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NESTING OF THE VILLAGE WEAVER PLOCEUS CUCULLATUS
Author(s) -
CAMARASMEETS M. DA
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1982.tb03771.x
Subject(s) - fledge , nest (protein structural motif) , hatching , biology , ecology , nesting (process) , productivity , seasonal breeder , geography , zoology , biochemistry , materials science , macroeconomics , economics , metallurgy
Summary From August to October 1975, 31 nesting colonies of Village Weavers were identified within an area of 3000 km 2 , south of Lake Chad in Africa. The number of nests and the productivity of each colony were estimated by means of several samplings made during the course of the nesting season. Differences between bush colonies and village colonies are not relevant. The average length of the nesting season is 70 days. In each colony the number of nests increases during the first month and then decreases. The average number of fledging attempts is four per colony, with a period of about ten days from one to another. On a regional scale, breeding periods and fledging attempts are well synchronized. Each nest carries an average of 2.4 eggs and 1.9 young, the difference occurring only at hatching. Due to regional synchronism, the period of most intensive reproductive activity, at which the number of nests reaches its maximum, can be determined.