Village weaver

Description:

Larger and robust weaver, some 15cm in length with a robust beak. Male is striking, with streaked golden yellow and black back, deep yellow underparts, black mask extending above to the crown and strong black beak. Normally, RED eyes are diagnostic ... which somehow failed here; the male (photo 1) shows yellow eyes (like Lesser masked weaver) - but his robust body and beak are definitely those of Village one. And this was the reason I kept this spotting on ice for such a long time. Finally, many of my contacts confirmed it is P. cucullatus... Female and immature look alike, rather non-descript, of some earthy colors, with some yellow on head and wing covers.

Habitat:

Here seen in one of the city parks, the Botanical garden.

Notes:

Ubiquitous Sub-saharan weaver, I saw it in every country and almost every region I had a chance to visit. Usually lives in large colonies, and is often mixed with some other weavers - sometimes with Lesser Masked weaver... so I wonder if there were some hybridisation in play here, explaining that yellow eye??? Unless it was only some stupid camera glitch? or light play??