July 12

Village weaver

The village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in much of sub-Saharan Africa and has been introduced to some islands in the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean. Village weavers forage and roost in large groups, often with other weaver species. In some areas, they move periodically along fixed routes. The birds look for food on the ground, but also look up to search vegetation and trees. Village weavers nest in colonies and are very active during the breeding season. Birds fly in and leave again constantly, making significant noise. Colonies can contain as many as 150 nests, but eight to a hundred nests in a single tree are usual. This male village weaver was photographed in Kakum National Park, Ghana.

Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp

Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil but that’s a long one for me
— Pete Conrad, Commander Apollo 12, 1969
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