Ploceus velatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The southern masked weaver (Ploceus velatus), or African masked weaver, is a resident breeding bird species common throughout southern Africa. This weaver is very widespread and found in a wide range of habitats, including shrubland, savanna, grassland, open woodland, inland wetlands and semi-desert areas. It also occurs in sub-urban gardens and parks.
The southern masked weaver is 11–14.5 cm (4.3–5.7 in) long with a short, strong, conical bill and pinkish brown legs. The adult male in breeding plumage has a black face, throat and beak, red eye, bright yellow head and underparts, and a plain yellowish-green back,
The female has a pinkish-brown bill, brown or red-brown eye and is dull greenish-yellow, streaked darker on the upper back. The throat is yellowish, fading to off-white on the belly. The non-breeding male resembles the female but retains the red eye. The juvenile of this species is like the female.
The call is a harsh swizzling, similar to other weavers. It also utters a sharp chuk alarm note. The southern masked weaver nests in colonies, mainly from September to January. Males have several female... Wikipedia →
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monkeyland | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Birds of Eden | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Bloedel Conservatory | 🇨🇦 Canada |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Masked Weaver sighting in Chobe National Park on a given day, based on 134 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 130th most-seen of the 373 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Masked Weaver in Chobe National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May and September, the lowest months. That is one of Chobe National Park's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against almost none in May.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Masked Weaver sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
18th of 25
Of the 25 parks where we can rate Southern Masked Weaver sightings, Chobe National Park ranks 18th at about 10%. The best odds are in Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa, about 50%), Golden Gate Highlands National Park (South Africa, about 40%) and Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia, about 40%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Masked Weaver is recorded against all the birds logged in Chobe National Park (134 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.
