Tejedor del Ruvu

Male Ruvu weavers are bright yellow with an orange face. The dark brown eye is a key distinguishing feature from male African golden-weavers, which have red eyes. The wings of male Ruvu weavers are pale yellow, with the palest plumage on the tertials. Females are olive in colour with a bicoloured bill, dark on the maxilla and pale on the mandible. Ruvu weaver measures 12cm in length and is smaller than African golden-weaver.

The Ruvu weaver has a restricted distribution in Tanzania, being found along the Ruvu, Wami, and Rufiji river basins, including the Selous Game Reserve from Lake Tagalala to the Rufiji River. The species was also recently found on the Ngerengere River near Morogoro, which joins the Ruvu River further east. The weaver is found in riverine habitat with bushes and reeds, such as bamboos and Phragmites.