This Slender-billed weaver has built its nest in a papyrus swamp and has managed to use some of the existing straws to build the nest. The male wears a black mask while the female, unusually, lacks markings on her yellow face. Both have unusually long, slender bills for being weavers. The species breeds in various types of wetlands, sometimes also in adjacent savannah and shrubland. Compared to other weavers, it is not as social and is usually seen in pairs or small groups.