Ploceus velatus
The Southern Masked Weaver is a common inhabitant of savannas, woodlands, grasslands, riverine thickets in arid areas, and suburban gardens, feeding on insects, nectar and seeds.
The breeding season stretches through spring and summer, when the males don their brilliant black-and-yellow plumage and try to breed with as many females as possible, attracting them with neat nests weaved of grass or palm throngs on thin twigs or reeds (or wires and fences), usually hanging over water. Southern Masked Weavers normally move around singly or in small groups, but breed colonially. Only the female incubates the clutch and rears the chicks.
The IUCN considers the Southern Masked Weaver to be of “least concern” as they are common all over their distribution range, which covers Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and all of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver attacking his own reflection
Southern Masked Weaver
Male Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver fledgling
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver nest
Southern Masked Weaver nest
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver nests
Southern Masked Weaver nests
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Male Southern Masked Weaver at the Karoo National Park’s birdhide
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver inside nest
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver (female)
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver getting its breeding plumage
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver male growing breeding plumage
Southern Masked Weaver (female)
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver in winter plumage
Southern Masked Weaver in transitional plumage
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver (photo by Joubert)
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Male Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver enjoying a muddy puddle at Mankwe Dam
Southern Masked Weaver enjoying a muddy puddle at Mankwe Dam
Southern Masked Weaver female
Southern Masked Weaver female
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver male
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver displaying
Southern Masked Weaver displaying
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver (photo by Joubert)
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
Southern Masked Weaver
DeWetsWild 
Black mask and building/weaving skills. A fascinating species!
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Very industrious!
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I don’t think there would be a single man in the world who’d want to be a masked weaver… imagine, chasing the girls… getting wild and wonderful and then pushing off on the next conquest… terrible life… imagine! 😈
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No never, AJ. Such disgustingly loose morals!
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That little black mask gives him a rather rogue-ish look 🙂
The nests are quite unique and interesting. As Lois said, a work of art!
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A little avian Zorro!
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Yes! 🙂
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Love the car mirror one! It deserved more pride of place. Good definition, too. I blew it up to see.
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Thanks a lot, Colonialist!
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Looks (and sounds) like a super hero bird!
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Small packages and dynamite?
😉
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Wow – pragtig! Jy moet defnitief meer van jou artikels in boekvorm begin sit.
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Ai baie dankie Spokie – met julle aanmoediging slaan ons dalk binnekort daardie koers in!
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Beautiful bird. The female reminds me of greenfinch.
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Poor thing really is bland compared to her male counterpart. Luckily he only looks that way in summer!
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He’s a hellava engineer! Love his bright yellow, like my yellow finch here.
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That yellow jacket certainly gets the ladies’ attention!
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Interesting nests! Pretty birds too!
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Fascinating to think that a bird does that with its beak, isn’t it!? I wouldn’t even be able to do it using both my hand as well!
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Their nests are little works of art.
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Which would make you very upset to hear that the female will tear it to shreds in seconds if she’s not entirely impressed, Lois!
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What?! Oh, my….!
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how sweet and love those nests, very cute 🙂
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The precision it must take to build something like that from scratch using only your mouth boggles my mind!
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yes such clever engineers 🙂
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