From the archive record
A nesting colony of Baya Weaver birds (Ploceus philippinus). These sparrow like birds breed in nesting colonies of 20 - 30 nests which are intricately woven pieces of art. The Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is a weaver found across South and Southeast Asia. They inhabit grassland, cultivated areas, scrub and secondary growths usually near fresh or brackish water. They are widespread and common within their distribution area but are prone to local seasonal movements. Despite their species name, they are not found in the Philippines. These are sparrow sized (15 cm) and in their non-breeding plumage, both males and females resemble female house sparrows. They have a stout conical bill and a short square tail. Non-breeding males and females look alike, dark brown streaked fulvous buff above