White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

The White-browed Sparrow-Weaver is a common, gregarious bird of dry savanna in southern and eastern Africa. Unlike true weavers, it does not build tightly woven nests but instead constructs loose, untidy nests of grass stems, often in noticeable clusters in a single tree.

It has brown upperparts, a dark brown crown, and a broad white stripe over the eye that gives the species its name. The underparts are whitish, and the rump is white, showing clearly in flight. The bill is stout and pale to dark depending on season and subspecies.

These birds live in small, cooperative family groups that defend a territory centered on their cluster of nests year-round.

Key field marks

• Broad white supercilium (eyebrow stripe) contrasting with dark brown crown and eye-stripe
• Brown, streaked upperparts and whitish underparts
• White rump, conspicuous in flight
• Stout, conical bill
• Often seen in small groups near clustered nests

Similar species

• Other sparrow-weavers (Plocepasser species) look similar but have limited range overlap; check local range.
• True sparrows (Passer) lack the bold white eyebrow and white rump.
• Weaver species (Ploceus) usually show more yellow or olive tones and build enclosed, neatly woven nests rather than loose grass masses.

Range

Widespread across southern and East Africa, including Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, and Kenya.

Habitat

Inhabits dry savanna, thornveld, and acacia woodland with scattered large trees, which it needs for nest sites. Common in game reserves and rural farmland with suitable trees.

Movements

Sedentary and strongly territorial; family groups remain on the same territory throughout the year.

Behavior

Lives in cooperative groups of a few to a dozen or more birds that jointly defend a territory around a tree containing multiple nests. Groups include a dominant breeding pair plus helpers, often previous offspring, that assist with nest building and territory defense.

Voice

Noisy and vocal, giving a variety of chattering, chirping, and harsh alarm calls, often in duet or chorus among group members at dawn.

Feeding

Forages mostly on the ground, hopping in search of seeds and insects, and will also glean insects from foliage and bark.

Nesting and breeding

Builds several loosely woven, untidy nests of grass with entrances at each end, clustered together in one tree; only some nests are used for actual breeding while others serve as roosts. Cooperative breeding is common, with helpers assisting the dominant pair in raising young.