s Black Weaver (Ploceus nigerrimus) belongs to the Ploceidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF se Nigeria to s Sudan, Uganda, w Kenya, w Tanzania, s DR Congo and Angola.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 34.3 g, with a wing length of about 8.2 cm and a tail of around 5.3 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 1.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Vieillot’s Black Weaver?
The Vieillot’s Black Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 34.3 g.
Where does the Vieillot’s Black Weaver live?
The Vieillot’s Black Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF se Nigeria to s Sudan, Uganda, w Kenya, w Tanzania, s DR Congo and Angola, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Vieillot’s Black Weaver belong to?
The Vieillot’s Black Weaver (Ploceus nigerrimus) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Vieillot’s Black Weaver eat?
The Vieillot’s Black Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Vieillot’s Black Weaver migrate?
The Vieillot’s Black Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Vieillot’s Black 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 Vieillot’s Black Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Vieillot’s Black 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 Vieillot’s Black Weaver's range?
The Vieillot’s Black Weaver has a mapped global range of about 1.8 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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