Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser donaldsoni Sharpe, 1895

40 gWeight

Donaldson Smith's sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.

Busiest months: April and August · Most records: Kenya

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver has been recorded at 7 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Buffalo Springs NRKenya618 records
  2. Samburu NRKenya450 records
  3. Shaba NRKenya151 records
More places
  1. Buffalo Springs NR – Samburu Simba LodgeKenya120 records
  2. Buffalo Springs NR / Samburu NRKenya116 records
  3. Meru NPKenya8 records
  4. Lewa Wildlife ConservancyKenya1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Kenya

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

Donaldson Smith's sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in Africa from southern Ethiopia to central Kenya and southern Somalia. It was named in honor of the 19th-century American explorer Arthur Donaldson Smith.

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

Questions

How big is the Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver?

The Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver weighs around 40 g.

Where does the Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver live?

Its breeding range: Africa: southern Ethiopia to central Kenya and southern Somalia. It is most often recorded in Kenya.

When is the best time to see the Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April and August (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver as Least Concern.

What does the Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver in?

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

At a glance

Weight
40 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
91 mm
Tail
54 mm
Bill
20 mm
Tarsus
22 mm

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

Range

Africa: southern Ethiopia to central Kenya and southern Somalia

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 superciliosusChestnut-backed Sparrow-WeaverChestnut-backed Sparrow-WeaverPlocepasser rufoscapulatusWhite-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
Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-Weaver

Download illustration

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

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