Koay MR ow ae. 2 (ges oe te Wea ae ve ey Ty tN ee ee Hy FE ye ee SCANS Ta see era erk Sav ee “eho oe ae See tae ae ese oa > ‘ PE ETS : bier Nay Te foe yore esd ‘ : < See 3 we BY pees wet Soran a * Nae ei? . PE Sa ae NS: a2 4 eat a ae CEE feat ou seg ae Phy Oe Mag Mog DEE oF Fir ae ae Pears wy Paes 4 4 tk miu! 4 Pare eae Xu ini 98 A AP ure Cs fete whet ay We ee ae, are SP a ee Bi : “ Spee Ss eae ftw BAS INT STAD “at Wiad Naas ah ee aig Meda iG De Fe we SEE Se ean Sota es Fae ite atte i Scopus 22, August 2001 Contents Luca BORGHESIO AND PAUL KarRIUKI NDANG’ANG’A. An avifaunal survey of Mt Kulal, Kenya sc cae ieee cg tener tenets eee eee che paar 1 Morten DEHN AND LARS CHRISTIANSEN. Comments on the occurrence of 15 Albertine Rift endemic bird species in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park; Western Ugatida .....i0.5 ics 20 ise socccbse ects ote ne ee 13 MucHANE MucHal, LEON BENNUN AND Luc LENs. Notes on the behaviour and ecology of Sharpe’s Longclaw Macronyx sharpei, a threatened Kenyan STASS AIG CHVAETUC ssas.c..c.b bees thescelensncsbeeee0 Se dors os dereest tester sees oes ter ene eee 23 Morten DEHN AND Lars CHRISTIANSEN. Altitudinal distributions of congeneric montane forest bird species along an elevational gradient in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, western Uganda «...0 20 .0....22 os 29 Norsert J. CORDEIRO AND Mwanci GiTuiru. Birds of Mgambo Proposed Forest Reserve and other East Usambara lowland Sites ...............ccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 37 Tom S. Rompat An ornithological survey of the Nguru Mountains, DE a 72's ab Fe reer een er ra othe re Crier rer Py Ehren Parise acu cb coscocscocSecoousnc: 49 Short communications JONATHAN Rossouw AND JEREMY LINDSELL. Black-throated Coucal Centropus leucogaster. a mistrecord for East AtiCar ec.cce: 2 eneteee: acetate 63 Luca BORGHESIO AND PauL Kartuk! NDANG’ANG’A. Massive numbers of flamingos at Lake: Logipi, November 1998 (2... ee 65 PHIL SHAW. Contact call of the Stripe-breasted Tit Parus fasctiventer............000: 67 J.A. LINDSELL. A breeding record and behavioural observation of African Green Broadbill Pseudocalyptomena graueri in south-western Uganda ................064 68 M. Ma t.auieu. Grey-olive Greenbuls Phyllastrephus cerviniventris in and near Meru National Park i028 chic ease elitacctesne sssest er Sscmscs shone o3e eso nate eee eee 7) T.B. OaTLEY. Some range extensions of birds in northern Tanzania .................. Ue EDWARD HAL-. Recent sightings of Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio and some other uncommon intra-African migrants in Khartoum .............:008 74 Published by the Bird Committee of the EANHS Layout and typesetting by Leon Bennun Printed by Fotoform Ltd., Nairobi eee eee le eae ISSN 0250—4162 A publication of the Bird Committee of the East Africa Natural History Society Edited by Jeremy Lindsell and Leon Bennun Volume 23, July 2003 DA BirdLife INTERNATIONAL SCORUS Scopus is normally published twice a year, or as a combined annual volume, by | the Bird Committee of the East Africa Natural History Society. For information on current subscription rates and modes of payment, contact! Nature Kenya P.O. Box 44486, Nairobi, tel. +254-(0)2-3749957/3746090, eed | 3741049, email: office@naturekenya.org, or visit www.naturekenya.org. Subscribers in Uganda should contact Nature Uganda, P.O. Box 27034, Kampala, | tel. +256-(0)41-540719, fax 533528, email: eanhs@imul.com Cover illustration from a gouache painting by P.A. Clancey Editorial board Graeme Backhurst (graeme@healthnet.or.ke), Leon Bennun (leon.bennun@birdlife.org.uk), Luc Lens (luc.lens@rug.ac.be), Jeremy Lindsell (jeremy.lindsell@rspb.org.uk), David Pearson (djpeason@talk21.com), Derek Pomeroy (derek@imul.com), Don Turner (eaos@africaonline.co.ke). Notes for contributors Scopus welcomes original contributions on all aspects of the ornithology of eastern Africa—the area from the Sudan south to Mozambique, including the Indian Ocean islands. Contributions will be assess by members of the editorial board and, where necessary, by independent referees. The material published is divided into ‘pa- pers’, ‘short communications’ (normally less than two pages in length) and letters. When preparing your manuscript, please follow the conventions used in Scopus and refer to a recent issue (vol. 21 onwards) for guidance. Metric units and their SI equivalents should be used. Some examples of conventions are: Dates: 21 February 2001 [note the order, no comma, not 21**] Time of day: 13:00 [note colon, no hours 7 hrs oneh:| Names of birds: Cape Rook Corvus capensis [no comma, no parentheses, no author’s name] References cited in the text: Cite multiple) references in chronological order, separated| by commas, e.g. (Njoroge & Launay 1998, 2001) [note ampersand| no comma _ between) Mlingwa et al. italicised ‘et al.’ authors’ names and date] List of reference at end of an article: see the) examples below for format. Give names oi| journals in full. For books, after author(s), year of publication and title, give town) , followed by the publisher. For example: Cordeiro, N.J. & Githiru, M. 2000) Conservation evaluation for birds of . Brachylaena woodland and mixed dry) forest in north-east Tanzania. Conservation International 10: 47-65. Stuart, S.N., Jensen, F.P., Bregger-Jensen, S & Miller, R.I. 1993. The zoogeography of! the montane forest avifauna of eastern ~ Tanzania. Pp. 203-228 in Lovett, J.C. & Wasser, S.K. (eds) Biogeography ana ecology of the rainforests of Eastern Africa Bird ; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; (continued on inside back cover) | Scopus 23: 1-6, July 2003 Additions to the avifauna of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Echuya Forest Reserve, Uganda Ben D. Marks, Thomas P. Gnoske and Charles K.M. Ngabo Bwindi Impenetrable forest is located in the extreme southwest of Uganda and contains one of the most diverse forest avifaunas in Africa (Keith et al. 1969, Butynski & Kalina 1993). Nearly all of the forest is protected as the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), covering 331 km? (Kalina & Butynski 1996). Sixty-nine of the 77 bird species representative of the Albertine Rift Afromontane forests (Keith et al. 1969) and 24 of the 36 species endemic to the Albertine Rift Mountains Endemic Bird Area (Stattersfield et al. 1998) have been recorded at BINP. Bwindi is one of the few remaining forests in Africa that spans elevations from lowland (1160 m) to high montane (2650 m). Geological, climactic and vegetation details are discussed in Keith et al. (1969). This area has been extensively surveyed for birds with the first comprehensive summary by Keith et al. (1969). Subsequently, additions to the known avifauna, both specimen and sight records, have been published (Friedmann & Williams 1970, Bennun 1986, Butynski & Kalina 1993, Kalina & Butynski 1996). Including the most recently published additions, 350 species of birds are known to occur within the boundaries of the park, and another 19 have been recorded just outside it (Kalina & Butynski 1996). From 10 March through 23 May 1997, a team of researchers conducted censuses of the avifauna at three sites adjacent to BINP as well as at Echuya Forest Reserve (EFR), near the town of Kisoro in southwestern Uganda and straddling the Uganda and Rwanda border. The institutions represented were Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; African Tropical Biodiversity Program; Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation, Ruhija, Uganda; and the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, USA. Our censuses added six species to the list of birds known from the Bwindi area, all of which may occur in BINP itself, and 15 to the known avifauna of EFR. In this note we also include some natural history observations and briefly discuss ecological, taxonomic, and conservation implications. 2 Ben D. Marks, Thomas P. Gnoske and Charles K.M. Ngabo Methods Censuses were conducted at each site for 6-12 days using mist nets for quantitative population assessments and observation for additional records of species presence. Mist nets were set up in lines of 20-30 consecutive 12 m nets to assess the occurrences and relative abundance of understorey bird taxa. Small series of birds were collected and preserved with all standard label data including weight, reproductive status, moult condition, fat level and age based on skull ossification. Any stomachs containing food remains were preserved in alcohol. Results and discussion Except where noted, all new records are documented by voucher specimens housed either at Makerere University Museum of Vertebrate Zoology or Field Museum of Natural History. A complete list of the species encountered is lodged at Makerere University and can be obtained from the authors. Taxonomy below follows the standard East African checklist of the birds of East Africa (Ornithological Sub-committee 1996). Sites bordering Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park Byumba 00°55.685’ S, 29°41.75’ E, elevation 1540 m, 10-16 March 1997. This site is near the town of Byumba at the western side of the Northern Sector of BINP. This area consists of slash and burn agricultural land dominated by banana plantations and secondary forest. The bird species we documented here were largely characteristic of cultivated land with a number of non- forest weaver species (Ploceus spp.), as well as open-country sunbirds and shrikes dominating the fauna. New to Bwindi forest from this site were Whistling Cisticola Cisticola lateralis and the Palaearctic migrant Garden Warbler Sylvia borin which was also netted at Ngoto. A few species that are better known from primary forest (Bennun ef al. 1996), e.g., Least Honeyguide Indicator exilis, Mountain Illadopsis Illadopsis pyrrhopterum, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis albipectus, and Red-tailed Bristlebill Bleda syndactyla, were found in second growth. Ngoto Swamp 00°53.806’ S, 29°43.964’ E, elevation 1500 m, 16-21 March 1997. This site is located near the town of Kirima in the northeast corner of the Northern Sector of BINP. It is adjacent to the national park and consists mostly of secondary (regenerating) forest. There is an extensive papyrus swamp, contiguous with a small area of the same habitat in the park, where a stream drains the swamp. Mist nets were run within the papyrus swamp as well as in the regenerating forest at its edges. We recorded five bird species previously unknown from the park or its boundary areas. Three of these, Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri, Speckle-breasted Woodpecker Additions to Bwindi and Echuya avifauna 3 Dendropicos poecilolaamus and White-winged Warbler Bradypterus carpalis were found only in the heart of the swamp; they may have been missed in earlier surveys because of the inhospitable nature of the habitat. The Bamboo Warbler Bradypterus alfredi is an inconspicuous skulking species that we found near a stream at the edge of the papyrus; it may have been missed in earlier studies owing to its secretive behaviour and the difficulty of identifying it in the field. Ngoto swamp is one of several areas proposed for gazettement to BINP (T. Butynski, in litt.). The presence of these species in the extensive papyrus swamp adjacent to the park boundary strengthens the argument for its gazettement. Nteko 01°02.49’ S, 29°36.97’ E, elevation 1600 m, 12-23 May 1997. This site is a privately owned parcel of land adjacent to BINP, with its boundary with the park delineated by the Kashasha River. There is a history of selective pit sawing in this area, but in general, the forest is intact and healthy, and it supports populations of many species characteristic of the forests of southwestern Uganda. Given the rarity of forest patches outside the park boundaries and the apparent health of Nteko, it would make a logical extension of the park if such were ever considered. The bird species we found at Nteko are documented in earlier reports of the Bwindi-Impenetrable avifauna (Matthews 1996a). At least one species may deserve further scrutiny. The black boubou shrikes, represented in montane western Uganda by Fiilleborn’s Black Boubou Laniarius fuelleborni holomelas, are a problematic complex of species. Fiilleborn’s Black Boubou generally is described in the literature (Chapin 1954), and through our own work, as having dark brown to reddish brown irides. At Nteko, we found four individual black shrikes with blue-grey irides. While some descriptions of juveniles have mentioned grey eyes, the specimens we collected included both immatures and adults. While this eye color may simply be a variable or age-related character, it suggests an area for future research and the possibility of a cryptic taxon. Genetic analyses of the _ tissues collected with these specimens may shed some light on the issue. Echuya Forest Reserve 01°14.67’ 5, 29°47.63’ E, elevation 2350 m, 10-19 : April 1997. This site is a moderately high elevation mixed deciduous and bamboo forest. A rush/reed marsh lies in the valley. We mist-netted in two locations. One transect was on a slope in deciduous forest. The second transect ran across the marsh, into the adjacent transitional forest and subsequently into the bamboo forest. The avifauna shows many similarities to that of the Rwenzori Mountains, and both the forest and the marsh are inhabited by many Albertine Rift endemic or endangered species. 