The slender-billed weaver is a species of bird in the weaver family, Ploceidae. It is sparsely distributed across equatorial Africa, namely along the shoreline of the Gulf of Guinea and Congo River and the Lake Victoria region.
Region
Equatorial Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily along the Gulf of Guinea coastline, the Congo River system, and around the Lake Victoria basin. Favors extensive papyrus swamps, reedbeds, and rank marsh vegetation along slow rivers, lakeshores, and lagoons. It also uses seasonally flooded grasslands, rice paddies, and wetlands near villages where emergent vegetation persists. Local presence often tracks the availability of dense waterside stands for nesting and foraging.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The slender-billed weaver is a wetland weaver specialized for life in papyrus and reedbeds, where its thin bill helps it glean insects from stems and seedheads. It often nests colonially, weaving oval nests suspended over water to deter predators. Males frequently build multiple nests as part of their courtship display. Its distribution is patchy but widespread across equatorial Africa.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats over reeds
Social Behavior
Forms small to medium colonies in suitable wetlands, with males weaving nests suspended from reeds or papyrus. Males often construct several starter nests and display to attract females, which inspect and line the chosen nest. Nests are typically placed over open water to reduce access by predators. Outside breeding, it may join mixed flocks of other weavers in feeding areas.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A busy, chattering series of buzzes and twitters, often delivered from reed tops near colonies. Calls include sharp chips and metallic trills that carry well over marshes.
Plumage
Male mostly glossy black with a sleek appearance; female and non-breeding birds are olive-brown with paler, lightly streaked underparts and a faint eyebrow. Overall look is slim with a noticeably fine, slightly decurved bill.
Diet
Takes a mix of small insects and other invertebrates gleaned from stems and leaves, along with seeds from grasses and emergent plants. It occasionally samples flower parts and soft plant material. During breeding, insects make up a larger share of the diet for feeding chicks.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense stands of papyrus, reeds, and tall sedges, often clinging acrobatically to vertical stems. Also forages along lake edges, backwaters, and flooded fields where emergent vegetation is present.
