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HISTORY MUSi
04 SEP 20
PURCHASl i. THING LIBRA?
Vol 7 No 2 September 2000
Bulletin of the African Bird Club
Records from Gambela, Ethiopia
Peregrine/Barbary Falcon complex in Morocco
Breeding biology of several species in north-west Africa
fishing owls in Agenebode, Nigeria
Lesser Flamingo breeding in Mauritania
Banded Kestrel
behaviour in Madagascar
Sad story of Alaotra Grebe
Glossy Starlings field ID
Kakamega Forest schools project
African Broadbill range extension
ISSN 1 352-481 X
African
The African Bird Club aims to:
provide a worldwide focus for African ornithology
encourage an interest in the conservation of the birds of the region
liaise with and promote the work of existing regional societies
publish a twice-yearly colour bulletin
encourage observers to visit lesser known areas of the region
encourage observers to actively search for globally threatened and near-threatened species
develop a Conservation Research Fund Registered Charity No 1053920
ABC Web site
http :/ /www. africanbirdclub . org
Bird Club
ABC Council
Phil Atkinson (Chairman), Keith Betton, Richard Butler, Mark Catterall, Stan Davies, Roy Hargreaves, Moira Hargreaves, Gordon Holtshausen, Paul Lascelles, Rob Lucking. Bill Quantrill (Secretary), Alan Williams (Treasurer) and John Wyatt. President: Martin Woodcock
Bulletin Editorial Team
Guy Kirwan (Managing Editor), Mark Andrews, Phil Atkinson. Mark Cocker, Ron Demey, Lincoln Fishpool, Peter Lack, Rob Lucking, Rodney Martins, Roger Safford and Richard Webb.
Membership of the ABC
Membership of the ABC is open to all and costs, per annum, UK<£15 Individual (Africa & Europe), UKA17 Individual (Rest of the World), UK£18 Family ( Africa & Europe ), UK£20 Family (Rest of the World), UK£8 Student (Africa & Europe), UK£10 Student (Rest of the World), UK£25 Libraries/Institu- tions, UK£25 minimum Supporting Member , or UK£300 Life Member. To join or for further details please write to the Membership Secretary, African Bird Club, c/o BirdLife Inter- national, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ONA, UK.
The Bulletin of the African Bird Club
The Bulletin of the ABC provides a forum for news, letters, notices, recent publications, preliminary expedition results, reviews and preliminary or interim publication of studies on African birds by contributors from all parts of the world. Publication of interim results in the Bulletin of the ABC does
not preclude publication of final results as journal papers either by the ABC or elsewhere. No material should, however, be submitted simultaneously to the Bulletin of the ABC and to any other publication.
Notes for Contributors
The ABC welcomes original contributions on all aspects of the birds of Africa. Africa is here defined as the area covered by Collar, N.J. & Stuart, S.N. 1985. Threatened birds of Africa and related islands: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book, Part 1. Cam- bridge: International Council for Bird Preservation, namely continental Africa, Indian Ocean islands west of 80°E, eg Madagascar, the Mascarene Islands and Socotra; Atlantic Ocean islands on or east of the mid-Atlantic ridge, eg the Tristan da Cunha group, the Azores and the Canaries.
Contributions will be accepted subject to editing and refereeing by independent referees, where appropriate. The material published is divided into Papers, Short Notes, News & Comment, Discoveries, Reviews, Literature Gleanings, Recent Reports and Letters. The Editorial Team will be happy to advise authors on the acceptability of material at draft stage if desired.
Submissions
Two copies of contributions should be submitted. Typewritten manuscripts should have double-spaced lines, on one side of the paper only, with wide margins all round. Clear handwritten manuscripts are also acceptable. All submissions will be acknowledged.
Contributions will be accepted in English or French: French summaries, as well as table and figure captions, will be printed for all major papers published in English, and vice versa. Those submitting major papers should supply a summary for translation into English, or French, as appropriate.
If possible, please submit your contribution on floppy disk and state computer (eg IBM compatible PC, Macintosh) and word-processing package (eg Word, WordPerfect) used: please note that Amstrad PCW disks are not acceptable.
When you send your contribution on disk, please do not key anything in ALL CAPS (ie with the CAPS LOCK key depressed) unless the combination always occurs in that form (eg ‘USA’). Do not use the carriage return key at the end of lines, and do not right justify the margins. When formatting tables use one tab, and not spaces, between each column. Please always send two hard (printed) copies in addition.
Preferred names
With the current instability over worldwide lists of bird names, authors are requested to follow those used in Birds of Africa Vols 1-5. For species not yet covered, please use appropriate regional handbooks and checklists eg Roberts for Southern Africa, Zimmerman etal for East Africa and Dowsett & Forbes- Watson for all non Birds of Africa species, eg from the Malagasy region. Deviation from such works should be noted and the reasons given. The Editorial Team will keep abreast of changes in nomenclature and when an agreed list of African names is available, will consider switching to follow it.
Unless a sketch map is provided as part of the article, the names of places should, if possible, follow those on standard or readily available maps.
(continued inside back cover...)
©2000 Copyright African Bird Club and contributors. Quotations should carry a full acknowledgement. No part etc may be reproduced, copied or stored in a retrieval system without the prior written permission of the Club or authors.
Contents
Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2
News & Comment Features
86 Club News
Compiled by Paul Lascelles
89 Minutes of Sixth AGM
90 Advertising rates
91 ABC Conservation Programme
92 Africa Round-up
Compiled by Ron Demey and Guy Kirwan
96 Requests for Information 106 Conservation Fund Update 132 Discoveries
A nest of Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas constructed on a tree
Matthias Waltert and Michael Muhlenberg
Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus and Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita bicolor, new
to Benin
Maarten van den Akker
African Swallow-tailed Kite
Chelictinia riocourii breeding in the Saloum Delta, Senegal
R.E. Brasseur
141 Photospot
Star-spotted Nightjar
Michael Mills and Claire Spottiswoode
144 Recent Reports
Compiled by Ron Demey
152 Reviews
1 53 Letters
97
101
104
107
109
111
115
119
128
135
Records from Gambela, western Ethiopia
Claire Spottiswoode and Michael Mills
Taxonomy of the Peregrine Falco peregrinus / Barbary Falcon F. ( peregrinus ) pelegrinoides complex in Morocco
Valery Schollaert and Gilles Willem
Notes on the breeding biology of several species in north-west Africa
Peter Castell
Fishing owls at Agenebode, Nigeria
Anthony Turk
Suspected breeding of Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor in Mauritania
Olivier Hamerlynck and Brahim ould Messaoud
Behaviour of Banded Kestrel Falco zoniventris in western Madagascar: a possible foraging association with Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata
Ruth E. Tingay and Martin Gilbert
The sad story of Alaotra Grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus
Frank Hawkins, Rado Andriamasimanana, Sam The Seing and Zarine Raheony
Identifying glossy starlings in the field
Adrian Craig
Kakamega Forest: a living classroom for the growing generation
Solomon Mwangi
Range extension of African Broadbill Smithornis capensis into Soutpansberg, Northern Province,
South Africa
C.T. Symes and M.R. Perrin
Front cover plate
Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas by Mark Andrews
Illustrations
Mark Andrews, Nik Borrow, Craig Robson, Colin Towe
Photographs
Peter Castell, W.S. Clark, Olivier Hamerlynck, A.P. Leventis. Michael Mills, Solomon Ngari, Claire Spottiswoode, Craig Symes. Paul Thompson, Anthony Turk, Maarten van den Akker. Johan Verbauck, Matthias Waltert
Bui! ABC Vo! 7 No 2 - 85
Club News
Anyone with information they feel would be of interest to the member- ship for publication in Club News should send it to the Club Secretary or by e-mail to:
paullascelles@hotmail.com
The Whitley 2000 International Conservation Awards
On 10 December 1999, Fleur Ng’weno, an ABC member in Kenya, was short- listed for the Whitley Award Scheme for International Nature Conservation. Fleur has become a prominent figure in Kenyan conservation, having led bird walks around Nairobi for almost 30 years. She has also been campaigning to establish a biodiversity park on the city’s outskirts. This is the world’s largest conservation award, with UK£200,000 being made available each session in five awards, ranging from UK£5,000 to UK£50,000. Fleur was short-listed from the applications of 68 conservationists worldwide. The awards are administered by the Royal Geographic Society, e-mail: grants@rgs.org.
PAOC
The Club has sponsored two full and one student place at the Pan-African Ornithological Congress this September, for Council members to represent and promote the Club throughout the event. Also, UK£2,500 will be made available to support the presence of African nationals, including those presenting papers and posters at the congress.
ABC membership
Club membership is again projected at cl, 300 members in 2000, with 187 currently not renewed. If you have not already done so, please re-subscribe for 2000, or 2001, by completing and returning the membership renewal form enclosed with this bulletin.
Supported and affiliated membership
The Supporting Members scheme is a key part of the Club’s strategy of encouraging the spread of knowledge and understanding of birds as widely as possible throughout Africa. The
scheme enables Africans who would not otherwise have the resources to join, to become members of the Club. The scheme is funded by Supporting Members who pay a minimum of UK£25 to cover their own membership and the subscription of at least one African member. The money they contribute over and above their own subscription is placed in a special fund that is used to cover the membership expenses of African members whom they may have nominated, or who have been nominated by other Club members.
Although we have suggested a minimum of UK£25 to become a Supporting Member, any contribution is welcome. All members of the Club, even if they do not feel able to become Supporting Members themselves, are invited to nominate candidates for supported memberships. Candidates should be nationals of an African country, with a genuine interest in wild birds but without the resources to become members in their own right. African who think they may qualify are very welcome to put their own names forward, supported by a letter of recommendation from someone such as their employer, teacher or an officeholder in a local wildlife organisation.
The scheme now also includes Clubs who wish to be affiliated with the African Bird Club in African countries where it is difficult for local individuals to become members in their own right. Clubs accepted for membership under the scheme receive up to six copies of each issue of the bulletin for circulation among their members. Instead of paying a membership fee, Clubs are asked to provide a short annual report on their activities that may be published in the bulletin. Clubs interested in becoming Affiliated Member Clubs are invited to apply to the ABC Secretary giving details of their membership, their constitution or a statement of their objectives and conditions of their membership, and their activities to date.
ABC e-mailing list
With our membership scattered in over 60 countries, e-mail provides a quick, convenient and inexpensive means of maintaining contact with our members. We now have e-mail addresses for c33% of the membership, but are sure there are many other members' addresses are not in the Club’s records. If you have not already done so, please let the Club Secretary know your e-mail address by contacting wquantrill@msn.com. At the same time, please let the Secretary know if you are willing for your address to be added to the general Club mailing list. As well as using e-mail to communicate with members individually, a general Club mailing list has been compiled, used for sending messages to the membership collectively. The addresses on this list are confidential and not divulged to any outside individual or organisation, and will not be used for commercial purposes. Members are welcome to use this list to circulate their own requests for information or advice, identification queries etc, but not, of course, to send commercial messages. If you have a query or request that you would like to address to the membership please let the Secretary know, either by e-mail at the address given above, or if you do not have e- mail, by post to the Club’s usual postal address.
ABC information service
ABC offers a service to help members with information requests. Perhaps you are planning a trip to Africa and need local advice, or maybe you are in search of an obscure fact about an African species. The Club does not guarantee to find all the answers but will try to help. The service is free to ABC members. Contact: Keith Betton, who is also cutodian of ABC’s journal library, at 8 Dukes Close, Folly Hill, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 ODR, UK. Tel: +44 1252 724068. Fax: +44 171 637 5626. E-mail: kbetton@abta.co.uk.
86 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Club News
ABC Representatives Scheme
Due to an increased workload, Vicki Lucking has been forced to hand-over the scheme's reins to Paul Lascelles. The current listing of ABC Representatives contains a number of amendments to that found in the previous bulletin.
Australia: K. David Bishop, P O Box 6068, Kincumber, NSW 2251. E-mail: kdbishop@ozemail.au.
Austria: Remo Probst, Radetzystr. 21/ 11, A- 1030, Vienna. E-mail: a8960178@unet.univie.ac. at.
Belgium: Tan Goosens, Vmntebaan 18, 2520 Emblem. Tel/fax: +32 3 488 13 71. E-mail: azv@glo.be.
Botswana: Chris Brewster, Mataschekge Hill School, Private Bag 24, Bobonong. Tel: 819272.
Fax: 819544.
Cameroon: O'Kah Ebwekoh Monya, Mount Cameroon Project, P O Box 437, Limbe.
Canada: Antonio Salvadori, 17 Colborn Street, Guelph, Ontario. NIG 2M4. E-mail:
rosella@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca. Canary Islands/Spain: Tony Clarke c/o Republica Dominicana, No 6l, Barrio de Fatima, 38500 Guimar, Tenerife. E-mail: clark@arrakis.es.
Cote d’Ivoire: Olivier Lachenaud, CIRAD, 01 BP 6483, Abidjan 01. E- mail: lachenaud@cirad.fr.
Denmark: Lars Dinesen,
Sjallandsgade, 37, 3 tv, 2200 Copenhagen N. Tel/Fax: 35367164. E- mail: regulus@inet.unic.dk.
Egypt: Sherif and Mindy Baha El Din,
2 Abdalla El Katib St. Apt. 3, Dokki, Cairo. Tel/Fax: 3608160. E-mail: 103257.1554@compuserve.com. Ethiopia: Ato Mengistu Wondafrash, Ethiopian IBA Program, Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society, P O Box 60074 Adis Ababa.
France: Bob & Franfoise Dowsett, 12 rue des Lavandes, Ganges, F-34190. E- mail: Dowsett@aol.com.
Finland: Annika Forsten, Messenniusgatan 11 B 54, 00250 Helsingfors, Finland. E-mail: annika.forsten@intrum.com.
Gabon: Patrice Christy, BP 2240, Libreville. Fax: c/o ECOFAC, 775534. Ghana: Samuel Kofi Nyame, Ghana Wildlife Society, PO Box 13252 Accra, Hungary: Akos Hivekovics, 10 Zrinyi Street, H-8756 Nagerecse. E-mail: tacshun@elender.hu .
Italy: Giuseppe Micali, Via Savona 71, Milano, MI 1-20144. E-mail: GMicali@USCCMAIL.bms.com.
Kenya: Colin Jackson, PO Box 383,
Watamu. E-mail:
CJJacko@bigfoot.com.
Madagascar: Lily-Arison Rene de Roland, The Peregrine Fund, BP 4113, Antananarivo 101. Tel: +26l 20 22 21546. E-mail: Pfundmad@dts.mg. Morocco: Jacques Franchimont, Dept Biologie Faculte des Sciences de Meknes, B P 4010, Beni M’Hamed 50003, Meknes. E-mail: j . franchimont @ extra . net . ma .
Namibia: Chris Hines, PO Box 22527, Windhoek.
Nigeria: Dr Vincent Ejere, Dept, of Zoology, University of Nigeria,
Nsukka. E-mail: ijay@infoweb.abs.net. Seychelles: Adrian Skerrett, Shipping House, PO Box 336, Victoria, Mahe. Fax: 322978. E-mail: maheship@seychelles.net or askerret@uk.packardbell.org. Tanzania: Maurus Musha, PO Box 70919, Dar es Salaam.
The Gambia: Clive Barlow, The Atlantic Hotel, PO Box 269, Banjul.
Fax: 227861.
Uganda: Prof. Derek Pomeroy, Makerere University Institute of the Environment and Natural Resources, PO Box 7298, Kampala.
USA (West coast): Joe Thompson, 222 South Figueroa St, Apt. 1922, Los Angeles, CA90012, USA. E-mail: Joseph.C.Thompson@kp.org.
Zambia: Pete Leonard, PO Box 630025, Choma. FAX: 032 20621. E- mail: pleonard@zamnet.zm. Zimbabwe: Librarian, Birdlife Zimbabwe, PO Box CY l6l,
Causeway. E-mail: birds@zol.co.zw.
The ABC Representatives scheme aims to support existing members by providing a local point of contact in their region, for example, to answer queries to the Club, to solicit submissions for the bulletin, and possibly to arrange local meetings for members. Existing ABC members can contact their local Representative in the first instance with queries relating to the Club. ABC Representatives help to recruit new members in their region, for example, by distributing posters and arranging local advertising. In Africa, ABC Representatives help to identify opportunities to invest the ABC Conservation Fund and candidates for the Supported Membership scheme.
The Club aims to appoint many further ABC Representatives. If you are interested in supporting and promoting the Club in your region, have any queries, or require further information relating to the ABC
Representatives scheme please do not hesitate to contact Paul Lascelles. E- mail: paullascelles@hotmail.com, or write to 1 Glasgoego Farmhouse, Kinellar, Aberdeen, AB21 ORY, UK.
ABC sales items
The following items are currently available from ABC Sales.
1. ABC Sweatshirt featuring an embroidered ABC logo and ‘African Bird Club Working for Birds in Africa’; black, navy or bottle-green. Sizes: medium, large, extra-large and extra-extra large: UK<£20.
2. Old-style ABC Polo shirt featuring an embroidered ABC logo and ‘African Bird Club. Working for Birds in Africa’, forest-green. Sizes: small and medium only: UK£6.50.
3. New-style ABC Polo shirt featuring an embroidered ABC logo and ‘African Bird Club. Working for Birds in Africa’, bottle-green, navy- blue and black. Sizes: large, extra-large and extra-extra-large only: UK£13.50.
4. New ABC T-shirt featuring Bush Shrikes by Dave Nurney, grey. Sizes: large, extra-large and extra- extra-large only: UK£13.50.
5. ABC T-shirt featuring African Rollers by Mark Andrews, white. Sizes: large and extra large: UK<£9.
6. ABC T-shirt featuring Turacos, white. Sizes: extra large only: UK£9-
7. ABC caps featuring an embroidered ABC logo, black, bottle green, red, maroon and navy: UK£7.
8. ABC enamel badge featuring a Slender-billed Curlew design: UK£1.
9. ABC car and telescope stickers: UK£1.
10. ABC bone-china mugs: 2 designs featuring Carmine Bee-eater or Golden-breasted Starlings by Martin Woodcock: UK£7 or UK£12 a pair.
1 1 . Pen, printed with ‘African Bird Club’ and ABC logo: UK£0.25
12. Pencil, printed with ‘African Bird Club’ and ABC logo: UK£0.15.
13. White-winged Apalis A4 colour print by Nik Borrow from Bull. ABC 2 (2): signed and numbered limited edition of 50 at UK£10; also available unsigned at UK£3-50.
14. Nightjar A4 colour prints by Martin Woodcock from Bull. ABC 2 (2):
Club News
Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2 -87
one print illustrates Mountain and Rwenzori Nightjars, the second depicts Black-shouldered and Fiery-necked Nightjars: UK£3.50 each.
15. Locally designed cards on hand- made paper, produced by the paper making co-operative of the BirdLife International-supported Kilum Mountain Forest Project in Cameroon. A selection of five cards in a hand- woven wallet: UK£5.
16. Self-adhesive ‘re-use envelope’ labels featuring ABC logo. UK£1 for 10
17. Bull. ABC, volume 1, 1994, number 1 and 2: UK£5 each.
18. Bull. ABC, volume 2, 1995, number 1 and 2: UK£6 each.
19. Bull. ABC, volume 3, 1996, number 1 and 2: UK£6 each.
20. Bull. ABC, volume 4, 1997, number 1 and 2: UK£7 each.
21. Bull. ABC, volume 5, 1998, number 1 and 2: UK<£7 each.
22. Bull. ABC, volume 5, 1998, number 1 and 2: UK£7 each.
22. Azores Trip Report, Sep-Oct 1997 by Willem Steenge and Theo Bakker: UK£6.
23. Cameroon Trip Report, Dec 1994— Jan 1995 by Richard Webb: UK<£6.
24. Cameroon Trip Report, Mar-April 1997 by Jon Hornbuckle: UK£4.
25. Cape Verde Trip Report, Mar 1996 by Theo Bakker and Klaas van Dijk: UK£6.50.
26. Ethiopia Trip Report, Dec 1995-Jan 1996 by Richard Webb: UK£7.50.
27. Ethiopia Trip Report, Oct-Nov 1996 by Jon Hornbuckle: UK£4.
28. Ethiopia: In search of endemic birds, Sep-Oct 1997 by Julian Francis and Hadoram Shirihai: UK£10.
29. Ethiopia/Eritrea Trip Report, Mar- May 1998 by David Murdoch:
UK£3.
30. The Gambia, 10-17 Sep 1999 by Stuart Sharp: UK£5.00.
31. Birding Ghana, Feb 1996 by Mindy
and Sherif El Din: UK£-6.50.
32. Ghana Trip Report, Jan-Feb 1997 by Simon Plat: UK£4.
33- Cote d'Ivoire by public transport trip report, Jan-Feb 1995 by Eddie Williams: UK£4.
34. Kenya Trip Report, Feb-Mar 1995 by Mike Hunter and Graham Speight: UK£8.
35. Madagascar and the Comoros, Oct- Nov 1995 by Jon Hornbuckle:
UK£4.
36. Madagascar, Nov-Dec 1997 by Chris Bell, Mike Hunter, Dawn Ross and Malcolm Roxby: UK£3.
37. Madagascar (with Mauritius and Reunion), winter 1997-98 by Brian Gee: UK£9.
38. Madagascar Trip Report by Paul Noakes: UK£2.50.
39. Malawi, March 1997 by Jon Hornbuckle: UK£3.
40. Malawi and the Luangwa Valley, Zambia, Jul-Aug 1997 by Henk Hendriks: UK£8.
41. Namibia and the Cape, Nov 1994 by Jon Hornbuckle: UK£4.
42. Birding Senegal, 10-29 November 1998 by Mindy and Sherif Baha el Din: UK£5.
43. Eastern South Africa and Zimbabwe, Feb-Mar 1997 by Jon Hornbuckle: UK£5.
44. Voyage Naturaliste au Cape Provinces d’Afrique du Sud, Sep- Oct 1997 par Georges et Mireille Olioso: UK£6.
45. Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, Jan-Feb 1996 by Eddie Williams: UK£4.50.
