Speke's Weaver

Ploceus spekei

Other Names

    Tisserin de Speke   Somaliweber     Spekes vävare     Tessitore di Speke

World: Africa: From N and E Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, NE Tanzania.

Kenya: Found in open brush and wooded areas between 1200-2200m. Common in the Nakuru, Narok, Nairobi area of the highland plateau.

This is the most common weaver in the Lake Nakuru region. It is also a joy for birders since, unlike all the other Ploceus weavers, it doesn't have a seasonal plumage change. This means that it doesn't spend most of the year as yet another "Little Brown Job" - it spends it as a glorious bright yellow and black bird with a pale eye. Despite which this is the first time we've managed to photograph one! Like many other weavers it is gregarious and normally nests in large colonies. Being common in the highly populated Nakuru-Narok-Nairobi region it has taken to visiting bird feeders in suburban gardens.