4 Ben D. Marks, Thomas P. Gnoske and Charles K.M. Ngabo Table 1. Species of global or regional concern encountered during this survey. V = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened, EN = Endangered. Regional status follows Bennun & Njoroge (1996), Global status follows Collar et al. (1994). Species Locality Status Byumba Ngoto Nteko Echuya Regional Global oe ee Wenn ee Least Honeyguide /ndicator exilis + V — Grey-winged Robin Sheppardia polioptera + V — Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri + NT NT Bamboo Warbler Bradypterus alfredi + V — Red-throated Alethe Alethe poliophrys + + V — Kivu Ground Thrush Zoothera tanganijicae + + EN NT Grauer’s Rush Warbler Bradypterus graueri + V V White-bellied Robin-Chat Cossypha roberti + EN — Grey-chested Illadopsis Kakamega poliothorax + V — Our surveys documented six species from the marsh/bamboo transect, and an additional nine from the deciduous forest transect, that are not included in the most recently published list of the birds of Echuya (Matthews, 1996b). From the marsh, these were Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura rufa, African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis, Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird N. johnstoni, Bronze Sunbird N. kilimensis and Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht. From the forest several Albertine Rift endemics were recorded. These were Archer’s Robin-chat Cossypha archeri, Red-throated Alethe Alethe poliothrys, Kivu Ground Thrush Zoothera tanganjicae, and Mountain Masked Apalis Apalis personata. Also recorded as additions to the avifauna were Mountain Illadopsis Iladopsis pyrrhopterum, Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava, and Strange Weaver Ploceus alienus. In addition we made sight records of Slender-billed Starling Onychognathus tenuirostris and Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta. The occurrence of the two malachite sunbird species in sympatry is particularly surprising, given that johnstoni and famosa are normally altitudinally segregated, with johnstoni at much higher elevations (3000- 4500 m) associated with giant Lobelia and Senecio (Lewis & Pomeroy 1989). A johnstoni specimen from 2150 m in the Pare Mountains of Tanzania is cited by these authors as a rare incident of wandering, and there seem to be no other published records of johnstoni from elevations lower that 3000 m. The presence of at least three individuals at Echuya is possibly indicative of a dispersal phenomenon more widespread than previously known. Although our only records of johnstoni are the three we captured, it is likely that there were additional birds in the area mixed with the very common famosa. With four previously unrecorded species of Nectarinia occurring at Additions to Bwindi and Echuya avifauna 5 Echuya during our survey, it is conceivable that some tree in flower is seasonally drawing these sunbirds from nearby habitats and elevations. The African Grass Owl Tyto capensis is a scarce bird with very local distribution. Matthews (1996b) cites an old record from Echuya, but his own survey did not find the species. We observed at least one individual of this species on several occasions over the marsh at dusk. Pellets were collected which should help document the diet of this species in Echuya. Bwindi and Echuya are both well-surveyed areas. The addition of this many species to their avifaunas, including several globally and regionally threatened species (Collar et al. 1994, Bennun & Njoroge 1996, Table 1), shows the importance of these areas in regional and global conservation efforts as well as of continued systematic surveys of Uganda’s forests. Acknowledgements We thank the Uganda Forest Department and Uganda Wildlife Authority for granting permission to work in these reserves. The Institute for Tropical Forest Conservation provided logistical support and field assistance without which this work would have been impossible. We are especially grateful to the Makerere University Institute of Environment and Natural Resources (MUIENR), Dr Panta Kasoma and Dr Derek Pomeroy for their continuing support of our Ugandan fieldwork. We also thank Drs D. E. Willard, J. M. Bates and T. S. Schulenberg for comments on this manuscript. References Bennun, L.A. 1986. Montane birds of the Bwindi (Impenetrable) Forest. Scopus 10: 87-91. Bennun, L., Dranzoa, C. & Pomeroy, D. 1996. The forest birds of Kenya and Uganda. Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society 85: 23-48. Bennun, L. & Njoroge, P. 1996. Birds to watch in East Africa: a preliminary red data list. Research Reports of the Centre for Biodiversity, National Museums of Kenya. 23: 1-16. Butynski, T.M. & Kalina J. 1993. Further additions to the known avifauna of the Impenetrable (Bwindi) Forest. Scopus 17(1): 1-7. Chapin, J. 1954. The Birds of the Belgian Congo, Part IV. Bulletin American Museum of Natural History 75B. Collar, N.J., Crosby, M.J. & Stattersfield, A.J. 1994. Birds to watch 2: the world list of threatened birds. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. Freidmann, H. & Williams, J.G. 1970. Additions to the known avifauna of the Bugoma, Kibale and Impenetrable Forests, West Uganda. Los Angeles County Museum Contributions in Science 198: 1-20. Kalina, J. & Butynski, T.M. 1996. Check-list of the birds of the Bwindi-Impenetrable Forest, Uganda. Nairobi: East Africa Natural History Society. 6 Ben D. Marks, Thomas P. Gnoske and Charles K.M. Ngabo Keith, S., Twomey, A., Friedmann, H. & Williams, J.G. 1969. The avifauna of the Impenetrable Forest, Uganda. American Museum Novitates 2389: 1-41. Lewis, A. & Pomeroy, D. 1989. A bird atlas of Kenya. Rotterdam: A.A. Balkema. Matthews, R. 1996a. Birds. In Howard, P. & Davenport , T. (eds.) Bwindi Impenetrable Biodiversity Report. Kampala: Uganda Forest Department. Matthews, R. 1996b. Birds. In Howard P. & T. Davenport (eds.) Echuya and Mafuga Biodiversity Report. Kampala: Uganda Forest Department. Ornithological Sub-committee 1996. Checklist of the birds of East Africa. Ornithological Sub-committee of the East Africa Natural History Society, Nairobi. Stattersfield, A.J., Crosby, M.J., Long, A.J. & Wege, D.C. 1998. Endemic Bird Areas of the world: priorities for biodiversity conservation. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. Ben D. Marks*t and Thomas P. Gnoske Zoology Department, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA Charles K.M. Ngabo Institute of Environment and Natural Resources, Makerere University, P O Box 7298, Kampala, Uganda "Present address: Department of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, 119 Foster Hall, Baton Rouge, LA. 70803, e: bmarks5@lsu.edu Scopus 23: 1-6, July 2003 Received 1998 Scopus 23: 7-11, July 2003 A first nest record and notes on the breeding behaviour and season of the East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunninei from Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in Kenya Erwin Nemeth, John H. Fanshawe and David Negala The East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi is a shy and little known forest species that occurs along the eastern African coast and in Malawi (Dowsett- Lemaire 1989, Archer et al. 1991, Keith et al. 1992, Evans et al. 1994, Oatley & Arnott 1998, Seddon et al. 1999, Nemeth & Bennun 2000, Matiku et al. 1999). With its scattered and patchy distribution it has been classed as globally Vulnerable (Collar et al. 1994, BirdLife International 2000). Our observations come from Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in Kenya (3°18’ S and 39°70’), known to be a stronghold for the species (Oatley & Arnott 1998). Although the forest is one continuous block, it contains three distinctive vegetation types (mixed forest, Brachystegia forest and Cynometra forest) determined by soil type and rainfall patterns (Kelsey & Langton 1984). The first nest of the species was found in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest by David Ngala on 15 January 1992. Because of concern over disturbing the nestlings, which appeared close to fledging, it was examined on the same day and only watched briefly on the following day. It was situated in a rather degraded part of the mixed forest (Kelsey & Langton 1984, Blackett 1994), not far from the so-called Nature Reserve track (less than 25 m), and in an area that is popular with birders. The nest (described below) was well hidden on the forest floor under a pile of leaves and fallen sticks that had an entrance on one side. It contained three young. When the nest was observed on the following day an adult bird visited and fed the young. It saw the observer and called several times with a very low burring churr (similar to the rattle call described by Oatley & Arnott 1998), then started to sing softly. It also cocked the tail repeatedly and dropped and spread one wing towards the observer, covering its legs and flanks. One week later the nest was empty. Probably the young had fledged, although predation cannot be excluded. In December 1995 three occupied nests were found by David Negala (2) and Erwin Nemeth (1) in the Cynometra forest area of Arabuko-Sokoke (Kelsey & Langton 1984, Blackett 1994). On 5 December a nest with three eggs, on 27 December one with two fledging young, and on 30 December a 8 Erwin Nemeth, John H. Fanshawe and David Negala third nest with two 2-3 day-old nestlings were found. An additional empty nest, very similar to the others, was found on 6 December and assumed to be an akalat nest. All four nests were built on the ground. They were bulky and built out of fine grasses and moss. One measured nest had an interior diameter of 5.5 cm, an overall diameter of 11 cm and a depth of about 5 cm. In two cases the nests were built into leaf litter with leaves covering more than half of the opening. The other nests were hidden behind or below dead stems. In structure, all were open cups, as is usual for robins (Oatley & Arnott 1998), though covering of the opening by leaves or the location just below a dead stem gave them a cave-like or semi-domed appearance. The three eggs found in one nest were speckled creamy-brown on a pale whitish background, with sizes of 18.7 x 15.3 mm, 19.5 x 15.2 mm and 20.4 x 15.4 mm. Only one egg from this clutch hatched, but three birds were observed tending the hatchling. All were seen simultaneously; from their appearance they were probably two males and one female (males are thought to be larger and more brightly coloured than females, see Britton & Zimmerman 1989, and Evans et al. 1994). In the second nest found in 1995, the young had fledged and were able to fly. At this nest two birds were providing care. The third nest, with two chicks about 2-3 days old was observed during one morning, but was then depredated. At this nest a female and male were feeding the young and working closely together. One bird regularly stayed near and above the nest after feeding and waited until its partner arrived, whereupon the birds called to each other and the first parent left. After one rainy night the female brooded the young during the morning for more than two hours. During this time, the male visited at least three times and handed over food to the sitting female, which