Ploceus sakalava
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The Sakalava weaver (Ploceus sakalava) sometimes known as the Sakalava fody is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. The bird is 15 cm (5.9 in) long and weighs 20–28 g (0.71–0.99 oz). The Sakalava weaver was first described by Gustav Hartlaub in 1861, based on a specimen collected by Victor Sganzin during an expedition in 1831–32 on Madagascar. The species epithet sakalava is derived from the Sakalava, whose name means "people of the long valleys". The first English name was given to the bird only in 1891 by James Sibree, who named it Sakalava Weaver-bird. Sakalava weaver has been designated the official name by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC). Another English name that is sometimes used is Sakalava Fody. Local names in the Malagasy language include fodibeotse, fodisahy, tsiaka, draky and zaky.
Based on recent DNA-analysis, the genus Ploceus is almost certainly polyphyletic. If all species currently included in the genus would remain and the genus would be made monophyletic, it would have to encompass the entire subfamily Ploceinae. The Ploceinae can be divided into two groups. In the first group, the widowbirds and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berenty Reserve | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antananarivo | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Sakalava Weaver sighting in Berenty Reserve on a given day, based on 114 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 21st most-seen of the 63 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Between 5 and 8 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sakalava Weaver sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Sakalava Weaver sightings, Berenty Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 50%. Next come Ankarafantsika National Park (Madagascar, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sakalava Weaver is recorded against all the birds logged in Berenty Reserve (114 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
