Southern Masked-Weaver

Afrikaans name: Swartkeelgeelvink - Ploceus velatus

Photo © Steven Herbert

The Southern Masked-Weaver is a common and well-known bird in South Africa. It is found in suitable habitat over most of South Africa except for the coastal region from Port Elizabeth to the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. Beyond South Africa they occur over large parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

The male Southern Masked-Weavers have a bright yellow and black plumage during the breeding season. Females and non-breeding males have a far drabber plumage.

They breed during an extended period from late winter through to Autumn although the peak breeding season is in summer. They tend to nest in colonies with a suitable tree being used year after year. Males are polygamous and will make a number of nests during the breeding season. Normally either 2 or 3 eggs are laid and the female does most of the work raising the chicks.

Southern Masked-Weavers are very common garden birds in some areas and will often be seen on bird feeders.

Seeds and insects form the main part of their diet. They also eat nectar.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	803	Hyphantornis velatus velatus
2nd	803	Ploceus velatus
3rd	803	Ploceus velatus
4th	803	Ploceus velatus
5th	814	Ploceus velatus
6th	814	Ploceus velatus
7th	845	Ploceus velatus

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	803	Masked Weaver
2nd	803	Masked Weaver
3rd	803	Masked Weaver
4th	803	Masked Weaver
5th	814	Masked Weaver
6th	814	Masked Weaver
7th	845	Southern Masked Weaver

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	803	Swartkeel-geelvink
2nd	803	Swartkeel-geelvink
3rd	803	Swartkeel-geelvink
4th	803	Swartkeel-geelvink
5th	814	Swartkeelgeelvink
6th	814	Swartkeelgeelvink
7th	845	Swartkeelgeelvink

References and further reading

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 343

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 64

Wild About Johannesburg - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 1995 - Page: 60

Wild Issue 31 - Author: - Published: 2015 - Page: 87

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 180

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 68

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 384

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 420

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 110

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 46

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 200

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 722

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 318

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 432

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 558

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 570

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 724

Newmans Garden Birds - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1991 - Page: 116

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 7

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 412

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 412

LBJs - Author: Newman, Johnson, Solomon, Masterson - Published: 1998 - Page: 109

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 109

Know your Garden Birds - Author: - Published: 0 - Page: 15

Geoff Lockwoods Garden Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Geoff Lockwood - Published: 0 - Page: 108

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 304

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 413

Garden Birds of Southern Africa - Author: P. Ginn & G. McIlleron - Published: 1981 - Page: 42

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 208

Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind - Author: B. Hilton-Barber & Prof. L. R. Berger - Published: 2004 - Page: 188

Garden Birds in South Africa - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2017 - Page: 139

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 71

Field Guide to Fynbos Fauna - Author: Cliff & Suretha Dorse - Published: 2023 - Page: 194

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 79

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 256

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 110

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 216

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 116

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 212

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 273

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 24

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 24

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 301

BirdLife South Africa

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