Walking around the partly dried out Samudram Lake, I spotted 3 Baya Weaver nests high up in an inaccessible thorny bush area. The Baya Weaver has been known to nest in trees with a hornet's nest or with the nests of fiercely biting Red Ants, so this bird is careful about protecting its home. Baya Weavers nest in colonies of up to 20-30, usually in trees near freshwater and open ground and is generally found in grassland, cultivated areas, scrub and secondary growths usually near fresh or brackish water.
Baya Weavers eat mainly grass seeds and have large conical beaks to deal with their food. This bird forages in flocks, in grass as well as on the ground and flock flies in close formation, often performing complicated manouvres.
The Baya Weaver's nest is an architectural feat. It hangs from a palm frond or branch and looks like an upside down flask. The general features are a central nesting area with a long tube that leads to a side entrance. This tube makes it difficult even for snakes to enter the nest. Although they look precarious, most nests are very well attached and are impossible to remove without almost destroying the nest. The nests last well through the 3-month breeding season, sometimes even up to a year. After the breeding season, other small birds may roost in the abandoned nests. The nests are made entirely out of strips of grass which the birds collect by cutting a notch in a tall grass, then stripping off a 30-60cm length.
The birds’ breeding season is December-March. At this time, the males put on a brighter costume and they start to build their amazing nests. No stalks or entire grass blades are used. The birds then use their strong beaks to weave and knot the strips of grass. A newly-made nest is green with fresh grass and turns brown as the grass dries. A bird may make up to 500 trips to complete a nest.
The males are promiscuous and try to attract females by building several nests halfway. These half-built "male" nests look like motorcycle helmets complete with chin strap! A female bird first inspects the male's handiwork of a nest before signalling her approval to him. Once a female chooses to mate with him, he might finish the nest. But often, the female completes the nest.
When the female lays and is preoccupied with incubating the eggs, the male abandons her and immediately uses his other half-finished nests to woo a new female. Most males mate with two females, but sometimes three. The males defend his nests from other males. Meanwhile, the female is left to incubate and raise the brood on her own. 3-4 white eggs are laid and the nestlings are fed insects.
