Lesser masked weaver
Lesser masked weaver | |
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Male | |
A female with pale leg and iris colour | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Ploceidae |
Genus: | Ploceus |
Species: |
P. intermedius
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Binomial name | |
Ploceus intermedius
Rüppell, 1845
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The lesser masked weaver (Ploceus intermedius) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It builds its nests in large colonies, often alongside the village weaver and sometimes the red-billed buffalo weaver. This species is commonly parasitised by the Diederik cuckoo. It is found in eastern, south-eastern and southern Africa.
Taxonomy and systematics
There are two subspecies:
- P. i. intermedius Rüppell, 1845 – From Djibouti to central Tanzania
- P. i. cabanisii (W. K. H. Peters, 1868) – African west coast and southern Africa
- Synonyms are P. i. beattyi in Angola and P. i. luebberti in Namibia