GREY-CAPPED SOCIAL WEAVER

1. The black-capped social weaver (Pseudonigrita cabanisi) is a sparrow-like of bird that has been assigned to the weaverbird family. It was originally described by Fisher and Reichenow, and moved later by the latter to the genus Pseudonigrita. Adults have a large black cap, ivory-colored bill, red eyes, brown back and wings, blackish-brown tail, white throat and underparts with a black midline, and dark horn-colored legs. It breeds in colonies and roofed nests with an entrance at the bottom in thorny trees such as acacias are constructed by the male from grass stems. It is found in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. It is sometimes kept and bred in captivityThe black-capped weaver is 13 cm (5.1 in) long and weighs 18–24 g (0.63–0.85 oz). Adult birds have an extensive and well-delimited black cap that runs from the bill opening, across the crown to the back neck, and also covers the area around the eye and ear. The neck, mantle, wings and rump are evenly brown. The tail is blackish brown. The throat, sides of the neck, breast, belly and vent are white. A clearly visible narrow longitudal black stripe runs along the middle of belly to the stomach. Some black feathers also mark the side of the breast, but these are often difficult to see as they may partially or completely be covered by the wings. The legs are a dark horn color. The bill is ivory-colored. The eyes are bright red.^[2][9]
2. Young birds miss the black markings entirely, which instead are the same brownish shade as the mantle and wings. The bill of juveniles is horn-colored and the iris is dark brown.