Napoleon bishop weaver

Make sure you keep an eye out for this beautiful little bird…if you spot it, you’re in for a ‘tweet’.

Also known as the Golden bishop or yellow crowned bishop, the striking yellow colour only occurs in the male.

They use their brightly coloured feathers in two ways. Firstly, as a warning to other male bishops to stay away and secondly, to attract a female. They do this by fluffing their feathers up and calling out.

The Napoleon bishop weaver is found in Africa, towards the bottom end, below the Sahara desert. They move around a bit too, depending on the time of year. If it’s the breeding season then they like to move to marshy and flooded areas and at all other times will make their way back to drier areas.

Fun facts about the Napoleon bishop weaver

The female will lay two to four eggs at a time.
Chicks leave the nest after only 11 – 13 days.
During the non-breeding season the males look exactly like the females, a pale brown colour.

Latin name
Euplectes afer

Class
Aves

Order
Passeriformes

Family
Ploceidae

Conservation status
Least concern

Napoleon bishop weaver questions and answers

Impress your friends with everything you know about the Napoleon bishop weaver!

Does the Napoleon bishop weaver’s beak change colour? +

Well, actually it does yes. During the breeding season the male’s beak is black then the rest of the year it’s a light brown.

What do they eat? +

Insects, grain and seeds.

How heavy are they? +

Very light indeed, only 15 grammes.