she fed to the young. The male also devoted some time to singing about 30 m away from the nest. Only a few food items could be identified at the nests we observed. There were eight caterpillars, seven locusts, two spiders, two lepidopterans, three mantises, one millipede and one insect egg. There were also 20 cases where the prey was not identified (for discussion of food and habitat selection see also Nemeth & Bennun 2000 and Matiku et al. 1999). At the two empty nests we found no sign of predators. One nest and one deserted ege were collected for the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi. There are unpublished observations of nests from Tanzania (Baker in Oatley & Arnott, 1998), and a further nest was found in 1998 in the Chinizuia Forest of Mozambique (Jones 1999). Seasonality in this species is poorly known. Brown & Britton (1980) assumed dry season breeding because of a juvenile recorded on 1 April. Juvenile akalats with spotted plumage were caught on 3 April and 18 May 1991 (by John Fanshawe). Since the spotted juvenile plumage of Robins is First nest record and breeding notes for East Coast Akalat 9 retained for 3-4 months (Oatley and Arnott 1998), it supports the view that breeding may take place in the dry season or early in the long rains. In Arabuko-Sokoke, very little rain falls in January and February, a little more in March, and then the ‘long’ rains set in from April to June or July (Fanshawe 1995). The ‘short’ rains fall in November and December. Keith et al. (1992) supposed that laying-dates in coastal Kenya and other areas would occur in November and December. On the Rondo Forest Plateau in SE Tanzania, birds showed progressively developing brood patches and therefore probable breeding from November to January (Holsten et al. 11): The 1995 nest data suggest that eggs may be laid at the end of the short rains in December, but probably also in January at the beginning of the dry season. In January 1992, two juveniles were netted in the Afzelia forest close to the original nest site. In 1995 singing activity was very high in the end of November and December and ceased in January. Two of 39 birds mist- netted in November and December that year were juveniles and five were immatures of uncertain age. Of the 32 adults, five had brood patches. One family party with two young was seen at the Afzelia Forest on 5 February 1995. It appears that the breeding season may be extended, covering the entire period from November into the long rains in May, including the dry months, and that in any year activity is strongly influenced by specific rainfall patterns. All birds captured with brood patches were at the lower end of the wing and tarsus sizes of the sample (Nemeth, unpublished data) and were probably females. In the Usambara Mountains Evans et al. (1994) also only found brood patches in two smaller individuals and it seems likely that only females incubate. Acknowledgements Thanks to Terry Oatley for useful comments on an earlier draft and for additional references. We thank the Department of Ornithology of the National Museum for collaboration, especially Leon Bennun, Patrick Gichuki Gathu, Edward Waiyaki, Oliver Nasirwa, Peter Njoroge and Paul Matiku. EN thanks Lotte Ebenspanger for her patience and his son Paul for forgiving his father’s absence. EN’s field studies Were part of a project funded by the Jubilaumsfonds of the National Bank of Austria, while JHF’s work was funded by BirdLife International and undertaken while he was a student at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford University. References Archer, A.L., Collins, S. & Bampton, I. 1991. Report on a visit to Jozani Forest, Zanzibar. EANHS Bulletin 21: 59-66. 10 Erwin Nemeth, John H. Fanshawe and David Ngala Benson C.W. 1946. Notes on Eastern and Southern African Birds. Bulletin of the British Ornithological Club 67: 28-33. BirdLife International 2000. Threatened Birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International. Blackett, H.L. 1994. Forest Inventory Report No. 2: Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. Nairobi: Forest Department/ Kenya Indigenous Forest Conservation Programme. Britton, P.L. & Zimmerman, D.A. 1979. The avifauna of Sokoke Forest, Kenya. Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum 169: 1-15. Brown, L.H. & Britton, P.L. 1980: The breeding seasons of East African birds. Nairobi: The East Africa Natural History Society. Collar, N.J. & Stuart, S.N. 1985. Threatened birds of Africa and related islands. The ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. Part 1. Third edition. Cambridge: ICBP/IUCN. Collar, N.J., Crosby, M.J. & Stattersfield, A.J. 1994. Birds to watch 2: The world list of threatened birds. Cambridge: Birdlife International Dowsett-Lemaire F. 1989. Ecological and biographical aspects of forest communities in Malawi. Scopus 13: 3-80. Evans T.D., Watson L.G., Hipkiss A.J., Kiure J., Timmins R.J. & A.W. Perkin 1994. New record of Sokoke Scops Owl Otus ireneae, Usambara Eagle Owl Bubo vosseleri and East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi from Tanzania. Scopus 18: 40-47. Fanshawe, J.H. 1995. The effects of selective logging on the bird community of Arabuko- Sokoke Forest, Kenya. DPhil thesis, University of Oxford. Holsten B., Braunlich, A. & Huxham, H. 1991. Rondo Forest Reserve, Tanzania: an ornithological survey, including new records of the East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi, the Spotted Ground Trush Turdus fischeri, and the Rondo Green Barbet Stactolaema olivacea woodwardi. Scopus 14: 125-128. Jones, J.M.B. 1999. To Mozambique for the nests of White-breasted Alethe and Gunning’s Robin. Honeyguide 45: 59-60. Keith S., Urban, E.K. & Fry, H.C. 1992. The Birds of Africa. Vol. 4. London: Academic Press. Kelsey, M.J. & Langton, T.E.S. 1984. The conservation of the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya. International Council for Bird Preservation and University of East Anglia. ICBP Study Report no. 4. Cambridge: International Council for Bird Preservation. Nemeth, E. & Bennun, L. 2000. Distribution, habitat selection and behaviour of the East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi sokokensis in Kenya and Tanzania. Bird Conservation International 10: 115-130. Matiku, P.M., Bennun L.A. & Nemeth E. 1999. Distribution and population size of the East Coast Akalat in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya. Ostrich 71: 282-285. Oatley, T. & Arnott, G. 1998. Robins of Africa. South Africa: Acorn Books and Russel Friedman Books. | Seddon, N.; Ekstrom, J.M.M., Capper, D.R., Isherwood, IS., Muna, R., Pople, R.G., Tarimo, & Timothy, J. 1999. Notes on the ecology and conservation status of key First nest record and breeding notes for East Coast Akalat I] bird species in and Nguu North Forest Reserves, Tanzania. Bird Conservation International 9: 9-28. Erwin Nemeth Konrad Institut fiir Vergleichende Verhaltensforschung, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160 Wien, Austria, e: e.nemeth@klivv.oeaw.ac.at John H. Fanshawet Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK David Ngala Gede Forest Station, P.O. Box 201 Malindi, Kenya tPresent address: BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ONA, UK, e: john.fanshawe@birdlife.org.uk. Scopus 23: 7-11, July 2003 Received November 2001 | | Scopus 23: 13-28, July 2003 Notes on ten restricted-range birds in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt The Udzungwa Mountains of south-central Tanzania (Fig. 1) hold more rare forest birds than any other site in eastern Africa (Stuart 1985). According to Stattersfield et al. (1998), the Udzungwas support 25 of the 34 ‘restricted-range species’ (i.e. species with a world range of less than 50000 km) in the ‘Tanzania-Malawi Mountains Endemic Bird Area’. This is more species than for any other site within this Endemic Bird Area (the Usambara Mountains are second with 15 species). Of these, 20 species are confined to moist evergreen forest. Eleven of the 20 forest species are globally threatened (one is Endangered and 10 are Vulnerable) (IUCN 1996). Four of these are endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains while two other species are endemic to the Udzungwas. These latter two are the Rufous-winged Sunbird Nectarinia rufipennis (Jensen 1983) and the Udzungwa Forest Partridge Xenoperdix udzungwensis (Dinesen et al. 1994). Xenoperdix is an endemic genus, as well as an Endangered genus and species. From 27 October-15 November 1998 we undertook a survey of the primates within the Udzungwa Mountains National Park (Fig. 2) as part of a long-term primate monitoring programme for this region (Butynski et al. 1998, Ehardt et al. 1998). During this research we also made opportunistic observations of the avifauna. Our observations of 10 of the restricted-range species of birds are presented here. Background The Udzungwa Mountains (7°40’—-8°40'S; 35°10’—36°50’E) extend roughly 200 km north-east/south-west, covering an area of approximately 10000 km? (Fig. 2). The most recent estimates of the area covered by natural forest vary from 1017 km? (Burgess et al. 1998) to 1360 km? (Fjeldsa 1999) to 1899 km? (Dinesen et al. 2001). At least some of this variation in estimates is due to differences of opinion over what forests should be included within the ‘Udzungwas’ area (e.g. the Image, Kisinga and Dabaga Forests). The south- east-facing escarpment rises from 300 m to 2576 m, and includes lowland, submontane and montane forest. This represents one of the greatest continually forested altitudinal gradients in East Africa (300-2250 m). Moist forest extends along much of the south-eastern scarp with drier forest, woodland and grassland on the western plateau. Mean annual rainfall 14 Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt along the south-eastern scarp is about 2000 mm, while on the western plateau it is about 900 mm. In addition, there is a substantial mist effect over the montane forest and subalpine zones. There is a single pronounced dry season from May to December in the west, and from June to October in the east (Rodgers & Homewood 1982, Dinesen et al. 2001). ZY a) ; & Se et : | ° LEGEND > ; » i ess >. Kilimanjaro 40 ef Eastern Arc above 1500 m > = KENYA 2» NE ssn Other land above 1500 m nad f Taita Hills Natural forest g | bn Nort Estee < 4° Sa South Pare West Usambara yi t] East Usambara PEMBA’ @ Nguu a8 : ZANZIBAR y ‘ fs Que S oD 2 oy : Neuru Jozani aw wt § 4 i) \ ; ce : . N TANZANIA 8 ¢ Uluguru ® = e Pugu Hills aq Q\eep © Malundwe é < iy LE 2 XX 4 un/) y of 4] M h Ye Us wanihana 8°S % & oS Af 4 Vv Y j Udzungwa Scarp y _ Mbeya 2 j eee Nae ( Kipengere ~ @ Mahenge Sew, 4 - Makambako Gap PP ad Sy |; < 2 i (*- *@ os @ \ Rungwe ~S SR ae Mdando a (eae, Misuku Hills KS a> a aé > \ Livingstone } | s eS 2 A / L> ly (Uy ES o- . Nyika Plateau bee be Matengo