46. Uganda Trip Report, Jun-Aug 1995 by Henk Hendriks: UK£6.50.
47. Wakkerstroom Bird and Nature Guide, by Warwick and Michele Tarboton: UK£4.
48. Birdwatch Zimbabwe, 1991, by Derek Solomon and Jacko Williams: UK£7.
Postage and packing: please send
UK£2 for each UK order, and UK£3 for
each overseas surface mail order. For
overseas airmail please add UK£1.50
for each item ordered.
Orders: payments should be made in pounds sterling by cheque/postal order (payable to African Bird Club) or credit card. Full credit card details are required, please specify: Visa, Access, Mastercard or Eurocard; card number; cardholder's name (as it appears on card); cardholder’s address; expiry’ date; cardholder’s signature; and amount payable. Please be sure to specify your name and address and the full details of your order including quantity, with size and colour where applicable.
Please send your order to African Bird Club, c/o BirdLife International. Wellbrook Court, Girton Road. Cambridge CB3 0NA, United Kingdom. Enquiries may also be sent to ABC Sales Officer, Moira Hargreaves, at the Club’s address or e-mail: Moira.Y.Hargreaves@btinternet.com.
ABC Corporate Sponsorship
Under the terms of the Corporate Sponsorship scheme, a minimum payment of UK£300 entitles a sponsor to benefits under the scheme for a five-year period. Corporate Sponsors receive a full-page advertisement in two bulletins during the five years and can also use the Club's corporate sponsorship logo in adverts and stationery. Contributions under the scheme are allocated directly to the ABC Conservation Fund. Any individual or company with inquiries or suggestions about the scheme should write to Moira Hargreaves at the Club address or e-mail: Moira.Y.Hargreaves@btinternet.com.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to BirdLife International for the use of their offices as a mailing address, Alcedo Publishing of Colorado Springs, USA, and Crowes of Norwich, UK, for their assistance in producing the bulletin. 'f>
88 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Club News
Minutes of the Sixth AGM of the African Bird Club
held on 4 March 2000 at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Thornhaugh Street, London at 14.00 hr
Present
The following registered then- attendance at the meeting:
T Addinell, Philip Adlington, R Allison, Phil Atkinson, David Barker, Keith Betton, Mike Blair, Nik Borrow, Richard Bosanquet, C F Brooks, Dennis Buisson, Richard Butler, Mark Catterall, Nick Chambers, Bob Cheke, P C Cherry, Nigel Cleere, Chris Collins, J P Darch, Marc Depauw, Megan Dickens, S Ecclestone, David Fisher, Lincoln Fishpool, Paul Fuller, F M Gauntlett, Brian Gee, John Hammick, Moira Hargreaves, Roy Hargreaves, Vicki Harley, Dave Harris, Peter Headland, Christopher Helm, Chris Hendley, Mr and Mrs A Holcombe, Gordon Holtshausen, Nigel Jarman,
R J Jeffers, Michael Kings, Paul Lascelles, Mark Lawrence, Russell Leavett, Simon Levene, Duncan Macdonald, Arthur Mason, Christine Mason, Andy Merritt, Tony Morris, John Mujinga, David Porter, Madeleine Prangley, Bill Quantrill, A W Seymour, M P Stanyer, B R Sykes, Jane Tatchell, Don Taylor, Anne Thain, Hazell Thompson, A J Todd, John Walder, T Watson, Alan Williams, Barbara Woodcock and Martin Woodcock.
Apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Patrick Claffey, Jon Gibbons, Joan Howie, Guy Kirwan, Rob and Vicki Lucking, Amberley Moore, Anne Nason, Rowena Quantrill, Nigel Redman, Beau Rowlands, Yvonne Savidge, P J Sellar and Richard Webb.
Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the last meeting were taken as read and approved unanimously.
Matters arising from the minutes
There were no matters arising.
Report of the Council for 1999
In introducing the report, copies of which had been distributed at the meeting, the Chairman noted that membership at the end of 1999 was unchanged from a year previously, at just over 1,300. 1999 was the first year since the Club was founded during which there had been no significant membership growth. Steps were now being taken to promote the Club more actively, particularly in key African countries. Encouraging progress had been made with the Conservation Awards programme, and there had been four successful applications for NHBS/ABC Book Awards. The first of the new Expedition Awards had been made to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation to help finance an expedition to the Oban Hills/Cross River National Park. The Chairman paid tribute to three members of Council who were standing down, Geoff Randall, Jacquie Bridges and Alan Wilkinson, and also thanked the Club’s Corporate Sponsors, as well as the many volunteers who have helped the Club in different ways over the past year.
Looking forward to the coming year, the Chairman announced that Council would be undertaking a wide- ranging review of the Club’s aims and objectives, and of the format and content of the Bulletin. Any member who had strong views on these questions was welcome to participate in the review. The year will see the 10th Pan African Ornithological Congress, to be held in Kampala, at which ABC will be present. Preparations will also continue for the 2nd World Birding Conference, to be held at Swanwick in spring 2001. The Chairman concluded his remarks by appealing for more members to take an active part in the Club, in particular by volunteering for election to Council.
Presentation of the Accounts for 1999 and Treasurer’s Report
In presenting the accounts, copies of which had been distributed at the
meeting, the Treasurer reported that the Club’s finances remained healthy. The increased expenditure on the Bulletin and from the Conservation Account reflected deliberate decisions by Council to spend more on these items, since it was not Club policy to accumulate excessive reserves. The Treasurer also reported that the Inland Revenue had now confirmed that the Club could recover any tax that might have been paid on subscriptions to the Club by members who were UK tax payers. At the moment this should be done by a Deed of Covenant. The government was reported to be considering simplifying the system by eliminating the need for covenants, but for now members were invited to complete and return the deed forms distributed with the latest issue of the Bulletin. There being no questions, the Accounts were approved unanimously.
Election of Council
The following were elected to the African Bird Club Council for 2000:
Phil Atkinson, Keith Betton, Richard Butler, Mark Catterall, Stan Davies, John Farnsworth, Moira Hargreaves, Roy Hargreaves, Gordon Holtshausen, Paul Lascelles, Rob Lucking, Bill Quantrill, Alan Williams and John Wyatt.
Election of Executive Officers
The following were elected as Executive Officers of the Club for 2000:
Chairman: Phil Atkinson Secretary: Bill Quantrill Treasurer: Alan Williams
Appointment of Auditor
Mr B P G Blackler, FCMA, MIMgt was elected as Auditor for 2000.
Any Other Business
There being no other business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 14.30 hr. ff>
AGM Minutes
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -89
African Bird Club— summary statement of accounts at 31 December 1999
(A copy of the full statement may be obtained from the Club Treasurer on request >
Income and Expenditure Account — year to 31 December 1999
Balance Sheet at 31 December 1999
|
Main Account |
Fixed Assets |
|||
|
INCOME |
1999 |
1998 |
Equipment |
1169 |
|
Subscriptions |
16506 |
16844 |
Current Assets |
|
|
Other revenue |
3396 |
2795 |
Stock of goods for resale |
4827 |
|
Bank and Building Society Interest |
372 |
_Z5Q |
Bank and Building Society Balances |
22528 |
|
20274 |
20389 |
22355 |
||
|
Less: |
Less: |
|||
|
Bulletin Costs (including postage) |
14829 |
13120 |
Current Liabilities |
|
|
Income before expenses |
5445 |
7269 |
Subscriptions paid in advance |
7924 |
|
Life memberships |
5496 |
|||
|
EXPENSES |
Sundry creditors |
— 1134 |
||
|
General expenses — stationery, telephone. meeting costs etc Participation at IOC |
3966 |
4400 795 |
Net current assets |
14553 |
|
Total assets |
||||
|
Finance costs — bank charges, depreciation. |
1160 |
1050 |
13971 |
|
|
accountancy etc Total expenses Surplus for year |
5127 318 |
6245 1024 |
Represented by: Accumulated Fund brought forward Surplus for year |
6048 318 |
|
Conservation Account (see Note below) |
Conservation Fund brought forward |
8156 |
||
|
Conservation Fund balance for year |
z55i |
|||
|
INCOME |
13971 |
|||
|
Donations and sponsorship |
633 |
1249 |
||
|
Profit on sales of Club merchandise |
2138 |
1197 |
||
|
Total income |
2771 |
2446 |
||
|
EXPENDITURE |
||||
|
Conservation awards made in year |
3322 |
2290 |
||
|
Balance for year carried forward |
-551 |
156 |
Note: <£8000 was set aside at the end of 1997 to form the Conservation Fund. Profits on sales of Club merchandise and income from donations and sponsorship are now added to this fund.
Advertise in the Bulletin of the ABC
All advertisements must be sent prepaid (cheques made payable to the African Bird Club) as camera- ready copy, bromide/film or on floppy disk to:
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If adverts are sent on floppy disk we can accept Pagemaker 6, CorelDraw7 files or unformatted ASCII text files and uncompressed TIF graphics files. If adverts are prepared on an Apple Mac the dis- kette should be formatted for PC.
The current rates are as follows and are based on a print run of 1,500 copies. These rates are guaran- teed for the March 200 1 Bull ABC.
Please address all queries to Moira Hargreaves at the above address.
African Bird Club Advertising Rates
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Eighth-page |
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Please contact Moira Hargreaves on Tel/Fax: 01442 823624. E-mail: moira.y.hargreaves@btinternet.com (or write to the address given above left.)
Copy deadlines
Spring Bulletin 15 January
Autumn Bulletin 05 June
90 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Advertising Rates
African Bird Club
CONSERVATION PROGRAMME
ABC Conservation Fund
The ABC Conservation Fund supports small conservation projects in Africa. In 1998, seven Conservation Awards totalling over UK£3,000 (US$4,300) were made. These awards embraced a wide range of activities in five countries from environmental education projects to research on endangered species.
ABC Conservation Awards are available to African individuals or institutions or to people normally resident in an African country and the Club welcomes project proposals for funding up to a maximum of UK£750 (US$1,300). Further information on the Conservation Fund and guidelines on how to write a project proposal can be found on the ABC website (http://www.africanbirdclub.org) or obtained from the Club address below.
ABC/NHBS Book Awards
The ABC/NHBS book award scheme is a collaboration between the ABC and the Natural History Book Service. Five book vouchers to the value of UK£100 (US$150) each are awarded annually to successful applicants. The vouchers can be redeemed against books to the same value sold by NHBS. The aim of the award is to promote awareness of birds, birding and bird conservation in Africa and ideally applicants should be able to demonstrate that the material will be available for a wide range of people to consult. The deadline for applications for the 2000/2001 book awards is 31 January 2001.
NHBS catalogues are available on request from NHBS, 2-3 Wills Road, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5XN, UK. E-mail: nhbs@nhbs.co.uk
ABC Expedition Award
The ABC Expedition Award is a new initiative for the year 2000. One award of UK£1,000 (US$1,500) will be made annually. Full details can be found on the ABC website (http :/www. africanbirdclub.org) or obtained from the Club’s address below.
Further information...
For further information about the African Bird Club Conservation Programme, please write to Rob Lucking at: African Bird Club, c/o BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK, or e-mail Rob.Lucking@rspb.org.uk
ABC Conservation Fund
Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2 - 91
Africa Round-up
Isabelline (=Red-tailed) Shrike Lanius isabellinus by Mark Andrews
General
Races of Isabelline Shrike and their nomenclature
Isabelline (=Red-tailed) Shrike Lanius isabellinus is usually regarded as comprising four subspecies, two of which reach Africa in winter, phoenicuroides and speculigerus. D. J. Pearson demonstrates, in a recent paper, that speculigerus is actually a synonym of the nominate race.
Source: Bull. Br. Ornithol. Cl. 120, pp 22-27
Sand plover identification revisited
A recent paper in the journal British Birds, by Erik Hirschfeld and co- authors, has taken a fresh and comprehensive new look at the identification of Greater Charadrius leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers C. mongolus , as well as re-evaluating the global ranges of their subspecies. Illustrated by a series of colour plates, photographs and line drawings (the former and latter by Alan Harris), the paper marks a significant step forward in the identification of these two, frequently misidentified, species, and will be required reading for all shorebird enthusiasts.
Source: Br. Birds 93, pp 162-189
Golden Orioles wintering in Africa
A recent study of the European Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus in Africa
has demonstrated that the species has two main wintering areas (mid- December to February) in the continent: a small area north of the Cameroon and Central African Republic rainforests, and a much larger area south of 05°S. There are no reliable winter records in West Africa. For winter habitats it prefers savannah woodland, forest-savannah mosiac. riverine and gallery forests and Guinea Zone forests, while on migration, which continues until December and commences in February, it will also occasionally use rainforests.
Source: Die Vogelwarte 40. pp 63-79
Satellite-tracked eagles carry UNEP message
In July 1999, several adult Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina were caught in northern Germany by members of the World Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls (WWGBP). These were equipped with solar- powered satellite transmitters, weighing c35 g, which will provide new information about the flyways and roosting sites (stopovers) of these eagles. The fact that they reach even the southernmost areas of the African continent and the coincidence of their presumed arrival in early November when the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS) was holding its 6th Conference of the Parties (COP 6) in Cape Town (4— 16 November 1999) led to the idea of equipping the eagles not only with transmitters but also with a message: ‘This Eagle connects ecosystems of Europe, the Middle East and Africa — Migratory animals are paramount symbols of our common natural heritage’. This message, focusing on the above conference, was addressed to the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, in the name of Prof. Dr Klaus Topfer, the Executive Director of UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). The eagles migration routes, which can be viewed on the Internet (http : //www. dialogis . de/cms/ eagles.html), were displayed in a keynote speech by Dr Topfer during the opening ceremony of the conference. The increase in public awareness of endangered migratory
c:
species throughout the world was the main goal of this symbolic action, which is also supported by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme).
Source: http: www.dialogis.de cms, eagles.html
Recent Ornithological Literature
Not all members may be aware that the AOU/BOU/RAOU literature abstracts are now available freely on the Internet (http:// w w w . n m n h . s i . ed u / B I R D N ET/ ROL/ index.html). This is the most complete bibliography available, it is updated frequently and can be readily converted into a PC database.
Inclusion of the African literature has unfortunately been very incomplete, but with Tauraco taking over responsibility for organising sub- Saharan abstracts, it is hoped the backlog can soon be dealt with. The latest issue to be posted (no. 79) does not include any African titles, but there are a large number in no. 80 (which will probably be available on the Internet by the time you read this).
For this service to be as complete and prompt as possible, the collaboration of a team of abstractors is necessary. For a number of serials we do not have abstractors. Any volunteer prepared to examine a journal promptly on publication, and having access to e-mail, is encouraged to contact Bob Dowsett (e-mail: Dowsett@aol.com).
Southern Africa
New genus erected for Kerguelen Petrel
Storrs Olson has recently established the need for a new genus,
Apbrodroma, for the Kerguelen Petrel Pterodroma brevirostris , which breeds on Kerguelen, Crozet, Marion, Tristan da Cunha and Gough islands in the southern Atlantic Ocean. A 1985 proposal had resurrected the genus Lugensa for this species, based on intestinal traits, Mallophaga and behavioural analyses. Subsequently, a relative degree of consensus had been reached that the species is not particularly closely related to other
92 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
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Pterodroma petrels. Olson’s research has demonstrated that Lugensa is unavailable for Kerguelen Petrel. Due to lingering doubts over the identification of the battered’ type- specimen. it may be that the specific name brevirostris should be relaced with the alternative kidderi, but this must await further research. For now, Olson proposes that the species be henceforward known as Aphrodroma brevirostris.
Source: Bull. Br. Omithol. Cl. 120, pp 59-62
Cattle Egret diet in southern Africa
Grzegorz Kopij has recently published a study of the stomach contents of adult and chick Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis. The results indicate that the species, in South African grasslands, principally feeds on insects (69% of total dry mass) and vertebrates (28%). Chick diet is relatively more dependent on vertebrates than that of their parents. It appears that breeding season rainfall may influence the relative importance of vertebrates and insects in Cattle Egret diet. In addition, adult diet becomes more reliant on insects in winter (June-August) than in summer (September-March), when vertebrates increase in importance. As the young grow there is a noticeable shift toward insects in their diet.
Source: Die Vogelwarte 40, pp 98-109
New subspecies of Levaillant’s Cisticola described from the Western Cape, South Africa
All Levaillant’s Cisticolas Cisticola tinniens south of the Limpopo River were considered to belong to the nominate race, but Marc Herremans and his co-workers found that several data demonstrated that those from the Western Cape were best treated as a separate subspecies, which they have named brookei in honour of Richard K. Brooke, for his major contributions to African ornithology. Atlas data indicate a distinct discontinuity in the distribution of Levaillant’s Cisticola, separating populations in the winter rainfall region of the Western Cape from those in the summer rainfall zone of South Africa. Western Cape birds breed and moult earlier, are smaller in wing and tail lengths, but heavier in weight, and lack the distinctive summer plumage of a pale rufous, unstreaked crown found in nominate tinniens. Both forms undergo a partial body moult in spring, but brookei
moults from a winter plumage similar to nominate birds into a breeding plumage where most have the back of the crown marked with dark stripes. Nominate tinniens has the underparts almost white in breeding plumage and darker grey-buff in non-breeding plumage, whereas in brookei the underparts are similar to the non- breeding nominate throughout the year.
Source: Ostrich 70, pp 164-172
Zambia Bird Report 1998
The second issue of this periodical builds on the standards set by the first volume, and will prove essential reading for those interested in the country’s avifauna. In the traditions of quality bird reports, established in recent years, this publication of the Zambian Ornithological Society (ZOS) contains much more than the year’s systematic bird list: 11 articles, including the results of the African Waterfowl Census in July 1998, descriptions of three species new to the country, the avifauna of Mwinilunga’s marginal forests, and 12 shorter notes form the bulk of the present report’s 197 pages. Contact the ZOS, Box 33944, Lusaka 10101,
Zambia, e-mail: zos@zamnet.zm, for details of membership and how to purchase the report, as well as to submit records for 1999 and subsequent years.
Source: Pete Leonard in litt.
December 1999
Additions to the Zambian bird list
In 1998 four species were accepted by the Zambian Ornithological Society as additions to the country list: Rtippell’s Griffon Vulture Gyps rueppellii, Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori , Brown-chested Lapwing Vanellus superciliosus and Shrike Flycatcher Megabyas flammulatus. The bustard and lapwing had been reported earlier but
by Mark Andrews
were not accepted because the records were considered insufficiently proven.
Source: ZOS Newsletter 29
Peregrine nesting habitat quality may affect foraging efficiency
An eight-year study of Peregrine Falco peregrinus nest sites in three areas of South Africa revealed that modes of foraging varied significantly between different sites, and that males hunted more frequently than their partners. A mean of c0.5 hunts was recorded per observation hour and, although foraging mode did not positively correlate with cliff height or elevation above surrounding terrain, those pairs occupying higher cliffs had higher success rates. Most strikes were made from elevated sites close to the nest and were more successful than those made on the wing. In addition, the height difference between the Peregrine and its prey at the start of the strike significantly affected its success. It would appear that high nest cliffs contribute to foraging success by affording perch-hunting Peregrines with a more effective height advantage over their prey.
Source: Ibis 142, pp 235-246
Waterfowl Census 1999 in Malawi
The 1999 waterfowl count. in Malawi was the best ever. Between early June and early September, 1999, a total of 9,348 waterbirds of 79 species was recorded at 14 sites. Among the most important locations were the fishponds at SUCOMA, Chiromo and Sungu Island at Nkohotakota.
Source: Vocifer 2 (19,) Oct 1999
Bar-tailed Godwit wintering areas
Within the context of the relatively small numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica wintering in southern Africa (c3,500 in Namibia and South Africa), the discovery during 1996 to 1998 of a population of up to 5,523 in the Bazaruto Archipelago, off the coast of central Mozambique, is surprising.
Source: Die Vogelwarte 40, pp 142- 144
Mozambique Bird Atlas Project: phase 2
With the publication, in 1999, of Atlas of the Birds of Sul do Save, Southern Mozambique (see Bull ABC 6: 86-87), the first phase of the atlas project, begun in 1995, was completed. The author, Vincent Parker, has now commenced atlas work in the central
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Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2 -93
pari of the country, the area between the Save and Zambezi rivers, as well as Tete Province. The plan is to produce an atlas for central Mozambique within three years, after which the northern part of the country will be investigated. Already 14 species have been added to the Mozambique list. Observers visiting any part of Mozambique are urged to complete atlas checklists, which are available from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (Private Bag XI 1, Parkview, Johannesburg 2122, South Africa; tel. (Oil) 486-1102; e-mail: ewt@ewt.org.za) and the Avian Demography Unit (University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa; tel. (021) 650-2423; e-mail: adu@maths.uct.ac.za).
Source: Africa — Birds & Birding 4 ( 6 ).
P 22
Inaccessible buntings
A project based at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Cape Town, aims to study the buntings of Inaccessible Island, one of three islands in the Tristan da Cunha group. This small volcanic island, situated midway between Cape Town and South America, is home to four land birds, all endemic to Tristan: Inaccessible Island Rail Atlantisia rogersi (the world’s smallest flightless bird), Tristan Thrush Nesocichla eremita, Tristan Bunting Nesospiza acunhae and Wilkins’ Bunting N. wilkinsi. The two buntings occupy different niches: the small-billed Tristan Bunting is a dietary generalist, whereas the large-billed Wilkins’ is a specialist that feeds primarily on the seeds of the islands’ only tree species. On Inaccessible Island the two species have been found to hybridise in food-
inaccessible Island Rail Atlantisia rogersi by Craig Robson
poor areas. As males and females of mixed pairs are able to exploit different foods, such partnerships appear to hold an advantage in such situations. Their offspring, however, have intermediate-sized bills, which are probably not adapted for either large tree seeds and grass seeds. The foraging efficiency of birds of known bill size will be investigated.
