Sociable weavers (Philetairus socius) seeking shade whilst perched on the branch of a Camelthorn tree. This small African bird lives in large flocks,

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Sociable weavers (Philetairus socius) seeking shade whilst perched on the branch of a Camelthorn tree. This small African bird lives in large flocks, foraging for seeds and insects. The members of a flock co-operate to build a large communal nest. Each breeding pair has its own entrance. The nests, which the birds thatch (rather than weave) from twigs, grass and straw, can reach over 7 metres in length and mass over a tonne. A single nest can house up to 400 birds, providing shelter from extreme temperatures. Photographed in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Southern Africa.

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Size: 6421px × 4281px
Photo credit: © TONY CAMACHO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: africa, african, animal, avian, bird, birds, colonial, colony, communal, insectivore, insectivorous, kalahari, kgalagadi, nature, ornithology, park, passerine, philetairus, seed-eater, seed-eating, sociable, social, sociality, socius, south, transfrontier, weaver, wildlife, zoology