the family of the weaver-birds includes 9 subfamilies today, whose systematic integration is quite not handled uniformly and is not to be justified with the name-giving behavior of the Nestbauens alone in particular. Weaving - d. h. the extremely careful linking of vegetable nest-prefabricated parts with particular knots or with "chain and shot" - is executed actually only by the representatives from 4 subfamilies: actual weavers (Ploceinae); Sparrow-weavers (Plocepasserinae, also Siedelweber); Widavögel (Euplectinae); Dick-beak-weavers (Amblyospizinae). Here one regards the roundish nest with upper lateral entrance as originally while the derivative forms build a type "Retort" without or with long approach-tube.
Is remarkably that also the sparrows (subfamily Passerinae, Z). B. the house-sparrow, careful nests can build in trees if no suitable cave exists, that protects this carelessly linked bowl-shaped nest. Other representatives of this subfamily could not get (snow-finch) this construction-manner. The beard-line-weavers (subfamily Sporopipinae) admittedly build roundish nests, these however very disorderly.
The task of the nest-building site is normally taken (not with the sparrows) on from the male, despite which frequently occurring "many-marriage" particularly with the weaver-birds. As special nest-form, the community-nests of the buffalo-weavers (subfamily Bubalornithinae) and the Siedelweber are to be looked at, that can develop into huge constructions. Here, a part of the work of several males is achieved together.
Two subfamilies, the cuckoo-weavers (Anomalospizinae) and the widows (Viduinae), don't build any nests at all but don't act as brood-parasites with other bird-types. So, other, above all anatomical criterions must fight for the systematic demarcation of this Singvogelfamilie, that makes also the detachment possible opposite the splendor-finches relatives in the origin nearer. U become for this. a. Skull-characteristics and also the order of the 10 Handschwingen drawn near. If one adds the Verhaltensrepertoir, however, the splendor-finches appear as much stiff and primitive. In the flexibility of the behavior, the weaver-birds quite prove the finch to be equal for itself, in whose proximity also some zoologist the sparrows puts.
Spread The main-spread-area of the old-terrestrial weaver-birds lies in Africa south from the Sahara. Here, also the origin of the types is to be seen, that populated the restrained Europe and Asia as well as South-Asia and Australia. Only few types are to be found in Central Europe; to this, the house-sparrow (Passer domesticus), the field-sparrow (Passer montanus) and the snow-finch (Montifringilla nivalis) belong. By human help, the house-sparrow was settled in many sharing of the world.
Way of life Most of the extremely sociable weaver-birds live in open grassland-ships or tree and brushland; only few could advance into the forest or connected narrowly to the people in the culture-surfaces. Other types succeeded with the adaptation to extreme dry-areas or plateaus. The birds live on grains, predominantly grass-seeds, and insects.
Characteristics The length fluctuates between 11 cm (beard-line-weavers) and 24 cm (buffalo-weavers). Only the male Widavögel gain a total-length of approximately 60 cm in the brood-dress through the extended tail-feathers with a type (Hahnschweifwida, Coliuspasser progne). Broadly, the physique and the short, strong beak remind of the finches. While both sexes are colored usually very insignificantly gray-brownish in the silence-dress, the male can position a quite showy splendor-dress with many types.
Actual weavers (subfamily Ploceinae)) From the 68 here condensed types, only 5 in the indomalaiischen area and 2 on Madagascar, that live in others, are Africa widespread south from the Sahara. Except for the typical forest-inhabitants, the birds are very sociable and also frequently nest in larger colonies, that can contain up to 200 or more individual. One single tree can carry a multiplicity of nests on that occasion. Also outside the incubation, one finds the birds in large flocks. Some weavers live predominantly from insects, grass-seeds prefer others or, in the case of the forest-inhabitants, the fruits of trees and shrubs.
In the silence-dress like the females sparrow-nicely colored, the males often position a colorful brood-dress, in which the colors yellow, bay and black predominates; only the red-black splendor-weavers (type Malimbus) deviate from it.
Habitat The populated biotopes can be quite different; however, most types tree use - and bush-rich culture-landscapes near a water. This hits for the southeast-Asian forms, Z. B. the Bajaweber (Ploceus philippinus), that looks for dense reed-continuances as roost, as well to like for many representatives of the African type steppe-weavers (Textor); Z. B. Gold-weavers, Textor subaureus; Mask-weavers, Textor velatus; Gilb or oriole-weavers, Textor galbula. The steppe-weavers also cope well with drier habitats, however the beginning of the incubation with starting of the rain-time is connected. The Textor or village-weaver (Textor cucullatus) broods especially gladly near human settlements. Far in Africa's northeast, the larva-weaver (Hyphantornis abyssinicus) could advance while the splendor-weavers (type Malimbus) adapted themselves to the tropical jungle.
Nistverhalten The Nistverhalten was examined especially well with the steppe-weavers (type Textor). The male creates the outer nest-installation already before the Verpaarung. In the Gezweig or between reed-stalks, a carefully woven ring is positioned out of plant-fibers at first, that are widened after both sides of a spherical nest. The entrance is at the underside and can have moved out to a tube.
The male demonstrates the females the ready nest. The election of the partner is left to these. A female finally decided in favor of a nest that it is mated with by the appropriate male. Now, the cock must hurry, because before the deposit of the eggs starts on the subsequent day, the task closes it to pad the nest. Breed the female only on the nest, the male can have begun the nearest nest long ago in order to win further partners. In larger colonies, it was observed that the males can quite take part in the brood-business.
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