Source: Africa — Birds & Birding 4 (5),
p 19
...and seabirds
Inaccessible Island is also home to important seabird populations, and urgently required up-to-date information on the status of some of these will also be gathered. Special attention is to be focused on Spectacled Petrel, the distinctive subspecies conspicillata of White- chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis, which has suffered greatly from long-line fishing off Brazil and for which Inaccessible Island is the only breeding site.
Source: Africa — Birds & Birding 4 ( 5).
p 19
Low breeding success of Namaqua Sandgrouse in Karoo
A project monitoring Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua within its core breeding area in the Karoo, South Africa, over four consecutive years, has discovered its breeding success to be so low that it may suffer population declines as a result, especially in South Africa. The cause of this alarming situation appears to be the exceptionally high level of nest predation, principally by mongooses.
It is suspected that sheep-farmers' control of larger predators, particularly birds of prey and jackals, which are important predators of mongooses, has permitted the latter either to increase in number and/or to forage unmolested across exposed areas where Namaqua Sandgrouse nest.
Source: Africa — Birds & Birding 4 (6),
p 24
Madagascar Serpent-Eagle studies
The Masoala peninsula, in north-east Madagascar, constitutes the stronghold of the critically endangered Madagascar Serpent-Eagle Eutriorchis astur. Russell Thorstrom and colleagues studied the species in this area during 1993 to 1998 and detected 15 individuals at a total of nine localities. Most significantly, they
discovered the first nest of this species known to science, in November 1997, at which time it contained a single egg. It was well hidden in an epiphytic fern, 20 m above the ground. Two weeks later the egg hatched, with the young finally fledging in late January 1998. During its time in the nest, chameleons Furcifer sp. and leaf-tailed geckos Urolaptus sp. constituted 83"" of the 133 identified prey items. Thus, the name serpent eagle' is probably a misnomer and forest eagle' appears more appropriate. The authors of this interesting study recommend further research to determine the species' distribution and to collect more information on its breeding biology, with emphasis on courtship and nesting habitat.
Source: Ibis 142. pp 217-224
East Africa
New subspecies of East Coast Akalat from Tanzania
Jon Fjeldsa and his co-workers have recently published a description of a new subspecies, allicola. of the East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi.
The new taxon is apparently endemic to the Nguu Mountains, of north- western Tanga, Tanzania, and clearly differs morphologically and genetically from adjacent coastal populations of the species, and from Sharpe's Akalat S. sharpei , which inhabits other montane forests in the country'. The discovery once again highlights the tremendous ornithological importance of the Eastern Arc Mountain forests. Fortunately, while most remaining forests in Tanzania are under considerable pressure from the growing human population, those in the Nguu Mts are still relatively pristine and have been designated as a Catchment Forest Reserve, due to their importance as a water catchment area for eastern Maasailand.
Source: Bull. Br. Ornithol. Cl. 120, pp 27-33
What is Ruwenzori Turaco?
Three subspecies of Ruwenzori Turaco Musophaga johnstoni, a montane forest resident of the Albertine Rift, have been described, although Birds of Africa regards only two of these as valid, nominate joh nstoni and kivuensis. The other race described is bredoi. Michel Louette and co-workers have recently re-examined a comprehensive series of specimens of all three described subspecies, from
94 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
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five separate populations (all of which exhibit limited morphological differentiation), and conclude that all, including bredoi , are valid. Further study, they suggest, may demonstrate whether more than one species is involved, although Louette et al consider the latter possibility as unlikely. In addition, the authors conclude that Ruwenzori Turaco is best placed in the genus Ruwenzoromis, not Musophagci.
Source: Bull. Br. Omithol. Cl. 120 , pp 34-39
Cosmoledo Atoll bird observations
A recent paper has analysed the status of all birds, particularly focusing on seabirds, known to occur on little- visited Cosmoledo Atoll, in the south-west part of the Seychelles archipelago. Forty-six species have been recorded on the island, and the authors also describe human impacts on the avifauna and make recommendations for future management of this Important Bird Area.
Source: Bull. Br. Omithol. Cl. 120, pp 46-57
White-necked Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephala by Nik Borrow (courtesy of Birdquest)
West Africa
White-necked Picathartes under pressure
Recent (November 1997 and November 1998-April 1999) surveys of a White-necked Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephala colony in Lamto, Cote d’Ivoire, revealed a total of 34 nests,
10 of which were just remnants and only 12 of which were relatively fresh, and just one was occupied during the observation periods. The authors
suggest that limited and responsible ecotourism could have positive benefits for the species in Lamto.
Source: Bird Conserv. Intern. 10, pp 41-46
New bird species for Guinea...
During an avifaunal survey of Parc National du Haut Niger, in central Guinea, during winter 1996/97,
Gerhard Nikolaus discovered 300 bird species, of which 17 were new to the country’s list. Abundance, habitat use and monthly occurrence in the park of all species recorded are presented in the resultant paper.
Source : Malimbus 22, pp 1-22
...and Mali
Elsewhere in the same issue of Malimbus , Peter Spierenburg presents details of three bird species (Red- headed Lovebird Agapomis pullaria, Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida and Mottled Swift Tachymarptis aequatorialis) previously unrecorded in Mali, and three others (Bat Hawk Machaerhamphus alcinus, White- rumped Swift Apus caffer and Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica ) for which few records exist. It should be noted that the author has overlooked the record of Apalis flavida already published, and documented photographically, in these pages (Bull. ABC 5: 59).
Source: Malimbus 22, pp 23-28
New information on bird distributions in Mauritania
A visit to Mauritania in October 1995 demonstrated that the following species were expanding their range north-westward: Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea, Scaly-fronted Warbler Spiloptila clamans, House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Grey- headed Sparrow P. griseus, while Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis was extending its range southward. The author also draws attention to significant new records of Klaas’s Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas and Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina made during the same month.
Source: Orn. Jber. Mus. Heineanum 17, pp 117-122
Claim of Yellow-throated Petronia from Chad withdrawn
The claim of the first Yellow-throated Petronia Petronia superciliaris from Chad, reportedly seen at N’Djamena in February 1998 (see Bull ABC 6: 91),
Mount Kupe Bush-Shrike Telophorus kupeensis by Mark Andrews
has been .withdrawn. The birds were probably Bush Petronias P. dentata.
Source: Alauda 67, p 356
New site for Mount Kupe Bush- Shrike
The critically endangered Mount Kupe Bush-Shrike Telophorus kupeensis was found at a new locality, at cl, 400 m, in the southern sector of Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary, in October 1999. Previously the species was known only from Mount Kupe and the Bakossi Mountains of Cameroon.
Source: Marc Languy/BildLife Cameroon Programme
Birds of Lobeke, Cameroon
The avifauna of Lobeke Faunal Reserve, in south-east Cameroon, has been the subject of recent (1997-1999) surveys by the indefatigable Dowsett husband and wife team, and the results of their research were published recently. Three hundred and five species have been identified in this regionally important reserve, including an as yet unidentified nightjar (probably Prigogine’s Nightjar Caprimulgus prigoginei ) and the globally Data Deficient Ja River Warbler Bradypterus grandis, for which Lobeke appears to be the most important site for the species’ conservation. Other interesting, rare and little-known species located in the reserve include Olive Ibis Bostrychia olivacea, Sandy Scops Owl Otus icterorhynchus, Zenker’s Honeyguide Melignomon zenkeri, Tessmann’s Flycatcher Muscicapa tessmanni, Yellow-capped Weaver Ploceus dorsomaculatus and a population of African Barred Owlet Glaucidium capense, which, like others in central
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Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2 - 95
Africa, occurs in open-canopy forest and whose taxonomic position is open to question.
Source: Bird Conserv. Intern. 10, pp 67-87
More Cape Verde bird records
Kees Hazevoet has sent us a copy of the most recent Cape Verde Islands ‘bird report’, which includes notes on current conservation issues, as well as information on 15 breeding species and 52 scarce and rare migrants reported in the archipelago during late 1998 and the first half of 1999- The latter include eleven new species to the Cape Verdean avifauna (Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis , White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus, Great White Egret Egretta alba, Semi- palmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus, Semi-palmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla, Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes, Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia, Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii, Pallid Swift
Apus pallidus, Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros and Whinchat Saxicola rubetra).
Source: Bull. Zool. Mus. Univ. Amsterdam 17, pp 19-32
North Africa
Barn Owl diet in Morocco
A long-term study of the Barn Owl's Tyto alba diet in northern Morocco has revealed that small mammals, including the Algerian Mouse Mus spretus, gerbils and shrews are the most abundant prey items (74.4%). Frogs and reptiles are taken, along with birds (principally Passer sp.), but most surprising was the incidence of insects (10.5% of total number of items) in the species’ diet in this region.
Source: Alauda 67, pp 323-336
American Golden Plover in Tunisia
A recent issue of Dutch Birding
contains an account of the discovery, photographs and a discussion of the identification of the first American Golden Plover Plurialis dominicus in Tunisia, at Abu Nawash Golf Course, Djerba, on 24 December 1998. f Source: Dutch Birding 22. pp 25-27
Requests for Information
Sub-desert Mesites
Chris Jameson, a PhD student at the University of Michigan, is studying the breeding system of the Madagascar endemic, Sub-desert (Bensch’s) Mesite Monias (Mesitornis) benscbi. He wishes to collect as many recent observations of the species as possible: precise location, time of year, how many were observed and any other information concerning the sighting that is available. ABC members with information on the species are requested to send it to him at: . cjameson@umich.edu, or by post to: Department of Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 1121 Natural Science Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1048, USA.
Birds of Cameroon
Jean-Michel Lapios is seeking photographs of the 840 species of birds recorded in Cameroon for use in an illustrated guide on which he is working. ABC members who have photographs they believe would be suitable for this purpose, which they
are prepared to make available are invited to contact him at jmlapios@diomedea.org for further details of his requirements, terms offered etc.
Nightingale and Thrush Nightingale vocalisations on their wintering grounds
Roger Mundry, member of a research group investigating several aspects of song (eg learning, development, organisation) in Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos and Thrush Nightingale L. luscinia, would be very interested to learn about the vocal behaviour of the two species on their winter quarters in Africa. He would greatly appreciate receiving any records of the two species in Africa, with a special regard to song activity. If you have encountered either in Africa please send information concerning the details of the observation. Please include exact location(s) and date(s) of the observation(s), number of birds etc. If available, please include information about song behaviour, for instance number and percentage of
birds singing, amount of singing (only a few songs, continuous singing, diurnal, nocturnal), kind of song (full, subsong) etc. Rough estimates, raw impressions and less detailed information are also very welcome. Please contact Roger Mundry, Institut fur Verhaltensbiologie, Haderslebener Str. 9, D-12163 Berlin, Germany. E- mail: rmundry@biologie.fu-berlin.de; tel: +49-30-838 550 67.
Records from Mont Peko National Park
Any birders or researchers, with bird or mammal observations from Mont Peko National Park, Cote d’Ivoire are requested to them to Hugo Rainey, Tanyard, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7DS, UK, or e- mail: hugorainey@hotmail.com. Please provide a list of species with, if possible, dates, location within the park and habitat details. Details of observations from any of the forests north of Ta'f Forest would also be gratefully received, (f)
96 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Requests
Records from Gambela, western Ethiopia
Claire Spottiswoode and Michael Mills
Les basses terres de Test de l’Ethiopie ont une faune, une flore et une culture distinctes de celles du reste du pays. L'avifaune de cette region est mal connue. Nous avons visite les environs de Gambela dans la province de l'lllubador pendant une semaine en decembre 1999 et y avons observe plusieurs especes considerees comme rares en Ethiopie, entre autres le Butor etoile Botaurus stellaris, l’Epervier a pieds courts Accipter brevipes , le Souimanga pygmee Antbreptes platurus et l’Amarante pointe Lagonosticta nifopicta.
The lowlands of Illubador Province in extreme western Ethiopia have a fauna and flora, landscape and culture quite distinct from the rest of the country. Despite easy access to the region, with daily buses and thrice-weekly flights covering the 500 km between Addis Ababa and Gambela (the second town of Illubador), it has received surprisingly little ornithological attention. The only published descriptions of the area’s birds appear to be the recent Ethiopian Important Bird Areas (IBA) directory5 and a list of records from the 1970s3. These intriguing accounts lured us to spend 7-12 December 1999 birding around Gambela (08°15'N 34°35'E; 560 m). Despite the lack of a vehicle, we were able to explore the woodland and river in the immediate vicinity (clO km radius) of the town reasonably thoroughly on foot and by bicycle, and recorded several species apparently new to the region.
Gambela town straddles the Baro River, a reputedly navigable tributary of the Nile. Close to the town, riparian vegetation has been cleared almost in its entirety for subsistence agriculture. However, on leaving the town by bus, we noted considerable untouched riverine forest c40 km to the east, where the road to Metu rejoins the Baro. In the vicinity of Gambela town, the Baro flood plain appears relatively narrow, extending no more than 300 m from the northern bank of the river. During our visit, some areas were flooded and held reasonable numbers of birds despite disturbance from grazing cattle.
Vast areas of apparently largely intact dry deciduous woodland cloak the plains surrounding Gambela. This habitat is varied by occasional rocky hillocks, scattered termite mounds (supporting thickets) and grassy depressions. The cl, 000 mm annual rainfall occurs principally from May to October, and our visit thus fell within the dry season. We encountered numerous large bush fires, fuelled by the 2m-tall understorey grass swathe. These fires are started by local people and have been previously thought not to be damaging1. A five million ha area to
the south and west of Gambela has been proposed as a conservation area, Gambela National Park5.
Woodland
Pygmy Sunbird Hedydipna platura appears to have been hitherto regarded as a vagrant to Ethiopia7, with no breeding yet recorded and, in Sudan, occurs only considerably further south and west4. We discovered it to be one of the commonest sunbirds and observed two pairs nest-building.
Two raptors considered very scarce in Ethiopia were noted: Levant Sparrowhawk A ccipiter brevipes was seen twice in dry woodland c5 km south of the town, and a single Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus in moister woodland adjacent to the river.
The woodland also held a number of other species that are local in Ethiopia and many of which are more characteristically West African. Commonly encountered species were Little Green Bee-eater Merops orientals, Green Wood-hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus, Green-backed Eremomela Eremomela pusilla, Foxy Cisticola Cisticola troglodytes, Yellow-bellied Hyliota Hyliota flavigaster , Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser superciliosus, Black-headed Gonolek Laniarius erythrogaster, Black-faced Firefinch Lagonosticta larvata and Brown-rumped Bunting Emberiza affinis. Seen once each were Black-billed Wood Dove Turtur abyssinicus , Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus , Brown Babbler Turdoides plebejus , Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapagambagae and Black-rumped Waxbill Estrilda troglodytes.
Baro River
The sought-after Egyptian Plover Pluvianus aegyptius appears easy to find here, although this may change with rising water levels during the wet season, when they are known to be nomadic8. Indeed, one ringed at Gambela has been recovered as far afield as Khartoum4. Three were regularly seen feeding in the
Records from Gambela, Ethiopia: Spottiswoode & Mills
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 - 97
Figure 1. Dry deciduous woodland, c5km south of Gambela, habitat of Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes and breeding Pygmy Sunbird Hedydipna platura , both highly localised in Ethiopia (Claire Spottiswoode)
Figure 2. Distant fires sweep across the humid low-lying Gambela plain that extends from the western highlands of Ethiopia to the Sudanese border. Low granite outcrops punctuate the gently undulating deciduous woodland of this ornithologically curiously neglected region (Claire Spottiswoode)
Figure 3- Anuak women leaving Gambela town. Moister woodland such as this, close to the Baro River, supports Little Green Bee-eater Merops orientali, Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae and Yellow-bellied Hyliota Hyliota flavigaster (Claire Spottiswoode)
Figure 4. The Baro River descends from the western highlands to the Nile. Intriguingly. it forms substantial swamps close to the Sudanese border, historically supporting Shoebill Balaeniceps rex. Close to Gambela. remnant riparian vegetation hosts Snowy-crowned Robin- Chat Cossypba niveicapilla, while adjacent flood plains hold Bar-breasted Lagonosticta nifopicta and Black-faced Firefinches L. vinacea, both of which are rarely recorded in Ethiopia (Claire Spottiswoode)
Figure 5. Egyptian Plover Pluvianus aegyptius feeds among bathers along a squalid stream in Gambela town. Wet-season movements may take these birds as far as Khartoum (Claire Spottiswoode)
98 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Records from Gambela, Ethiopia: Spottiswoode & Mills
Figure 6. Red-throated Bee-eater Merops bulocki (Johan Verbauck)
Figure 7. Shoebill Balaeniceps rex (Johan Verbauck)
Records from Gambela, Ethiopia: Spottiswoode & Mills
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 - 99
small, polluted stream that runs through Gambela town into the Baro, oblivious to the throngs of bathing villagers. A trio was also seen roosting on a rock in the Baro, a few hundred meters upstream of the bridge.
A single Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris was seen at dusk over the river and adjacent floodplain, at the eastern extreme of the town. This species has not been recorded from southern Sudan', and is considered rare in Ethiopia7. Other notable species associated with the Baro, all previously reported by Nikolaus4, were Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera , Red-throated Bee-eater Merops bulocki, Snowy- crowned Robin-chat Cossypha niveicapilla. Moustached Grass-Warbler Melocichla mentalis and Bar-breasted Firefinch Lagonosticta rufopicta. A party of the latter included two recently fledged young.
Limited by lack of a vehicle, we were unfortunately unable to explore the reputedly extensive swamps to the west, between Gambela and Jikao on the Sudanese border. Ethiopia’s only records of Shoebill Balaeniceps rex come from this area2 6, and it is thus surely worthy of investigation by visitors with their own transport. A truck departs daily for Itang, halfway between Gambela and Jikao, but we were informed that the swamps lie further west still.
In stark contrast to Duckworth1, we saw no large mammals whatsoever in the Gambela area. An annotated list of birds recorded is available from the authors.
Acknowledgements
We thank Louis A. Hansen and Marc Herremans for their very helpful comments on a previous draft of this note, and Duan Biggs for his company in the field at Gambela. •>
References
1. Duckworth, F. 1974. Gambella 1973 — a wildlife report. Walia 3: 9-11.
2. Duckworth, F. 1974. The Whale-headed Stork in Ethiopia. Bull. Br. Ornithol. Cl. 94: 3-4.
3. Erickson, W. 1982. Bird and mammal observations from southwestern and western Ethiopia. Walia 8: 37-41.
4. Nikolaus, G. 1987. Distribution atlas of Sudan’s birds with notes on habitat and status. Bonn. Zool. Monogr. 25: 1-322.
5. Tilahun, S., Edwards, S. and Wgziabher, T.B.G. 1996. Important Bird Areas of Ethiopia: a first inventory. Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society.
6. Urban, E. K. 1967. Possible occurrence of the whale- headed stork in Ethiopia./. East Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc. 26: 87-88.
7. Urban, E.K. and Brown, L.H. 1971. A Checklist of the Birds of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University Press.
8. Urban, E.K., Fry, C.H. and Keith, S. (eds.) 1986. The Birds of Africa. Vol 2. London, UK: Academic Press.
c/o Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology. University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701. South Africa. E-mail: claire@birding-africa.com or michaelmills@webmail.co.za.
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Records from Gambela, Ethiopia: Spottiswoode & Mills
Taxonomy of the Peregrine Falco peregrinus/ Barbary Falcon F. ( peregrinus ) pelegrinoides
complex in Morocco
Valery Schollaerf and Gilles Willemb
La taxonomie, l’identification et la repartition respective des differentes sous-especes du complexe Faucon pelerin/Faucon de Barbarie demeurent problematiques et incompletement connues. Le Faucon de Barbarie Falco pelegrinoides est considere soit comme une espece a part entiere, soit comme une sous-espece du Faucon pelerin Falco peregrinus. Forsman9, qui le traite comme sous-espece, se base pour cela entre autres sur des oiseaux marocains qu’il estime etre des intermediaires. Ceux-ci, parfois appeles atlantis et connus du sud-ouest du Maroc, apparaissent toutefois former une population intermediate stable entre les sous-especes minor et brookei. On observe une evolution clinale, les oiseaux cotiers etant plus proches de brookei , tandis que les oiseaux de l’est de la vallee du Souss (Aoulouz) sont plus proches de minor. Pour ces raisons, et en plus des differences morphologiques et de sa cohabitation avec minor et brookei, pelegrinoides semble bien etre une espece a part entiere. Afin de mieux comprendre sa repartition geographique et ses eventuels mouvements migratoires au Maroc, il est demande aux observateurs de porter une attention particuliere a ces oiseaux. Notons que toutes les observations de Faucon de Barbarie devraient etre soumises a la Commission d’Homologation des oiseaux rares du Maroc.
Introduction
Despite the availability of excellent descriptions of all Western Palearctic falcons, the Peregrine Falco peregrinus complex remains problematic, in respect of the identification, taxonomic position and respective ranges of its subspecies. This is especially true in Morocco, where at least four subspecies of Peregrine occur, in addition to Barbary Falcon Falco ( peregrinus ) pelegrinoides. This paper attempts to summarise current knowledge of the taxonomy and range of Moroccan populations. It should be borne in mind that there is still much to learn about these forms in Morocco.
Moroccan populations
Most Peregrines seen in Morocco are brookei 13 , which is known from the Mediterranean6"8,13 and Atlantic coasts2,14-16 south to at least Essaouira (pers obs), and has also been recorded inland14"16, notably in the High Atlas Mountains, where it is not uncommon (pers obs). In winter, it is also recorded further south, e.g. in the Souss Valley. The other breeding population is the localised and apparently rare minor4'8’13’16, which is restricted to desert and arid areas south of the High Atlas (pers obs), but is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa6,12. In winter, both Eurasian calidus and peregrinus have been recorded (pers. obs.), but neither form breeds in Morocco.
