Ploceidae is a family of small passerinebirds, many of which are called weavers, weaverbirds, weaver finches, or bishops. These names come from the nests of intricately woven vegetation created by birds in this family. In most recent classifications, the Ploceidae are a clade that excludes some birds that have historically been placed in the family, such as some of the sparrows, but which includes the monotypic subfamily Amblyospizinae. The family is believed to have originated in the mid-Miocene.[1] All birds of the Ploceidae are native to the Old World, most in Africa south of the Sahara, though a few live in tropical areas of Asia. A few species have been introduced outside their native range.[2]
Weavers
A male village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus bohndorffi), building his nest
The family Ploceidae was introduced (as Ploceïdes) by Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1836.[3][4] Phylogenetic studies have shown that the family is sister to a clade containing the families Viduidae and Estrildidae[5] Their common ancestor lived in the middle Miocene around 18 million years ago.[6]
A 2017 molecular phylogenetic study by Thilina de Silva and collaborators, as well as an expanded study by the same group published in 2019 have indicated that the genus Ploceus as currently defined is polyphyletic.[7][8] A cladogram based on these results is shown below.[8]
The males of many species in this family are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black. Some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season. These are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills.
Distribution and habitatedit
The weaverbird colonies may be found close to bodies of water.
Behaviour and ecologyedit
Weavers are named for their elaborately woven nests. The nests vary in size, shape, material used, and construction techniques from species to species. Materials used for building nests include fine leaf fibers, grass, and twigs. Many species weave very fine nests using thin strands of leaf fiber, though some, like the buffalo-weavers, form massive untidy stick nests in their colonies, which may have spherical woven nests within. The sociable weavers of Africa build apartment-house nests, in which 100 to 300 pairs have separate flask-shaped chambers entered by tubes at the bottom. The sparrow weavers live in family units that employ cooperative breeding.[10] Most species weave nests that have narrow entrances, facing downward.
Many weaver species are gregarious and breed colonially.[2] The birds build their nests together for protection, often several to a branch. Usually the male birds weave the nests and use them as a form of display to lure prospective females.
Relationship to humansedit
They sometimes cause crop damage, notably the red-billed quelea, reputed to be the world's most numerous bird.[11][12]
^De Silva, Thilina N.; Peterson, A. Townsend; Bates, John M.; Fernando, Sumudu W.; Girard, Matthew G. (2017). "Phylogenetic relationships of weaverbirds (Aves: Ploceidae): A first robust phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 109: 21–32. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2016.12.013. PMID 28012957. S2CID 205841906.
^ abCraig, Adrian J.F.K. (2010). "Family Ploceidae (Weavers)". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Christie, D.A. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 15: Weavers to New World Warblers. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. pp. 73–197. ISBN978-84-96553-68-2.
^Bock, Walter J. (1994). "History and Nomenclature of Avian Family-Group Names". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. No. 222. New York: American Museum of Natural History. pp. 157, 260. hdl:2246/830.
^Sundevall, Carl Jakob (1836). "Ornithologiskt system". Kongliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar. 23: 43–130 [74].
^De Silva TN, Peterson AT, Perktas U (1 July 2019). "An extensive molecular phylogeny of weaverbirds (Aves: Ploceidae) unveils broad nonmonophyly of traditional genera and new relationships". The Auk. 136 (3). doi:10.1093/auk/ukz041.
^Oliveros, C.H.; et al. (2019). "Earth history and the passerine superradiation". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. 116 (16): 7916–7925. doi:10.1073/pnas.1813206116. PMC6475423. PMID 30936315.
^De Silva, T.N.; Peterson, A.T.; Bates, J.M.; Fernando, S.W.; Girard, M.G. (2017). "Phylogenetic relationships of weaverbirds (Aves: Ploceidae): A first robust phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 109: 21–32. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2016.12.013.
^ abDe Silva, T.N.; Peterson, A.T.; Perktas, U. (2019). "An extensive molecular phylogeny of weaverbirds (Aves: Ploceidae) unveils broad nonmonophyly of traditional genera and new relationships". The Auk. 136 (ukz041). doi:10.1093/auk/ukz041.
^Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (December 2023). "Old World sparrows, snowfinches, weavers". IOC World Bird List Version 14.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
^ abLewis, Dale M. (3 April 2008). "Cooperative breeding in a population of White-browed Weavers Plocepasser mahali". Ibis. 124 (4): 511–522. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1982.tb03795.x.
