Grosbeak Weaver
Amblyospiza albifrons
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPloceidae (Weavers and Allies)
- GenusAmblyospiza (Grosbeak Weavers)
- SpeciesAmblyospiza albifrons (Grosbeak Weaver)
About the Grosbeak Weaver
The thick-billed weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons), or grosbeak weaver, is a distinctive and bold species of weaver bird that is native to the Afrotropics. It belongs to the monotypic genus Amblyospiza and subfamily Amblyospizinae.
They have particularly strong mandibles, which are employed to extricate the seeds in nutlets and drupes, and their songs are comparatively unmusical and harsh. Their colonial nests are readily distinguishable from those of other weavers, due to their form and placement, and the fine strands used in their construction.
They habitually fan and flick their tails. The generic name Amblyospiza was coined by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1850 and means "blunt, finch", referencing the very large bill, while the specific name albifrons refers white forehead of the males. The thick-billed weaver was formally described as Pyrrhula albifrons in 1831 by the Irish zoologist and politician Nicholas Aylward Vigors from the collection of Henry Ellis, the specimens of which were attributed to Algoa Bay and environs in the Eastern Cape.
Ten subspecies are currently recognized: A. a. capitalba (Bonaparte, 1850) – discontinuously from... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Grosbeak Weaver in Mkomazi National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Mkomazi National Park
Baglafecht Weaver
Ploceus baglafecht
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
Bubalornis niger
Usambara Weaver
Ploceus nicolli
Vitelline Masked-Weaver
Ploceus vitellinus
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
Dinemellia dinemelli
Black-necked Weaver
Ploceus nigricollis
Red-billed Quelea
Quelea quelea
White-winged Widowbird
Euplectes albonotatus
Village Weaver
Ploceus cucullatus
Zanzibar Bishop
Euplectes nigroventris
Dark-backed Weaver
Ploceus bicolor
Chestnut Weaver
Ploceus rubiginosus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Grosbeak Weaver in Mkomazi National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Grosbeak Weaver sighting in Mkomazi National Park, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Grosbeak Weaver in Mkomazi National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Grosbeak Weaver in Mkomazi National Park in our monthly data.