5 < a 2, oe \ eueylueMyy INO MIN co Dp a, are ( >. ee > ee nynapunpy all u Gus ( oraquioyny NyNsuNjyLy-1zZuelyy oe ie < oP VINVZNVL 16 Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt Although not well-surveyed, the Udzungwas are already recognised for their many endemic and rare species, and for unusually high species richness (Lovett & Wasser 1993, Stuart et al. 1993, Burgess et al. 1998, Dinesen 1998). As such, they probably represent biologically the most important forest block in East Africa (Rodgers & Homewood 1982, Jensen & Bregger-Jensen 1992, Dinesen et al. 2001). During the 1998 survey, we visited four forests (Iwonde, Matundu, Mlale and Luhombero) (Fig. 2). To the best of our knowledge, the Iwonde (11 km2, 1060-1480 m) and Mlale (3 km2, 1050-1350 m) Forests, and the sections of the Matundu (522 km2, 300-650 m) and Luhombero (250 km2, 1350-2500 m) Forests that we surveyed, have never been visited by primatologists or ornithologists. All four of these forested areas are pristine and well-protected, being within a national park and far from human habitation. The observations reported here are all from the Iwonde and Luhombero Forests. Iwonde is largely isolated from other forests by extensive grassland, although there appears to be a narrow corridor connecting it to the much larger and much lower Matundu Forest to the west. Iwonde holds forest of exceptionally large trees and an open forest floor. Parinari excelsa, Newtonia buchanan, Strombosia scheffleri and Chrysophyllum sp. are among the larger and more common species of trees here. The forests of Luhombero (250 km2, including Ndundulu), Nyumbanitu (49 km?) and Ukami (6 kmZ2), are often referred to as the “West Kilombero Forests’ (305 km?). The largest of these, Luhombero Forest, lies at the northern extreme of the Udzungwas and includes the highest mountain in the Udzungwas (Mt. Luhombero, 2576 m). Montane forest covers much of the south-facing slope. Albizia gummifera, Nuxia congesta, Cussonia spicata, Cassipourea gummiflua and Neoboutonia macrocalyx are common on the lower slopes. The most noticeable trees here are the many extremely large mahoganies Entandrophragma excelsum; some of these have boles with diameters of more than 6 m at 3 m above the ground, and buttresses over 3 m high that extend more than 14 m from the bole. At about 1800 m the montane forest gives way to bamboo Sinarundinaria alpina and a dense herbaceous ground cover dominated by Mimulopsis spp. At about 2000 m, Podocarpus falcatus, Faurea saligna, Hagenia abyssinica, Rapanea rhododendroides, Xymalos monospora, Hypericum sp. and other species become intermixed with bamboo. Hagenia woodlands are common in the valleys from 2000-2400 m. The bamboo/forest mix ends at about 2200 m, where Ocotea usambarensis and H. abyssinica begin to form dominant stands. Beginning at about 2300 m, these trees are covered with thick moss. This cloud forest type reaches approximately 2500 m, where subalpine vegetation begins and extends to the summit. Restricted-range birds in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania 7, Udzungwa Forest Partridge Xenoperdix udzungwensis (Endangered). This recently discovered species and genus (Dinesen et al. 1994) has no close relatives on the African continent and is only known from the Ndundulu (western Luhombero) and Nyumbanitu Forests on the drier west plateau of the Udzungwas at 1350-1900 m. The estimated range of this species is extremely small, roughly 161 km? (Dinesen et al. 1993, 2001). On 13 November, TMB encountered a flock of at least three X. udzungwensis at 09:50 on the southern slope of Mt Luhombero. They were at 1750 m at the base of the eastern-most of the two enormous granite domes that dominate this part of the park (GPS reading 7°48’23’S; 36°38’39”E). At first the flock scattered and hid, but after about 20 minutes the birds began to make contact calls and eventually the flock reunited (within 5-9 m of TMB) and was observed for several minutes in good light. The low volume, soft “cluck’ contact call was the only vocalization heard. This is presumably the call that Dinesen et al. (1994) refer to as “subdued, high-pitched peeping notes”. This flock was located on very rugged, steep, rocky, well-drained ground in moderately open montane forest, near a dry streambed with scattered large boulders. Trees here included Albizia sp., Dombeya sp., Ficus sp., Polyscias fulva, and Parinari excelsa. This was the only confirmed sighting of this species during 5 full days of survey work by two of us in the Luhombero Forest. On two occasions, CLE flushed partridge-like birds well within the forest which were probably of this species, but they were not seen well. These were at 7°49'1"S; 36°35’40”E (1600 m) and at 7°48’30”; 36°35’18”E (1800 m). The observation described here is the first for X. udzungwensis within the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The birds seen on Mt. Luhombero are probably part of the same population as in the Ndundulu Forest (western Luhombero), as there is continuous forest between these two areas. This sighting was about 12 km inside the western boundary of the park, and therefore at least 12 km from the nearest previous known location for this species (in the Ndundulu Forest). Dinesen et al. (2001) assumed that X. udzungwensis would be in this locality, so this sighting does not change their estimate of the species’ range. They estimate the world population at about 3700 individuals. However, in the Ndundulu Forest, where they conducted their intensive research, they found X. udzungwensis to be locally common and estimated the population density at 25 birds/km2. We doubt that the density was this high on the part of Mt Luhombero where we conducted our surveys. If so, the estimate of 3700 birds may be too optimistic. Usambara (Nduk) Eagle-owl Bubo (poensis) vosseleri (Vulnerable). Initially believed to be confined to the Usambara Mountains (Collar & Stuart 1985, Zimmerman et al. 1996), this large owl is now known from 1500 18 Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt m in the Uluguru Mountains (Hunter et al. 1998; Stattersfield et al. 1998), from South Pare (Burgess ef al. 1998), and from at least two sites at about 1700 m in the northern Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve in the Udzungwas (Dinesen et al. 2001, D. C. Moyer pers. comm., TMB & CLE unpubl. data). We observed and heard an Usambara Eagle-owl on 31 October and on 1 November during both of two nights spent at one camp site in Iwonde Forest (1200 m, 7°56'07’S; 36°38’06’E). This is the first record for this species within the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. When first seen (16:25), the owl was being mobbed by several Square-tailed Drongos Dicrurus ludwigii. It called a few times at 16:30 while still being mobbed. Evans et al. (1994) state that in the Usambaras, this owl “was only ever heard after dark, between 20:00 and 04:30, never at dusk or dawn.” This is not the case with the Usambara Eagle-owl in the Udzungwas, nor with Fraser’s Eagle-owl Bubo poensis in Central Africa (see below) (TMB pers. obs.). Darkness falls in the Udzungwas at about 18:45 in November. Long bouts of calling began at 18:50 on 31 October, and at 18:38 on 1 November. We only heard or saw one owl at a time. Thus, we cannot say if more than one owl was present. Although the bird on Iwonde was heard to call around 100 times during the two nights we were at this camp, the only call heard was the loud, low-pitched, ‘wubbering’ call, ‘wb-a-wb-a-wb-a-wb-a’, as described by Evans et al. (1994). Each call is comprised of about 38—42 ‘wb-a’ notes, given very rapidly (c. 5-6/s). This is apparently the “loud purring” call of Fry et al. (1988). In Iwonde, this call from the one bird had a mean duration of 7 s (n = 19, range = 6-8 s), and a mean interval between calls of 39 s (n = 14, range = 20-70 s). Evans et al. (1994) state that the duration of this call in the Usambaras is 3-4 s. Fraser’s Eagle-owl in the Itombwe Forest of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire) gives the same call (TMB pers. obs.). One individual tape recorded by TMB in the Itombwe Forest during April 1996 (Kilumbe Camp 1, 1920 m, 3°52’S; 28°56’E) gave ‘wubbering’ calls with a mean duration of 9s (n = 6, range = 8-10 s), and a mean interval between calls of 21 s (n = 5, range = 8-36 s). The duration and interval of this call, however, presumably vary within the same individual, and among individuals within the same population, depending upon a number of variables. One owl in Itombwe gave bouts of 15-30 ‘wubbering’ calls. In Itombwe, this owl starts calling as early as 30 minutes (18:00) before dusk (18:30), and as late as dawn (05:30), with calls given most frequently at dusk, during the early evening, and just before dawn. One individual appeared to be actively hunting at 08:00. There is disagreement over whether the Usambara Eagle-owl is a species distinct from Bubo poensis. For example, White (1974), Collar & Stuart (1985), Turner et al. (1991), Sibley & Monroe (1990), Stuart et al. (1993), Evans et al. (1994), Zimmerman et al. (1996), Dinesen (1998), and Restricted-range birds in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania 19 Stattersfield et al. (1998) treat the Usambara Eagle-owl as a distinct species, while Moreau (1964), White (1965), Britton (1980), Stuart & Turner (1980), Fry et al. (1988), Short et al. (1990), Dowsett & Dowsett-Lemaire (1993), and Dowsett & Forbes-Watson (1993) consider it to be a subspecies, Bubo poensis vosseleri. As mentioned above, the only call heard given by the Usambara Eagle- owl in Iwonde was the ‘wubbering’ call. This was also the only call heard by us in the northern Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve in 2000 (TMB & CLE unpubl. data). This also seems to be the only call mentioned in the literature for the Usambara Eagle-owl (Evans et al. 1994, Hunter et al. 1998). In Itombwe, other calls were commonly given; for example, the drawn out high-pitched whistle ‘twowoot'’ call (as described by Fry et al. 1988). The possible absence in the Usambara Eagle-owl of some of the calls of Fraser’s Eagle-owl would lend support to its consideration as a separate species, as does the fact that their known geographic ranges are more than 1000 km apart. The “‘wubbering’ calls of the Usambara Eagle-owl and of Fraser’s Eagle-owl have been described as “similar but significantly different” (White 1974), and as “distinct in pattern” (Evans et al. 1994). Nonetheless, the Usambara Eagle-owl appears to respond, at least somewhat, to the loud playback calls of the Fraser’s Eagle-owl (Hunter et al. 1998). Our own vote is cast with those who refer to this owl as a megasubspecies within B. poensis. The habitats are similar (both occur in lowland and montane forest), the structure of the complex ‘wubbering’ call seems identical, or nearly so, and the plumage and size differences (although distinct) are not great (Fry et al. 1988). As with Bubo poensis, dwarf galagos (bushbabies) Galagoides spp. react strongly to the calls of the Usambara Eagle-owl by giving long series of alarm and other calls. We suspect that the Fraser’s Eagle-owl and the Usambara Eagle-owl are both important predators of Galagoides spp. Fry et al. (1988) list galagos as prey of B. poensis. In the Usambaras, this uncommon owl occurs both in lowland and - montane forest (200-1500 m) (Britton 1980, Evans ef al. 1994). In the Ulugurus and Udzungwas, the Usambara Eagle-owl is only known from montane forest at 1550 m, and 1200-1700 m, respectively. The bird faunas | of some parts of the Udzungwas have been fairly well investigated, particularly along the south-east-facing escarpment. The Usambara Eagle- owl is not known to occur in either the lowland or montane forests of the best studied areas (Stuart & Jensen 1981, Stuart et al. 1981, 1987, Jensen & Brogger-Jensen 1992, Dinesen et al. 1993, 2001), and we did not find this species elsewhere in the Udzungwas during our 1997 and 1998 surveys. This owl is apparently an uncommon and localized species in the Udzungwas, perhaps limited to areas of large trees, and within a higher 20 Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt and narrower altitudinal range (1200-1700 m) than in the Usambaras (200- 1500 m). Rufous-winged Sunbird Nectarinia rufipennis (Vulnerable). The Rufous-winged Sunbird was encountered only once during our survey. We found a male and female pair at 1400 m in a fairly open area (light gap) within the forest near the top of Iwonde Mountain (7°56’32’S; 36°37'41”E) on 3 November. This is well within the known altitudinal range for the species (600-1800 m, but usually above 1000 m) (Stuart et al. 1987, Dinesen et al. 2001). This Udzungwa endemic was previously known only from the West Kilombero, northern Udzungwa Scarp, Iyondo, and Mwanihana Forests (Jensen 1983, Dinesen et al. 1993, 2001). This observation represents a second locality within the Udzungwa Mountains National Park and a range extension of roughly 30 km from the nearest known site (Mwanihana Forest). The only other two sunbirds that were found in Iwonde Forest during 3 full days of observations were the Eastern Olive Sunbird Nectarinia olivacea and the Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes neglectus. Both species were common and occurred throughout this forest. Noticeably absent was Moreau’s Sunbird Nectarinia moreaui, but lwonde Forest is probably slightly too low to support a population of Moreau’s Sunbirds (see below). The pair of Rufous-winged Sunbirds was watched by TMB from 11:00- 13:00 at a distance of 4—7 m in good light. They were very active, coming and going from a 10 m high flowering Carpolobia sp. cf. conradsiana tree. They were observed taking nectar from this tree, as well as frequently gleaning insects from the leaves of neighbouring trees at levels of 3-10 m above the ground. Most of the trees on the edge of this small gap in the forest had a diameter at breast height of 20-50 cm. The female observed on Iwonde appeared to be as described by Jensen (1983). Interestingly, the male appeared to differ considerably from the type male as described by Jensen (1983). Here is a summary of those differences: Type: “The crown, face, nape, back, wing-coverts and upper tail-coverts are iridescent spectrum violet, but showing a turquoise blue gloss in certain lights. From the base of the lower mandible to the upper chest there is a triangular glossy bronze patch.” Iwonde: The entire head, including the throat down to the chest, was iridescent spectrum violet. That is, there was no triangular glossy bronze patch from the base of the lower mandible to the upper chest. Type: “There are two bands across the chest, the upper one being identical in colour to the back and about 4 mm wide. The lower one is chestnut and 10 mm wide.” , Iwonde: The upper breast band was either absent or so much narrower than 4 mm as to be invisible in the field. The lower chest band was true red Restricted-range birds in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania Zk (if not scarlet red), not chestnut, and differed in colour very noticeably from the cinnamon-rufous of the secondaries and primaries. Moreover, the band was fairly wide, more like 15 mm than 10 mm. In his discussion of the possible systematic position of the Rufous- winged Sunbird, Jensen (1983) states that “...1n the genus Nectarinia, there appears to be no obvious affinity to any particular superspecies or species group...”