Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver | Bubalornis niger
Roberts Birding Information: Redbilled Buffalo Weaver
The Redbilled Buffalo Weaver is also a part of "The Little Five"...
The description for the Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver (Latin name Bubalornis niger) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Bubalornis niger can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 798 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 1003. You will find a picture of the Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver on page 1009.
NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any.
The Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver is known in Afrikaans as Buffelwewer.
The Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver has a height of 23 cms and weighs around 80 gms. The head is coloured black while the bill is coloured black. The Bubalornis niger has a black coloured throat, black legs and a black coloured back. The eyes are orange.
Take note of the bird's main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size of the bird. Colours of a bird's body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts Birds using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts.
Head is black.
Eyes are orange.
Bill is black.
Legs are black.
Throat is black.
Back is black.
Redbilled Buffalo Weaver Feeding Habits ...
This bird forages for food on the ground.
The Bubalornis niger attacks its prey aerially and feeds on wing or takes the prey to a secluded venue where it is killed, torn into small pieces and eaten.
This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten.
The Bubalornis niger forages mainly on the ground or at the base of trees, and low down in the shrubs eating mostly fruits and seeds.
Red Billed Buffalo Weaver Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...
The bird builds its nest within a tree cavity just a few meters above the ground. The hole in the tree is normally reused in the next nesting season.
The Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver is mainly found in light and densely wooded forests, where there are Mopane trees.
This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests.
Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...
This bird is usually seen in small family groups or in large flocks.