Barbary Falcon Falco (peregrinus ) pelegrinoides is relatively widespread, being known from the High
Atlas, Anti Atlas, Souss Valley, desert areas in the south-east and along the coast from (at least) Oualidia (pers obs) in the north to the extreme south, probably as far as the Mauritanian border3^5,10,14"16. It could be even more widespread, but north-east Morocco is under-surveyed by ornithologists and its status there is unclear, although uncomfirmed sightings have been reported from this area14.
Taxonomy of Peregrine/Barbary Falcon complex in Morocco-. Schollaert & Willem
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -101
Another population, sometimes called ‘F. peregrinus atlantis'15 or ‘Atlantic Peregrine’3, is found mainly in the Souss Valley and along the coast near Tamri, Agadir and the mouth of Massa River, and has an uncertain taxonomic position which is discussed below.
Taxonomic problems
The principal problem is the relationship between Barbary Falcon and sympatric or parapatric forms of Peregrine. Although differences exist in structure and plumage between Barbary Falcon and Peregrine, the two are certainly very close to each other10. Species status for these two forms is principally based on their sympatry without apparent interbreeding9, notably in Morocco. This last point is discussed by Forsman9 who considers some strange-plumaged individuals photographed in Morocco to be possible hybrids between brookei and pelegrinoides.
Another problem is the position of the so-called ‘ atlantis ’ form, about which almost nothing is known. It has occasionally been treated as a possible new subspecies13.
Discussion
Our knowledge of ‘ atlantis ’ leads us to believe that it cannot be a hybrid, principally because, in the Souss Valley, pairs of ‘ atlantis ’ breed together (pers obs) and no other form of Peregrine is known to occur during the breeding season within its range. Moreover, it occurs only in south-west Morocco, where it is not uncommon, but has not been reported elsewhere.
We do not consider them to be intermediate between pelegrinoides and brookei ( contra Forsman9). Indeed, Forsman9 depicts two brookei- like ‘ atlantis ’, which are typically seen along the coast (pers obs), that he considers to be ‘Peregrine/Barbary Falcons’ and intermediate between the two. In our opinion this population is obviously close to brookei , especially in coastal areas, and that elsewhere they are closer to minor than to pelegrinoides , with those of the eastern Souss Valley even more similar to minor. We are, therefore, convinced that they form a stable intermediate population between brookei and minor , intergrading with the former along the coast (south of Essaouira) and with minor east and south-east of the Souss Valley.
Size of coastal ‘ atlantis ’ is very close to brookei (and pelegrinoides ), but appears smaller in the east. Structure is very close to minor and brookei , but not to pelegrinoides , which has different proportions: tail (relative to wings) longer and marginally wider, body shorter, more prominent head, wings narrower (appearing longer) and less heavy jizz. Their flight
actions are also different. Notably when pursuing prey, Barbary has parrot-like wingbeats, unlike ‘ atlantis ’, brookei or minor. Underparts in coastal ‘ atlantis ’ are barred like brookei , but in the east they are less marked and (more) tinged rufous, like minor. They are, however, never spotted like some pelegrinoides. The head pattern is very similar to minor , with rufous-tinged cheeks, occasionally some rufous on the nape (as in some brookei ), moustachials narrower than in most brookei , but similar to most (but not all) mmorand broader than in pelegrinoides (pers obs). Tail pattern is like brookei and minor. Underwing pattern is regularly barred like brookei and minor , with no darker area on the wingtips and trailing edges like pelegrinoides. Upperparts coloration is darker than in pelegrinoides , relatively dark in coastal birds and very dark in eastern birds, which approach minor in this aspect. Note that all these differences relate to adults.
Interestingly, ‘ atlantis breeds in the same area as both Barbary and Lanner Falcons Falco biaimicus erlangeri , eg in Aoulouz where the three taxa breed in the same gorge (pers obs).
Conclusion
Barbary Falcon is sympatric with both brookei and minor without interbreeding. It is also widely sympatric with an unusual form of Peregrine, 4 atlantis ’, which appears to be intermediate between minor and brookei (with which ‘ atlantis ’ is allopatric), and is often reported in south-west Morocco. Therefore, and due to clear, well-known differences in the structure and plumage of Barbary Falcon compared to Peregrine, Barbary Falcon is best treated as a species.
However, at least in Morocco, the respective range of all populations of Peregrine are still imperfectly known, as are their seasonal movements. Moreover, the range of Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides is also poorly understood, especially in the north of the country. Some movements are suspected but have not been proven. Therefore, all records of these taxa are welcome, and a description of all Barbary Falcons seen in the country should be submitted to the Moroccan Rare Birds Committee (c/o Dr. Jacques Franchimont, Quartier Abbas Lmsahdi, Rue n°6, n°22, VN 50.000 Meknes, Morocco). 'f:
References
1. Barlow, C., Wacher, T. and Disley, T. 1997. A Field
Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal.
Robertsbridge: Pica Press.
2. Beaman, M. and Madge, S. 1998. Handbook of Bird
Identification. London, UK: A. & C. Black.
3. Bergier, P., Franchimont, J., Schollaert, V., Thevenot,
M. and CHM 1996. Les oiseaux rares au Maroc.
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Taxonomy of Peregrine/Barbary Falcon complex in Morocco : Schollaert & Willem
Rapport de la Commission d’Homologation Marocaine 1. Porphyrio 8: 151-158.
4. Bergier, P., Franchimont, J., Thevenot, M. and CHM 1997. Les oiseaux rares au Maroc. Rapport de la Commission d’Homologation Marocaine 2. Porphyrio 9: 165-173.
5. Bergier, P., Franchimont, J., Thevenot, M. and CHM 1999- Les oiseaux rares au Maroc. Rapport de la Commission d’Homologation Marocaine 3. Porphyrio 10-11: 254-263
6. Brown, L.H., Urban E.K. and Newman, K. (eds) 1982. The Birds of Africa. Vol 1. London, UK: Academic Press.
7. Cramp, S. and Simmons. K.E.L. (eds) 1980. Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
8. Etchecopar, R.D. and Hue, F. 1967. The Birds of North Africa. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.
9. Forsman, D. 1999- The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East. London, UK: T. & A. D. Poyser.
10. Gensbol B. 1984. Collins Guide to the Birds of Prey of Britain and Europe. London, UK: Collins.
11. Harris A., Shirihai, H. and Christie, D. A. 1996. The Macmillan Birders Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds. London, UK: Macmillan.
12. Kemp, A. and Kemp, M. 1998. Birds of Prey of Africa and its islands. London, UK: New Holland.
13. Schollaert, V. and Dufourny, H. 1995. Identification et statut du Faucon de Barbarie au Maroc. Porphyrio 7: 1-4.
14. Schollaert, V. and Franchimont, J. 1995. Chronique Ornithologique du GOMAC pour 1994. Porphyrio! 96-146.
15. Schollaert, V. and Franchimont, J. 1996. Chronique Ornithologique du GOMAC pour 1995. Porphyrio 8: 94-150.
16. Schollaert, V. , Moumni, T. , Fareh, M. and Gambrotta, C. 1994. Chronique Ornithologique du GOMAC pour 1993. Porphyrio 6: 1-108.
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17. Zimmerman, D. A., Turner, D. and Pearson D.J. 1996. Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania. London, UK: A. & C. Black.
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Appendix 1. Moroccan records of Barbary Falcon Falco ( peregrinus ) pelegrinoides
Records accepted by MRBC
Taroudannt & Souss Valley: three Aoulouz: one Jorf/Erfoud: two Merzouga: one
Boumalne-du-Dades/EI Keela M’Gouna: four Mahmid: one Tamri: one Agadir/Massa: three
Recent records awaiting decision by MRBC
Oualidia: one Tizi’n Tichka: one Tamri: one
Goulimine/Tan-Tan: three
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Taxonomy of Peregrine/Barbary Falcon complex in Morocco-. Schollaert & Willem
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -103
Notes on the breeding biology of several species
in north-west Africa
Peter Castell
Lors de visites recentes au Maroc et aux lies du Cap Vert, de nouvelles donnees ont ete obtenues concernant la biologie des especes suivantes: Ammomane elegante Ammomanes cincturus (description de l’oisillon), Rubiette de Moussier Phoenicurus moussieri (sites de nidification). Fauvette de l’Atlas Sylvia deserticola (description de l’oisillon), Fauvette naine Sylvia nana (incubation et description de l’oisillon) et Bruant striole Emberiza striolata (description de foisillon).
During recent visits to Morocco and the Cape Verde Islands, several colleagues and I have made a number of interesting observations concern- ing the breeding biology of some bird species characteristic of these regions. Details of these records are presented below.
Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cincturus
Nestlings of this species do not appear to have been previously described. I found several nests on the island of Sal, Cape Verde Islands, in October 1998. Each was constructed within a hollow on the ground beneath and almost completely screened by an overhanging rock. The nestlings are altricial and downy, with long thick buff down on the head and upperparts. The mouth is orange-yellow, with the typical five spot markings of the lark family, ie two black spots at the rear of the tongue, one at the tip, and one at the inside tip of each mandible. Gape flanges are yellowish white.
Moussier’s Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri
Usual nest sites for this species are on the ground, sheltered by a low bush or tussock, or in a recess in the side of a low bank or tree, and occasionally in low dense bushes 30-60 cm above ground. In late May 1999, we found c30 nests in open woodland along the coastal road north of Agadir, Morocco. Approximately half were in tree forks, typically just below 2 m above ground; many were in discarded tin cans, not only on the ground, but also up to 2 m high in bushes. One nest was constructed within a pair of trousers, which had been left hanging over a tree branch, c2 m above ground. These nests were at all stages, with eggs, small and large young, and were probably all second broods. In other parts of the country, we found nests in April, and saw many flying broods in late April.
Tristram’s Warbler Sylvia deserticola
In April-May 1999, we found five occupied nests of this species in the Atlas Mountains, south of Midelt, southern Morocco. All were situated low (typically 50
cm) in sage bushes, and in the third quarter of April most were under construction or contained incomplete clutches. We established that incubation, which takes 13 days, commences with the next-to-last egg laid in the clutch. The role of the sexes in incubation appears to be unknown, but we saw only females incubating. Nestlings are altricial and naked at hatching. Skin is dark pink, darker on head and back. The mouth is orange-yellow. There are two distinct and elongated black markings, one at either side of the base of the tongue, with a faint dark narrow line from the tip of each, continuing along the edge of the tongue, and converging near the tip. These are joined near the base by a faint dark marking, which tapers to a point halfway down the centre of the tongue. Gape flanges are pale yellow. Both adults were feeding the resultant young in late May.
Desert Warbler Sylvia nana
In April 1999, we found four nests of this species near Merzouga, south of Erfoud, in southern Morocco. The
1. Nestling of Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cincturus on Sal, Cape Verde Islands, on 31 October 1998 (Peter Castell)
2. Habitat of Tristram’s Warbler Sylvia deserticola near Midelt, southern Morocco, April 1999 (Peter Castell)
3. Nest and eggs of Tristram’s Warbler Sylvia deserticola near Midelt, southern Morocco, April 1999 (Peter Castell)
4. Fledgling Tristram’s Warbler Sylvia deserticola , aged ell days, near Midelt, southern Morocco, May 1999 (Peter Castell)
5. Habitat of Desert Warbler Sylvia nana near Merzouga, southern Morocco, April 1999 (Peter Castell)
6. Nest and eggs of Desert Warbler Sylvia nana near Merzouga, southern Morocco, April 1999 (Peter Castell)
7. Newly hatched nestlings of House Bunting Emberiza striolata in southern Morocco (Peter Castell)
104 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Breeding biology of several species in north-west Africa: Castell
Breeding biology of several species in north-west Africa: Castell
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -105
area was mainly flat open desert, with slightly lower areas and wadis with scattered thick bushes. Sitting in the car at the edge of one of these bushy areas, we played a recording of the song of Desert Warbler. One (the male, we suggest, from behaviour) immediately appeared, alarm called, and perched in a bush c3 m from the car, and a second (the presumed female) appeared within a further 30 secs. As soon as the tape was stopped, both flew to two adjacent bushes, within clOO m of the car. On searching these bushes, the male flew from one, and the female was discovered incubating two eggs in a nest in the other. All four nests were elm above ground and well concealed in thick thorn bushes, c2 m tall. We established that incubation commences when the final egg has been laid and occupies 12 days. Clutch size is 2-3 eggs. Nestlings are altricial and naked at hatching, with
flesh-pink skin. The mouth is orange-yellow with two dark elongated markings, one on either side of the tongue. Gape flanges are pale yellow.
House Bunting Emberiza striolata
Nestlings of this species have not been adequately described. This is rather surprising given its relative abundance in and around human settlements in North Africa. Plate 7 depicts nestlings in southern Morocco in April 1999- They are altricial and downy, with long and dense whitish-grey down on the head and upperparts. Mouth and tongue are deep pink, the latter with prominent pale pink rear spurs, and pale yellow edges and tip. Gape flanges are whitish yellow, (f,
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African Bird Club Conservation Fund Update
• Four further conservation awards have been made since the last Bulletin An award of UK£400 was made to Aride Island Nature Reserve, Seychelles, to produce an informative reserve guide in the local language, Creole. ABC also helped fund Tadesse Woldemariam Gole’s recent attendance at the 10th Annual Conference of the Biological Society of Ethiopia, where he presented a paper on bird diversity and density in montane forests on the country’s central plateau, was funded by the Club. The Albertine Rift Conservation Society has been awarded UK£1,000 towards a planned conference on Species Data Mobilisation and Sharing. The Nigerian Conservation Society was granted UK£1,000 towards a field expedition to Cross Rivers National Park, but this project has unfortunately been postponed due to funding difficulties.
• ABC/NHBS Book Awards These awards again attracted much interest, with four high-quality applications. Congratulations to the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, Bureau d’Etudes Scientifiques et Techniques (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Nature Kenya (two applications) who each received UK£100 worth of books. Applications are now invited for the 2000/2001 awards. Sincere thanks are due to the Natural History Book Service for continued sponsorship of the scheme.
• ABC Expedition Award The first ABC Expedition Award has been won by a multi-disciplinary expedition to the Annobon, one of the Gulf of Guinea islands off the African west coast. Annobon supports internationally important seabird populations, as well as five species of passerines endemic to the Gulf of Guinea group. The expedition,
comprising Spanish and local biologists, will undertake a census of seabird populations (last performed in 1959) and research the habitat requirements of the endemic landbirds. Other members of the team will survey marine and terrestrial molluscs, and undertake botanical surveys. The deadline for applications for the 2001 ABC Expedition Award is 31 January 2001.
• ABC at the PAOC The 10th Pan- African Ornithological Congress (PAOC) will be held in Kampala, Uganda, in September 2000. ABC has allocated UK£2,500 to help fund African ornithologists who would otherwise be unable to attend. ABC intends to play an active role at the PAOC and a full report will be published in the next Bulletin.
For further information, see p. 7 of this bulletin. ($)
106 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Breeding biology of several species in north-west Africa: Castell
Fishing owls at Agenebode, Nigeria
Anthony Turk
L'auteur presente des observations de la Chouette-pecheuse de Bouvier Scotopelia houvieri faites a Agenebode, Nigeria, en 1995 et juillet 1999- Les caracteristiques du plumage et les vocalisations des chouettes pecheuses de cette localite indiquent qu'il s’agit bien de cette espece et non de la Chouette- pecheuse rousse S. ussheri. II y a tres peu de mentions anterieures de S. houvieri au Nigeria.
V’ery few sightings of Vermiculated Fishing Owl Scotopelia houvieri have been reported in Nigeria. Elgood3 mentioned four records, those near Lagos representing the most westerly ever, apart from a single taken by F X Stampfli in Liberia in 1885, and considered 'undoubted' by Bannerman2 but questioned by GatterL This is the only record west of the Togo-Benin Gap.
In 1995, Phil Hall observed a fishing owl near a village on the banks of the Ogwe River, a tributary of the Niger, near Agenebode, Nigeria. Hall is an experienced and very knowledgeable observer, and noted that it was paler and more rufous than the published descriptions of Vermiculated, and was therefore possibly a Rufous Fishing Owl Scotopelia ussheri , which has not been recorded east of AccraL He returned to the site several months later and discovered the remains of a fishing owl that had been eaten by a villager (P Hall pers comm). Some of the remains were sent to the Natural History Museum (Tring) for identification but no firm conclusions could be reached as to the identification.
An opportunity to visit this region arose in July 1999- The fishing owls are found along the Ogwe River, on a farm managed by the Leventis group of companies, at Weppa (06°57'N 06°35'E). Although the farm is no longer operated on a commercial basis, it is the home of an agricultural college established for local young farmers. People from the fishing villages cultivate some land near the river, but the farm is otherwise being allowed to revert to its original state of Guinea Savanna.
The Ogwe River floods during the rainy season and remains high for c6 months of the year. This results in areas along the river being unsuitable for cultivation and has ensured the preservation of the riverine forest where the fishing owls are found. The river is slow moving and meandering even during the rainy season, when it rises 6 m above its dry-season level and floods 100s of metres of adjoining forest. In this habitat, there is an abundance of low branches where the owls perch searching for prey. The local fishermen consider the fishing owls’ favourite food to
be Clarias catfish (locally called flat-heads), which are extremely abundant in this area and have primitive lungs that force them to surface regularly for air (R Markham pers. comm.). On one occasion, I flushed a fishing owl while it was feeding and retrieved a sufficient part of the remains to identify it as a Clarias , while another was seen in flight with what was clearly a catfish in its talons. Along the c9 km of river that flow through the farm there is one lake and several backwaters and pools, which remain wet in the dry season, providing additional hunting grounds for the owls.
With the help of a local guide, I had 27 sightings of 8-9 owls in 25 days. Individual variation in plumage coloration was extremely noticeable. Some had heavy, dark markings on the upper breast and head, while others had less broad brown streaking. The upperparts, head and mantle also varied individually, from pale rufous to darker brown; and one was quite grey in appearance. However, all had the ground colour of the underparts off-white, while the bill was pale cream to yellow, as in Vermiculated Fishing Owl. In Rufous Fishing Owl the underparts have a pale rufous wash and the bill is darker in appearance1. All had dark eyes and pale yellow legs and feet.
Recordings were also made of their calls. Only one recording of Rufous Fishing Owl is available for comparison, made by R Ranft of a female at London Zoo. At Agenebode two distinct calls were noted: a ‘wail’, which on one occasion was repeated for over 45 min with intervals ranging from 15 s at the start to over 70 s, before ceasing altogether, and, secondly, a ‘hoot’ that, on occasions, sounded like a duet. Some calls recorded at Agenebode are very similar to the Ranft recording, but most resembled those made by R Wilkinson, F Dowsett-Lemaire and J M Lernould of Vermiculated Fishing Owl (all recordings deposited at the British Library National Sound Archive).
Researchers or birders wishing to study the fishing owls should contact Phil Hall in Lagos, e-mail: 110226.2654@compuserve.com or fax on: (234) 12691245. Comfortable guesthouse accommodation is available and visitors are made very welcome.
Fishing owls at Agenebode, Nigeria: Turk
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 - 107
2
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank A.P. Leventis and the Leventis Foundation for funding the study, Phil Hall for his logistical skills and advice, and Richard Markham, IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria. The International Owl Society provided equipment and Daniel Mochi assisted in locating the owls. The manuscript was significantly improved by helpful comments from Dr Richard Shore and an anonymous referee, f.
References
1. Atkinson, P.W., Koroma, A.P., Ranft. R., Rowe, S.G. and Wilkinson, R. 1994. The status, identification and vocalisations of African fishing owls with particular reference to the Rufous Fishing Owl Scotopelia ussheri. Bull. ABC 1: 67-71.
2. Bannerman, D.A. 1933- The Birds of Tropical West Africa. Vol 3- London: Crown Agents for the Colonies.
3. Elgood, J.H. 1994. The Birds of Nigeria: an annotated check-list. BOU Check-list No. 4. Second edition. Tring: British Ornithologists' l:nion.
4. Gatter, W. 1998. Birds of Liberia. Robertsbridge: Pica Press.
5. Marchant, S. 1954. The relationship of the southern Nigerian avifauna to those of upper and lower Guinea. Ibis 96: 371-379.
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology'. Monks Wood, Abbots Ripton, Cambs. PEI 7 2LS, UK.
Figure 1. Dark form of Vermiculated Fishing Owl Scotopelia bouvieri, Agenebode, Nigeria (A.P. Leventis)
Figure 2. More typical colour form of Vermiculated Fishing Owl Scotopelia bouvieri, Agenebode, Nigeria (A.P. Leventis)
Figure 3. Flooded forest, Agenebode, Nigeria, habitat of Vermiculated Fishing Owl Scotopelia bouvieri (Anthony Turk)
108 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Fishing owls at Agenebode, Nigeria: Turk
Suspected breeding of Lesser Flamingo
Phoeniconaias minor in Mauritania
Olivier Hamerlynck and Brahim ould Messaoud
Suite a la restauration du regime d'inondations saisonnieres, effectuee dans le cadre des amenagements pour le Parc National du Diawling, des observations d’immatures du Flamant nain Phoeniconaias minor dans le bas-delta du fleuve Senegal suggerent que l’espece a repris sa nidification, qui n’avait plus ete confirmee depuis 1965.
On 3 October 1998 we observed two very dark brown immature flamingos at Chott Boul, a lagoon in the Senegal River Delta, in Mauritania4. They appeared smaller and browner than the immature Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber that commonly occur in the area. However, as they flew off quickly and there were no other flamingos present for direct comparison, we could not be certain of our tentative identification of Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor.
