Flap of luxury: The giant nests built on telephone poles that can house 500 birds and feature separate breeding and roosting chambers in South Africa
- Nests can weigh up to one ton and can hold more than 100 tiny sociable weaver birds over many years
- Male weaver birds build the nests on telegraph poles or on the ground using twigs and grass to attract a mate
- Steve Toon, 56, and his wife Ann, 60, captured the nests in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Northern Cape
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The lack of trees found in the desert hasn’t stopped these birds from building enormous nests.
These extraordinary photographs illustrate a series of giant nests built on telephone poles and road signs, which can house up to 500 birds.
The incredible haystack-looking nests were captured in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa’s Northern Cape province and are built by sociable weaver birds, who live in large colonies.
The intricate homes even have separate breeding and roosting chambers and are insulated so the sociable weavers can escape the 104F (40C) heat during the day.
Miraculously, the nests can reach up to 13 feet in height and can weigh over a ton – despite the birds only coming in at 5.5 inches in length on average.
Steve Toon, 56, and his wife Ann, 60, of Tarset, Northumberland, photographed the impressive nests and said they were ‘fascinated and awestruck’ by the huge structures.
An extraordinary photograph illustrates an enormous nests built on a telephone pole and which can house up to 500 birds
![The incredible haystack-looking nests were captured by photographers in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa's Northern Cape province](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595960-6772691-image-m-69_1551783881813.jpg)
![An extraordinary giant nest](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595968-6772691-image-a-70_1551783886992.jpg)
Incredible haystack-looking nests, which are built by sociable weaver birds, are captured by photographers in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa’s Northern Cape province
![The intricate homes has separate breeding and roosting holes (pictured ) and is insulated so the sociable weavers can escape the 104F (40C) heat during the day](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595958-6772691-image-a-73_1551783897232.jpg)
The intricate homes has separate breeding and roosting holes (pictured ) and is insulated so the sociable weavers can escape the 104F (40C) heat during the day
![Miraculously, the nests can reach up to 13 feet in height and can weigh over a tonne - despite the birds only coming in at 5.5 inches in length on average](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595966-6772691-image-m-93_1551784029818.jpg)
![A sociable weaver](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595980-6772691-image-a-94_1551784032494.jpg)
The birds build their nests with pieces of dry grass. Sociable weavers only come in at 5.5 inches in length on average but their nests can reach up to 13 feet in height and can weigh over a ton
![A sociable weaver next sits on top of a road sign. These structures allow the birds to colonise areas they would otherwise avoid due to a lack of trees](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595978-6772691-image-a-80_1551783945025.jpg)
A sociable weaver next sits on top of a road sign. These structures allow the birds to colonise areas they would otherwise avoid due to a lack of trees
![Multiple telephone poles in a row are used as platforms for nests, home to hundreds of sociable weavers, who stay in large colonies](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595976-6772691-image-a-88_1551783985141.jpg)
Multiple telephone poles in a row are used as platforms for nests, home to hundreds of sociable weavers, who stay in large colonies
![A telephone pole and the wire in between them are used by the birds to set up camp, with each nest taking on a vastly different shape](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595954-6772691-image-a-89_1551784004800.jpg)
A telephone pole and the wire in between them are used by the birds to set up camp, with each nest taking on a vastly different shape
![Homes don't grow on trees: Faced with a sparse landscape and little chance of shelter in the desert, weaver birds make these huge nests which can be used by birds for 100 years](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595972-6772691-image-m-85_1551783963149.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595964-6772691-image-a-86_1551783968242.jpg)
Homes don’t grow on trees: Faced with a sparse landscape and little chance of shelter in the desert, weaver birds make these huge nests which can be used by birds for 100 years
![The male weaver birds build the nests using grass and twigs and they demonstrate their skills to attract a mate](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595962-6772691-image-a-77_1551783923563.jpg)
The male weaver birds build the nests using grass and twigs and they demonstrate their skills to attract a mate
![Steve Toon, 56, and his wife Ann, 60, of Tarset, Northumberland, photographed the impressive nests and said they were 'fascinated and awestruck' by the huge structures](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595970-6772691-image-m-99_1551784045592.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/05/11/10595974-6772691-image-a-100_1551784051793.jpg)
Steve Toon, 56, and his wife Ann, 60, of Tarset, Northumberland, photographed the impressive nests and said they were ‘fascinated and awestruck’ by the huge structures