. He noted, however, some resemblance to the double-collared sunbird complex (Hall & Moreau 1970). The main differences in colour and colour pattern between N. rufipennis and members of the double-collared sunbird complex noted by Jensen are that: (1) the back of N. rufipennis is metallic blue, not metallic green, (2) the breast band is chestnut red as opposed to scarlet red, (3) the edges of the flight feathers are rufous instead of olive green, and (4) the triangular bronzy throat patch is lacking in the double-collared sunbirds. The observations of the male in Iwondi seem, at least in this one case, to reduce or eliminate the differences noted in numbers two and four above. This strengthens the likelihood that N. rufipennis has affinity with the double-collared sunbird complex. More in-the-hand and close observations of N. rufipennis are obviously required. The differences between the Iwonde male and the type male suggest that (1) the type may be a bird that is either immature, in non- breeding plumage, or in moult, or (2) there is considerable variation in colour and colour pattern among adult males of this species. The observation of only two N. rufipennis during the 1998 survey suggests that this species is uncommon in the forests surveyed. N. rufipennis has yet to be observed in the Matundu Forest (which, with a maximum elevation of 650 m, is almost certainly too low) or in the Mlale Forest (7°51’39’S; 36°37'38’E). N. rufipennis, and other species noted in this paper, may be present in Mlale Forest but over-looked, as only 1 full day of survey work was conducted there. Moreau’s Sunbird Nectarinia (mediocris) moreaui (Near Threatened). - Moreau’s Sunbird is known from the Nguru, Nguu, Rubeho, Ukaguru, Kiboriani, Uvidunda and Udzungwa Mountains (Stuart et al. 1987, Jensen & Brogger-Jensen 1992, Fjeldsa et al. 1996, Stattersfield et al. 1998, D.C. Moyer pers. comm.). — The taxonomic status of Moreau’s Sunbird remains unclear. It is treated as a species by Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955), Hall & Moreau (1970), Britton (1980), Stuart & Turner (1980), Stuart & van der Willigen (1980), Collar & Stuart (1985), Stuart et al. (1987, 1993), Short et al. (1990), Stattersfield et al. (1998), and Fry et al. (2000). Sclater & Moreau (1933) classify it as a subspecies of the Eastern Double-collared Sunbird Nectarinia (Cinnyris) mediocris moreaui, whereas Dowsett (1986) lists it as Nectarinia mediocris fuelleborni. White (1963), Dowsett & Forbes-Watson (1993), and Pepi Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt Sibley & Monroe (1990) merge N. moreaui with Loveridge’s Sunbird | Nectarinia loveridget. The taxonomic situation for this sunbird in the Udzungwas appears particularly interesting as indicated by the following two quotes: Stuart et al. (1987) state, “It is also common, however, in the montane parts of Mwanihana Forest from 1500 up to at least 1800 m. Stuart & van der Willigen (1980) have suggested that N. moreaui is a hybrid species between the wide-spread Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, N. mediocris, and Loveridge’s Sunbird, N. loveridgei, which is endemic to the Uluguru Mountains. This theory is supported by the discovery of moreaui in Mwanihana Forest between populations of loveridgei and mediocris. The range of moreaui in the Udzungwa Mountains must be very limited since mediocris has been found on Luhombero Mountain only 30 km to the west (R.J. Stjernstedt & D.C. Moyer, pers. comm.), and at Kilanga, the type- locality of N. mediocris fuelleborni, 90 km to the south-west.” It is important here to note that D.C. Moyer (in litt.) clarifies the above statement, saying that he and R.J. Stjernstedt visited the western edge of Ndundulu Forest, not Mt. Luhombero proper, and that they are uncertain whether the birds they observed in the Ndundulu Forest were N. mediocris. Jensen & Brogger-Jensen (1992) state, “The ‘double-collared’ sunbirds recorded from Mwanihana Forest have so far been assigned to Moreau’s Sunbird (Stuart et al. 1987) because specimens from this locality agreed in plumage colours with specimens from Nguru Mountains, the type locality of N. moreaui. Other populations of double-collared sunbirds from the Udzungwas have been referred to Nectarinia mediocris fuelleborni (Britton 1980) with the type locality of fuelleborni being at Kalinga near Dabaga. Recently A. Beakbane and E. Baker (pers. comm.) have pointed out that. male Eastern Double-collared Sunbirds netted at Mufindi show considerable variation in plumage colours. This variation extends in some birds well into the concept of N. moreaui, calling in question the validity of this form in the Udzungwas. Until this matter has been thoroughly investigated we prefer to keep the systematic position of the double- collared sunbirds in the Udzungwas an open question.” (Note that Dabaga and Mufindi are about 70 km and 150 km, respectively, to the south-west of Mt. Luhombero, and that Mufindi is at the southern extreme of the Udzungwa Mountains.) Although no birds were netted during this survey, we had close observations in good light of many double-collared sunbirds on Mt Luhombero (7° 4832'S; 36° 36’22’E). All of these sunbirds can be described as follows: primaries broadly edged with olive-yellow, bill long and curved, head and throat iridescent green, narrow bluish-purple chest band below which lies a broad, red chest band with much yellow down either side of the red, belly and vent yellowish-olive or dusky-olive. In good light, Restricted-range birds in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania 23 the primaries are distinctly golden-rufous or golden-olive both in the male and female. In this regard, the wings are more similar to those of N. loveridgei and of Regal Sunbird Nectarinia regia than to N. mediocris. The yellow on the sides of the chest is more extensive than for N. mediocris mediocris. The birds we observed matched well the descriptions of Sclater & Moreau (1933), Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955), Stuart & van der Willigen (1980), and Fry et al (2000) for Moreau’s Sunbird. We conclude, therefore, that in addition to Mwanihana Forest, there are at least two populations of Moreau’s Sunbird in the Udzungwa Mountains. This is not surprising given that the western edge of Mwanihana Forest is just 15 km from the eastern edge of the Luhombero Forest. It should also be noted that Moreau’s Sunbird occurs on all four of the mountains which form a chain to the north-east of Mt Luhombero, the nearest of which, the Uvidunda Mountains, are only about 75 km away. Indeed, it might be surprising if Moreau’s Sunbird were not the double-collared sunbird found over the higher reaches of the Luhombero Forest. It appears that in the Luhombero Forest, Moreau’s Sunbird is present only at the higher elevations (above c. 1800 m). We saw no species of double-collared sunbird below 1800 m. Moreau’s Sunbird seems to be the only species of double-collared sunbird in the Luhombero Forest. As far as we are aware, there is no certain record for N. mediocris fuelleborni in any of the forests of West Kilombero, including Luhombero and Ndundulu, nor in Mwanihana Forest. This supports the statement of Fry et al. (2000) that Moreau’s Sunbird “..is the only double-collared sunbird on the mountains where it occurs.” In the Luhombero Forest, Moreau’s Sunbird occurs over an altitudinal range of 1800-2500 m. Here it is strongly associated with habitats with a mix of bamboo, trees and a well-developed herbaceous layer. During our survey, N. moreaui was frequently seen taking nectar from the flowers of the shrub Tecomaria capensis. Moreau’s was the only sunbird observed above 1800 m, being abundant between 2000-2400 m. The Olive Sunbird ‘was not found above 1700 m. Although N. rufipennis was not observed on Mt. Luhombero during this survey, it is present at low densities up to at least 1500 m (Butynski unpubl. data), and occurs up to 1600 m in the contiguous Ndundulu (western Luhombero) Forest (Dinesen et al. 1993, 2001). In short, where it occurs on Mt. Luhombero, our limited observations indicate that Moreau’s Sunbird is often the only sunbird present. Moreau’s Sunbird is reported to occur from 1500-1900 m in the Udzungwas (Jensen & Bregger-Jensen 1992, Stuart et al. 1987), and from 1200-1850 m in other parts of its range Gtattersfield et al. 1998). As noted above, during this survey Moreau’s Sunbirds were found in the Luhombero Forest from 1800-2500 m. Given its altitudinal range (1500- 2500 m), geographic position between N. mediocris usambarica and N. 24 Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt mediocris fuelleborni, and proximity to N. loveridgei, the Udzungwas (especially Mt. Luhombero) may be an especially suitable area for research on the taxonomic status of Moreau’s Sunbird. In particular, it would be of interest to compare closely individuals collected at 2500 m on Mt. Luhombero with the type of N. mediocris fuelleborni, and to involve these individuals in a molecular study. The types for N. moreaui (C. m. moreaut) and N. mediocris fuelleborni should also be revisited to reassess how they differ. Green-throated Greenbul Andropadus (nigriceps) chlorigula (Least Concern). Seen and heard only on Mt. Luhombero. This very distinctive and noisy greenbul was not found below 1800 m but is one of the most common birds from 1800-2500 m., broadly sympatric with Moreau’s Sunbird. The vocalisations of this greenbul are noticeably distinct from those of Andropadus nigriceps kikuyuensis in western Uganda and in the highlands of Kenya (see Keith et al. 1992). Filleborn’s Boubou Laniarius fuelleborni fuelleborni (Least Concern). Seen twice and fairly often heard on Mt Luhombero from 1900-2350 m. Swynnerton’s Robin Swynnertonia swynnertoni (Vulnerable). Uncommon: only one seen, on 9 November on Mt Luhombero at 1600 m (7°48'32’5; 36°36'10’E), on the ground in a bird party with Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla, Olive Sunbird, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher Elminia albonotata, Dappled Mountain Robin Modulatrix orostruthus, and Dark-backed Weaver Ploceus bicolor. Previously reported only in the Nyumbanitu, Ukami, Ndundulu, Mwanihana, and Udzungwa Scarp Forests (Dinesen et al. 2001). Spot-throat Modulatrix stictigula (Least Concern). Uncommon: only one seen and one other heard, on 11 November on Mt Luhombero in bamboo at 2000 m (7°48’32’S; 36°36’10’E). This observation for the Spot-throat is 150 m higher than previously reported in the literature for the Udzungwas (Stuart et al. 1987, Jensen & Brogger-Jensen 1992), but this species is known at 2400 m in the Ulugurus, and