Ploceus nicolli
The Usambara Weaver (Ploceus nicolli) is a striking yet elusive passerine, a jewel of the Afromontane forests of East Africa. Measuring approximately 13 cm (5.1 in) in length and weighing around 18-24 grams, this small weaver exhibits moderate sexual dimorphism. Males typically display a glossy black head, olive-green upperparts, a yellow belly, and a distinctive golden-yellow vent, contrasting with dark brown eyes and a stout conical bill. Females are generally duller, with a less intense bl...
This species primarily inhabits the mid-storey and understory of undisturbed montane and submontane evergreen forests, particularly favoring areas with bamboo thickets. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 800 to 1,500 meters above sea level.
Its diet consists primarily of small insects and other invertebrates, which it gleans from foliage and bark in the forest understory. It may also consume some small seeds or fruit, but insects are the staple.
The Usambara Weaver is a generally inconspicuous and relatively quiet species, often observed foraging solitarily or in pairs, though it may join mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly with other small insectivorous birds. Daily activity patterns are typical of diurnal forest passerines, spe...
The Usambara Weaver has an extremely restricted and fragmented range, endemic to the montane evergreen forests of eastern Tanzania. Its primary distribution is within the East Usambara Mountains, particularly the Amani Nature Reserve, and the West Usambara Mountains. Isolated populations also per...
Endangered
- The Usambara Weaver is so rare that it was once thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1989. - It is named after the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania, its primary stronghold and the location where it was first discovered. - Unlike many weavers that build conspicuous colonial nests, this s...