• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	A2cd+3cd+4cd; C2a(i)	A2cd+3cd+4cd; C2a(i); D1

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2021	Endangered	A2cd+3cd+4cd; C2a(i)
2018	Vulnerable	A2cd+3cd+4cd;C2a(i)
2016	Vulnerable	A2cd+3cd+4cd;C2a(i)
2012	Vulnerable	A2cd+3cd+4cd;C2a(i)
2008	Vulnerable	A2c,d; A3c,d; A4c,d; C2a(i)
2004	Vulnerable
2000	Vulnerable
1996	Vulnerable
1994	Vulnerable
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	649,000 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	250-999 mature individuals	medium	estimated	2017
Population trend	decreasing	poor	inferred	2012-2023
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.45 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: Based on surveys conducted by Bhargava (2017) maximum numbers were fewer than 200 in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh together, and fewer than 300 in north-east India. However, the study also reported rapid declines in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, suggesting this number may be even lower today. The population in the Nepalese stronghold has been most recently counted as 254 individuals, following an expanded survey effort (Bird Conservation Nepal 2020), but nesting surveys in 2020 showed a continuing decline in the number of active nests and breeding birds, with 66 nests in 2020 down from 115 in 2019, and 133 birds down from 177 (Poudyal et al. 2020). Overall, the number of mature individuals is considered most likely to be 210–300 mature individuals in the western population and 200–250 in the eastern population. There may be a small number remaining in the disjunct West Bengal population, however there are few recent records from this area (Bhargava et al. 2017). The population is therefore suspected to fall in the band of 410–600 mature individuals, and estimated to lie within a wider band of 250–999 mature individuals, with no subpopulation larger than 250 mature individuals.

Trend justification: The population is inferred to be declining owing to the conversion of terai habitats for agriculture and industrial development as well as the effects of trapping for the cage-bird trade (Bhargava 2017). 

The rate of this decline is suspected to be severe. The most well-studied area, Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhan, showed a reduction from 220 to 35 individuals between 2002-2017. This decline of 84% over 15 years is equivalent to a rate of decline of 72% over three generations (10.5 years [Bird et al. 2020]). Declines have also been noted in the species's Nepalese stronghold, Shuklaphanta National Park, where the population was previously increasing. The population is estimated to have decreased from 300 individuals in 2017 to 254 individuals in 2021 (Bird Conservation Nepal 2020).

The trend of the southern population (West Bengal) is not clear due to the very small number of recent sightings: In 2008 and 2009, the species had been seen in some locations, but while there appears to be suitable habitat in the area, there has not been a confirmed sighting of this species since 2009 (Bhargava 2017).

Due to the rapid declines in Udham Singh Nagar, and Shuklaphanta National Park, and the reports of its disappearance from other former locations, it is suspected that overall this species is experiencing rapid declines in excess of 50% but most likely below 80% over three generations. Based on the threats, there is no reason to suspect that these rates of reduction will not continue.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
India	extant	native	yes
Nepal	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
India	Buxa Tiger Reserve (National Park)
India	Dibru - Saikhowa Complex
India	Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Kaziranga National Park
India	Kurra Jheel
India	Manas National Park
India	Manas Reserve Forest
India	Okhla Bird Sanctuary
India	Orang National Park
India	Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Sultanpur National Park
Nepal	Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Koshi Barrage
Nepal	Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable Land	suitable	resident
Artificial/Terrestrial	Plantations	suitable	resident
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded	major	resident
Altitude		Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Very Rapid Declines		High Impact: 8
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Very Rapid Declines		High Impact: 8
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Wood & pulp plantations - Agro-industry plantations	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Very Rapid Declines		High Impact: 8
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Wood & pulp plantations - Small-holder plantations	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Rapid Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases - Corvus macrorhynchos	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases - Corvus splendens	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Residential & commercial development	Commercial & industrial areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem conversion
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem conversion
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem conversion

Purpose	Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture	subsistence, national

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Finn's Weaver Ploceus megarhynchus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/finns-weaver-ploceus-megarhynchus on 21/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 21/12/2024.