Dinesen (in litt.) also has a record at 2400 m in the Udzungwas. Stattersfield et al. (1998) give the upper range for the Spot-throat as 2700 m but give no reference. These birds were on the ground in a party with Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica, Forest Batis Batis capensis, White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata, Green-throated Greenbul, Lemon Dove Aplopelia larvata, Moreau’s Sunbird, Olive-flanked Robin Chat Cossypha anomala grotei, and a pair of white-eyes. Restricted-range birds in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania 79) The two white-eyes were seen extremely well at a distance of less than 2 m,; eye-rings were broad, ventral parts bright yellow, dorsal parts bright olive, and the forehead olive (not yellow). The literature for the Udzungwas indicates that the only white-eye in the region is the Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis stierlingi (e.g., Britton 1980, Stuart et all. 1987, Jensen & Bregger-Jensen 1992). The bright yellow underparts are characteristic of that species. The broad eye-ring is, however, more indicative of the Mountain White-eye Zosterops poliogaster cf. mbuluensis. It is interesting to note, therefore, the taxonomic changes for Zosterops in the Eastern Arc Forests as implemented by Fjeldsa & Rabel 1995, Cordeiro 1998, and Stattersfield et al. 1998. Dappled Mountain Robin Arcanator (Modulatrix) orostruthus (Vulnerable). Uncommon: only one seen at 1600 m on Mt. Luhombero (see above under Swynnerton’s Robin). Previously only reported in the Nyumbanitu, Ukami, Ndundulu, Mwanihana and Udzungwa Scarp Forests (Dinesen et al. 2001). White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa (Vulnerable). Uncommon: only one seen, on 2 November in Iwonde Forest at 1480 m (7°5632’5; 36°37'41’E), in a bird party with Brown-headed Apalis Apalis alticola, Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens, Square-tailed Drongo, and Dark-backed Weaver. This species is previously reported only in West Kilombero, Mwanihana, Kawemba, Kiranzi-Kitungula and Udzungwa scarp Forests (Dinesen et al. 2001). Tape recordings were made of one or more calls of all of the restricted- range species mentioned above, including X. udzungwensis, N. rufipennis, and N. moreaut. Acknowledgements David Moyer, Francoise Dowsett-Lemaire, Lars Dinesen, Tom Evans, and Leon Bennun commented on the manuscript. Permission to undertake research in the Udzungwas was provided by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, and by Tanzania National Parks. Senior Park Warden, A. H. Seki and his staff at the Udzungwa Mountains National Park provided valuable logistic support. The Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, Zoo Atlanta, WWF-Tanzania, Conservation, Food & Health Foundation, and the University of Georgia Research Foundation provided financial assistance for this research. We wish to extend our appreciation and thanks to all of these people, institutions and organisations. 26 Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt References Britton, P.L. (ed) 1980. Birds of East Africa. Nairobi: The East Africa Natural History Society. Burgess, N.D., Fjeldsa, J. & Botterweg, R. 1998. Faunal importance of the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya and Tanzania. Journal of East African Natural History 87: 37-58. Butynski, T.M., Ehardt, C.L. & Struhsaker, T.T. 1998. Notes on two dwarf galagos (Galagoides udzungwensis and Galagoides orinus) in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Primate Conservation 18: 66-72. Collar, N.J. & Stuart, S.N. 1985. Threatened birds of Africa and related islands: The ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. Cambridge: ICBP/TUCN. Cordeiro, N.J. 1998. Preliminary analysis of the nestedness patterns of montane forest birds of the Eastern Arc Mountains. Journal of East African Natural History 87: 101-118. Dinesen, L. 1998. 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Proceedings of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology 4: 61-246. Sibley, C.G. & Monroe, B.L. Jr. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. New Haven: Yale University Press. Stattersfield, A.J., Crosby, M.J., Long, A.J. & Wege, D.C. 1998. Endemic bird areas of the world. Cambridge: BirdLife International. Stuart, 5.N. 1985. Rare forest birds and their conservation in eastern Africa. Pp. 187-196 in Diamond, A.W. & Lovejoy, T.E. (eds) Conservation of tropical forest birds. |CBP Technical Publication No. 4. Cambridge: ICBP. 28 Thomas M. Butynski and Carolyn L. Ehardt Stuart, S.N., Howell, K.M., van der Willigen, T.A. & Geertsema, A.A. 1981. Some additions to the avifauna of the Uzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Scopus 5: 46-50. Stuart, S.N. & Jensen, F.P. 1981. Further range extensions and other notable records of forest birds from Tanzania. Scopus 5: 106-115. Stuart, S.N., Jensen, F.P. & Bregger-Jensen, S. 1987. Altitudinal zonation of the avifauna in Mwanihana and Magombera Forests, eastern Tanzania. Le Gerfaut 71 N\OOASG, Stuart, S.N., Jensen, F.P., Bragger-Jensen, S. & Miller, R.I. 1993. The zoogeography of the montane forest avifauna of eastern Tanzania. Pp. 203-228 in Lovett, J.C. & Wasser, S.K. (eds) Biogeography and ecology of the rainforests of eastern Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Stuart, S.N. & Turner, D.A. 1980. Some range extensions and other notable records of forest birds from eastern and northeastern Tanzania. Scopus 4: 36-41. Stuart, S.N. & van der Willigen, T.A. 1980. Is Moreau’s Sunbird Nectarinia moreaui a hybrid species? Scopus 4: 56-58. Turner, D.A., Pearson, D.J. & Zimmerman, D.A. 1991. Taxonomic notes on some East African birds. Part I - Non-passerines. Scopus 14: 84-91. White, C.M.N. 1963. A revised check list of African flycatchers, tits, tree creepers, sunbirds, white-eyes, honey eaters, buntings, finches, weavers, and waxbills. Lusaka: Government Printer. White, C.M.N. 1965. A revised check list of African non-passerine birds. Lusaka: Government Printer. White, G.B. 1974. Rarest eagle owl in trouble. Oryx 12: 484-486. Zimmerman, D.A., Turner, D.A. & Pearson, DJ. 1996. Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania. South Africa: Friedman. Thomas M. Butynski Zoo Atlanta's Africa Biodiversity Conservation Program, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 68200, Nairobi, Kenya Carolyn L. Ehardt Department of Anthropology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-1619, USA Scopus 23: 13-28, July 2003 Received June 1999 Scopus 23: 29-43, July 2003 A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal Anas capensis Neil E. Baker The Cape Teal is a widespread but localised Afrotropical species. Scott & Rose (1996) divide the distribution into two distinct populations, one to the north of Zambia and one to the south. The southern Africa population was treated in some detail by Winterbottom (1974) who also summarised available literature for the northern range states. This present closer look at the distribution and recorded numbers for the northern population suggests a much more restricted range than given in Scott & Rose (1996) and a considerably smaller population size than their estimate of 100,000 to 250,000 birds. In East Africa the Cape Teal is generally confined to alkaline and brackish waters within the Rift Valley. It is rare on the open exposed waters of the larger lakes, presumably due to difficulties with feeding in choppy water. Where these lakes are highly alkaline, such as Lake Natron, the few birds present tend to concentrate around river inlets. Its preferred habitat is the smaller, more secluded lakes and ponds on which it is largely resident, moving when temporal ponds are virtually dry and then only to nearby permanent alkaline waters. There is little or no vegetation cover along the shores of preferred habitat and this is not at all a shy bird. It is therefore easy to observe and relatively easy to determine accurate numbers at any given locality on a particular day. It is important to bear this in mind when considering the population figures suggested here. The distribution of Cape Teal is shown in Figure 1. Each location is mapped with a solid circle or area for known breeding sites and/or congregations and an open shape for wanderers and/or extralimital records. Different shapes indicate suggested population affinities. The distribution limits given in Scott & Rose (1996) are shown by a solid line. As will be argued, the northern population is itself divided into a western and an eastern component, the former centred on the Lake Chad basin and the latter on the East African Rift Valley. In this review of published and unpublished observations each range state is treated individually and listed alphabetically within these divisions. 30 Neil Baker — as ae == = = pera | = “TOMERITREA oe J a ere JeTHLOP IA ay 2 SUDAN i; Rift Valley- ‘ centred population Southern Africa population (northern limits) Figure 1. Distribution of the northern population of Cape Teal: solid symbols and areas indicate established congregations; open symbols indicate occasional, single or extralimital records; dashed line shows the range given by Scott & Rose (1996). Affinities: triangles are East African Rift Valley-centred population; circles are Chad basin-centred population; ue are northern limits of Southern Africa population. The Chad basin-centred population Cameroon The Cape Teal is not mentioned by Louette (1981) or listed by Dowsett & Dowsett-Lemaire (1993) for Cameroon but it may occur in low numbers within reach of Lake Chad if suitable alkaline habitat exists. The northern tip of the country is included within the range mapped by Scott & Rose (1996). Central African Republic The Cape Teal is not listed for the C.A.R. by Dowsett & Dowsett-Lemaire (1993) and while compiling this paper no records could be traced for this country. If the species does occur it is likely to be at low densities in very A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal a1 few localities. The north and extreme west of the country is included within the range mapped by Scott & Rose (1996). Chad | Hughes & Hughes (1992) document fluctuating surface areas for Lake Chad of between 2,500 km? and 250,000 km? during the 20 century. Such changes will have created and destroyed a wide variety of habitats affecting all animal populations associated with this lake and the Cape Teal may well have been more common in the recent past than it appears to be at present. Malbrant (1952) mentions specimens collected from the west coast of Lake Chad (probably from present day Nigeria) by Boyd Alexander and considered the Cape Teal to be a rare visitor, perhaps from southern Africa. Fry (1970) documents records from Baga Sola on the eastern shore of Lake Chad in December 1969. Salvan (1967) mentions Cape Teal from Lake Yoan near d’Ounianga Kebir in the north-east and Logone (several localities with this name along the Logone River) in the south-west of the country. Brown et al. (1982) quote Viellard (1972) for records of flocks up to 300 from Lake Chad. The nature of ornithological coverage of Lake Chad to date does leave some hope that a much larger population of Cape Teal may be found there in the future. However, for now, there is no documented evidence to suggest a figure exceeding 500 birds for any population centred on Lake Chad. It is known from regular waterfowl counts in East Africa that the Cape Teal is not found on the open waters of the large lakes (this paper) and largely shuns such habitat in favour of sheltered waters and small ponds. Ghana Grimes (1987) considered the Cape Teal to be a vagrant to Ghana and could trace only two records of single birds, one from Weija in December 1975 and another at Iture near Cape Coast in March 1976 (MacDonald & Taylor 1976). Libya Bundy (1976) documents a single bird at Kufra oasis on the 3 April 1961 and one found dead 160 km northwest of Kufra in January 1963. Two pairs were located at Kufra in April 1968 when it was suspected to be breeding locally (Cramp & Condor 1970). Salvan (1967) quotes Mayaud regarding recent observations from l’oasis de Koufra which may be the same locality although Salvan was writing about Chad. Niger The only record traced is of two birds from the Cheri Oasis in August 1975 (Giraudoux et al 