Speckle-fronted Weaver Sporopipes frontalis

Identification. The Speckle-fronted Weaver Sporopipes frontalis is one of the smallest weavers. It is finch-like, with a short stubby bill. The head pattern is distinctive (see photo) – the black feathers on the crown are tipped white, giving a speckled effect, which gives rise to its name. The nape is chestnut and there is a black moustachial streak surrounding the broad pale grey face. The sexes are alike. The juvenile is like the adult but paler, especially on the nape, which is tawny rather than chestnut. The Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver is much larger and has a chestnut crown and ear-coverts.

Distribution. Two subspecies of the Speckle-fronted Weaver are recognised (see map above, based on Birds of Africa):
S. f. frontalis from Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia across the West African savanna belt to Ethiopia and Eritrea (see red on map).
S. f. emini, South Sudan and Uganda south to Tanzania (see blue on map). The mantle of this subspecies is darker grey than in the nominate.
Projected climate change is thought likely to increase its range in the future.

Habitat. The Speckle-fronted Weaver inhabits dry bush and open thorn-scrub savanna, and thickets, often around villages. It roosts in groups in old nests throughout the year. When not breeding, it is generally gregarious. Birds allopreen, mainly the head. It moves locally during the rains in Mauritania and is apparently present only during the wet season in the sahel zone of Nigeria. Post-breeding wing moult starts in mid-March, and lasts at least 5-6 months in Nigeria. In occurs in pairs during the breeding season and in flocks of 5-10, sometimes 20, at other times.

Food. Food of the Speckle-fronted Weaver consists of seeds, some small insects (picked up on the ground), and termite alates. It feeds mainly on the ground in open gravelly patches, often alongside waxbills. The Speckle-fronted Weaver moves by hopping.

Breeding. The Speckle-fronted Weaver is a monogamous, solitary nester, or it may form small colonies. The nest is a large, untidy ball of dry grass with a long entrance tunnel on the side. The nest is lined with finer material and a few grass seed heads, and rarely with feathers. The nest chamber is formed by trampling material. The nest is sited in Ziziphus shrubs, or in branches of acacia trees, 2-6 m above the ground. Nests may be sited near wasp nests.

Clutch size is 2-4 eggs, with generally 2 near its northern limits and 3-4 further south. In one record of nest predation, 4 nests in Kenya were raided by a pair of wood-hoopoes which ate several eggs.

Active or old nests of the Speckle-fronted Weaver may be taken over for breeding by Red-cheeked Cordon-bleau Uraeginthus bengalus.

Breeding season
Sept-Dec over much of range, sometimes until Feb/Mar; breeding recorded also Apr-May in Ethiopia, May-Jul in Kenya and May-Aug in Tanzania; in W Africa breeding reported both in wet season and at height of dry season

Nest site
placed 2-6 m above ground in shrub or tree

Nest building
n/a

Colony size
n/a

Clutch size
2-4

Egg colour
pale grey mottled with darker markings, giving impression of dark brown ground colour

Egg size
size 17.5 x 12.5 mm (Sudan)

Incubation
in captivity, incubation by female only, period not recorded

Chicks and nestling period
chicks fed by both sexes (by regurgitation of crushed seeds)