# Compact weaver

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{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Ploceus superciliosus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T22719054A94608857 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22719054A94608857.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| image = Compact Weaver - Kibale - Uganda 06 4363 (22432186368).jpg
| genus = Pachyphantes
| parent_authority = [Shelley](/source/George_Ernest_Shelley), 1896
| species = superciliosus
| authority = ([Shelley](/source/George_Ernest_Shelley), 1873)
| synonyms = 
''Ploceus superciliosus''
}}

The '''compact weaver''' ('''''Pachyphantes superciliosus''''') is a species of bird in the family [Ploceidae](/source/Ploceidae). It is the only species placed in the [genus](/source/genus) '''''Pachyphantes'''''. It has a highly discontinuous distribution from Senegal to Liberia, east to Ethiopia and south to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

==Taxonomy==
The compact weaver was [formally described](/source/species_description) in 1873 as ''Hyphantornis superciliosus'' by the English ornithologist [George Ernest Shelley](/source/George_Ernest_Shelley) based on specimens collected in West Africa.<ref>{{ cite journal | last=Shelley | first=George Ernest | author-link=George Ernest Shelley | date=1873 | title=Description of six new species of West-African birds | journal=Ibis | pages=138-143 [140-141] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16518213 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr  | editor2-last=Greenway | editor2-first=James C. Jr | year=1962 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=15 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=52 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14485425 }}</ref> The specific epithet is [Latin](/source/Latin) meaning "haughty" or "eyebrowed" from ''supercilium'' meaning "eyebrow".<ref>{{ cite web | last=Jobling | first=James A. | title=superciliosus | work=The Key to Scientific Names | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=superciliosus | publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology | access-date=20 November 2025 }}</ref> The compact weaver is now the only species placed in the genus ''Pachyphantes'' that was introduced for the species by Shelley in 1896.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Shelley | first=George Ernest | author-link=George Ernest Shelley | date=1896 | title=The Birds of Africa, comprising all the species which occur in the Ethiopian region | volume=1, List | location=London | publisher=R.H. Porter | page=36 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13980669 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr  | editor2-last=Greenway | editor2-first=James C. Jr | year=1962 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=15 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=33 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14485406 }}</ref><ref name=avilist>{{ cite web | author=AviList Core Team | date=2025 | title=AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025 | doi=10.2173/avilist.v2025 | doi-access=free | url=http://www.avilist.org/checklist/v2025/ | access-date=20 November 2025 }}</ref> The genus name combines the [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) παχυς/''pakhus'' meaning "large" or "thick" with ὑφαντης/''huphantēs'' meaning "weaver".<ref>{{ cite web | last=Jobling | first=James A. | title=Pachyphantes | work=The Key to Scientific Names | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=Pachyphantes | publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology | access-date=20 November 2025 }}</ref> A molecular genetic study of the weaverbirds published in 2017 found that the compact weaver was [sister](/source/sister_group) to clade containing the fodies in the genus ''[Foudia](/source/Foudia)''.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=De Silva | first1=T.N. | last2=Peterson | first2=A.T. | last3=Bates | first3=J.M. | last4=Fernando | first4=S.W. | last5=Girard | first5=M.G. | date=2017 | title=Phylogenetic relationships of weaverbirds (Aves: Ploceidae): A first robust phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=109 | pages=21-32 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2016.12.013 | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311908775 }}</ref> The species is [monotypic](/source/monotypic): no [subspecies](/source/subspecies) are recognised.<ref name=avilist/>

== Distribution and habitat ==
Its natural [habitat](/source/habitat) is subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://weavers.adu.org.za/sp.php?spp=3830 Compact weaver] -  Species text in Weaver Watch.

{{Ploceidae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1307705}}

Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa
compact weaver
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

{{Ploceidae-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Compact weaver](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_weaver) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_weaver?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.