SAFRING results

Whitebrowed Sparrowweaver Plocepasser mahali

1. Numbers ringed with SAFRING rings, 1948-2002

• Total ringed: 3304
• First ringed: 1953/54 ringing year
• Trapping method: Mistnets, nestlings, Rehabilitated birds

Number of Whitebrowed Sparrowweavers ringed per year with SAFRING rings

Note that a total of 335 (average 83.75 per year) were ringed in the period 1970-73; the individual year totals are not known.

2. Computerised records, 1975-2002

Note: electronic records sent by ringers were extracted; no attempt was made to computerise other records.

• Number of records: 982
• Ring sizes used: 1 with 2.8 mm, 70 with 3 mm, 39 with 3.3 mm, 548 with 3.5 mm, 129 with 4.2 mm, 184 with 4.3 mm, 11 with old prefix rings
• Recommended ring size: 4.3 mm Stainless steel or Aluminium Alloy
• Top ringers: 80 ringers; top 5 ringers: Mr T Osborne (163), Dr GPJ Grobler (126), Mr D Heinrich (47), Mr D Deetlefs (45), Mr H De Klerk (44)
• Bird age distribution: Unknown (9), Nestling (1), Juvenile (4), Immature (74), Adult (863), 0-6 months (24), 6-12 months (7)
• Bird sex distribution: Unknown (375), Male (294), Female (252), Possibly male (30), Possibly female (31)
• Markings: Metal only (965), Metal plus colour rings (17)
• Condition: Good (972), Kept for experiment before release (3), Rehabilitated (6), Artificially reared (1)
• Birds ringed per region:

  Locality	n
  Namibia	279
  Limpopo Province, South Africa	273
  Northwest Province, South Africa	163
  Northern Cape, South Africa	149
  Free State, South Africa	49
  Botswana	25
  Gauteng, South Africa	22
  Eastern Cape, South Africa	20
  Zimbabwe	1

Map of localities where Whitebrowed Sparrowweavers have been ringed, 1975-2002

3. Biometrics and moult for Whitebrowed Sparrowweavers

Mass data (g)

Age	n	Min	Mean	Max
Adult male	251	30.0	43.9	56.5
Adult female	237	31.0	42.0	55.0

Wing length (mm)

Age	n	Min	Mean	Max
Adult male	220	80	101.6	130
Adult female	182	88	98.9	111

Moult data

Primary moult approx. Jan-Jun.

4. Recovery history (SAFRING's database)

• Number of recoveries: 17 recoveries and 159 recaptures
• Greatest distance: 22 km (50205753)
• Greatest elapsed time: 10y 2m 26d (50205781)
• Causes of mortality of ringed birds:
  • Sick or injured (4)
  • Shot (3)
  • Killed by predator while in mistnet (2)
  • Trapped (1)
  • Collision with a window (1)
  • Rest unknown

5. Ringing references

Earlé RA. 1983. An attempt at sexing Whitebrowed Sparrowweavers. Safring News 12:3-5.

6. Research

None.