Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence under 20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as uncommon in much of its range (Fry and Keith 2004). The population is suspected to be in decline owing to disturbance of its wetland habitat in south Mozambique and Botswana (Fry and Keith 2004). There have been no recent records from some areas where it was previously recorded, however there do not appear to have been significant declines in least Malawi or Zambia (F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 2005, P. Leonard in litt. 2005, S. K. K. Olofson in litt. 2005).
Trend justification
The population is suspected to be in decline owing to disturbance of its wetland habitat in south Mozambique and Botswana (Fry and Keith 2004). There have been no recent records from some areas where it was previously recorded, however there do not appear to have been significant declines in least Malawi or Zambia ( F. Dowsett-Lemaire and R. Dowsett in litt. 2005, P. Leonard in litt. 2005, S. K. K. Olofson in litt. 2005).
This species is endemic to south and east Africa, where it occurs in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This is a social species which breeds in papyrus, reedbeds and shrubbery overhanging water, at around 1,750 m elevation (van Perlo 1995). Colonies of up to 300 nests have been found in areas of suitable habitat.
Disturbance of its wetland habitat threatens the species in south Mozambique and Botswana (Fry and Keith 2004).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Southern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus xanthopterus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/southern-brown-throated-weaver-ploceus-xanthopterus on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.