119 Sociable weaver nests on an Acacia tree in the Kalahari Desert of Namibia Photo by Giles Laurent, by Giles Laurent, 2025-07-22
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119 Sociable weaver nests on an Acacia tree in the Kalahari Desert of Namibia Photo by Giles Laurent

Giles Laurent

2025-07-22

Classification
Photograph
Museum
Wikimedia Commons
Rights
CC BY-SA 4.0, as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Kids profiles and older: it shows nature, places, still life or a children's book. How works are placed

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About this work

Nests of Sociable weaver on an Acacia tree in the Kalahari Desert of Namibia. Endemic to the arid regions of southern Africa, the sociable weaver is the only bird species known to construct such massive, permanent communal nests. These structures can house hundreds of individual birds in separate nesting chambers beneath a thick thatched roof, providing insulation against the extreme temperatures of the Namibian environment. The nests may remain in use for many decades, with successive generations continuously expanding and maintaining them. Their remarkable architecture also provides shelter for numerous other bird species and small animals, making them an important component of the local ecosystem.