White-billed Buffalo-Weaver

Bubalornis albirostris

Other Names

  Buffalo Weaver, Common Buffalo-Weaver, Black Buffalo-Weaver   Alecto à bec blanc, Tisserin alecto   Alektoweber     Vitnäbbad buffelvävare   Buffelwever, Witsnavelbuffelwever   Bubalorne

World: Sub-Saharan Africa between 10°N and 17°N with an isolated population in the region of NW Kenya, NE Uganda and SW Sudan.

Kenya: Occurs in dry brush in the NW.

A noisy, gregarious bird which is often seen feeding on the ground alongside starlings. It builds large, untidy nests using thorny twigs. It is similar in appearance and habits to the Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver but can be distinguished by bill colour. In breeding males (as above) the bill is whitish and swollen at the base, and has a rough appearance, the tip is black. Non-breeding males and females have a largely black bill. These birds are commonly seen at Lake Baringo which is towards the most southerly tip of their range.