# White-headed Buffalo Weaver (*Dinemellia dinemelli*) The White-headed Buffalo Weaver is a colorful bird with a striking white head and black body. They love to live in groups and build big nests in trees, making them fun to watch as they play and chatter together. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Savannas ![White-headed Buffalo Weaver](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dinemellia_dinemelli_-Serengeti_National_Park%252C_Tanzania-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bob, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dinemellia_dinemelli_-Serengeti_National_Park%252C_Tanzania-8.jpg) ## Appearance The White-headed Buffalo Weaver is easily recognized by its bright white head and underparts, contrasting sharply with a black back, wings, and tail. Its lower back and rump flash a distinctive chestnut-red, and it has bold red eyes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Ploceidae - **Genus:** Dinemellia ## Interesting facts - Both male and female White-headed Buffalo Weavers look nearly identical. - Their large, untidy nests are sometimes used by other bird species! - These birds communicate with a variety of chirps, chattering, and whistles. - They often hang their nests from strong branches of thorny acacia trees. ## Special abilities - **Thorn Fortress Builder:** White-headed Buffalo Weavers can build huge, thorny nests that protect their eggs and chicks from many predators. - **Social Forager:** White-headed Buffalo Weavers often forage in groups, which helps them find food more efficiently and watch for danger. - **Resourceful Decorator:** White-headed Buffalo Weavers have nests that often include found items like plastic strips or bits of cloth. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-19 cm - **Wingspan:** 28-32 cm - **Weight:** 0.04-0.06 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-8 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 11-14 days ## Diet & Feeding These omnivores primarily eat insects, seeds, and fruits found in their dry African habitat. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Grasshoppers, Acacia seeds, Berries, Nectar - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Shikra (*Accipiter badius*) — A raptor that preys on small birds. - **Depends on:** Umbrella Thorn (*Vachellia tortilis*) — Relies on thorny trees for nesting and some food. - **Eats:** [Desert Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-locust) (*Schistocerca gregaria*) — Forages for large insects like locusts. - **Eats:** Desert Date (*Balanites aegyptiaca*) — Consumes the fruits of this common desert tree. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-headed Buffalo Weaver? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White-headed Buffalo Weaver? 17-19 cm ### What is White-headed Buffalo Weaver's wingspan? 28-32 cm ### How much does White-headed Buffalo Weaver weigh? 0.04-0.06 kg ### How long does White-headed Buffalo Weaver live? 5-8 years ### How fast can White-headed Buffalo Weaver move? 45 km/h ### What does White-headed Buffalo Weaver eat? These omnivores primarily eat insects, seeds, and fruits found in their dry African habitat. ### Where is White-headed Buffalo Weaver usually found? Savannas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White-headed Buffalo Weaver: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-headed-buffalo-weaver)