The baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is a weaverbird found across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Flocks of these birds are found in grasslands, cultivated areas, scrub and secondary growth and they are best known for their hanging retort shaped nests woven from leaves. These nest colonies are usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds and the nests are often built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily. They are widespread and common within their range but are prone to local, seasonal movements mainly in response to rain and food availability. Among the population variations, five subspecies are recognized. The nominate race philippinus is found through much of mainland India while burmanicus is found eastwards into Southeast Asia. The population in southwest India is darker above and referred to as subspecies travancoreensis. Taxonomy In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the baya weaver in his Ornithologie based on a specimen that he believed had been collected in Philippines. He used the French name Le gros-bec des Philippines and the Latin Coccothraustes Philippensis. Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson. One of these was the baya weaver. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Loxia philippina and cited Brisson's work. It was subsequently realised that Brisson was mistaken in believing that his specimen came from the Philippines and the type locality was redesignated as Sri Lanka. This species is now placed in the genus Ploceus that was introduced by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1816. There are five subspecies: P. p. philippinus (Linnaeus, 1766) – Pakistan, India (except southwest and northeast), Sri Lanka and south Nepal P. p. travancoreensis Ali & Whistler, 1936 – southwest India P. p. burmanicus Ticehurst, 1932 – Bhutan, northeast India and Bangladesh through Myanmar to southwest China P. p. angelorum Deignan, 1956 – Thailand and south Laos P. p. infortunatus Hartert, 1902 – south Vietnam, Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra, Java and Bali Description These are sparrow-sized () and in their non-breeding plumage, both males and females resemble female house sparrows. They have a stout conical bill and a