^Fry, C.H. & Keith, S. (2004) The birds of Africa vol. VII. Christopher Helm, London
^BirdLife International (2018). "Quelea quelea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22719128A132125738. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22719128A132125738.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Further readingedit
De Silva, T.N.; Peterson, A.T.; Perktas, U. (2019). "An extensive molecular phylogeny of weaverbirds (Aves: Ploceidae) unveils broad nonmonophyly of traditional genera and new relationships". The Auk. 20 (3): 1–21. doi:10.1093/auk/ukz041.
ploceidae, family, small, passerine, birds, many, which, called, weavers, weaverbirds, weaver, finches, bishops, these, names, come, from, nests, intricately, woven, vegetation, created, birds, this, family, most, recent, classifications, clade, that, excludes. Ploceidae is a family of small passerine birds many of which are called weavers weaverbirds weaver finches or bishops These names come from the nests of intricately woven vegetation created by birds in this family In most recent classifications the Ploceidae are a clade that excludes some birds that have historically been placed in the family such as some of the sparrows but which includes the monotypic subfamily Amblyospizinae The family is believed to have originated in the mid Miocene 1 All birds of the Ploceidae are native to the Old World most in Africa south of the Sahara though a few live in tropical areas of Asia A few species have been introduced outside their native range 2 WeaversA male village weaver Ploceus cucullatus bohndorffi building his nestScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesSuperfamily PasseroideaFamily PloceidaeSundevall 1836GeneraSee text Contents 1 Taxonomy and systematics 1 1 Genera 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behaviour and ecology 5 Relationship to humans 6 Gallery 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksTaxonomy and systematics editThe family Ploceidae was introduced as Ploceides by Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1836 3 4 Phylogenetic studies have shown that the family is sister to a clade containing the families Viduidae and Estrildidae 5 Their common ancestor lived in the middle Miocene around 18 million years ago 6 A 2017 molecular phylogenetic study by Thilina de Silva and collaborators as well as an expanded study by the same group published in 2019 have indicated that the genus Ploceus as currently defined is polyphyletic 7 8 A cladogram based on these results is shown below 8 Ploceidae Amblyospiza thick billed weaverSporopipes 2 species weavers Plocepasser 4 species sparrow weavers Philetairus sociable weaverPseudonigrita 2 species social weavers Dinemellia white headed buffalo weaverBubalornis 2 species buffalo weavers Euplectes 18 species bishops and widowbirds Ploceus 5 species Asian weavers Quelea 3 species queleas Pachyphantes compact weaverFoudia 8 species fodies Ploceus 2 species Sakalava weaver and Nelicourvi weaver Ploceus Malimbus Anaplectes 60 10 2 72 speciesGenera edit The family includes 15 genera with a total of 122 species 9 For more detail see list of Ploceidae species Image Genus Species nbsp Bubalornis A Smith 1836 Red billed buffalo weaver Bubalornis niger White billed buffalo weaver Bubalornis albirostris nbsp Dinemellia Reichenbach 1863 White headed buffalo weaver Dinemellia dinemelli nbsp Plocepasser A Smith 1836 Donaldson Smith s sparrow weaver Plocepasser donaldsoni Chestnut backed sparrow weaver Plocepasser rufoscapulatus Chestnut crowned sparrow weaver Plocepasser superciliosus White browed sparrow weaver Plocepasser mahali nbsp Histurgops Reichenow 1887 Rufous tailed weaver Histurgops ruficauda nbsp Pseudonigrita Reichenow 1903 Grey capped social weaver Pseudonigrita arnaudi Black capped social weaver Pseudonigrita cabanisi nbsp Philetairus A Smith 1837 Sociable weaver Philetairus socius nbsp Sporopipes Cabanis 1847 Speckle fronted weaver Sporopipes frontalis Scaly feathered weaver Sporopipes squamifrons nbsp Amblyospiza Sundevall 1850 Thick billed weaver Amblyospiza albifrons nbsp Ploceus Cuvier 1816 Baglafecht weaver Ploceus baglafecht Bannerman s weaver Ploceus bannermani Bates s weaver Ploceus batesi Black chinned weaver Ploceus nigrimentus Bertram s weaver Ploceus bertrandi Slender billed weaver Ploceus pelzelni Loango weaver Ploceus subpersonatus Little weaver Ploceus luteolus Spectacled weaver Ploceus ocularis Black necked weaver Ploceus nigricollis Olive naped weaver Ploceus brachypterus Strange weaver Ploceus alienus Black billed weaver Ploceus