1988). It can only be a rare bird in Niger but may well oy Neil Baker breed if suitable habitat (small undisturbed alkaline or brackish pools) exists. Nigeria Elgood (1981) reports only a small population as resident on Lake Chad and small flocks, max. 50, on borehole lakes in the Chad basin. He also refers to a record from a soda lake north of Yusufari and one sighting at Zaria but could not trace any breeding records. Hall (1976b) mentions a flock of 80 birds on Lake Chad near Nguigmi in December 1964 (Hopson 1965). Hall (1976a) recorded flocks of 10, 20 and 50 from the Bulatura Oases, Borno State during February 1976, September 1973 and December 1975 respectively. Another given locality is Malamfatori on the borders of Lake Chad (Hopson 1965). Sudan The only records of Cape Teal for Sudan are those of Lynes (1925) who found six birds on an alkaline lake in the Jebal Marra at the end of April 1921. The condition of the gonads of a collected bird indicated that breeding would have taken place in the near future. Lynes (1925) did not find this species at the same locality in April 1920 or November 1921. Lowe (1947) gives an interesting account of the Jebal Marra locality. During the summer of 1921 a brood of ducklings “most probably belonging to this species” was found at El Fasher and reported to Admiral Lynes (Lynes 1925). Cave & Macdonald (1955) and Nikolaus (1987) do not add any further records of this species for Sudan. Clearly it was only ever a breeding visitor in very small numbers in the far west of the country. It is surely more likely that these few records relate to a population centred on Lake Chad rather than birds from the Rift Valley in East Africa. | Despite the fact that this single record appears to be the only one for Sudan, virtually the whole country is included in the range map of Scott & Rose (1996) which follows a similar map in Brown et al. (1982). Conclusions about the Chad basin population If the population of Cape Teal associated with Lake Chad numbered thousands of birds, one would have expected many more records around the periphery of the lake and occasional records of large numbers. It is on this basis and the evidence presented here that a figure of 500 birds is given as the population estimate for Lake Chad and neighbouring states. Despite what might appear to be a lack of sufficient coverage there is no evidence of any movement between this population and that in the East African Rift Valley. Until such evidence is provided the two populations should be considered discrete. A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal 33 The East African Rift Valley-centered population Burundi There are no records from Burundi (Schouteden 1966b, Gaugris et al. 1981) but the whole country is included in the range mapped by Scott & Rose GiS96)). Ethiopia Despite the statement of Brown ef al. (1982) that it is “common to abundant”, there are no documented records of large flocks. Woodman (1944) only found this species at Lake Bishoftu in parties of up to ten and considered it did not extend any further north. Woodman quotes Patrizzi (the resident ornithologist during the Italian occupation) regarding single specimens from the central Awash River and on Lake Zwai Abbe, both in February. Woodman (1945) gives further records from localities in Ethiopia and agrees with Jackson (probably 1926) that it is rare north of the equator. Table 1. Known and possible sites in Ethiopia; (some sites listed as alkaline may better be described as brackish). The names given for the last four localities may differ from those in current usage and might refer to lakes already listed under another name. Lake Type Numbers Time Notes 1. Lake Hora alkaline no data a potential site 2. Lake Bishoftu alkaline 20 December None on many other occasions 1969-76 (J. Ash pers. com.) 3. Green Lake alkaline 75 14 Jan 1998 4. Bishoftu Gudo alkaline no data a potential site 5. Lake Ziwai fresh no records J. Ash pers. com. 6. Lake Langano fresh no records J. Ash pers. com. 7. Lake Abijata alkaline 0-50 61 countsin8 months (J. Ash pers. com.) during 1969-76 23 8 Dec 1990 J. Ash pers. com. 104 17 Jan 1998 J. Ash pers. com. 8. Lake Chitu alkaline 22 23 Jan 1997 J. Ash pers. com. 10. Lake Awasa fresh no records J. Ash pers. com. 11. Lake Abaya fresh no records J. Ash pers. com. 12. Lake Chamo fresh no records J. Ash pers. com. 13. Koka Dam fresh 2 15 Jan 1998 none by J. Ash during 8 years of observations 14. Basaaka 2,3&20 January J. Ash pers. com. 15. Lake Shalla alkaline 3 February J. Ash pers. com. 20 May J. Ash pers. com. 16. Adele 2 July J. Ash pers. com. 2 October J. Ash pers. com. 2 November J. Ash pers. com. 17. Chew Bahir saline no data a potential site 18. Abhebad alkaline “numerous small flocks” Thesiger & Meynell 1935 19. Abbe saline uncounted February Tosci in Woodman 1945 20. Aramayo uncounted November Patritzi in Woodman 1945 21. Matahara - uncounted February Patritzi in Woodman 1945 34 Neil Baker Urban (1991) did not record this species during 7 years of observations at Gaferssa Reservoir which is a freshwater habitat and therefore unsuitable for Cape Teal. That the Cape Teal is not even mentioned in the Important Bird Areas inventory for Ethiopia (Tilahun et al. 1996) is indicative of the fact that there are no site counts even approaching the 1% population figure of 3,500 birds given by BirdLife International (see Tables 1&2). There is no documentary evidence to suggest a population of more than a few hundred individuals and certainly less than 1,000 birds. John Ash (pers. comm.) considers the population to be less than 1,000 birds and probably less than 500. Suggested adult population size: lower limits 250 birds, upper limits 500 birds. This figure is given despite the lack of data from a few known sites that may hold populations of this duck and the possibility that other, as yet unknown, sites exist. Table 2. Total counts of Cape Teal in Ethiopia for different years. All data from African Waterbird Census except January 1991 (P: Clement. pers. comm.) and November 1997 (N. Borrow pers. comm.). January July November 1990 23 1991 120 1992 38 1993 10 1994 0 1995 81 36 1996 33 1997 162 50 1998 181 Eritrea Smith (1957) did not record this species for Eritrea and there are no records from African Waterbird Census counts between 1995 and 1998 (Dodman & Taylor 1995, Dodman & Taylor 1996, Dodman et al. 1997 & Dodman et al. 1998) though no suitable sites for Cape Teal were actually surveyed. The south western sector of the country is included within the range map in Scott & Rose (1996). . Kenya Jackson (1926) considered this species rather uncommon and local during the early years of the 20% century, restricted to alkaline lakes in the Rift Valley and only in small flocks. He cites 15 as the largest single flock he came across and states it was commonly in flocks of 6 to 10. He believed it A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal 815) was confined to the brackish waters of lakes Elmenteita, Nakuru and Hannington (= Bogoria). Britton (1980) considered Cape Teal to be typically resident on alkaline lakes with only wanderers to freshwater habitats at Naivasha, Aruba, Lake Kanyaboli, Mau Narok and Athi River. Lewis & Pomeroy (1989) map only two records away from the Rift Valley, both of which can be considered wanderers, representing single records of individual birds. Apart from Lake Turkana in the north all major sites for Cape Teal are included in the regular January waterbird counts for the African Waterbird Census (see Tables 3 & 4). Hopson & Hopson (1975) considered the Cape Teal to be frequent and widespread on Lake Turkana with records for all months of the year. Cunningham-van Someren (1981) recorded only a few birds at Ferguson’s Gulf during a survey of Lake Turkana in August and September 1980. Schekkerman & van Wetten (1987) found only 7 birds in their winter survey of the east coast of Lake Turkana, 5 at Sandy Bay and 2 at Alia Bay. This species is not mentioned for Lake Turkana either by Borghesio & Biddau (1994), Fasola et al. (1993) or Fasola et al. (1994). There is therefore some evidence for either a decline in the numbers of this species on Lake Turkana during the late 1970s or seasonal movement away from the lake. Lewis & Pomeroy (1989) map records for all 8 atlas squares which contain lake shore habitat. Despite these atlas records, the above data suggest there is not a substantial population associated with Lake Turkana. Table 3. Recent maximum counts of Cape Teal for Kenyan lakes during the African Waterbird Census. Data taken from African Waterfowl Census Project, Orni- thological Department, National Museums of Kenya (per Colin Jackson, Joseph Oyugi and Alfred Owino). 1994 19GO)emlG96 USS IRIs 1999 2000 2001 2002 1. Lake Bogoria 1,906 1,968 23125 2. Lake Elmenteita 445 946 992 3. Lake Magadi 53 137 4, Lake Naivasha 24 5. Lake Oloidien 162 103 6. Lake Sonachi 38 7. Lake Nakuru 386 348 167 8. Ol Bolossat 427 9. Dandora Sewage 306 36 Neil Baker Table 4. Maximum counts of Cape The suggested adult population size Teal for Kenya in different years for Kenya is: lower limits 4,000 birds, during the African Waterbird upper limits 4,500. This figure is Census. given on the understanding that all Year January known sites of any importance to 1994 1,291 this species are counted on a regular 1995 or basis and that such counts are 1996 33 largely accurate. 1997 2,637 1998 2,195 1999 SpOyAs) 2000 661 2001 612 2002 lee Tanzania Baker (1997) gives distribution limits and population estimates of 3,000 to 5,000 birds from data collected in 1995 (maximum count of 1,165 birds by four teams) and 1996. More recent counts and further fieldwork suggest this was overly optimistic and that the population is unlikely to exceed 2,000 birds. The Tanzania Bird Atlas database (at February 2003) holds 530 records from only 20 % degree squares with 68 breeding season records from only 9 squares. These data suggest a highly concentrated and resident population. The only reference from south west Tanzania is Vesey-Fitzgerald & Beesley (1960) who regarded this species as a rare Afrotropical migrant at Lake Rukwa (cf. Scott & Rose (1996) who suggest that Lake Rukwa is in northern Tanzania and that this species is common there). Although Lake Rukwa is formed by an internal drainage basin, and therefore potentially alkaline, it is usually fresh and unsuitable for this species. There are no recent records from this lake and this species is not mentioned by Condry (1967) nor was it found during the January 1995 national count (S. Davis pers. comm.). Elliot (1946), when referring to numbers of Cape Teal on Empakai Crater Lake (within Ngorongoro Conservation Area), refers to them as a “rare duck” whereas his collaborator and friend Fuggles-Couchman (1962) considered this species to be widely distributed and common on most open waters in northern Tanzania in small parties of 5—12 birds. Despite Elliot's description of Empaki being “sprinkled with many scores of... these rare duck” his account does not suggest many more than a hundred birds Elliot (1946) also mentions that this bird was “over shot” from a group of brackish ponds at the west base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. This is perhaps an A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal 37 indication that local declines in the late nineteen forties and fifties could be attributed to excessive hunting. These pools (Magadini in the following site list for Tanzania) are currently watched regularly and are used by low numbers of Cape Teal whenever they hold water (pers. obs.). Brown & Britton (1980) located only 37 breeding records for Kenya and Tanzania. Considering the open nature of the preferred habitat and that alkaline lakes are among the better watched sites, these are very few records indeed. There have been more breeding records from northern Tanzania in recent years (pers. obs.) but none fall outside the known range for this species. Table 5. Known sites and maximum counts in Tanzania. All January 1995 data from Baker 1997. Unless stated otherwise all other data are from personal notes. Lake No. Date Notes 1. Lake Natron 48 January 95 only the south shore counted 2. Lake Engaruka 116 January 95 3. Lake Manyara is January 95 4. Lake Magadi (Ngorongoro) 4 January 95 none on Empakai Crater Lake, see above. 