Lesser masked weaver
Male
A female with pale leg and iris colour
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Ploceidae
Genus:	Ploceus
Species:	P. intermedius
Binomial name
Ploceus intermedius Rüppell, 1845

The lesser masked weaver (Ploceus intermedius) is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It builds its nests in large colonies, often alongside the village weaver and sometimes the red-billed buffalo weaver. This species is commonly parasitised by the Diederik cuckoo. It is found in eastern, south-eastern and southern Africa.

Taxonomy and systematics

There are two subspecies:^[2]

• P. i. intermedius Rüppell, 1845 – From Djibouti to central Tanzania
• P. i. cabanisii (W. K. H. Peters, 1868) – African west coast and southern Africa

Synonyms are P. i. beattyi in Angola and P. i. luebberti in Namibia