Social Weaver
Philetairus socius
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPasseridae (Old World Sparrows)
- GenusPhiletairus (Sociable Weavers)
- SpeciesPhiletairus socius (Social Weaver)
About the Social Weaver
The sociable weaver (Philetairus socius) is a species of bird in the weaver family, endemic to Southern Africa. It is the only species in its genus Philetairus. It is found in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana, but its range is centered within the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The species builds large, compound, community nests, a rarity among birds. These nests are perhaps the most spectacular structure built by any bird.
The sociable weaver was first described by ornithologist John Latham in 1790. Alternative names include the common social weaver, common social-weaver, and social weaver. Formerly, four subspecies were recognised, but the species is now considered monotypic. The sociable weaver is the only extant species in the genus Philetairus.
Based on a 2017 DNA-analysis, P. socius belongs to the group of sparrow weavers (subfamily Plocepasserinae) and is most related to the genus Pseudonigrita. These two genera are the sister group of the genus Plocepasser. The most basic genus of the subfamily is Sporopipes. Provided that genera are correct clades, the following tree expresses current insights.
Measuring... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Social Weaver in Namib-Naukluft National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Namib-Naukluft National Park
Cape Sparrow
Passer melanurus
Great Rufous Sparrow
Passer motitensis
Southern Gray-headed Sparrow
Passer diffusus
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser mahali
Cape Wagtail
Motacilla capensis
African Red-eyed Bulbul
Pycnonotus nigricans
Familiar Chat
Oenanthe familiaris
Dusky Sunbird
Cinnyris fuscus
Southern Masked Weaver
Ploceus velatus
Pied Crow
Corvus albus
Pale-winged Starling
Onychognathus nabouroup
Rock Martin
Ptyonoprogne fuligula
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 3 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 4 | Waterberg Plateau Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Social Weaver in Namib-Naukluft National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Social Weaver sighting in Namib-Naukluft National Park, based on 593 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Social Weaver in Namib-Naukluft National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Social Weaver in Namib-Naukluft National Park in our monthly data.