A Master Builder: Ruepell’s Weaver (Ploceus gallula)
This article is part of series of “protect our species” articles being published by Health, Safety and Environment Department as part of 2019 Earth Day celebrations with a focus on the wildlife found in Saudi Arabia and/or at KAUST.
These delicate and intricate constructions are the work of Ruepell’s Weaver, one of KAUST resident birds.
One of the most familiar sights in a garden at KAUST is a weaver’s nest hanging from the end of a tree branch.
When the nest is complete, the male will invite his partner to inspect the work. If the female is satisfied, between two and five eggs may be laid. However, if she is not satisfied she will unceremoniously knock the nest down. She is not going to lay her eggs in an inferior nest which may fall down and endanger her young. In these cases the male must start again and try to better his efforts. This frequently happens to the younger males who are still honing their construction skills.
The female bird is much duller in plumage, a familiar trait in birds, making the females less conspicuous and so drawing less attention from predators whilst sitting on the nest.
Observations of nests at KAUST indicate the eggs take about 13 days to hatch and then it is another two to three weeks before the young birds are able to fly.
These master builders are common around the campus. The next time you notice an abandoned nest on the floor, spare a thought for the luckless young male whose efforts went unrewarded.