The Baya Weaver

Male weaver in breeding period

The Weaver bird is undoubtedly one of the most well-known birds in India. And its name tells us all - it is their nests that make them so famous. We all know of retort-shaped nests hanging from trees. Here I am listing the "Baya" Weaver bird.
It is a very easy bird to catch sight of, too - they prefer low-height bushes close to cultivated land for their nests. I know of a whole colony of weavers next to a small village, Sriramapura, which is about 9 kms from Shimoga city. Near Shimoga, you just have to drive out along the Tunga Channels and grain fields - you are sure to catch these pretty soon.
What makes these interesting is the change in plumage during the breeding period - males change from sparrow-like common birds to bright yellow-coloured birds.

Salim Ali lists two other weaver birds, Straited and Blackthroated weaver, as quite common to India. But as far as my observations go, the Baya bird is the most common. Also, when in non-breeding period, weaver is very much lika a house sparrow, which makes identifying this slightly tricky if you are not sure what you are looking for. Almost always people identify these through their nests.

Scientific name for this bird is Ploceus Philippinus.