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Sociable weaver
Sociable weaver (Philetairus socius) perching on a branch. This small African bird lives in large flocks, foraging for seeds and insects. The members of a flock co-operate to build a large communal nest. Each breeding pair has its own entrance. The nests, which the birds thatch (rather than weave) from twigs, grass and straw, can reach over 7 metres in length and mass over a tonne. A single nest can house up to 400 birds, providing shelter from extreme temperatures. Some nests are known to have been in use for more than a century as they are passed down from generation to generation. Photographed in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa.
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