On 13 September 1999 we were more fortunate. In the late afternoon, a group of 10 adult Lesser Flamingo was present in the west part of the lagoon, with nine immature flamingos, six of which were dark brown with wholly black bills, and three were larger, more greyish and possessed the typical bicoloured (bluish-grey and black) bill of immature Greater Flamingo (a characteristic not depicted in Cramp & Simmons2 or Brown et aP). The shape of the bill, especially the lower mandible (much more angular in Lesser Flamingo) was clearly observed and compared with the Greater Flamingos present. The birds were photographed (see Figs. 1 & 2). A group of cl, 700
Figure 1. Adult Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor , Chott Boul, Senegal Delta, Mauritania, September 1999 (Olivier Hamerlynck)
adult Lesser Flamingo was observed circling overhead and c50 more were settled in the east part of the lagoon. On 29 October 1999, at the same site, three adult and five juvenile Lesser Flamingo, with more greyish plumage, were present.
Discussion
The only previous record of successful breeding by Lesser Flamingo in West Africa dates from 19657 at a site c20 km north of Chott Boul lagoon, in the Aftout es Saheli. A failed breeding attempt was noted in the same area in 1988, when the area was flooded5. Following restoration of the flood regime in the Mauritanian lower delta, around Diawling National Park3, important concentrations of Lesser Flamingo (up to 8,000) have been observed year-round6. In particular, 1998 and 1999 were especially favourable years, because large quantities of fresh water from the Senegal River reached the hypersaline Chott Boul lagoon, and even flooded the southern Aftout es Saheli basin, restoring productivity to these areas, as exemplified by the high concentrations of waterfowl often present (maximum numbers on the 200 ha
Figure 2. Adult and immature Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor and (on left) three immature Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber, Chott Boul, Senegal Delta, Mauritania, September 1999 (Olivier Hamerlynck)
Suspected breeding of Lesser Flamingo in Mauritania: Hamerlynck & ould Messaoud Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2- 109
lagoon included 200 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis, 1 ,000 White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus, 2,300 Greater Flamingo, 5,600 Eurasian Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta and 800 Slender-billed Gull Lams genei).
Other known breeding areas of Lesser Flamingo (East African Rift Lakes and Namibia) are very distant, and it appears highly possible that the immatures observed at Chott Boul were bred in the immediate vicinity, probably in July-August. Moreover, the observation of the presumed same juveniles in late October suggests they are sedentary. Aerial surveys of the area, which is almost wholly inaccessible, planned for the 2000 breeding season, may confirm breeding. More extensive flooding of the southern Aftout would probably be highly beneficial to many bird species, and permit the re-establishment of the former breeding colonies of Greater Flamingo, White Pelican and Caspian Tern Sterna caspia. cf,
References
1. Brown, L.H., Urban, E.K. and Newman, K. (eds)
1982. The Birds of Africa. Vol 1. London. UK:
Academic Press.
2. Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds) 1977. Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
3. Hamerlynck, O., Baba, M.L. ould and Duvail, S. 1999. The Diawling National Park: joint management for the rehabilitation of a degraded coastal wetland. Vida Sylvestre Neotrop. (7) 1: 59-69.
4. Hamerlynck, O., Baba, M.L. ould and El Hacen, M. ould submitted. Le Chott Boul, site menace. Etudes sahariennes et Ouest-africaines.
5. Lamarche, B. 1988. Liste commentee des oiseaux de Mauritanie. Etudes Sahariennes et Ouest-Africaines 1 (4): 1-164.
6. Messaoud, B. ould, Hamerlynck. O. and Diagana. C.H. 1998. Liste commentee des oiseaux du has-delta mauritanien et du Parc National du Diawling. Nouakchott: Ministere du Developpement Rural et de l’Environnement — Parc National du Diawling et IUCN.
7. Naurois, R. de 1969. Peuplement et cycle de reproduction des oiseaux de la cote occidentale d’Afrique. Mem. Mus. Nat. d'Histoire Naturelle Ser. A. Zool. 57: 1-312.
Parc National du Diawling, BP 3935, Nouakchott ,
Republique Islamique de Mauritanie. E-mail: iucn-
mauritanie@pactec.org.
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110- Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 Suspected breeding of Lesser Flamingo in Mauritania: Hamerlynck & ould Messaoud
Behaviour of Banded Kestrel Falco zoniventris in western Madagascar: a possible foraging association with Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata
Ruth E. Tingay and Martin Gilbert
Des observations sur le comportement du Faucon a ventre raye Falco zoniventris dans l’ouest de Madagascar semblent indiquer que cette espece s’associe avec la Falculie mantelee Falculea palliata. Les auteurs evoquent la possibility d’une association dans la recherche de nourriture, permettant au faucon d’exploiter les insectes deranges par la Falculie.
Introduction
During a study of Madagascar Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vociferoides in June-October 19997, we made observations of all bird species encountered on a casual basis8. The endemic Banded Kestrel Falco zoniventris , considered relatively common in western Madagascar4, was seen infrequently throughout the period. This may be more a reflection of its rather elusive nature than true abundance6. Daily observations of up to four were made at two localities between mid- August and mid-October 1999- Only two were observed together, and as the two sites were less than 1 km apart, it is possible that the same individuals were involved.
Much of the Banded Kestrel’s natural history is poorly known6, although descriptions of its foraging and breeding behaviour are available from the north- east of its range3,6. We present observations of a
Banded Kestrel Falco zoniventris by Craig Robson
possible foraging association with the endemic Sickle- billed Vanga Falculea palliata. This behaviour may be peculiar to the species’ western range only, as Sickle-billed Vanga does not extend as far east as Banded Kestrel4’9.
Locality and habitat
The study area lies within the Antsalova wetland region of western Madagascar, clO km inland of the Mozambique Channel, and includes three lakes, Befotaka, Soamalipo and Ankerika. It is situated at the southern limits of the dry deciduous Tsimembo Forest, which in this area has a mean canopy height of 12-15 m, a well-developed shrub layer and many vines; there is little or no herbaceous stratum and epiphytic plants are rare4. Annual rainfall is 1,000- 2,000 mm, and there is a 6-8 month dry season (typically May-November), while mean monthly tem- peratures are greater than 20°C1.
All observations of Banded Kestrels were made at two localities on the shores of Lake Soamalipo; one on the west shore, where intensive observations were conducted at an active Madagascar Fish Eagle nest, and one on the east shore, around The Peregrine Fund’s Camp, Ankivahivahy. Banded Kestrels were always observed at degraded forest edges, adjacent to the lake.
Sickle-billed Vanga behaviour
The largest representative of the endemic Vangidae family, Sickle-billed Vanga is known to forage in gregarious and noisy groups of up to 204. Their principal foraging technique is to use the long, slender bill as a probe to glean insects from the surfaces of tree trunks and branches, and to extract prey from crevices in the bark9.
Two discrete groups of foraging Sickle-billed Vangas were observed daily at both localities, each comprising 18-22 individuals. Both groups foraged systematically throughout their territories, and, as a
Behaviour of Banded Kestrel in western Madagascar. Tingay & Gilbert
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -111
Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliate by Craig Robson
group, each would cover the full height of each tree from ground level to the canopy. Both groups fed in specific areas at certain times each day, suggesting a routine foraging pattern. Foraging activity was most noticeable at dawn and dusk, due to the highly vocal chorus of all members of the group, characteristic of this species4.
Possible foraging association West-shore locality observations
Despite a relatively intensive search effort from 24 June 1999 onwards, the first observation of a Banded Kestrel was not made until 10 August 1999, at the west-shore locality. An aerial pursuit between two Banded Kestrels was seen along the forest edge, with both individuals calling (the call was similar to the defensive call of both Madagascar Kestrel Falco newtoni and Lesser Vasa Parrot Coracopsis nigra). This behaviour was interpreted as a territorial dispute, as the first Banded Kestrel was pursued out of the area and the other was observed perching prominently after the chase. This individual was believed to be an adult, based on its overall grey plumage4, with yellow legs and bare yellow ocular skin. Its underparts appeared much more heavily banded than those of female Frances’s Sparrowhawk Accipiter francesii.
The next observation of a Banded Kestrel at this site was made on 31 August 1999. One was observed perching in the canopy, at cl7.30 hr (dusk), in close proximity to a flock of foraging Sickle-billed Vanga. The Banded Kestrel intently followed the Sickle-billed Vangas movements, with occasional head-bobbing behaviour. The Sickle-billed Vangas moved through the area in typical foraging mode, with no apparent
interaction between the flock and the Banded Kes- trel, which remained perched for a further 20 min but appeared to become more alert (head-bobbing) as it became darker. At 18.00 hr it suddenly flew up above the canopy and appeared to aerial-hunt insects in the erratic flight manner of a crepuscular insectivorous bat. It emitted what we described as a ‘sonar’-type call, reminiscent of an echolocation sound heard on a radar. Darkness at 18.06 hr precluded further observations. This appears to be the first account of aerial foraging behaviour in this species. Although the light was too poor to ascertain if this individual was catching insects with its mouth, the presence of rictal bristles on Banded Kestrel (noted on all adults observed by us) may indicate that this foraging technique is not unusual in the species (cf nightjar Caprimulgus spp.). However, it appears to be undocumented among the Falconidae, which generally grasp prey with their feet.
A Banded Kestrel was observed daily in the same tree and at the same time during the following month; its appearance coincided with the arrival of the Sickle- billed Vanga flock on each occasion. Numerous hunting forays by the Banded Kestrel were observed. These consisted of prolonged periods of motionless perching, with head-bobbing movements made towards the area where the flock was foraging, before suddenly leaving its perch to make a short, rapid flight to an adjacent tree, swooping upon insect prey perhaps disturbed by the activity of the Sickle-billed Vanga flock. Prey was not specifically identified, other than as small invertebrates. This foraging technique has been described23’6, although this appears to be the first account of a possible foraging association with Sickle-billed Vanga.
East-shore locality observations
The first observation of Banded Kestrel was on 20 September 1999, when an adult was observed perch hunting in close proximity to a foraging group of Sickle-billed Vangas at dusk. Hunting forays by the kestrel were identical to those described from the west shore, with the falcon catching insects in trees recently vacated by the Sickle-billed Vanga flock. The Sickle-billed Vanga group of 22 individuals was observed to roost in a low bush (<3 m high), and the Banded Kestrel was lost to sight in the darkness at 18.10 hr.
The following morning, just before dawn, an adult Banded Kestrel was observed perching close to the Sickle-billed Vanga roost bush. The group left the roost at dawn in a noisy flock, and began to forage systematically through the forest. The Banded Kestrel followed the group for c30 min and further hunting
112 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Behaviour of Banded Kestrel in western Madagascar: Tingay & Gilbert
forays were observed. Eventually, the Sickle-billed Vangas flew a short distance across the lagoon (<100 m) and the kestrel followed, until we lost sight of it as the flock continued into the forest. That evening, shortly before dusk, we again located an adult Banded Kestrel perching in close proximity to the Sickle- billed Vanga roost, as the group was heard approaching through the forest. The kestrel began head-bobbing in their direction, before flying towards them. The same behaviour was observed at the same place and time, each dawn and dusk, over the next 22 days. It is unclear whether the Banded Kestrel used the calls of the approaching Sickle-billed Vanga flock as a cue to a hunting opportunity, or whether it chose to perch in the same position at the same time in anticipation of the group’s arrival.
Lack of courtship and nesting behaviour
A second adult Banded Kestrel was observed at the east-shore site on 6 October 1999, hunting independently of the first adult (and was seen over the next six days until our study ended). No interaction was observed between the two individuals, eg no territorial disputes and, conversely, no courtship behaviour, although they were seen perched together in the same tree for several minutes, apparently perch hunting but facing in opposite directions. This apparent lack of courtship and/or nesting behaviour was surprising, given that Colebrook-Robjent3 reported courtship behaviour in late September, and Thorstrom6 breeding activity in October. Both authors’ observations were made in the north-east of the species’ range, rather than the west, perhaps indicating a difference in timing of breeding activity. However, it is also possible that a failed breeding attempt had been made, or that both individuals were non- breeders. We searched for nest-sites at the east-shore location, following reports by Langrand4 that Banded Kestrel uses old, disused nests of Sickle-billed Vangas, although no evidence was found to support this. Cade2 speculated that the species may also utilise disused nests of Hammerkop Scopus umbretta, which is present in western Madagascar4, but was not observed during this study8. Banded Kestrel nests in epiphytes elsewhere within its range3’6, but the rarity of this vegetation in dry deciduous forests suggests that, in the west, nests must be placed in different structures. Safford & Duckworth5 refer to a Banded Kestrel visiting a nest (resembling that of a Carrion Crow Corvus corone ) in south-west Madagascar, but we are unaware of any other documented informa- tion. As such, we suggest further research to investigate the nesting and breeding habits of Banded Kestrel in
dry deciduous forests of west Madagascar, which may differ significantly from Banded Kestrels in the north-east wet forests.
Acknowledgements
Our observations were made under the auspices of The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar Project, and we thank their staff for logistical support. RET would also like to thank The Peregrine Fund (USA), University of Nottingham (UK), Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (USA) and Jim Brett Conservation Fund (USA) for financial support. Rick Watson, Russell Thorstrom, Michele Clarke and Frank Hawkins made valuable comments, which improved earlier drafts of this paper. 'f>
References
1. Berkelman, J. 1997. Habitat requirements and foraging ecology of the Madagascar Fish Eagle. PhD Thesis, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg.
2. Cade, T. J. 1982. Falcons of the World. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
3. Colebrook-Robjent, J.F.R. 1973- The breeding of the Madagascar Banded Kestrel. Bull. Br. Ornithol. Cl. 93: 108-111.
4. Langrand, 0. 1990. Guide to the Birds of Madagascar. New Haven: Yale University Press.
5 . Safford, R. & Duckworth, W. 1990. A wildlife inventory ofMarojejy Reserve, Madagascar. Cambridge, UK: International Council for Bird Preservation (Study Report 40).
6. Thorstrom, R. 1999- A description of nests, diet and behaviour of the Banded Kestrel. Ostrich 70: 149— 151.
7. Tingay, R.E. 2000. Sex, lies and dominance: paternity and behaviour of extra-pair Madagascar Fish Eagles. MSc Thesis, University of Nottingham.
8. Tingay, R. E. & Gilbert, M. 1999- Annotated list of the birds of Lacs Soamalipo, Befotaka and Ankerika (Three Lakes) and surrounding Tsimembo Forest, western Madagascar. Newsletter of the Working Group on Madagascar Birds 9 (1): 26-30.
9. Yamagishi, S. & Eguchi, K. 1996. Comparative foraging ecology of Madagascar vangids (Vangidae). Ibis 138: 283-290.
aThe Peregrine Fund (Madagascar Project), BP 4113. Antananarivo, Madagascar and Centre for Environmental Management, School of Geography. University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK. E-mail: tingay@geography. nottingha m.ac. uk. h Greta Bank Farm, Brundholme Road. Keswick. Cumbria, CA12 4NS, UK.
Behaviour of Banded Kestrel in western Madagascar: Tingay & Gilbert
Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2- 113
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114 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
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The sad story of Alaotra Grebe
Tachybaptus rufolavatus
Frank Hawkins, Rado Andriamasimanana, Sam The Seing and Zarine Rabeony
Le Grebe de Delacour Tachybaptus rufolavatus , espece endemique du centre-est de Madagascar, semble toujours avoir ete peu commun. Les donnees disponibles, relativement peu abondantes, semblent indiquer qu’il est devenu nettement plus rare au debut des annees 1980 et est maintenant quasi-certainement eteint, et cela peut-etre depuis une decennie. Lors d’inventaires ornithologiques effectues de fin-avril a mi-mai 1999, l’espece n’a pu etre localisee. Un certain nombre de causes pour son declin sont avancees. La degradation des zones humides du Lac Alaotra, due a l’utilisation excessive de pesticides, parallelement a l’introduction quasi-simultanee, dans les annees 1980, de filets maillants et du poisson predateur Ophicephalus striatus ont probablement sonne le glas pour l’espece.
Alaotra (Madagascar Red-necked) Grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus was described in 19321 from specimens collected by the Mission Franco- Anglo Americaine3, at Lake Alaotra in central-east Madagascar. It was a small grebe, similar to the African subspecies of Little Grebe T. ruficollis capensis, but differing from it and Madagascar Little Grebe T. pelzelnii , by its pale eye, pale rufous-washed neck, dark underparts and short wings2. Alaotra Grebe had a long and strong bill compared to Little Grebe, suggesting that it specialised on small fish. The only known photograph of the species, taken in 1983, appears here as Fig 1.
Lake Alaotra is the largest lake in Madagascar, c40 km long and 10 km wide, with c350 km2 of marshes, (mostly Cyperus spp) and c500 km2 of ricefields at its southern end, and c220 km2 of open water. It is situated in a basin at c750 m, between two north- south scarps3. The lake is also famous for Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata , which also appears to have been practically endemic to the lake and its environs, and may now be extinct, the last individual having been recorded in 19915.
Alaotra Little Grebe was only ever reliably recorded on Lake Alaotra; reports from elsewhere6,7 appear to be in error for T. pelzelnii 5. The species’ short wings seem likely to have limited its distribution to the immediate vicinity of the lake, as it would probably have been able to fly only short distances9 (A Konter pers comm). Early accounts of grebes at Lake Alaotra mention it being relatively common, at least around the time of its original discovery1, while Little Grebe seems not to have been common on the lake at that time1.
Decline
Published reports from Lake Alaotra between the 1930s and 1980s are rare and only Voous & Payne11
mention the species composition of grebe flocks on the lake. They report that, in I960, ‘around 50 [Alaotra Grebes]’, with clO Madagascar Little Grebes were present; Little Grebe was considered the commonest grebe at the lake. By 1982, while grebe flocks were still relatively common, Alaotra Little Grebe appeared scarce, with cl 2 being identified, as well as several hybrids5. By 1985, although clOO grebes were present on the lake, only 2-3 definite Alaotra Little Grebes were identified10 (P Thompson pers comm). In 1986, B Dawson (unpublished report held at BirdLife International) recorded c8 adult and immature Little Grebes, and one adult and one immature Alaotra Grebe. Two years later D Thorns (unpublished report held at BirdLife International) saw an adult and an immature grebe that were also probably the latter species. Subsequently, in 1989-90, Wilme13 and Young & Smith14 reported Madagascar Little Grebes and Little Grebes, but no definite Alaotra Grebes. Between January 1993 and January 1994, Pidgeon4 saw only one each of Madagascar Little Grebe and Little Grebe. He also recorded the two commoner species at three lakes near Andilamena, north-east of Alaotra; two unidentified grebes and eight Little Grebes at Lake Antsomangana, four of each species at Maromandia. and two Madagascar Little Grebes at Lake Amparihalava. In addition, he found two of each of both common grebes on the River Ivondro, near Didy Marsh. Surveys conducted at Lake Alaotra by Julien Ramanampamonjy5,6, on behalf of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Wetlands International, produced two Madagascar Little Grebe in 1997, one Madagascar Little Grebe in 1998, and no grebes in 1999.
In early 1999, this situation prompted Projet ZICOMA to propose a survey of sites around Lake Alaotra in order to tiy and find Alaotra Grebe. Funding was obtained from the African Bird Club Conservation
The sad story of Alaotra Grebe : Hawkins et al
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -115
Fund (with complementary financing from AviFauna), and 30 April-17 May was spent visiting sites around Lake Alaotra15. Seven areas around the main lake, lakes within a few kilometres of Lake Alaotra near Amparafaravola and Imerimandroso, and those visited by Pidgeon in 1993 near Andilamena were surveyed. The only site which held any grebes was Lake Antsomanagana near Andilamena, where four Madagascar Little Grebes were seen. Other lakes near Andilamena, which had held grebes in 1993, were almost dry and held few waterfowl15 .
Discussion
The striking result of this analysis is the precipitous decline of grebes in general at the main lake since cl985. It suggests that a new pressure, manifest from the early 1980s, was responsible for the elimination of all resident grebes from the main lake by 1992, and that all subsequent sightings relate to birds that have arrived from other areas, only to be very rapidly eliminated before they could breed. It appears that this pressure is absent, or at least a lot lower, at Lake Antsomangana. In addition, the pressures appear to have selectively targeted grebes, as other species (eg Meller’s Duck Anas melleri , Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota and Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha, while in decline since the 1930s, are still relatively numerous5,6).
Several potential causes of the decline have been suggested. There is considerable evidence to suggest that some hybridisation between Little Grebe and Alaotra Grebe occurred, and that even the type was a hybrid. This has been mentioned as a potential reason for the extinction of the species. The extent to which hybridisation can explain the species’ decline is impossible to judge, but it appears that until the final sighting, individuals possessing the majority of characters of Alaotra Grebe were present, and that the decline of that species was accompanied, on Lake Alaotra at least, by an equal decline in other grebe species. The introduction of predatory fish (especially Black Bass Micropterus salmoides) may have impacted substantially upon potential grebe food4. Exotic vegetarian fish, especially carp Cyprinus sp. and some Tilapia species have radically changed the vegetation of the lake since the 1930s, when the majority of open water was covered in water lilies Nymph aea sp.15. Organochlorine pesticides, frequently used in ricefields surrounding the lake since the 1960s, have probably been mounting in the Lake Alaotra ecosystem. Many products now banned in the West are in common use at Alaotra. Hunting of waterfowl, already intensive in the 1930s15 appears to be very high at present4. However, it is principally concentrated
on duck species that fly between the lake and ricefields at night4’5.
These pressures have certainly contributed to the overall decline in bird populations at Lake Alaotra, but they do not appear to have radically increased in the 1980s, and changes in wetland vegetation and hunting, at least, would appear likely to have affected all species of waterfowl. Hunting may have played a part in the decline of Madagascar Pochard4, which was reported by local people to be tame and easily caught, but the small grebes do not appear to be have been specifically hunted. Two pressures, which do appear to have increased markedly in the relevant time period, are the use of monofilament gill nets and predation pressure from the introduced Snakehead Ophicephalus striatus (Channidae), a predatory fish of pike Esox sp.- like in size and habits. No data are available on the rates of gill-net use prior to the early 1990s, but at this time they were so widespread in the lake’s open water as to impede the progress of boats with outboard motors (H G Young pers comm). These nets undoubtedly catch grebes, as diving birds do not see them underwater and drown if ensnared. Widespread use of gill-nets is not apparent on Lake Antsomangana.