melanogaster Cape weaver Ploceus capensis Bocage s weaver Ploceus temporalis Eastern golden weaver Ploceus subaureus Holub s golden weaver Ploceus xanthops Orange weaver Ploceus aurantius Heuglin s masked weaver Ploceus heuglini Golden palm weaver Ploceus bojeri Taveta weaver Ploceus castaneiceps Principe weaver Ploceus princeps Northern brown throated weaver Ploceus castanops Southern brown throated weaver Ploceus xanthopterus Ruvu weaver Ploceus holoxanthus Kilombero weaver Ploceus burnieri Ruppell s weaver Ploceus galbula Northern masked weaver Ploceus taeniopterus Lesser masked weaver Ploceus intermedius Southern masked weaver Ploceus velatus Katanga masked weaver Ploceus katangae Lufira masked weaver Ploceus ruweti Tanzanian masked weaver Ploceus reichardi Vitelline masked weaver Ploceus vitellinus Speke s weaver Ploceus spekei Fox s weaver Ploceus spekeoides Village weaver Ploceus cucullatus Giant weaver Ploceus grandis Vieillot s black weaver Ploceus nigerrimus Chestnut and black weaver Ploceus castaneofuscus Weyns s weaver Ploceus weynsi Clarke s weaver Ploceus golandi Juba weaver Ploceus dichrocephalus Black headed weaver Ploceus melanocephalus Golden backed weaver Ploceus jacksoni Cinnamon weaver Ploceus badius Chestnut weaver Ploceus rubiginosus Golden naped weaver Ploceus aureonucha Yellow mantled weaver Ploceus tricolor Maxwell s black weaver Ploceus albinucha Nelicourvi weaver Ploceus nelicourvi Sakalava weaver Ploceus sakalava Asian golden weaver Ploceus hypoxanthus Compact weaver Ploceus superciliosus Black breasted weaver Ploceus benghalensis Streaked weaver Ploceus manyar Baya weaver Ploceus philippinus Finn s weaver Ploceus megarhynchus Dark backed weaver Ploceus bicolor Preuss s weaver Ploceus preussi Yellow capped weaver Ploceus dorsomaculatus Olive headed weaver Ploceus olivaceiceps Usambara weaver Ploceus nicolli Brown capped weaver Ploceus insignis Bar winged weaver Ploceus angolensis Sao Tome weaver Ploceus sanctithomae Yellow legged weaver Ploceus flavipes nbsp Malimbus Vieillot 1805 Red crowned malimbe Malimbus coronatus Cassin s malimbe Malimbus cassini Rachel s malimbe Malimbus racheliae Gola malimbe Malimbus ballmanni Red vented malimbe Malimbus scutatus Ibadan malimbe Malimbus ibadanensis Blue billed malimbe Malimbus nitens Red headed malimbe Malimbus rubricollis Red bellied malimbe Malimbus erythrogaster Crested malimbe Malimbus malimbicus nbsp Quelea Reichenbach 1850 Cardinal quelea Quelea cardinalis Red headed quelea Quelea erythrops Red billed quelea Quelea quelea nbsp Anaplectes Reichenbach 1863 Red headed weaver Anaplectes rubriceps Red weaver Anaplectes jubaensis nbsp Foudia Reichenbach 1850 Red fody or Madagascar fody Foudia madagascariensis Comoros fody or red headed fody Foudia eminentissima Aldabra fody Foudia aldabrana Forest fody Foudia omissa Mauritius fody Foudia rubra Seychelles fody Foudia sechellarum Rodrigues fody Foudia flavicans Reunion fody Foudia delloni Brachycope Reichenow 1900 Bob tailed weaver Brachycope anomala nbsp Euplectes Swainson 1829 Yellow crowned bishop Euplectes afer Fire fronted bishop Euplectes diadematus Black bishop Euplectes gierowii Black winged red bishop Euplectes hordeaceus Northern red bishop or orange bishop Euplectes franciscanus Southern red bishop or red bishop Euplectes orix Zanzibar red bishop Euplectes nigroventris Golden backed bishop Euplectes aureus Yellow bishop Euplectes capensis Fan tailed widowbird Euplectes axillaris Yellow mantled widowbird Euplectes macroura White winged widowbird Euplectes albonotatus Red collared widowbird Euplectes ardens Red cowled widowbird Euplectes laticauda Marsh widowbird Euplectes hartlaubi Montane widowbird Euplectes psammacromius Long tailed widowbird Euplectes progne Jackson s widowbird Euplectes jacksoni Description editThe males of many species in this family are brightly coloured usually in red or yellow and black Some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season These are seed eating birds with rounded conical bills Distribution and habitat editThe weaverbird colonies may be found close to bodies of water Behaviour and ecology editWeavers are named for their elaborately woven nests The nests vary in size shape material used and construction techniques from species to species Materials used for building nests include fine leaf fibers grass and twigs Many species weave very fine nests using thin strands of leaf fiber though some like the buffalo weavers form massive untidy stick nests in their colonies which may have spherical woven nests within The sociable weavers of Africa build apartment house