Rufous-tailed Weaver
Histurgops ruficaudus
| Scientific name | Histurgops ruficaudus |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Ploceidae |
| Size | Length about 22-24 cm; weight about 55-85 g |
How to identify
Large, scaly-looking weaver with pale-edged grey-brown feathers, a pale creamy-white eye, and rufous at the base of the tail and wings.
Habitat
Open acacia savanna and short-grass plains of northern Tanzania, often near rocky outcrops
Diet
Seeds, insects, and other invertebrates gathered mainly on the ground
When it is active
Diurnal and social, foraging on the ground in groups and building large communal stick nests in acacias
Where it lives
Near-endemic to northern Tanzania, centered on the Serengeti ecosystem, reaching adjacent southern Kenya
How to spot it
Look on the Serengeti and Ndutu short-grass plains where noisy groups feed on the ground near their bulky nests
Photography tips
Photograph groups on open ground in low morning light, which brings texture to the scaly plumage and catches the pale eye
Threats
No major threats; common within its limited range and tolerant of grazing lands
Similar species
Its scaly plumage, pale eye, and rufous tail base separate it from all other weavers and from sparrow-weavers.
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