Snakeheads were introduced to Madagascar in the late 1970s and probably reached Lake Alaotra in the early 1980s4. This genus of fish, along with others, has been implicated in the elimination of grebes from waters in their native south-east Asia (J Fjeldsa pers comm). A similar situation exists in Europe, where Little Grebes do not breed successfully in waters inhabited by large pike, as the fish eat adults and chicks. At Lake Alaotra, local fishermen relate many tales of adult grebes being found dead on the surface of the water with fatal injuries, which they attribute to Snakeheads. According to fishermen, the fish attack grebes when underwater, and Snakeheads are reputedly absent or very rare in Lake Antsomangana.
Conclusion
It appears undeniable that Alaotra Grebe is extinct. Despite repeated intensive searches, there have been no records for over ten years and it appears that all resident grebes have now been eliminated from Lake Alaotra. The near-flightless nature of Alaotra Grebe makes it extremely unlikely that populations remain undiscovered elsewhere in Madagascar. A series of effects have apparently contributed to the degradation of wetland habitats at Lake Alaotra, including indiscriminate pesticide use, hunting and competition from native fish, but that the final devastating blow to this species, as well as probably for the equally unfortunate Madagascar Pochard, was the near- simultaneous introduction of monofilament gill nets
116 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
The sad story of Alaotra Grebe : Hawkins et al
Figure 1. Adult breeding plumaged Alaotra Grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus, Andreba, Lake Alaotra, 1985 (Paul Thompson)
and the Snakehead. Fig 1 thus stands, apart from museum specimens, as the last testament of this species, which appears to have become extinct in cl988-89, without the conservation world noticing.
Acknowledgements
Fieldwork for the 1999 ZICOMA survey was funded by the African Bird Club Conservation Fund, partially through AviFauna (Sweden). Logistical support to Projet ZICOMA was provided by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), to whom we extend our thanks. Jonah Randriamahefasoa and Jerome Randrianarimanana, of DWCT, provided advice and support in the field, and Richard Rasolonjatovo guided the team at Andreba. Comments from Glyn Young were gratefully received. Thanks to Paul Thompson for comments and suggestions, and permission to use the photograph.
References
1. Delacour, J. 1932 Les oiseaux de la Mission Franco- Anglo-Americaine a Madagascar Oiseau etRFO 2: 1- 96.
2. O’Donnell, C. and Fjeldsa, J. 1997. Grebes: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. Gland: IUCN/ SSC Grebe Specialist Group.
3. Morris, P.A.J. and Hawkins, A.F.A. 1998. Birds of Madagascar. A Photographic Guide. Robertsbridge: Pica Press.
4. Pidgeon, M. 199 6 An ecological survey of Lake Alaotra and selected wetlands of central and eastern Madagascar in analysing the demise of the Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata. St Louis: World Wide Fund for Nature/ Missouri Botanical Garden.
5. Ramanampamonjy, J. and Randrianasolo, H. 1997. Recensementd ’oiseaux dans le cadre du programme Wetlands International du mois du juillet 1997 a Lac Alaotra. Unpublished report to Jersey Wildlife Preservation Tmst, Madagascar.
6. Ramanampamonjy, J. and Randriamahefasoa, J. 1999- Recensement d ’oiseaux dans le cadre du programme Wetlands International du mois dujanvier 1999 a Lac Alaotra. Unpublished report to Jersey Wildlife Preservation Tmst, Madagascar.
7. Rand, A.L. 1936 The distribution and habits of Madagascar birds. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 72: 143-499.
8. Salvan ,J. 1971 . Observations nouvelles a Madagascar. Alauda 39: 37-42.
9. Salvan, J. 1972. Statut, recensement, reproduction des oiseaux dulgaquicoles aux environs de Tananarive. Oiseau etRFO 42: 35-51.
10. Thompson, P.M. (ed.) 1987. Zahamena Forest Madagascar Expedition 1985. Cambridge, UK: International Council for Bird Preservation (Study Report no. 20).
11. Voous, K. H. and Payne H.A.W. 1965. The grebes of Madagascar. Ardea-. 53: 9-31.
12. Webb, C.S. 1936. Collecting waterfowl in Madagascar. Avicultural Magazine 5: 36-39-
13. Wilme, L. 1994. Status, distribution and conservation of two Madagascar bird species endemic to Lake Alaotra: Delacour’s grebe Podiceps rufolavatus and Madagascar pochard Aythya innotata. Biol. Conserv. 69: 15-21.
14. Young, H.G. and Smith, J.G 1989. The search for the Madagascar pochard Aythya innotata ; survey of Lac Alaotra, Madagascar, October-November 1989. Dodo 26: 17-34.
15. ZICOMA 1999. Rapport de Mission. Recherche de Grebe de Delacour Tachybaptus rufolavatus, region du Lac Alaotra, 30 avril-17 mai 1999. Unpublished report, Projet ZICOMA.
Projet ZICOMA, BP 1074, Antananarivo 101,
Madagascar.
^ Supported by ABC Conservation Fund
and
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Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2- 117
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118 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Advertisement
Identifying glossy starlings in the field
Adrian Craig
L’article traite de l’identification des choucadors (ou merles metalliques) africains au plumage uniformement bleu-vert, places traditionnellement dans le genr eLamprotornis. Si les especes forestieres de l’Afrique centrale et occidentale ne posent que peu de problemes d’identification, ceci n’est pas le cas pour les especes de l’Afrique orientale et meridionale, qui comprennent un certain nombre de formes assez semblables dont les aires de distribution se chevauchent. Bien que les vocalisations et le plumage juvenile soient souvent caracteristiques, l’observation detaillee des patterns de plumage dans des conditions d’eclairage convenables permettent egalement, dans la plupart des cas, d’identifier correctement l’espece. Si, a quelques exceptions pres, les points d’identification sont relativement bien connus, beaucoup reste a decouvrir sur lecologie et la biologie de ce groupe.
Figure 1. Ruppell’s Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis pwpuropterus, Uganda (Johan Verbauck)
A first encounter with an African glossy starling is a memorable event, even for those without a special interest in birds. As the angle of light on the plumage changes, we see shifting iridescent greens, blues and purples, with occasional flashes of metallic copper and bronze. These are all structural colours, resulting from the reflection and diffraction of light by the feather keratin, in which melanin granules are embedded. In typical blue-green African glossy starlings, the melanin granules are oblong in cross-
section, with an air space inside. There is a single row of granules parallel to the surface of the feather barbules, with other granules scattered in the central region with no regular orientation6’8 . However, in tw o West African species, similar colours are produced by flattened, solid melanin platelets. This resembles the condition found in sunbirds--9. In starlings, the arrangement of the melanin granules appears consistent at a generic level, and this, along with other evidence, has led me to suggest some rearrangements
Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -119
68
70a
70b
Plate \. 68: Cape Glossy Starling Lamprotornis nitens. 69 Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus.
70: Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling Lamprotornis chloropterus (a = adult, b = juvenile). 71: Bronze-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis chalcurus.
120 -Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2
Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
Plate 2. 72: Splendid Glossy Starling Lamprotornis splendidus (a = adult male, b = adult female). 73: Principe Glossy Starling Lamprotornis ornatus. 74: Emerald Starling Lamprotornis iris. 75: Purple Glossy Starling Lamprotornis purpureus (a = adult, b = juvenile).
Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2 - 121
gt§§f
-
^ ^
Plate 3- 76: Ruppell’s Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis purpuropterus. 77: Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotomis caudatus. 78: Golden-breasted Starling Lamprotornis regius (a = adult, b = juvenile).
122 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
'9
Plate 4. 79: Meves’ Long-tailed Starling Lamprotornis mevesii. 80: Burchell’s Glossy Starling Lamprotornis australis. 81: Sharp-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis acuticaudus (a = adult, b = juvenile).
Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2- 123
Plate 5. 82: Black-bellied Glossy Stading Lamprotornis corruscus (a = adult male, b = adult female). 83: Purple-headed Glossy Starling Hylopsar purpureiceps. 84: Coppery-tailed Glossy Starling Hylopsar cupreocauda .
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Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
to the taxonomy of African starlings" . Traditionally
all the glossy blue-green starlings were placed within the genus Lampfvtomis , but some additional species, formerly in the genus Spree, such as Superb Starling c rbus and Golden-breasted Starling Cosmopsimis regius , also appear to belong there. However, these species all have ventral areas with pigmented, non- iridescent plumage, which simplifies their identification. So in this article I will discuss onlv the uniformly blue-green glossy starlings.
If the colours of these birds are very much in the eye of the beholder, it will be difficult to rely on colour for field identification. This is certainly true and careful observation of the patterns of colour arrangement is a better approach. I must admit at the outset that I have yet to see all the species discussed here in the field, although I have pored over many museum specimens and visited collections holding captive starlings. So this should be regarded as a progress report, to which other observers can contribute.
The glossy starlings are. to some degree, segregated by habitat and geographical distribution, but some species are very widespread, at least one is migrator) , and large-scale movements in the non- breeding season are likely in several others. Often three species may occur regularly at the same locality and 5-6 species are likely to lx* found together at times.
Forest starlings
For these* species, geographical distribution is very helpful in narrowing down one's options. On the east coast of Africa, from South Africa north to the southern tip of Somalia, including offshore islands such as lnhaca, Pemba and Zanzibar, the only true forest representative is Black-bellied Glossy Starling Lamprotomis corruscus. The field impression is of a small, dark starling with yellowish eyes. The sexes can be distinguished in grxxl light, as the female has matt charcoal underparts, whereas the male has the ventral side black with a faint bronzy sheen. Breeding males have red eyes and in the hand exhibit a remarkable ability' to change their eye colour, presumably by flushing the iris with blood. One, which I handled for ringing, had a red eye facing me, whereas the eye on the other side of the head was yellow! After a few minutes, both eyes became yellow'. Black-bellied Glossy Starlings principally occur within 50 km of coasts, but in Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya they penetrate much further inland in gallery forest along river valleys. However, their small size and dark greenish appearance distinguish them from any of the savanna species, which are likely to enter this habitat.
In lowland forests of western and central Africa are two closely related species, Purple-headed Glossy Starling Lamprotomis purpunuceps and Coppery - tailed Starling L cupreocauda , which 1 have placed in a separate genus. Hylopsar\ Coppery-tailed Starling is restricted to the region from Guinea east to Ghana, while Purple-headed Glossy Starling has a much \\ ider distribution, from southern Nigeria east through the Congo basin to western Uganda. Within forest, the barring on the tail, which is conspicuous on specimens and in the illustration of the species, is not a useful field character. The yellow iris and overall bluish plumage should separate it from the dark-eyed Purple- headed Glossy Starling, with ns greenish body plumage, although the two species are not known to occur at the same sites anywhere in West Africa.
Both these small forest starlings may occur alongside the much larger Splendid Glossy Starling Lamprotomis splendidus. This is a truly spectacular bird when seen at close quarters, showing more subtle variations in plumage colour than one can convey ettectix civ in a written description. It has a wide range in l< m land forests from Senegal to western Past Africa, Zambia, ( < >ng< )andn< >rthem Angola, in southern and western regions it is a migrant and large mobile flocks are < haracteristic < >l the non breeding season. Roosts containing thousands of individuals have been reported in Gabon2. This is a large starling, dorsally showing many shades of blue and green, with purple underparts. The iris is \\ hite and the female is duller than the male, although tins is unlikely to be evident to an observer peering up into the dim forest canopy. Splendid Glossy Starlings are raucous birds, which James Chapin described as gathering in groups to practice the most marvellous discords!3 Their outer primary feathers have large notches halfway along them, so that their flight is accompanied by a loud swishing noise, which Chapin compared to the sound of a distant paddle steamer. In small woodland patches or at forest edges, Splendid Glossy Starlings can potentially occur alongside many of the savanna glossy starlings. Their white iris, purple underparts and relatively long blue tails, with dark blue centres to the feathers, are likely to be the best distinguishing characters in this situation.
On Principe Island, Splendid Glossy Starling may occur alongside its closest relative, Principe Glossy Starling Lamprotomis ornatus. These two species both possess a white iris and notched wing feathers, but Principe Glossy Starling is bronzy, rather than greenish on the back and the underparts are greenish instead of purple. Current information suggests that Splendid Glossy Starling is an irregular visitor to
Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -125
Principe, and may not breed on the island, although it is resident on Bioko1'.
Woodland and savanna glossy starlings
Away from forests, West African woodlands have another six species of glossy starlings to offer, and here my field experience is negligible. Nevertheless. I believe that the Emerald Starling Lamprotomis iris. formerly often placed in a monotypic genus. Coccycolius, is unlikely to be confused with any other species in the inland savannas of Guinea. Mali and Cote d’Ivoire. Its brilliant emerald-green plumage is produced through a slight modification of the typical Lamprotomis arrangement of hollow, oblong melanin granules6,8. It has a purple ear patch around a dark iris, and a purple belly. Another distinctive species, Long- tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotomis caudatus. is much larger and longer tailed than any other starling in West Africa. However, it ranges east to Sudan, where it reportedly occurs alongside Ruppell s Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotomis purpuropterus. Current visitors to this area of overlap will tend to focus on military activity rather than bird observations. It appears likely that Ruppell’s can be distinguished by its glossy blue, rather than blue-green body ,but more information on these populations is required. Some taxonomists have included the long-tailed starlings from Sudan and Ethiopia as a race of L. caudatus rather than L. purpuroptenis" , and this debate cannot be settled by re-examination of specimens collected 50 years ago.
Gradually we are homing in on the real problem area — the short-tailed savanna woodland glossy starlings. There is one more relatively distinctive species, Purple Glossy Starling Lamprotomis purpureas. This is a bulky, strikingly short-tailed bird, with blue-green upperparts, purple underparts and a yellow iris. It ranges from Senegal to west Kenya, and throughout this area can occur alongside three other species: Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling Lamprotomis chalybaeus, Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling L. chloropterus , and Bronze-tailed Glossy Starling L. chalcurus. All three have a distinct ear patch, which contrasts with the coloration of the surrounding feathers — when the light is favourable for the observer. This ear patch has a purple wash in Bronze-tailed, whereas it is deep blue in Greater and Lesser Blue-eared. The central tail feathers of Bronze- tailed Glossy Starlings are bronzy, and some barring may be visible (I have not seen live specimens of this species). The tail is proportionately shorter than in the other two species, and the uppertail-coverts possess a purple tinge, rather than being blue-green. The four outer primary feathers of Greater Blue-eared Glossy
Starling have distinct indentations, while smaller indentations are present on the primaries of Bronze- tailed Glossy Starlings, so that the flight of these two species is much noisier than that of Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling.
In many glossy starlings there are dark blue spots at the tips of some, or all. of the wing-coverts. In Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling there are typically two complete rows of spots visible on the folded wing, compared to a single row in Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling. Comparable information is lacking for Bronze-tailed Glossy Starling. A more reliable field character is underparts coloration. The belly plumage of Bronze-tailed Glossy Starling has a purple wash, whereas in both blue-eared species there is a magenta patch on the flanks. This coloration ends just in front of the legs in Lesser Blue-eared, whereas in Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling the magenta area extends forward well beyond the hind limbs. Clearly, careful comparison and favourable viewing conditions are crucial. Fortunately, in many reserves, glossy starlings are so habituated to people that they will strut about, allowing one to obtain a good lcx)k from different angles.
When juveniles are present with the adults, they may provide additional clues. In first plumage. Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling has a fawn, or chestnut- brown in southern Africa, vent. This is diagnostic of this species, as in Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling the juvenile has dark ventral plumage with some brown undertones, and at the same stage young Bronze-tailed Glossy Starling appears to have blackish underparts.
From Kenya southwards, the two blue-eared species overlap in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia. Mozambique and Zimbabwe. A third species. Cape Glossy Starling L. nitens joins them in Zimbabwe. Cape Glossy Starling is also sympatric with Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling in South Africa, Botswana, northern Namibia and southern Angola. Here I am on familiar territory, and voice is a significant character in this region: Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling has a whining sheaair call, unlike any call of Cape Glossy Starling.
Southern Africa has a further three species of glossy starling, which overlap locally with the trio above, but are much easier to separate from them and from each other. Meves’ Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotomis mevesii is a slender, dark-plumaged species with a dark iris and a long tapered tail. It is quite localised in its distribution, favouring areas of baobab or mopane trees. Burchell’s Glossy Starling Lamprotomis australis also appears dark in the field, with a dark iris, but it is much bulkier, with a broad,
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Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
Hunt-ended tail. Both have prominent cross-barring on the tail Finally, ''harp-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprutomis acuticaudus is a glossy green bird with a pointed, faintly barred tail, and an * >range or red iris.
Observers w ill continue to delight in the iridescent plumage'* otgloNs\ Ntarlingv M\ hope is that they will go beyond the identification puzzles, to document more of the basic biology of these species. 1 am sure that field experience < >f the calls < rfthe different glossy starlings can ensure rapid identification of all species described here, but sufficient information is not yet available for many of them. Juvenile plumages have in some cases been described from single specimens of uncertain age. and lor all species with a coloured iris, juveniles apparently start out with a dark iris. Intraspecific variations in adult iris coloration exist’ : and it is probable that species other than Black-bellied Gl< >ssy Starling exhibit seasonal or spontaneous short- term changes in eye colour. Although Chris Feare and I recently co-authored a comprehensive review of the starling family1 . we attempted to emphasise how little is known about many species. Cooperative breeding occurs in at least 1 1 of the »8 African species, and probably in others whose breeding biology is unstudied. For 1 1 African starlings, the eggs are undescribed. while for eight species the only detailed observations on incubation and feeding of the young have been made on captive birds in Europe. There is always something new to discover in Africa.
Acknowledgements
1 am especially indebted to Chris Feare, for initiating the happy collaboration that finally produced our fxx)k. Robert Kirk was supportive throughout its long gestation pericxl My family helped in many practical ways and was tolerant of my absences on field trips and museum visits. Many landowners, museum curators and colleagues have assisted me — their names appear in the book. Rhodes University has supported my research throughout, f
References
1. Basilio, A. 1963- Ares cle la isla de Fernando Po. Madrid: Coculsa.
2. Brosset, A. and Erard, C. 1986. Les oiseaux des regions forestieres du nord-est du Gabon. Vol. 1: Ecologie et comportement des especes. Rev. Ecol. Suppl. 3: 1-289.
3 Chapin, J.P. 1954. The birds of the Belgian Congo.
Part IV. Bull. Am. Mas. Nat. Hist. 75B: 1-846. a. Christy. P. and Clarke, W. 1998. Guide des oiseaux de Sao Tome et Principe. Sao Tome: Ecofac.
5. Craig, A.J.F.K. 1997. A phylogeny for the African starlings (Sturnidae). Ostrich 68: 114-116.
o. Craig. A.J.F.K. and Hartley, A.H. 198V The arrange- ment and structure of feather melanin granules as a taxonomic character in African starlings (Sturnidae). Auk 102: 629-632.
Durrer. H. and Yilliger, V . 1962. Schillerfarben der Nektarvogel (Nectariniidae). Rev. Suisse Zool. 69:
801-81-t.
8. Durrer. H. and Yilliger, \\ . 1970. Schillerfarben der Stare (Sturnidae). / Om. Ill: 133-153.
9. Farquhar, M.. Lorenz, M.. Rayner, J.L. and Craig, A.J.F.K. 1996. Feather ultrastructure and skeletal morphology as taxonomic characters in African sunbirds (Nectariniidae) and sugarbirds ( Promeropidae). J. Afr. Zool. 110: 321-331.
10. Feare. C. and Craig. A. 1998. Starlings and mynas. London, I K: A. & C. Black.
11 White. C..M.N. 1962. A revised check list of African sbrikt v >ri< )les, dn mgi is, starlings, crows, waxwings, cuckoo-shrikes, bulbuls, accentor's, thrushes and babblers. Lusaka: Government Printer.
1 \\ ilkinson, R. 198 L Variation in eye colour of Blue-
eared Glossy Starlings. Malimhus 6: 2— t.
Dept. of Zoology & Entomology, Rhodes University, Grabamstoicn. 6 NO. South Africa.
\The World Birding Conference
birders contributing to global bird conservation
30 March - 1 April 2001
The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, UK
Speakers will include
Ian Wallace. Richard Porter, Nigel Collar and Richard Ranft
Talk topics will include
birding explorers, conservation challenges, expeditions, Important Bird Areas, in-the-field technology, bird sounds, museums and bird conservation and conservation monitoring
Club stands, displays, shops incl. books , CDs and more
For further information contact
WBC2, c/o BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford IP24 2PU, UK
www.wbc2.com
The World Birding Conference is jointly hosted by the African Bird Club, British Ornithologists' Union, British Trust for Ornithology, Neotropical Bird Club and Ornithological Society of the Middle East
Identifying glossy starlings in the field: Craig
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -127
Kakamega Forest: a living classroom for the growing generation
Solomon Mwangi
Un programme original d’education pour la conservation a ete mis en oeuvre aupres de certaines communautes villageoises vivant aux alentours de la foret de Kakamega, dans l’ouest du K£nya ( e projet a ete finance par une bourse de 1’African Bird Club, et l’artk le en presente les premiers rdsultats et impressions.
Kakamega Forest
Along the Kisumu-Eldoret road, 300 km west of Nairobi, Kenya, lies the only true remaining patch of tropical rainforest in Kenya — Kakamega Forest.