nests in which 100 to 300 pairs have separate flask shaped chambers entered by tubes at the bottom The sparrow weavers live in family units that employ cooperative breeding 10 Most species weave nests that have narrow entrances facing downward Many weaver species are gregarious and breed colonially 2 The birds build their nests together for protection often several to a branch Usually the male birds weave the nests and use them as a form of display to lure prospective females Relationship to humans editThey sometimes cause crop damage notably the red billed quelea reputed to be the world s most numerous bird 11 12 Gallery edit nbsp A nest in the early stages of construction nbsp Weaverbirds at West Bengal nbsp Adult Sporopipes at its spherical grass nest placed in a shrub nbsp Plocepasser nest in Namibia for year round occupation 10 nbsp Communal Philetairus nests in central Namibia nbsp Pseudonigrita nest in Kenya with entrance below nbsp Black breasted weaver nest suspended from grass India nbsp A baya weaver on his unfinished nest northern India nbsp Nests of a baya weaver colony suspended from a palm tree India nbsp Male Quelea at nest concealed in thorny Senegalia shrub nbsp Red bishop constructing a nest in reeds South Africa nbsp Nests of a colony of Sakalava weavers Madagascar nbsp Spherical village weaver nests suspended from a palm tree West Africa nbsp A southern masked weaver building his nest Namibia nbsp Hanging nest Hargeysa Somaliland July 2019 References edit De Silva Thilina N Peterson A Townsend Bates John M Fernando Sumudu W Girard Matthew G 2017 Phylogenetic relationships of weaverbirds Aves Ploceidae A first robust phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 109 21 32 doi 10 1016 j ympev 2016 12 013 PMID 28012957 S2CID 205841906 a b Craig Adrian J F K 2010 Family Ploceidae Weavers In del Hoyo J Elliott A Christie D A eds Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 15 Weavers to New World Warblers Barcelona Spain Lynx Edicions pp 73 197 ISBN 978 84 96553 68 2 Bock Walter J 1994 History and Nomenclature of Avian Family Group Names Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History No 222 New York American Museum of Natural History pp 157 260 hdl 2246 830 Sundevall Carl Jakob 1836 Ornithologiskt system Kongliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar 23 43 130 74 De Silva TN Peterson AT Perktas U 1 July 2019 An extensive molecular phylogeny of weaverbirds Aves Ploceidae unveils broad nonmonophyly of traditional genera and new relationships The Auk 136 3 doi 10 1093 auk ukz041 Oliveros C H et al 2019 Earth history and the passerine superradiation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States 116 16 7916 7925 doi 10 1073 pnas 1813206116 PMC 6475423 PMID 30936315 De Silva T N Peterson A T Bates J M Fernando S W Girard M G 2017 Phylogenetic relationships of weaverbirds Aves Ploceidae A first robust phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 109 21 32 doi 10 1016 j ympev 2016 12 013 a b De Silva T N Peterson A T Perktas U 2019 An extensive molecular phylogeny of weaverbirds Aves Ploceidae unveils broad nonmonophyly of traditional genera and new relationships The Auk 136 ukz041 doi 10 1093 auk ukz041 Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds December 2023 Old World sparrows snowfinches weavers IOC World Bird List Version 14 1 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 9 February 2024 a b Lewis Dale M 3 April 2008 Cooperative breeding in a population of White browed Weavers Plocepasser mahali Ibis 124 4 511 522 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919X 1982 tb03795 x Fry C H amp Keith S 2004 The birds of Africa vol VII Christopher Helm London BirdLife International 2018 Quelea quelea IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22719128A132125738 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22719128A132125738 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Further reading editDe Silva T N Peterson A T Perktas U 2019 An extensive molecular phylogeny of weaverbirds Aves Ploceidae unveils broad nonmonophyly of traditional genera and new relationships The Auk 20 3 1 21 doi 10 1093 auk ukz041 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ploceidae nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Ploceidae nbsp Media related to Ploceidae at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Data related to Ploceidae at Wikispecies nbsp Birds portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ploceidae amp oldid 1205976853, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
