Photo: (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY) / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Usambara Weaver
Ploceus nicolli
Usambara Weaver (Ploceus nicolli) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Usambara Weaver (Ploceus nicolli) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 29.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Ploceidae Weavers, Widowbirds
- Genus Ploceus
- Species nicolli
Quick facts
- Weight
- 29.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Usambara Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Usambara Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Usambara Weaver (Ploceus nicolli) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Tanzania.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 29.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.4 cm and a tail of around 4.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7,826 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Usambara Weaver?
The Usambara Weaver is a small bird that weighs around 29.8 g.
Where does the Usambara Weaver live?
The Usambara Weaver is found across Africa with a range covering AF Tanzania, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Usambara Weaver belong to?
The Usambara Weaver (Ploceus nicolli) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Usambara Weaver eat?
The Usambara Weaver is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Usambara Weaver migrate?
The Usambara Weaver is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Usambara Weaver endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Usambara Weaver make?
1 real field recording of the Usambara Weaver — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Usambara Weaver's range?
The Usambara Weaver has a mapped global range of about 7,826 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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