Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
Although the range of this species is moderately restricted, it exceeds thresholds for listing as threatened under the range size criterion. The population trend is not known, but the population is not suspected to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion. The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to be very small and there is insufficient information to infer a continuing population decline. The largest uncertainties remain around population size which requires additional sampling effort, and trend which requires monitoring at known sites. Given the wide availability of appropriate habitat in multiple separate and extensive areas, and lack of clear direct threats to the species, it is judged that should the population size prove to be below 10,000 mature individuals, it would still not meet appropriate sub criteria for listing as threatened. For these reasons Katanga Masked-weaver is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
This is a poorly known species and no population estimates are available. It remains relatively easy to encounter at known sites such as Bengweulu (eBird 2023), though does not congregate in large numbers. The area of apparently suitable habitat for the species is large and very poorly surveyed, suggesting that the population is unlikely to be small despite the restricted range. There is no evidence that the area of suitable habitat has reduced significantly at known sites, many of which are protected. Given the lack of information available the population size is considered unknown.
Trend justification
At the known sites for the species habitat extent appears to be largely unchanged over at least several decades and there do not seem to be direct threats operating that may be driving population reductions. However, given the lack of information from Upemba and low level of coverage elsewhere in the range the current population trend is considered unknown, but is not suspected to be suffering a rapid reduction.
The species occurs in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and northern and western parts of northeast Zambia south the the Bangweulu area. Two subspecies are recognised, with the very poorly known P. katangae upembae occurring around Upemba National Park in DR Congo, while the nominate occurs around Lake Mweru east to a small portion of the south western shore of Lake Tanganyika (around Nsumbu and Nkamba bays at least) and separately in suitable parts of the Bangweulu Game Management Area. There is no indication that the range of the species has changed over recent decades (Craig et al. 2022). Due to the difficulty in accessing Upemba National Park there have been no records of this subspecies for more than a decade and there are few specimens. It is known from only three sites within the Upemba marshes; Bukama, Mabwe and Kadia but also non-breeding individuals were collected away from marshes at Kiambi and Manono (Louette and Hasson 2009, Craig et al. 2022). Birds in non-breeding plumage from areas further south may also refer to this taxon, as may a report from Lake Tanganyika (Louette and Hasson 2009), though this is within the range of the nominate. Boundaries for the latter are also poorly known and masked-weavers seen further south in Zambia may be this species (Dowsett et al. 2008), suggesting potential occurrence over a larger range than so far documented.
It breeds in freshwater swamps with extensive reed and papyrus at elevations of between 500 and 1,500 metres. Nests may be in small colonies or may be solitary: apparently sociality is unknown in the Upemba subspecies (Fry and Keith 2004). The nominate is suspected to be polygynous (Fry and Keith 2004, Craig et al. 2022). Flocks of non-breeding birds have been recorded up to 7 km from water in miombo woodland but may also remain in swamps year round (Fry and Keith 2004, Dowsett et al. 2008, Craig et al. 2022).
Text account compilers
Martin, R.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Katanga Masked Weaver Ploceus katangae. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/katanga-masked-weaver-ploceus-katangae on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.