Mohammed Alruqaya found some Rueppell’s
Weaver Ploceus galbula in Qatif
whilst birding in mid-March and the birds were seen nest builing with the male
building the nest and the female looking on. This is a species that does not
occur in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom so these birds are probably from
escaped or released cage birds as is the case with the species in Riyadh the
nearest area where they occur. In Saudi Arabia Rueppell’s Weaver is a common
and widespread breeding resident species in the southwest of the Kingdom
occurring north to south of Jeddah. Apparently it is only a summer breeding
visitor to Hejaz and Asir mountains preferring to spend the winter at lower
elevations and is not found on summits or in juniper and is less common here
than in the lowlands.
