Published Paper Details:

The Baya Weaver (Baya Weaver) is primarily granivorous, feeding on a wide variety of seeds, including rice (Oryza sativa), millet (Pennisetum glaucum), wheat (Triticum aestivum), maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), and various wild grass seeds, with rice constituting a major proportion of its diet. In the present study, five representative sites were selected across the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, India, to investigate the feeding ecology of the species. Field observations revealed that the feeding behaviour and dietary composition of the Baya Weaver vary significantly with seasonality, habitat type, and food resource availability. The species exploits diverse habitats such as agricultural fields, grasslands, wetlands, and scrublands, adjusting its diet according to local environmental conditions. These spatial and temporal variations in food preference are not random but represent adaptive foraging strategies that maximize energy intake while responding to fluctuations in seed abundance, crop phenology, and habitat productivity. Such dietary flexibility contributes to the ecological success of the Baya Weaver in the semi-arid landscapes of the Shekhawati region.