The speckle-fronted weaver is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in Africa from Mauritania and Gambia in the west to Ethiopia and Tanzania in the east. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
Region
Sahel and East African savannas
Typical Environment
Occurs from West Africa (Mauritania and Gambia) across the Sahel and savanna belt to Ethiopia and northern Tanzania. Prefers dry savanna, thorn scrub, and open woodland, often with scattered acacias. It can be found at the edges of cultivation and near villages where seed resources are available. Local abundance varies with seasonal rains and seed crops. Typically avoids dense forest and very humid zones.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small weaver is named for its distinctive white forehead densely speckled with black. It forages in pairs or small groups through dry savannas and thorn scrub and often joins mixed flocks of seedeaters. Nests are compact, ball-shaped structures of grass with a side entrance, usually placed in thorny acacias for protection. It adapts well to semi-arid landscapes and may show local movements following rainfall and seed availability.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small groups and sometimes in mixed flocks with other seed-eating birds. Breeds in monogamous pairs, with nests placed in thorny trees or shrubs. Colonies are small and loosely organized compared to many other weavers.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of thin, tinkling trills and buzzy chatters delivered from a perch within shrubs or low trees. Calls include short chips and twitters used to maintain contact in small groups.
Plumage
Streaked brown upperparts with a pale, lightly streaked buffy underside. Forehead is white with dense black speckling, giving the species its name. Face is pale with a contrasting dark moustachial stripe; wings and tail are brown with subtle edging.
Diet
Feeds primarily on grass seeds and the seeds of weedy plants, supplemented by small insects such as termites, beetles, and caterpillars, especially during breeding. It gleans seeds from stems and the ground and will take fallen grain near human settlements. Insects provide protein for nestlings and are captured by gleaning or short sallies.
Preferred Environment
Forages in open, dry savanna, thorn scrub, and along field margins. Often uses low shrubs and the ground layer where grasses and forbs produce seed. Will visit village edges and fallow fields when seed is abundant.
