Southern masked weaver

The southern masked weaver shows bright yellow plumage with a characteristic black facial mask. In males the mask extends from the forehead over the eye to the chin and stands out in sharp contrast from the rest of the plumage. Back, wings and tail are tinted olive green to yellow-brown.

Males in breeding plumage appear particularly intensely coloured, while females look more subdued: their yellow is duller and the facial mask is usually completely absent. At 15 centimetres in length, southern masked weavers appear compact and lively, typical of many weavers.