Conservation and Management

This species was classified as Near Threatened in the 2004 IUCN assessment because it is suspected to be experiencing a moderately rapid population decline, owing to habitat destruction and degradation across its range (61 BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Ploceus olivaceiceps. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/02/2023 Close ).

Previously this weaver was listed as Unknown (Lower Risk/Least Concern) Red Data status (61 BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Ploceus olivaceiceps. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/02/2023 Close ). In 2000, this was changed to Unknown (Lower Risk/Near Threatened ) due to habitat destruction in its range (60 Stattersfield, A. J., and D. R. Capper, Editors (2000). Threatened Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. Close ). Following a detailed study of the ecology of the population at Panda, southern Mozambique, it was recommended that the species conservation status be considered near-threatened (32 Nuttall, D. B., and V. Parker (2001). An overview of the history and distribution of the Olive-headed Weaver, Ploceus olivaceiceps, with preliminary observations of a sub-population near Panda, Mozambique. Ostrich 2:101-104. Close ). In 2004 this was upgraded to Globally Near Threatened because of its small, fragmented population and ongoing habitat loss from logging and slash-and-burn subsistence farming (61 BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Ploceus olivaceiceps. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/02/2023 Close ).

Habitat Loss and Degradation

The main threat to the survival of Olive-headed Weaver is habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture and commercial logging (32 Nuttall, D. B., and V. Parker (2001). An overview of the history and distribution of the Olive-headed Weaver, Ploceus olivaceiceps, with preliminary observations of a sub-population near Panda, Mozambique. Ostrich 2:101-104. Close ). In the Panda area of southern Mozambique, deforestation has caused a major decline in the species. The Muanza area in Mozambique has been subject to widespread and intensive logging, and Olive-headed Weaver is thought to now be extinct at this site (32 Nuttall, D. B., and V. Parker (2001). An overview of the history and distribution of the Olive-headed Weaver, Ploceus olivaceiceps, with preliminary observations of a sub-population near Panda, Mozambique. Ostrich 2:101-104. Close ). In central Mozambique, its potential range is contracting as a result of deforestation in the eastern part of the Angonia Plateau, where timber is extracted for export to Malawi as firewood (43 Parker, V. (2005). The Atlas of the Birds of Central Mozambique. Endangered Wildlife Trust and Avian Demography Unit, Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). In Malawi, it is no longer reported from several sites (see Historical Changes to the Distribution); these sites are areas that are under cultivation where most of the miombo has disappeared (41 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2006). The Birds of Malawi: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ). Within a given area, Olive-headed Weaver generally selects the largest trees for nesting, which are also the trees targeted by loggers (2 Nuttall, D. B. (2001). Sustaining human and non-human animal populations: from competition to coexistence - a model. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Close ); these mature trees also have dense Usnea lichen clumps, a key requirement for nesting. The loss of large, mature trees changes the age structure and the microclimate of the woodland, which may have marked effects on lichen populations; the close association of the weaver and Usnea lichens means any impact that may negatively affect the persistence of lichens will have direct negative consequences for this species (32 Nuttall, D. B., and V. Parker (2001). An overview of the history and distribution of the Olive-headed Weaver, Ploceus olivaceiceps, with preliminary observations of a sub-population near Panda, Mozambique. Ostrich 2:101-104. Close ).

Human/Research Impacts

There may be unwarranted and excessive collecting of bird specimens for scientific studies and museum collections in Malawi, including at least two Olive-headed Weaver, one of which was a female with a brood patch which would probably have caused the loss of an active breeding attempt (62 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., J. G. M. Wilson, R. D. Medland, and L. Roxburgh (2015). Excessive bird collecting in Malawi: a new threat. Bird Conservation International 25(3):259-269 Close ). This may not be a major threat for this localized species, but it needs to be monitored.

Conservation Areas

Olive-headed Weaver is nowhere common, and the majority of populations fall outside of legally protected areas. Many populations occur in forest reserves that are inadequately protected (41 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2006). The Birds of Malawi: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close , 34 Dowsett, R. J., D. R. Aspinwall, and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2008). The Birds of Zambia. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ). In Malawi, it is present in only one national park (Kasungu National Park) and occurs marginally in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve; most sites are in forest reserves (41 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., and R. J. Dowsett (2006). The Birds of Malawi: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ). In Zambia, it occurs in only one national park (Lukususi National Park), and it is present in a few forest reserves that are under heavy human pressure, such as Chimaliro (34 Dowsett, R. J., D. R. Aspinwall, and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2008). The Birds of Zambia. Tauraco Press & Aves, Liège, Belgium. Close ).

Conservation Measures and Habitat Management

Subsistence-level farmers have no other means of support, so viable alternatives need to be found to enable these farmers to adopt more sustainable farming practices (45 Grobbelaar, J. (2003). Olive-headed Weaver revealed. Africa. Birds & Birding 8(2):36-43. Close ). Most Olive-headed Weaver populations in Malawi are found in forest reserves, some of which still have extensive tracts of miombo forest. Still, poor management practices in some of these reserves have resulted in extensive loss of habitat due to wood harvesting (62 Dowsett-Lemaire, F., J. G. M. Wilson, R. D. Medland, and L. Roxburgh (2015). Excessive bird collecting in Malawi: a new threat. Bird Conservation International 25(3):259-269 Close ), and these reserves need to be monitored and afforded better protection.