Kakamega Forest covers an area of 15.480 ha and is the easternmost outlier of the Guinea-Congo forest, and biogeographically unique. It harbours more than 200 forest-dependent bird species, 16 found nowhere else in Kenya. Two species are globally threatened. Turner’s Eremomela Eremomela tumeri and Chapin s Flycatcher Muscicapalendu. Kakamega is a haven for naturalists and researchers, and is renowned for its unique fauna and flora, harbouring 20% and 75% of all Kenyan plant and butterfly species. The forest has recently been listed as a globally important biodiversity site, making it a key area for conservation1.
Kakamega is a tiny island within a sea of needy people, as the area surrounding the forest has one of the highest human densities in the country (268 km2). This has resulted in increased pressure for land and forest-based resources. Uncontrolled firewood collection, forest grazing and illegal logging are some of the problems facing Kakamega. The forest, with its rich flora and fauna, could disappear unless these illegal and unsustainable activities are addressed.
The programme
During World Environment Day in 1999, an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) celebrated annually across the world on 6 June, students from nine schools around Kakamega Forest, teachers, headmasters and the area Chief were treated to 23 songs, three plays and several poems presented in different languages, including the local language, Kiswahili, and English. A play by Muleche Primary School was particularly impressive. Artwork with messages about the birds of Kakamega, theme of the year, as it related to the IB A programme, was displayed in the field. This event sparked off the ABC- funded pilot education programme in Kakamega Forest, which has been conducted in tandem with the
ongoing Kakamega Environmental Education Programme. The programme. Save the tarnishing birds of Kakamega forest: in testing in the young generation through conserration education, focuses on providing environmental education within schools.
Children consider their parents to represent Mr and Mrs Right’, emulating everything they see them say and do. irrespective of the consequences In Kakamega. communities use natural resources to meet their various household needs, in most cases unsustainably. and such practices are passed on from generation to generation. The programme aims to cultivate enthusiasm for. and skills in, birdwatching among the pupils as a stepping stone to creating awareness about other environmental concerns in Kakamega Forest. It is hoped that this will have a long- lasting impact. Specifically, by focusing on birds, the programme sought to provide pupils, teachers and wildlife clubs with an understanding of Kakamega Forest and its biodiversity, and the threats the area faces. It is hoped that if the students grow up knowing the value of the forest, they will become agents of change in their own community in the future.
Phase I: visits to schools
The first phase of the programme involved visits to schools by members of Kakamega Guides Association. These visits consisted of:
Meet school headmasters, patrons and other interested teachers, and fix a meeting day during the wreek.
Meet the club or students interested in forming a club:
• Give a short lesson on what a wildlife or conservation club is (assisted by the teachers)
• A short game with the pupils to stir up their interest.
Short presentation:
• Kakamega forest
• What are birds
• Importance of birds study table
• How to construct a bird-feeding table.
Kakamega Forest, a living classroom for the growing generation: Mwangi
Short bird walk in the school compound
• Tes ion skills (listening, behaviour,
watching).
Small booklets on birdlife of Kakamega were used.
Results
A total of 22 schools and over 8tX) pupils have had contact with the programme. During the visits, theoretical lessons on the history, geography, importance, and problems facing kakamega Forest were conducted. Particular emphasis was placed on areas that feature in the school curriculum In similar visits, within the school compounds, pupils identified plants using local and English names, and learned ot the traditional uses and myths attached to some trees As a result, three schools have already formed conservation clubs, and in one — Shabwali secondary schcx)l — membership has grown to iT with elected officials office bearers. ( )ther schools, not previously involved in the project, have requested visits from the programme.
Bird identification formed a major part of the entire programme, including the use of coloration, shape and size of the bill, and size of the bird, among other features. Pupils were instructed in identify ing different habitats for birds within their school compounds and discovering which were the Ix'st for birdwatching. "Die overall aim was to compile bird checklists tor individual schools. By observing the manner in which different species feed, pupils identified certain specific adaptations, especially in the size and shape of bills, as part of the schools’ science curriculum.
Four core schools (those demonstrating exemplary interest and performance) commenced mini-projects, which involved writing about different traditional beliefs concerning birds that served to enhance their conservation protect ion. and the role these species played in the AbaLuhya people’s lifestyles. Some of the more remarkable beliefs that pupils, from three different AbaLuhya subtribes (Isukha, Tachioni and Kabras) living around Kakamega Forest, collected from their grandparents are presented below.
sunbirds Nectarinia spp. (Muchuni)
Boys who had not passed through circumcision rituals should not kill these species; failure to observe this stricture would lead to their bleeding profusely during the ritual.
sparrows Passer spp. (Lirolesi)
The local name is believed to derive from dreaming (Khulora) among the Isukha subtribe. Among the Tachioni and Kabras these species, wrhich are known
to collect different items for nesting, are associated with witchcraft and sorcery
Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura (Isimbishila)
The Tachioni practised polygamy; in eases where one wife wanted more favour from her husband, she would roast a whydah for him in order to achieve this. Among kabras this bird is believed to attract customers to a business.
weavers Ploceus spp. (Matekeye)
Among Tachioni these birds were thought to bring wealth and were considered to be an omen of impending good fortune whenever they were seen nest-building around a home.
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu Uraeginthus bengalus (Khasisi)
Ann >ng lachioni it w as believed to be an essential part of the homestead, rhe Kabras, on the other hand, believed that it should not be killed and, if killed, would signal the end of good luck.
lovebirds Agapomis spp. (Ingringeri)
I < >\ ebirds w ere rarely seen in Luhya land, being noted \er\ i K casionally during the course of a year. Among lachioni, any < >ne seeing a 1< )\ ebird w as v iew ed as a hero m society, and these species’ presence was considered beneficial \m< >ng Kabras, they w ere seen as a blessing when they visited fruiting Ficus trees around homesteads, but the whereabouts ol their nesting areas were unknown to local people.
Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna subcylindricus (Ling’ang’a)
Among Isukha this species was known to invite a bright good day. but if it was not seen or heard the day’s weather would be dull.
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta (Namulobi)
This comparatively small bird is known to build a huge, unmistakable nest, usually near streams. Among kabras, a nest within a farm was considered a c( immunity blessing, while the nest was also associated with a welcoming home — especially because other birds, rodents and sometimes tree snakes would occupy the nest, once abandoned.
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis (Inyanji)
Well known for trailing livestock and wild mammals while grazing, Kabras believed that when it appeared among a herd, it signalled good livestock husbandry, which would lead to an increase in wealth.
falcons Falco spp. (Shikakalila-ls, Shikhokorero- Kab)
One falcon was known for its ability to hover expertly in the air. Among Kabras, Isukha, and Tachioni this
Kakamega Fbrest, a living classroom for the growing generation: Mwangi
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2- 129
species was believed to rarely lose its feathers. In the event that it lost a feather while hovering, it was believed that the bird would retrieve it. If a feather happened to fall within a homestead it was considered an omen of good luck and that the entire family would be endowed with much wealth.
White Stork Ciconia ciconia (Makunyi)
Storks were a sign of festivities at the end of the year. In addition, Tachioni and Kabras believed that locusts followed the species and if it was seen on migration, people feared locusts would arrive shortly.
African Harrier Hawk Polyboroides typus (Liyayi)
This species was known for predating more than < me young chicken at a time. Its name derives from the action of picking more than one item at a time and flying away (Khuyaya).
Reactions/questions from pupils
The following are some of the questions that pupils asked at the end of talks held in different schools. M< >st of the questions were similar or related, and this is a summary of the principal ones:
Q Why do we conserve fierce animals like- snakes, leopards, and buffaloes?
A They help to balance the environment, and attract tourists and researchers.
Q How does the government provide forest conservation?
A By employing forest guards, forest extension officers and foresters, and by encouraging other organisations to undertake projects in the forest.
Q What qualifications are required in order to become a game warden?
A O-level passes in English, Mathematics, Geography and Sciences, and a strong interest in natural histoiy.
Q How does Kakamega Forest contribute to the economy of Kenya?
A It attracts tourists, mainly birdwatchers and botanists, thus creating employment for Kenyans as wardens, rangers, foresters and guides, as well as promoting education in various fields.
Q How many tourists visit Kakamega Forest?
A The annual number has increased from 353 in 1990 to 4,278 in 1998, and the total continues to increase each year.
Q Is the forest important to Egyptians and North Africa?
A Yes; through the streams that have their source in the forest and then join the main rivers flowing
into Lake Victoria, which is the source of the River Nile, whose water is used for irrigation in Egypt and other countries further north
Q \\ hat is the differenc e betw een N National Reserve?
A National I'. irks are located on state
and are manned by government officials through the Kenya Wildlife Serv ice. National Reserves are largely situated on trust land and are manned by local government employees.
Q 1 1< >w muc h rain d< >es K . 1 k . .
A Over 2.000 mm per annum.
Q w hat is the meaning < >t the term bk diversity ?
A Variety within life forms, referring t<» plants and animals and their environment.
Q What would happen it all the forests were cut down?
A \ w atei would be l< £t 1 he air
would loose its purifier, soil erosion would increase and land would become uasuitable for farming, while temperatures would also be affected.
Q II man ev < >lv ed in >m primates, birds In >m reptiles, what of plants?
A Plants are ala > a pit due t < 't evolution, but most ancient plants appear to have disappeared
Q win are De Brazza’s monkeys not found in the main Kakamega Forest
A Further research is required; they were introduced in 1998 around one of the streams but have since disappeared.
Q Are there any differenc es betw een different snake
poisons?
A \ es. sc >me affect tin- ner\ es and < ithers the blc >< >d
Q Why must we learn about wetlands?
A They provide a home for many living organisms, and Man with food, building materials and water.
Case study: Buyangu primary school
Buyangu primary school is located on the east edge of Kakamega Forest and is one of more than 22 schools that have benefited from visits and talks by Kakamega Forest Guides through the ABC-sponsored pilot conservation education programme in collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Sen ices. The school w as founded in 1976 and has 272 pupils (148 boys and 124 girls) with nine teachers. It has nine clubs, among them a w'ildlife/bird club, which is the most active, scouts and girl guides, a geographic club, and debating, drama and music clubs. The bird club is one of the most successful of the school clubs involved in the pilot
Kakamega Forest , a living classroom for the growing generation: Mwangi
Lib and its patron (Solomon Ngari)
education programme, and has a tree farm with over UK) trees. A bird-feeding table and hide, where club members and other pupils can watch study birds at a close range, have been erected.
During a recent W ildlife Clubs of Kenya competition in the Kakamega region, the first fi\ e best pupils came from Buyangu primary school — the bird club has over 20 active members, headed by Eric Lichungu (Chairman). Benjamin Ingutia (Secretary) and Eunice Sachita ( Ireasurer). rhe school has a \ ery gt h >d relationship with the Kenya Wildlife Service and has received donations in the form of desks and a piece ot land to expand the school. Buyangu primary school participates in other national events such as m 'il 1 1 >nscr\ ation. games and Wildlife Clubs quizzes. It hopes to involve more pupils in the activities of Important Bird Areas (I BA ) programme in Kakamega.
Phase II: visits to the forest
The aim < >f this phase w as to provide pupils with first- hand experienc e of the forest, c< instruct en\ ironmental games, debate different aspects of the forest, and « < induct forest walks and competitions. This phase is
• mgomg and further progress reports will be made to ABC.
Problems and Constraints
• Time allocation n has been difficult for guides to find time to devote to school visits and also guide tourists, which is their only source of income.
• I ravel expenses pr< >ved to exceed the predicted budget.
• I., u k < if support and goodwill from some school heads and patrons has led to slow progress in some areas.
• 'Iliis was the first donor-funded project administered by the group. Some group members had expectations beyond those that could be achieved through available funds, which caused some conflicts and delays in implementation, cf.
References
I . Stattersfield, A.J., Crosby, M.J., Long, A.J. and Wege, l).C 1 99M. Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.
Nature Kenya, c/o Past Africa Natural History Society, Museum Hill, PO Box 44486, Nairobi, Kenya.
y- Supported by ABC Conservation Fund
Kakamega Forest, a living classroom for the growing generation: Mwangi
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2- 131
Discoveries
A nest of Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas constructed on a tree
Matthias Waltert and Michael Mithlcnhctv
Un nid du Picatharte a ( < >n gris Picathartes oreas .1 ete < >bser\ e p< >ur la premiere t< ms Mir 1 en forme de coupe a ete dec ouvert debut mars 1999, dans la z < >ne du Pn >jet K< >rup, ( ai contrdori d un grand Pipiadcniastrum , .1 1.5 m au dessusdu sol tit ruissi
mesurait c30 cm de long, 8 c m de large et 10 < m de hauteur; le b< >rd exterieur £tait en<
Figure 1. Nest of Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes ureas on tree, CAFECO concession. Korup Project area.
Cameroon (Matthias Waltert)
Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas is a restricted-range species, confined to the north-western Lower Guinea forest zone, between south-east Nigeria and north and central Gabon1 \ Although elusive and not easy to observe, it is not uncommon in suitable rainforest habitat in Cameroon (R Demey pers comm). It usually breeds in small colonies, building its mud nest on the surface of overhanging rocks, caves and boulders2 5. There is a single record of a nest within a hollow in a burnt-out log2.
On 3 March 1999, in an unlogged part of the CAFECO concession, Korup Project area, Cameroon, we found a nest of this species attached to the buttress of a large Piptadeniastrum tree, 1.3 m above ground, near a small forest stream. The cup-shaped nest was c30 cm long, 8 cm wide and 10 cm high. The outer rim was damaged and some fibrous material was
noticeable. It was undoubtedly a picathartes nest: it looked exactly like those built on rock faces we had come across in the same area, where we found several colonies. According to locals, the bird was seen on the nest several weeks before and the breeding site was reported to have lx*en in existence for years. I his appears to lx* the first record of a nest of Grey-necked Picathartes built on a tree.
Acknowledgements
We thank the Korup Project for supporting our fieldwork, the village of Mwangale CAFECO area for their friendly co-operation, and Ron Demey for his comments on the manuscript.
References
1. Collar, N.J., Crosby. M.J. and Stattersfield. A.J. 1994. Birds to n atch 2. the world list of threatened birds Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.
2. Collar. N.J. and Stuart. S.N. 1993. threatened birds of Africa and related islands, the 1CBP 11 CX Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK: International Council for Bird Preservation.
3. Louette, M. 1981. The birds of Cameroon. An annotated check-list. Verhandl. Kon. Acad. Wetensch. Lett. Schone Kunst. Belg. 43: 1-293.
4. Stattersfield. A.J., Crosby. M.J., Long. A.J. and Wege. D.C. 1998. Endemic Bird Areas of the world: priorities for biodiversity conservation. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.
5. Thompson, H.S. and Fotso. R. 1995. Rockfow 1: the genus Picathartes. Bull. ABC 2: 25-28.
Centre for Nature Conservation (Dept. I). Vniversitat Gottingen. Von-Siebold-Strafie 2. 37075 Gottingen. Germany. E-mail: mwalter@gwdg.de.
132 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Discoveries
Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus and Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita bicolor, new to Benin
Maarten ran Jen Akker
L aute ur mentit >nne la deci hiv cite dc s nou\ elles pour le Benin. 11 s agit du Bulbul a barbe
iniger calurus et de la Nigrette a ventre roux \ lor , captures dans des filets japonais
et photographies en fevrier-mars 1999, dans la Foret de Niaouli.
n comparisc »n \\ ith < >ther African countries, research on resident birds has just commenced in Benin and there is still much to discover. The connin' is situated in the so-called Dahomey Gap', separating the l pper and Lower Guinea-Congolian forest blocks In this area only small, scattered forest patches are found. In 1997. the Dutch Embassy in Benin financed a project to protect Niaouli Forest, one of the last semi-deckluous forests in the south (if the country.
Niaouli Forest (06°44’N 02°29’F). within the Guinea-Congolian vegetation zone, is cl IS ha in extent It consists of two distinct parts, the dry Plateau (90 ha) and the lower lying Bas-fonds ( 2S ha ). when* several springs form a small stream. Ornithological survey's were undertaken from 199? onwards and. in February-March 1999. two new species for Benin were discovered.
On 20 February and 5 March 1999, single Red- tailed Greenbuls Criniger calurus were mist-netted on the Plateau and Bas-fonds. In size they were betw een Little Greenbul A ndropadus t 'iretts and Grey- headed Bristlebill Bleda canicapilla, and were identified by their dark grey head with grey orbital ring and white-streaked ear-coverts, olive-green upperparts and tail (indicating that the subspecies involved was verrvauxi), w hite throat, yellow belly and olive-green flanks. Bill and legs were blue-grey, the eyes red-brow n ( Fig. 1 ). Wing lengths 85 mm and 86 mm. weights 2 4 g and 31 g
On 6 March, a Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita bicolor was trapped in the Bas-fonds. Its
Figure 1 Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus, Niaouli, Benin, 20 February 1999 (Maarten van den Akker)
chestnut-coloured face and underparts, and blackish- grey upperparts. blacker on the wings and tail, readily identified it. The bill was black, the eye red brown and the legs dark brown ( Fig. 2). Wing length 59 mm; weight 10 g.
These are the first documented records for both - in Benin Neither appears on the Dowsetts’3 list and they have not been recorded by other ornithologists subsequently working in the south of the country Both occur in adjacent Togo-’ and Nigeria'.
References
I \nciaux. M R. 1996. Apcreu de 1’avifaune dans diffdrents milieux dc- l’int6rieur des terres du Sud Benin. Plateau d’Allada et sud de la depression de la Lima. Gahiers d Ethologie 16: 79-98 2. Cheke. R.A. and Walsh ,J.F. 1996. The Birds of Togo: annotated check-list BOl Check-list No. 14. Tring: British Ornithologists' Union.
V Dovvsett. R.J. and Dowsett-Lemaire, F. 1993. A Cniilrihiilion to ihc Distribution and Taxonomy of \fn )tn )pii at and Malagasy r,nds. Tauraco Research Report 5. Liege: Tauraco Press, i Elgood.J.H. 1994 The Birds of Nigeria: an annotated check list. HOT Check-list No. 4. Second edition. Tring: British Ornithologists’ Union.
5 VG altert, M and Muhlenberg, M. I()1)1). Notes on the avifauna of the Noyau Central, Ft >ret ( llassee de la Lama, Republic of Benin. Malimbus 21: 82-92.
Reiflestr. 2d. 70839 Gerlingen , Germany. E-mail: i ’dakker@i t n i-hohenheim . de.
Figure 2. Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita bicolor, Niaouli, Benin, 6 March 1999 (Maarten van den Akker)
Discoveries
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -133
African Swallow-tailed Kite Chelictinia riocourii breeding in the Saloum Delta, Senegal
R.E. Brasseur
La premiere nidification de l’Elanion nauc ler Chelic tinia riocourii au Senegal .1 ete < < >nstat£e en jam ier 2000, avee trois nids (dont deux ave< des oeufs) d& ou\ erts dans le Parc Nati< >nal du 1 )elta du Salt ium, et un quatrieme 30 km au nord. I )ans les deux c as < >n .1 in >uv e, des nids d’autres rapac es ( Elanit in blanc Elanus caeruleus, Petit-Due africain ( Itus ( sc ops > senegalensis el \ ant< >ur < >ri< < >n . 1 egypius trac beliotus » dans les environs immediats.
On 20 January 2000, near Sokone in Saloum Delta National Park, Senegal, warden Mansaly Valentin found three pairs of African Swallow -tailed Kites Chelictinia riocourii. Two individuals w ere incubating eggs, while the other pair was still engaged in c< )urtship. The nests were constructed on stunted Mitragyna inermis trees in a patch of grassland surrounded by almost bare salt flats, on one of the delta’s many islands. One nest was within the same bush as an African Scops Owl Otus (scops) senegalensis nest, which was hanging in a creeper Abrus precat orius and contained two fledged young. Less than 50 m away, a Black-shouldered Kit e Elanus caeruleus nest, containing two almost full-grown chicks, was found near the top of another Mitragyna tree. Subsequent visits on 29 January and on 2 February confirmed the kites’ continued breeding, while, on 10 February , another African Swallow-tailed Kite nest was found c30 km further north by Jacques Peeters, an advisor with Senegal’s National Parks service. This nest was in the same tree (an Acacia seyal ) as that of a Lappet- faced Vulture Aegypius tracheliotos. In early March. Mansaly Valentin visited the first site again. Both the owl and Black-shouldered Kite nests were empty, but ten pairs of Chelictinia had joined the earlier group of three. With the exception of one nest in an Acacia seyal, all of the new nests were in Mitragyna inermis
trees, which had by this time shed their leaves. These are the second breeding records of African Swallow- tailed Kite in Senegal, following one in 1992* ' \ The above observations also demonstrate that the species appears to be attracted to areas in which other large birds of prey are nesting1, but also to the nests of nocturnal birds of prey, and that it does not always nest colon ially\ Furthermore, Brown etaT note only the use of Acacia and Balanites trees by nesting African Swallow -tailed Kite j
References
1. Bannerman. D A. 1953 The Birds of West and Equatorial Africa. Vol 1. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.
2. Barlow. C., Wacher, T. and Disley. T. 199“’- A Field Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal. Robertsbridge: Pica Press.
3. Brown. L.H.. Urban. E.K. and Newman. K. (eds) The Birds of Africa. Vol 1. London. UK: Academic Press.
4. Dowsett. R.J. and Dowsett-Lemaire. F. 1993- A Contribution to the Distribution and Taxonomy of Afrotropical and Malagasy Birds. Tauraco Research Report No. 5. Liege: Tauraco Press.
5. King. M. 2000. The Gambia ringing project reporifor winter 1999-2000. Privately published.
Parkstraat 217 , B-3000 Leuven , Belgium E-mail r. e. brasseur@pophost.eu net.be.
