Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser rufoscapulatus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser rufoscapulatus Büttikofer, 1888

45 gWeight

The chestnut-backed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser rufoscapulatus) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.

Most records: Malawi, Zambia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver has been recorded at 4 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Vwaza Marsh Wildlife ReserveMalawi11 records
  2. South Luangwa NPZambia3 records
  3. Mushingashi ConservancyZambia2 records
More places
  1. Nyika National ParkMalawi1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

MalawiZambia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The chestnut-backed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser rufoscapulatus) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver?

The Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver weighs around 45 g.

Where does the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Angola and southern DR Congo to Zambia and Malawi. It is most often recorded in Malawi and Zambia.

Is the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver as Least Concern.

What does the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver in?

It belongs to the family Weavers, Widowbirds (Ploceidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
45 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Seeds
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
94 mm
Tail
68 mm
Bill
19 mm
Tarsus
20 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Angola and southern DR Congo to Zambia and Malawi

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Weavers, Widowbirds Ploceidae
Genus
Plocepasser

Other birds in the genus Plocepasser

White-browed Sparrow-WeaverWhite-browed Sparrow-WeaverPlocepasser mahaliChestnut-crowned Sparrow-WeaverChestnut-crowned Sparrow-WeaverPlocepasser superciliosusDonaldson Smith's Sparrow-WeaverDonaldson Smith's Sparrow-WeaverPlocepasser donaldsoniWhite-billed Buffalo WeaverWhite-billed Buffalo WeaverBubalornis albirostrisRed-billed Buffalo WeaverRed-billed Buffalo WeaverBubalornis nigerWhite-headed Buffalo WeaverWhite-headed Buffalo WeaverDinemellia dinemelliRufous-tailed WeaverRufous-tailed WeaverHisturgops ruficaudaGrey-capped Social WeaverGrey-capped Social WeaverPseudonigrita arnaudiBlack-capped Social WeaverBlack-capped Social WeaverPseudonigrita cabanisiSociable WeaverSociable WeaverPhiletairus socius
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Tom Field. ↗

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