Habitat
Montane evergreen forest, as well as forest edge, disturbed forest, plantations, and in cultivated areas, but only where mature trees still exist.
East and West Usambara, Uluguru and Udzungwa Mts, in eastern Tanzania.
Population
Estimated population is 1,000 - 2,499 (2010) and decreasing.
Status EN
Habitat destruction and degradation through clearing or altering forest for agriculture, replacing natural forest with plantations, cutting timber and collecting firewood, is the main threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Habits
Usually in mixed-species parties, often with Forest Weaver (Ploceus bicolor).
Voice
A soft but rather high pitched 'si swee-ee'. Rather vocal when feeding. Voice very similar to that of Grey Cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris caesius).
Usambara Weaver (Ploceus nicolli) [XC510345]
by Abdulrahman Adam from Magamba forest reserve, Tanga, Tanzania (call)
Usambara Weaver (Ploceus nicolli) [XC510342]
by Peter Boesman from Magamba forest reserve, Tanga, Tanzania (song)
Subspecies
May form a superspecies with Olive-headed Weaver (Ploceus olivaceiceps), and formerly treated as conspecific. Birds in south of range sometimes recognized as subspecies anderseni, separated by minor plumage details from birds in rest of species' range, but differences considered too trivial to warrant naming of geographical subspecies.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
nicolli Sclater, 1931 - Tanzania.
anderseni Franzmann, 1983 - North-eastern Tanzania (Uluguru and Udzungwa Mts.).
Similar Species
Forest Weaver (Ploceus bicolor) lacks chestnut breast-band and has ivory colored bill.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet