Nesting Sites Of Sympatrically Breeding Weavers: Ploceus Capensis And P. Velatus In Mountain Grasslands Of Southern Africa

Abstract Studies were conducted from 1998-2002 in the Moloti/Drakensberg area, Lesotho, southern Africa. A total of 155 nesting sites of the Cape Waever and 75 nesting sites of the Southern Masked Weaver were found. Almost all nesting sites of both weaver species were situated along river courses vegetated with willows, poplars and other tree species. They often nested in sympatry. Although most nesting sites of both Cape and Southern Masked Weaver were located in the indigenous Salix suberecta, they occupied other tree species with different frequency, so that, on overall they differed significantly in nest site choice. Also the mean number of nests per breeding site was different: 8.4 in the Cape Weaver and 3.3 in the Southern Masked Weaver.