Dietary overlap in plocepasserine weavers (Aves: Ploceidae)

Abstract

The food taken by the closely related white-browed sparrow-weavers Plocepasser mahali and sociable weavers Philetairus socius includes both plant material and insects. An analysis placing food items into taxonomic categories indicates that the important food sources of both species are identical. Seasonal utilization of different food taxa was also similar between the two species. These similarities are interpreted in an evolutionary perspective.