The weaverbirds of Africa, Asia, India and Java are part of an interesting species and are noted for their intricate nests. Using their beaks and feet, they braid their nests from grass, bark strips, plant stems and other plant materials. Each group has its own design; some look like a community umbrella and some build suspended nests with side openings or with long tubular-shaped entrances.
One variety, the sociable weavers, builds an umbrella-shaped community roof, sometimes as large as an African hut. The underside of this umbrella roof is divided into many, many compartments, sometimes as many as one hundred, with a pair of weaverbirds occupying each compartment. Another specie, the village weavers, also forms colonies, but these suspend a great number of nests from a single tree without building a roof. From a distance, their nests look like great pieces of fruit hanging from the branches.
Weaverbirds are small, living in most parts of the world. Our English sparrows and house sparrows are part of the weaverbird family but don’t construct the unusual woven nests as those on other continents do. All are equipped with short, strong bills and eat seeds and grain. They all chatter continually. The males are usually brightly colored during mating season but dull in color the rest of the year, and the females and young birds are plainly colored - the Creator’s way of concealing them from enemies.
When seeking a mate, the male weaverbird often makes several nests, and when a companion is found, he lets her choose one of them. Usually after she has chosen one, he tears down the others, but sometimes he’ll find more mates to fill the unused ones.
Something amazing about weavers, and many other birds too, is that if the eggs are hatched artificially and the young birds are raised away from their parents, they will build nests identical to those of their parents! Where do you think they learned how to build them? This is one more example of the wonders of God’s creation, the One “in whose hand is the soul [life] of every living thing” (Job 12:1010In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10)).
In the same book of the Bible, we are instructed: “Hear My words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto Me” (Job 34:22Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. (Job 34:2)). We should certainly do this, “for His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings” (Job 34:2121For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. (Job 34:21)). We also are given the wonderful promise, “He that [hears] My word, and [believes] on Him that sent Me, [has] everlasting life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)). Are you one who has both heard and believed?
ML-01/05/2003