African Swallow-tailed Kites Chelictinia riocourii by Nik Borrow (courtesy of Birdquest)
134 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Discoveries
Range extension of African Broadbill
Smithornis capensis into Soutpansberg, Northern Province, South Africa
C. T Symes and M R. Perrin
■et d’Atlas Omithologique Sud Africain n’a pas constat^ la presence de FEurylaime du Cap mis capensis (terns le nord-ouest de la Province du Nord, Afrique du Sud. La capture d’une femelle el les n vubu et dans l’est du Soutpansberg semblent
f< nitch ms indiqucr que I 1 ' :n. I.iimc du ( ap n \ cst pas accidentel ct pourruit par contre etre assez regulier
sp . a r\ constat£e dans cinq carr£s d’un quart de degr€ du S< Hitp juels elle n’avait pas trouv£e auparav ant. La Luvhu\ hu et la Mutale,
qui traversent le nord du >nal du Kruger, et la confluence des rivieres Limpopo-Luvhuvhu
lient servir de voies de migration vers la region de Soutpansberg, oh l’oiseau pourrait nicher a mune hdce d Les implicatk >ns p< >ur la a rnserv a tit >n s< >nt examinees.
Introduction
The northcmnn >st mountain range in South Africa.
the Soutpansberg. lies at 23a05,S-22 25'S. and 29T7’E-31 20*E (Fig 1). Altitude is 300-1,719 m, at Hanglip. and 1,748 m at Letjuma. The Soutpansberg’s geology' developed cl,' "00 million years ago during an east— west faulting of the Limpopo Mobile Belt, which caused dipping to the north and rising to the south' *. The mountains end north of Thohoyandou, between the Luvhuvhu and Mutale rivers ( Fig. 1 ). Forest is prominent on south-facing slopes in the south of the range, but is not aspect-dependent at
high altitudes. Rainfall is seasonal, falling mostly in the summer (October . March). Entabeni receives highest rainfall (cl. 800 mm year), with the Drakensberg rainshadow causing Louis Trichardt, to the west, to re< eive c540 mm year8. Rainfall decreases to the east, with Punda Maria, at c2()() m, receiving c620 mm/ year'. Temperatures are hot in summer, but cooler with increased altitude in the mountains.
I Ik- Luvhuvhu River originates east of Louis i t u hardt and flows west east along the south of the range. Fast of the Soutpansberg it turns north-east, meeting the Limpopo River at Crooks Corner in
Range extension of African Broadbill into Soutpansberg, South Africa: Symes & Perrin Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2- 135
2
Figures 1-2. Female African Broadbill Smitbomis capensis. Vireers Farm (site 9). 1 October 1999 and retrapped 66 days later when it had a prominent brood-patch (Craig Symes)
Figures 3 —4. View from Vireers Fami (site 9) towards Soutpansberg Mts. illustrating African Broadbill Smitbomis capensis habitat: Afromontane forest and commercial evergreen plantations are visible on the distant slopes (Craig Symes)
Figure 5. Diy lowland semi-deciduous forest at Ratombo (site 7) (Craig Symes)
136 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 Range extension of African Broadbill into Soutpansberg, South Africa: Symes & Perrin
northern Kruger National Park The Mutale River originates at Thathe Yondo. flows north-east and joins the Luvhuvhu in north-west Kruger National Park, near Pafuri Gate < see Fig 1 >. Although the geological features of the Soutpansherg extend as far north-east as Pafuri. it is in the region betw een these rivers, in the east, where altitude decreases, that the Afromontane elements of Soutpansherg begin to decrease8.
African Broadbill Smitbomis capensis is an uncommon endemic resident in Africa2, 10 11 . It is the only broadbill in the southern African subregion and inhabits a variety of habitats, including dense woodland, riparian forest, miombo woodland, lower storeys of evergreen forest, and deciduous thickets ,2. In southern Africa its range extends from the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, north into Mozambique and through the Zambezi Valley to the western Capnvi of Namibia ' 12 1 v r. It is a rare resident
in Swaziland1 ' and very scarce in the former Transvaal18. In the south its range extends to Port Shepstone (30n i5’S 30”20’E), where it inhabits evergreen forest and coastal scrub'. In Mozambique a southern population, in coastal woodland ami forest, is disjunct from those in the north, which largely occur in Androstacbys Jobnsonii forest'1'. Throughout the Zambezi Valley it occurs in dry scrub-bush associated w ith riverine forest, and in the Eastern Districts in rain forest at the Haroni-Lusitu confluence and lower Pungwe River areas17. It may lx* an overlooked resident of riverine forest in the Okavango Delta. Botswana1'. It is usually silent and inactive in low vegetation, and consequently easily overlooked12.
While bird ringing at a site near Levubu (Table 1 . site 9) a female African Broadbill was captured. Additional sightings were made at nearby Ratombo (site 7), a dry' lowland semi-deciduous forest'. The South African Bird Atlas Project did not record the species in this region, the nearest occurrences being
in south-east Zimbabw e, C250-300 km distant4. Sev- eral subspecies are recognised and our records are probably of conjunct us. These records prompted an investigation into the presence of African Broadbill in the region.
Methods
Records of African Broadbill in the Soutpansherg, west of Kruger National Park, were located in the literature. Additional data, gathered from birders who had recorded it in this region, were obtained and the following information collated: 1) locality, 2) altitude 3 1 grid reference, -0 date of recording. 5) identification, and 6) reference, recorder.
Results and discussion
African Broadbill has been found in five quarter- degree squares not recorded in the South African Bird tolas Project (2229DD Wyllies Poort, 2230CD Thohoyandou, 2230DC Makondo, 2329BB Louis Trichardt. 2330AA Ratombo)1. These records are summarised in Table 1 (see also Fig. 1).
Range extension
I he S< >uth African Bird Adas Project did not record the species in Northern Province, either because of its inconspicuous nature, or its considered status as a vagrant'. The records presented here, from five additional quarter-degree squares, suggest it is more i < million than previously thought. Most records were in early spring and summer, suggesting that it may be seasonal in occurrence although, given that breeding occurs in September February4 1 1 ' 1 , the records may result in >m an increase in the birds’ activity during this period.
Possible seasonal movements
African Broadbill is an uncommon to fairly common localised resident in south-central Africa10. Known
Table 1. African Broadbill Smithomis capensis records in the Soutpansherg (see Fig. 1).
|
Site |
Locality |
Alt. (m a.s.l.) |
Grid Ref |
Date |
Identification |
Reference |
|
|
1 |
Bluegumspoort |
1.320 |
22°59'30"S |
29 55'20“E |
Nov 1997 |
seen & heard |
E. Eastwood |
|
2 |
Freshwoods Farm |
1.100 |
23°00'20’S |
29 57' 1 5"E |
Dec 1992 |
heard |
S. Venter & J. Crafford |
|
3 |
Roodewaal Forest |
1.020 |
23°00'15'S |
SO^I^O’E |
Dec 1992 |
seen & heard |
S. Venter & J. Crafford |
|
4 |
Goedehoop forest station |
860 |
23°04’10"S |
30°07’40"E |
Nov 1998 |
heard |
M. Holford |
|
5 |
Softwaters Farm |
760 |
23°04’20'S |
30°08'30"E |
Nov/Dec 1998 |
seen & heard |
M. Holford |
|
6 |
Goedgevonden |
750 |
23°04’25*S |
30°08’50"E |
Nov 1995 |
heard |
A. Muller |
|
7 |
Ratombo Forest |
900 |
23°02'30"S |
30°11’50"E |
Nov/Dec 1999 |
seen & heard |
This study |
|
8 |
Entabem (Safcol Offices) |
820 |
23°02’35"S |
30°13’15"E |
- |
seen |
A. Bester |
|
9 |
Vireers Farm |
700 |
23°04’20"S |
30°14’00”E |
Oct-Dec 1999 |
seen & heard |
this study |
|
10 |
Matiwa |
1,350 |
22°58'40"S |
30°1 5'1 0’E |
Jan 1997 |
seen & heard |
D. Pretorius |
|
11 |
Matiwa |
1,350 |
22°59'55'S |
30°15’35"E |
- |
seen & heard |
A. Bester |
|
12 |
Mutshindude Valley |
1,100 |
22°58'S |
30°17’E |
18 Oct 1985 |
- |
Tarboton et aP |
|
13 |
Thathe Vondo |
1,320 |
22°52’30"S |
30°20’40"E |
Oct 1976 |
seen & heard |
Tarboton eta/18 |
|
14 |
Gaba Forest |
980 |
22°46’20"S |
30°43’20”E |
Jan 1998 |
heard |
S. Venter |
Range extension o/A/ric an Broadbill into Soutpansherg, South Africa: Symes & Perrin Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 - 137
from the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe* 1 , addi- tional high-altitude records during the breeding season suggest that it moves into the region to nest. It was recorded by Swynnerton in the upper Buzi River basin3 and, more recently, a pair was recorded at Tsanga River, Nyanga (1,860 m), in December 19982' . with three records from the Bvumba Highlands, eastern Zimbabwe (max. altitude 1,911 m)M. These records, together with those presented here, are mostly from the breeding season. The female ringed at Levubu (site 9) on 1 October 1999 was recaptured in the same place on 6 December 1999, w hen it had a prominent brood patch and another, possibly a male, was heard calling nearby. On 13 November and 5 Decembei 1999, at Ratombo Forest (site 7), a male was observed in the same place giving the conspicuous tttti- rrrrrrrrrrr cajj jt may have foeen holding territory . and was possibly breeding.
No evidence exists to suggest that broadbills arc- migratory lon, although some species may be nomadic or perform altitudinal movements in response to food availability and prevailing weather conditions1 African Broadbill presence in the Levubu Louis Trichardt area may be seasonal, with a post -breeding return to the Mozambique lowveld in winter. The vegetation of the Levhuvhu and Mutale rivers is predominantly riverine (pers obs), providing ideal habitat through which local movements could occur. It may, however, be resident, being inconspicuous when not breeding and calling.
Conservation implications
The recent South African IBA (Important Bird Areas) inventory did not record the presence of African Broadbill in the Soutpansberg (SA 003 V. Habitat destruction, especially in heavily populated areas, threatens this species and it is considered regionally Vulnerable11,12. The region through which the Levhuvhu and Mutale rivers flow, before reaching Kruger National Park, is populated by rural settlements of the former Venda homeland. Slash-and-burn agriculture is practised and there is no control over the clearing of bush and development of farmlands (S Venter pers comm). If this habitat is important as a migratory corridor for broadbills and other species between northern Kruger National Park and the Soutpansberg it requires conservation.
Acknowledgements
Sarah Venter, Prof Dries Bester, ‘Boesman’ Muller, David Pretorius, Dr Jan Crafford, Ed Eastwood and Mike Holford provided additional records of African Broadbill in the region. The Mullers of Levubu are thanked for their hospitality during this study. Dries Joubert granted access to ringing sites on his land (site
9). The African Bird Club funded bird-nnging equip- ment. f
References
1. Barnes, K.N. 1998 The Imjtoriant Bird Areas of Sou them Africa. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa
2. Clancey, P.A. fed) 1980. SAGS Checklist of Southern African Birds. Johannesburg: Southern African Ornithological Society.
3. Clancey, P.A. 1992. The Birds of Southern Mozambique. Westville: African Bird Book Publishing.
4. Cohen. C. 1997. African Broadbill Smithomis capensis. In Harrison. J.A., Allan, D.G..rnderhill, L.G.. Herremans. M.. Tree. A.J.. Parker. V. and Brown. C.J. (eds). 7 be Atlas of Southern African Birds. Yol 2 Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa.
5. Cyrus. D. and Robson, N. 1980. Bird Atlas of Natal Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Presv
6. Dean. W.R.J. 1971. Breeding data for the birds of Natal and Zululand. Durban Mus Noe. 9: 59-91.
7. Geldenhys, C. 1999. Forest wood — DWAF conservation forestry proposal. Unpubl. report.
8. Hahn. N. 1994. Tree list of the Soutpansberg. Pretoria: Fantique.
9. Irwin. M.P.S. 1981 . The Birds of Zimbabwe. Salisbury: Quest.
10. Keith, S., Urban, F.K. and Fry. C.H. (eds) 1992. The Birds of Africa. Yol 4. London. UK: Academic Press
1 1 . Lambert, F. and Woodcock. M. 1996. Pittas. broadbills andasities. Halfway House: Russel Friedman Books.
12. Maclean. G.L. 1993- Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund.
13. Manson. A.J.. Manson, C. and Mwadziwana. P. 1994. The birds of the Bvumba Highlands. Honeyguide (Suppl. 1) 40: 2-51.
14. Parker, V. 1994. Swaziland Bird Atlas 19B5-1991. Swaziland: Conservation Trust of Swaziland.
15. Parker, V. 1998. The Atlas of the Birds of Sul do Sate. Southern Mozambique. Cape Town: Avian Demography Unit.
16. Penry, H. 1994. Bird Atlas of Botswana Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press.
17. Smithers, R.H.N.. Irwin. M.P.S. and Paterson. M.L. 1957. A Checklist of the Birds of Southern Rhodesia. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
18. Tarboton, W.R. Kemp, M.L and Kemp. A.C. 198“. Birds of the Transvaal. Pretoria: Transvaal Museum.
19. Truswell.J.F. 1977. The Geological Evolution of South Aftica. Cape Town: Purnell.
20. Williams, J. 1999. High altitude African Broadbills. Honeyguide 45: 23-24.
School of Botany a nd Zoology, l Jniversity ’ of Natal. P Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa.
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140 - Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Advertisement
Photospot: Star-spotted Nightjar
Michael Mills and Claire Spottisuvode
Star-sp< med Nightjar Caprimulgusstellatus has been known to science for little over a century, since being discovered at the Kassim River*, eastern Ethiopia, in January 1899'. It has subsequently remained a relatively obscure species, observed only occasionally and photographed more rarely still. Consequently, its breeding biology is unknown* and status within its localised range poorly known. Zimmerman et ar describe it as locally common in n Kenya on lava rock-strewn deserts with scattered areas of bare sandy soil , w hile Salford et al report that . Capri m u Igus stcllntns w as probably also common on the Nechisar plains, where its presence was confirmed by tw o road kills ( R Safford pers comm).
The species owes much of its enigmatic reputation to its localised distribution, which is largely restricted to relatively remote areas of northern East Africa. Its strongholds lie in north and north-west Kenya ( north of 01°1S’N and between 34°55’E and 38°00’E)V’ and central Ethiopia (in the Awash valley'). It is recorded more sporadically in Djibouti, north-west Somalia, south-east Sudan, and at Artu and Nechisar National Park in Ethiopia* * Star-spotted Nightjar favours dry habitats at low altitudes (possibly up to 1.980m) including stony semi-desert, black lava fields, dwarf bush grassland and dry, open bushland-’.
Identification is made especially difficult by an overlap in distribution with the almost indistinguishable, and possibly more variable. Plain Nightjar Capri mu Igus inonuitus. Both these plainly marked species are small- to medium-sized, and have proportionately large heads. Zimmerman etal', the only field guide to illustrate and comprehensively describe the two, states that Star-spotted Nightjar is Similar to Plain Nightjar but still plainer, and readily distinguished from it by prominent white throat patch ( usually divided by a dark midline) and smaller white tail comers’. In the case of the individual photographed, the white throat markings were almost unnoticeable even in the hand, and only became apparent by closely examining the parted throat feathers.
Importantly, female Plain Nightjar lacks white in the tail and wings, while the male has broader white tips to the two outermost tail feathers. Only in the hand, when wing and tail patterns can be examined, can these species be separated with certainty.
This individual, believed to be an adult female, \\ as caught on 28 November 1999 in Nechisar National Park. Ethiopia. It was located shortly after sunset in marginal habitat on the western border of the Nechisar plains, between grassland and dry open bush.
Acknowledgements
We thank Roger Safford and Nigel Cleere for their help in identifying this bird, and Gus Mills. Duan Biggs and Peter Oslx>me for helping to catch it. f,
References
1. Blundell. M W and Lovat, L 1899. New species of birds from s< >uthem \by ssinia. Bull. Br. ( )mithol. Cl. 10: |9-J V
2 Glee re. \ and Nurney, I). 1998. Nightjars: A Guide to Sight jars and related mglu hi rds. R< )bertsbridge: Pica Press.
5 Farnsworth, S.J., Coomber, R.F., Jones, P., Madge, S.< Webb R and Witherick, M. 2000. Recent observations of some bird species previously considered uncommon or rare in Ethic >pia. Bull. . \BC 7: 34-46.
i. Fry , G II.. Keith, S. and Urban, E.K. (eds) 1988. The Birds " / \fri( a Vol 3. L< >nd< >n, I IK: Academic Press.
3 Lewis \ 1984. Notes on the ranges of three species in northern and eastern Kenya. Scopus 8: 27-28.
6 Safford, R.J., Duckworth, J.W., Evans, Ml., Telfer, M G .Timmins, R.J. and Zewdie, ( 1. 1993- The birds of Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia. Scopus 16: 61-80.
7. Zimmerman, I). A., Turner, D.A. and Pearson, D.J. 1996. Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania. London, UK: A. & C. Black.
c o Percy Pi tzpa trick Institute of African Ornithology, I nil vrsityqf Cape Town, Rondehosch, 7701, South Africa, li-mail: michaelmills@webmail.co.zaorclaire@birding- africa.com
Photospot
Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2 -141
Figure 1. Star-spotted Nightjar Caprimulgus stellatus , .1 little-known inhabitant <>l low-altitude deserts and arid bush of northern Kenya and central Ethiopia. This female was photographed adjacent to the NechLsar plains, southern Ethiopia in November 1999 (Claire Spottiswoode & Michael Mills)
Figure 2. Diagnostic flight-feather pattern of female Star-spotted Nightjar Caprimulgus stellatus. Note the smudge of white covering just the tip of the outermost tail feathers and the narrow white blotches to the four outermost primaries (Claire Spottiswoode & Michael Mills)
142 -Bull ABC Vol 7 No 2
Photospot
ilar to the partially sympatru and almost indistinguishable Plain Nightpr ( inoniatus Itnth .ire mu. ill ti ' medium M/ed i< » pl.unly marked .ind hau* proportionately large heads.
while < >n the thn >at, despite this being widely cited as a useful field character
• Claire Soottiswoodc K Michael Mills >
Figure 5 Nechisar plains, southern Ethiopian Rift Valley; generally plainer than Plain Nightj it < aprimulgus inomatus habitat of four nightjar spe< ies including the little-known and has tiny m the i n >wn and s< apulars Net hisat Captimulgus solala (described on the basis of a
single wing from a road-kill) and Star spotted C. stellatus (Claire Spottiswoode)
Photospot
Bull ABC Vo! 7 No 2 -143
Recent Reports
These are largely unconfirmed records published for interest only; records are mostly from late 1 999-early 2000, with a few from earlier dates
We thank all birders who have sent in their records and urge them to submit full details to the relevant national or regional organisations. It is suggested that observations of each species be compared with relevant literature to set new data in context and that observers who are unfamiliar with the status of birds in a particular country refer to R.J. Dowsett’s (1993) Afrotropical avifaunas: annotated country checklists (in: R.J. Dowsett and F. Dowsett-Lemaire. A Contribution to the Distribution and Taxonomy of Afrotropical and Malagasy Birds. Tauraco Research Report 5. Liege: Tauraco Press) or more recent and appropriate sources before submitting records.
Azores
Records from October-November 1999 include a Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps at Lagoa Azul Sete Cidades, Sao Miguel, on 1—2 November. Further observations at the same site included a Purple Heron Ardea purpurea , the seventh for the Azores, on 25 October, and a male American Black Duck Anas rubripes , seven female/immature American Wigeon A. americana, a Eurasian Wigeon A. penelope, a female Ring- necked Duck Aytbya collaris , and an immature male and seven female Lesser Scaups A. affinis on 1-2 November. A male and female Wood Duck Aix sponsa were found at Corvo on 19 October. Approximately 40 White-rumped Sandpipers Calidris fuscicollis were reported from several sites from 19 October into November, with up to 22 at Sete Cidades, on 27 October, 17 still there on 1 November, and five at Cabo da Praia, Terceira, on 3 November. Records from Cabo da Praia, Terceira, on 3-6 November included two first-calendar-year Semipalmated Plovers Charadrius semipalmatus, a Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii, a Purple Sandpiper C. maritima and a Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius. Up to three Spotted Sandpipers Actitis macularia
were reported from three islands — Flores, Terceira and Sao Miguel — from 15 October to 6 November at least. Up to four Chimney Swifts Cbaetura pelagica were observed at Sete Cidades, on 26-27 October. If accepted, a Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea at the same site on 27 October would be the first for the Azores ( per Dutch Birding 2 1 353- 359; RC, KdK & DC per Birding World 12 143)
In January-March 2000 the following species were reported. Two Great Northern Divers Cana inmwr were off Praia Islet. Graciosa. on 20 February . A Ring- necked Duck Aythya collaris was seen at Sete Cidades on 4 March, while a Little Egret Egrella garzetta and a Spotted Sandpiper
Lajes do Pico on 1 1 March. A Ring- billed (.nil
Horta Harbour. Faial. on 21 January, and another at Praia. Graciosa. on 9- 17 March (first seen on 19 February). A first -winter Glaucous Gull /. hyperboreus was at Madalena Harlx>ur. Pico, on 30 January' (also reported on 23rd and said to be regular at this site in recent winters). Up to ten Snow- Buntings Plectrophetiax nivalis at Calderia, Faial, on 20-27 February , appear to be the first flock reported from the island (MB per Birding World 13. 57; MB & GE per Birding World 13: 102).
Burkina Faso
The following records were made in the Banfora area, in the country's extreme south-western corner, in February 2000. An African Cuckoo Falcon Aviceda cuculoides was seen at the Cascades on 22nd. The same day, 14 Lesser Jacanas Microparra capensis were found on Lake Tengrela (with two on the Comoe River on 23rd). Also at the lake were a Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli ( two were seen at the same site in February- 1999) and a Marsh Owl Asio capensis ( ASe & AMr).
Cameroon
What appears to be the first Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia for continental Africa south of the Sahara
tailed Tropicbird Phaeton 'turns by Craig Robson
vered at the coast near imbe area, on 12 April 2000
ir< ameroon was .< Baillon’s rzana pustUa