Sociable Weavers

Sociable weaver nests can weigh up to a ton and last 100 years.  The individual birds don't live that long, but their colonies can.  As the weavers keep building, the weight of these nests can eventually fell a tree.

The nests provide better shade than trees (or, in this case, power poles), so animals such as wildebeests often hang out beneath them.  These visitors, along with the weavers themselves, contribute organic matter to the soil.  As a result, young desert plants often thrive underneath the nests.

This little guy apparently doesn't think his nest is big enough yet.

Melissa