Cape Weaver

The cape weaver is a resident breeding bird species endemic to South Africa. This common species occurs in grasslands, agricultural and fynbos habitats, often near the river. That calls of this bird include a harsh azwit - azwit.

The species name capensis is Latin and it means ‘after the Cape of Good Hope’. It was noted by Brisson that the Cape Weavers originated from the Cape of Good Hope, this can be anywhere in the Cape but most likely the Cape Weaver on which the name was based was collected from the Cape peninsula.

Cape Weavers are active, loud and have a showy yellow colour that brightens up your garden. They have perfected the skill of nest-weaving, and this is not a skill they learn, but one that comes naturally from birth (known as instinct behaviour or inherited facility).

Cape Weavers are about 18 cm long. The sexes differ in colour; females and non-breeding males are a dull, olive-green colour above and a buffy yellow underneath, while breeding males are a bright, showy, yellow colour. The wings are blackish with yellow to green colour at the edges. The male’s iris is cream, while the female’s iris is brown. The bill is long, pointed and strong (black in breeding males, pinkish-brown in females and non-breeding males) and the legs are also pinkish-brown.

Cape Weaver

You may also like