The Grosbeak Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons) is also called the Thick-Billed Weaver. It is a small African bird.

The Grosbeak Weaver is dark chocolate brown with a chestnut frill around its neck and a small white wing spot. It has two distinct creamy-yellow spots on each side of its beak on its forehead. It has brown eyes, a grey beak, and grey legs.

It grows to about 18 centimetres (7 inches) tall.

The Grosbeak Weaver is found in west Africa, east Africa, and southern Africa. It prefers wetlands, such as marshes and swamps, particularly if there are lots of reeds.

It eats seeds. It has strong jaws (mandibles) which can crack open seeds and nuts. It has predators, such as crows, other birds, and reptiles.

Grosbeak Weavers live in colonies. A male may have several females (up to six females and three nests), which it breeds with at the same time. It is polygynous.

The male Grosbeak Weaver makes its nest in the reeds in wetlands on the edges of forests. It is a woven nest made of thin reeds. Its nest is globe-shaped and is hung between upright stems of reeds or wetland plants. Females lay about 3 white-pink eggs with spots. The eggs hatch after 14-16 days. The female parent feeds her chicks.

The chicks leave the nest after 18-20 days.

 

 

 

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

 

 

 

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

 

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM