Flying Architect - Baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus)

Context: Baya weavers forage in the woods to build their nests, which precariously hang on branches, in Amreli of Gujarat.

About Baya weavers

The baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is a fascinating bird species renowned for its intricate nest-building skills and vibrant plumage.

Size and Appearance: The baya weaver is a small bird, about 15 cm (5.9 inches) in length. In non-breeding plumage, both males and females resemble female house sparrows with dark brown streaked fulvous buff above and plain whitish fulvous below. Breeding males are notably colourful with a bright yellow crown, dark brown mask, and a yellow breast with cream buff underparts. They also have a stout conical bill and a short, square tail.

Geographic Range: The baya weaver is distributed across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This includes Pakistan, India (excluding southwest and northeast regions), Sri Lanka, south Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, parts of China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Bali.
Habitat: They inhabit grasslands, cultivated areas, scrublands, and secondary growth regions. Their nests are typically found in thorny trees or palm fronds, often overhanging water sources to avoid predators.

Diet: The baya weaver’s diet consists mainly of seeds from grasses, including paddy and Guinea grass. They also eat insects like butterflies and occasionally small amphibians, reptiles, and molluscs, particularly when feeding their young.
Foraging: They forage in flocks, gleaning seeds from plants and the ground. They are also known to feed on crops in harvested fields, which can occasionally lead to them being considered pests.

Breeding Season: The breeding season aligns with the monsoon period and is influenced by environmental factors such as day length. Nesting occurs in colonies, often of up to 20–30 pairs.
Nest Building: Males constructs elaborate, retort-shaped nests with a central chamber and a long vertical entrance tube. These nests are made from strips of leaves, grasses, and palm fronds, with males making numerous trips to complete them.
Courtship: Males build multiple partial nests to attract females. The female selects a completed nest, and once paired, the male finishes it by adding the entrance tunnel. Females may also modify the nest’s interior or add mud for stabilization.
Reproduction: Females lay 2 to 4 eggs, which are incubated for about 14 to 17 days. Chicks fledge after about 17 days. Males are often polygamous and continue to court other females even after pairing.

Social Structure: Baya weavers are social and gregarious, forming large flocks outside the breeding season. They exhibit complex flight patterns and often roost in reed-beds near water bodies.
Calls: Their calls are continuous chit-chit sounds, sometimes ending in a wheezy cheee-eee-ee, especially during the breeding season.
Nest Predation: While their nests are relatively protected due to their location, they are sometimes preyed upon by crows, lizards, and rodents. Abandoned nests may be used by other bird species or small mammals.

Folk Beliefs: In India, there is a belief that baya weavers use fireflies to illuminate their nests at night, though this is more myth than reality. They do use clay in their nests, which may help stabilize them in strong winds.
Training for Entertainment: Historically, baya weavers were trained by street performers in India to perform tricks like picking up objects and even firing toy cannons, showcasing their intelligence and docility.