Length 14 cm, mass 24-32 g.
Adult: Lores, base of bill and throat patch black; flanks with black scales; back with brown scales; bill pale, eyes brown.
Open savanna grassland containing large trees.
Common resident and local nomad in semi-arid savanna. Gregarious, cooperative breeders.
Their diet includes insects, particularly the harvester termites, and seeds.
Sociable weavers are unlike most other birds due to their lifestyle and nest building: they weave one nest for their entire colony as well as for future residents. Different materials are used for different purposes. Large twigs form the roof of the nest, dry grasses create the separate chambers, and sharp spikes of straw protect the entrance tunnels from predators. Nesting chambers are lined from top to bottom with soft plant material, fur, cotton, and fluff. There are entrance tunnels for the different chambers and these tunnels can be up to 25 cm long. The nest chambers are about 10cm in diameter. There can be between 5 – 100 nest chambers per nest, providing home for 10 – 400 birds.