Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat vs Compact Weaver

Sturnira koopmanhilli compared with Ploceus superciliosus

Key Differences

• Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat is Data Deficient while Compact Weaver is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat	Compact Weaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Chiroptera (Bats)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Phyllostomidae	Ploceidae
Genus	Sturnira	Ploceus
Species	Sturnira koopmanhilli	Ploceus superciliosus

Evolutionary Relationship

Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat and Compact Weaver share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat

DD — Data Deficient

Compact Weaver

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat	Compact Weaver
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Ecuador.

Compact Weaver

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat

The Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira koopmanhilli) is a medium-sized frugivorous bat in the family Phyllostomidae, endemic to the Chocó biogeographic region of northwestern South America, where it occurs in the humid forests of the Pacific slope of Colombia and adjacent Ecuador. It belongs to the genus Sturnira — the yellow-shouldered bats — characterised by males bearing distinctive yellowish, orange, or reddish shoulder glands (from which the group's name derives), robust bodies, and rounded ears. Like all Sturnira, this species is primarily frugivorous, consuming a wide range of small, soft fruits from pioneer and forest trees, and plays an important role as a seed disperser in disturbed forest patches and forest edges. The diet of Solanaceae (nightshade family) fruits is particularly typical of the genus, and Sturnira bats are considered the primary dispersers of many pioneer Solanum species in Neotropical secondary succession, contributing directly to forest regeneration. The IUCN classifies the Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat as Data Deficient, reflecting significant uncertainty about the species' distribution limits, population size, and ecological requirements. The Chocó region continues to experience rapid deforestation, which threatens frugivorous bat diversity even where individual species lack adequate data for formal threat assessment.

Compact Weaver

<em>Ploceus superciliosus</em>, the compact weaver, is a small passerine bird in the family Ploceidae found across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal and Guinea in the west to Uganda and western Kenya in the east. Weavers of the genus Ploceus are renowned for their elaborate, intricately woven nests constructed by males as part of their breeding display, representing some of the most architecturally complex avian structures. The compact weaver inhabits forest edges, secondary growth, tall grasslands, and wooded savanna, often near water, showing preference for areas with abundant tall grass and reeds for nest attachment. It is typically found at low to medium elevations across the West and Central African forest zone. Males display distinctive yellowish-olive plumage with a chestnut-brown supercilium and dark mask, while females are more cryptically coloured. The species is primarily granivorous, feeding on grass seeds and small insects, particularly during the breeding season when protein-rich invertebrates are important for chick development. The IUCN classifies the compact weaver as Least Concern, reflecting its relatively widespread distribution and tolerance for secondary and disturbed habitats. Biological traits including average lifespan, body mass, and detailed population estimates remain poorly documented compared to more intensively studied weaver species. It is a social species typically nesting in small colonies.