5. Semetu Pools (Serengeti N.P.) 4 January 95 6. Lake Lagarja (Serengeti N.P.) 49 December 97 7. Lake Masek (Ngorongoro) 87 January 95 8. Arusha National Park >200 October 94 260 January 95 9. Magadini pools 33 December 96 Elliott’s (1946) “brackish ponds” 10. Sinya Mine pools 106 March 98 11. Lower Moshi Irrigation scheme 3 January 95 12. Lake Eyasi 11 January 95 7 June 98 D. Bygott pers. comm. 13. Lake Balangida 35 January 01 Msuha & Mungaya (2001) 14. Lake Balangida Lelu 303 January 95 15. Lake Burungi 243 January 95 16. Lake Singida >10 October 94 17. Lake Kindai 4 November 95 18. Lake Rukwa no numbers rare Afrotropical migrant (Vesey-Fitzgerald & j given Beesley 1960). The suggested maximum adult population size is: lower limits 1,500 birds, upper limits 2,000 birds. These figures are given on _ the understanding that virtually all waterbodies holding populations of this duck are known and have been counted quite accurately. Uganda There are no records from Uganda (Britton 1980) but the range map in scott & Rose (1996) encompasses the whole country. 38 Neil Baker Rwanda There are no historical records from Rwanda (Schouteden 1966a) yet virtually the whole country is covered by the range given in Scott & Rose (996): Somalia There are no records from Somalia (Ash & Miskell 1983) yet the south eastern part of the country is covered by the range map in Scott & Rose (1996). Zambia Although this species is known from nine atlas squares in Zambia (P. Leonard pers. comm.) all records are from south of 13° South and it is a rarely recorded species despite old breeding records. It is likely that all records refer to birds from the southern African population at the northern edge of the range. There is evidence from Zimbabwe for a recent expansion of range due to the increase in sewage and industrial effluent ponds (Tree 1997) and this general increase may be partly responsible for an increase of sightings in Zambia. Summary of count maxima per country Considering that this is a congregatory species outside the breeding season and that it favours alkaline habitat which is easy to count, it is worth noting the highest recorded country totals given in Table 6. Table 6. Maximum counts for each range state. Country No. Date _ Notes Tanzania 1,165 January 1995 (Baker 1997) | Kenya SOs January 1999 (A. Owino pers. comm.) Ethiopia 181 January 1998 (Dodman et al. 1997) Chad 60 Ounianga Kebir (Scott & Rose 1996) Nigeria 80 December 1964 (Hopson 1965) “Lake Chad” 300 (no date) (Viellard 1972) Sudan 6 summer 1921 Lynes 1925 From the above it is clear that the population is far more restricted than indicated in Scott and Rose (1996) and it must be assumed that it is most unlikely to exceed 10,000 birds. Movements Hall (1976b) suggested that birds associated with Lake Chad and surrounding areas are visitors from the East African Rift Valley and Malbrant (1952) considered such birds originated from southern Africa. However, despite the lack of regular monthly data from the majority of Rift A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal 3) Valley lakes, the only evidence of movement is of ringed birds moving locally (Backhurst 1974, 1977) and lakes being vacated when water levels become much reduced. There is certainly no mass movement after breeding and there are very few records of birds (always of low numbers, and usually just individuals) on freshwater habitats, even those lying within a few kilometers of alkaline lakes where birds breed and congregate during the non-breeding season. It is suggested that records of wanderers in west and north Africa and of breeding pairs within the same range are part of a population centred on Lake Chad rather than visitors from East Africa. New population estimates This paper proposes that there are two discrete populations in eastern and western Africa rather than the single population suggested by Scott & Rose (1996). Given this, then the population level associated with the Lake Chad basin is probably less than 500 birds with a 1% level of just 5 birds. For the East African Rift Valley population the range state totals assumed from data presented above are shown in table 7. Table 7. Proposed population estimates by country for the East African Rift Valley population. Country Low High Ethiopia 250 500 Kenya 4,000 4,500 Tanzania 1,500 2,000 totals 5,750 7,000 The suggested maximum adult population of the Rift Valley is only 7,000 birds giving a 1% level for Ramsar sites of 70 birds. Several sites in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania now meet the Ramsar 1% criterion for this species. It should perhaps be emphasised again that this is an easy species to count accurately. There is little or no vegetation cover in preferred habitat and roosting birds are generally visible along the banks of lakes and ponds as they rarely stray far from the water's edge. Population trends The much reduced population sizes proposed in this paper should not be taken as an indication of population declines. It is clear from the available historical data that previous estimates were overly optimistic. There is nothing to suggest a recent marked decline in any of the range state populations discussed in this paper. However, East African birds are not yet adapting to man made habitats as is happening in southern Africa 40 Neil Baker where the Cape Teal is expanding its range (Maclean 1997). Some traditional sites in East Africa such as Lake Nakuru in Kenya are under environmental pressure but in general terms the East African population of the Cape Teal can be said to be stable around the usual fluctuations that poor and successful breeding seasons place on all bird populations. Acknowledgements I wish to thank Hilary Fry, Colin Jackson, Walter Jetz, Joseph Oyugi and the RSPB library service for providing references used in this paper. John Ash kindly provided unpublished data from Ethiopia. Yilma Dellelegan, Alfred Owino and Joseph Oyugi commented on draft accounts for Ethiopia and Kenya respectively. Liz Baker, Joost Brouwer, Chris Chandler, Terry Oatley and Derek Scott are thanked for comments on earlier drafts and Tim Dodman for his review. References Ash, J.S. & Miskell, J.E. 1983. Birds of Somalia, their habitat, status and distribution. Scopus Special Supplement Number 1. Backhurst, G.C. 1974. East African bird ringing report 1972-73, 1973-74. Journal of the East African Natural History Society and National Museum 146: 1-9. Backhurst, G.C. 1977. East African bird ringing report 1974-77. Journal of the East African Natural History Society and National Museum 163: 1-10. Baker, N.E. 1997. Tanzania Waterbird Count. Dar es Salaam: Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania. Britton, P.L. (ed.). 1980. Birds of East Africa. Nairobi: East African Natural History Society. Borghesio, L. & Biddau, L. 1994. Decreases in the waterfowl populations at Lake Turkana, Kenya. Scopus 181: 12-19. Brown, L.H. & Britton, P.L. 1980. The Breeding Seasons of East African Birds. Nairobi: East Africa Natural History Society Brown, L., Urban, E.K. & Newman, K. 1982. The Birds of Africa Vol. 1. London: Academic Press. Bundy, G. 1976. The Birds of Libya. B.O.U. Check-List No. 1. London: British Ornithologist’s Union. Cave, F.O. & Macdonald, J.D. 1955. Birds of the Sudan. London: Oliver and Boyd. Condry, W. 1967. Birds and Wild Africa. London: Collins. Cramp, P.S. & Condor, P.J. 1970. A visit to the oasis of Kufra, spring 1969. Ibis 112: 261-263. Cunningham-van Someren, G.R. 1981. “Operation Drake” 1981 Lake Turkana Periphery Biological Survey. Report No. 3. Section of Ornithology. Division of Natural Sciences. National Museums of Kenya. Dodman, T., Beibro, H.Y., Hubert,E. & Williams, E. 1999. African Waterbird Census 1998. Dakar, Senegal: Wetlands International. A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal 4] Dodman, T., de Vaan, C., Hubert, E. & Nivet, C. 1997. African Waterfowl census 1997. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wetlands International. Dedman, I. & Waylor, V. 1995. African Waterfowl Census 1995. IWRB. UK: Slimbridge. Dodman, T. & Taylor, V. 1996. African Waterfowl Census 1996. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wetlands International. Dowsett, R.J. & Dowsett-Lemaire, F. 1993. A contribution to the distribution and taxonomy of Afrotropical and Malagasy birds. Tauraco Research Report No. 5 1993. Elliott, H.F.I. 1946. Anas capensis Gmelin. [bis 88: 130-131. Fasola, M., Biddau, L., Borghesio, L., Baccetti, N. & Spina, F. 1993. Water bird populations at Lake Turkana, February 1992. Proceedings of the VIII Pan-African Ornithological Congress: 529-532. Fasola, M., Saino, N., Waiyaki, E. & Nasirwa, O. 1994. Palaearctic migrant waterbirdoverlap in habitat use with residents at Lake Turkana, Kenya. Scopus ios Ad aesy Fry, C.H. 1970. Bird distribution on west / central African great rivers at high water. Bulletin of the Nigerian Ornithological Society 7: 7-24. Fuggles-Couchman, N.R. 1962. The habitat distribution of birds of northern, eastern and central Tanganyika, with field keys. Part V - Birds of lakes, rivers and swamps. Tanganyika Notes and Records 58/59: 67-97. Gaugris, Y., Prigogine, A. & Van de Weghe, J-P. 1981. Additions et corrections a Vavifaune du Burundi. Le Gerfaut 71: 3-39. Giraudoux, P., Degauquier, R., Jones, P.J., Weigel, J. & Isenmann, P. 1988. Avifaune du Niger: etat des connaissances en 1986. Malimbus 10(1): 1-140. Grimes, L.G. 1987. The Birds of Ghana. BOU Check-list 9. London: British Ornithologists’ Union. Hall, P. 1976a. Birds of Bulatura Oasis, Borno State. Bulletin of the Nigerian Ornithological Society 12 41: 35-37. Hall, P. 1976b. The status of Cape Wigeon Anas capensis, Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris and Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta in Nigeria. Bulletin of the Nigerian Ornithological Society 12 41: 43. Hall, P. 1977. The Birds of the Chad Basin Boreholes. Bulletin of the Nigerian Ornithological Society 13 43: 37. Hopson, A.J. 1965. Preliminary notes on the birds of Malamfatori, Lake Chad. Bulletin of the Nigerian Ornitholoogical Society 14: 7-15. Hopson, A.J. & Hopson, J. 1975. Preliminary notes on the birds of the Lake Turkana area. Lake Turkana Fisheries Research Project. Fisheries Department. Ferguson’s Gulf. P.M. Bag Kitale. Hughes, R.H. & Hughes, J.S. 1992. A Directory of African Wetlands. Gland, Nairobi and Cambridge: IUCN. UNEP. WCMC. Jackson, F.J. 1926. Game Birds of Kenya and Uganda. London: Williams and Norgate. 42 Neil Baker Lewis, A. & Pomeroy, D. 1989. Bird Atlas of Kenya. Rotterdam: A.A. Balkema. Louette, M. 1981. The birds of Cameroon: An _ annotated check-list. Verhandelingen. Klasse der Wetenschappen, Jaargang 43, 1981, Nr. 163. Paleis der Academien - Hertogsstraat 1. Brussels. Lowe, P.W. 1947. Cape Teal, Anas capensis Gmelin. Ibis 89: 125. Lynes, H. 1925. On the Birds of North and Central Darfur, with Notes on the West- Central Kordofan and North Nuba Provinces of British Sudan. Part V. Ibis 12th series Vol. 1. No. 3. 541- 589. Macdonald, M.A. & Taylor, LR. 1976. First occurrences of the Cape Wigeon Anas capensis in Ghana. Bulletin of the Nigerian Ornithological Society 12 41: 44. Maclean, G.L. 1997. Cape Teal Anas capensis. In: The Atlas of Southern African birds. Vol. 1: Non-passerines. Harrison, J.A., Allan, D.G., Underhill, L.G., Herremans, M., Tree, A.J., Parker, V & Brown, C.J. eds pp. 130-131. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa. Malbrant, R. 1952. Faune du Centre Africain Francais Mammiferes et Oiseaux. Paris: Encylopedie Biologique. XV. Msuha, M. & Mungaya, E. 2001. Tanzania Waterbird Count. Dar es Salaam: Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania. Nikolaus, G. 1987. Distribution atlas of Sudan’s birds with notes on habitat and status. Bonner Zoologische Monographien, Nr. 25. Bonn: Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig Salvan, J. 1967. Contribution a l’etude des Oiseaux du Tchad. L’Oiseau et la Revue Francaise d’Ornithologie 37 : 225 — 284. Schekkerman, H. & van Wetten, J.C.J. 1987. An ornithological winter survey of Lake Turkana, Kenya. WIWO-report no. 17. Ewijk, Netherlands: Foundation Working Group International Wader and Waterfowl Research. . Schouteden, H. 1966a. La faune ornithologique du Rwanda. Documentation Zoologique Musée Royal de l’Afrique centrale 10: 1-130. Schouteden, H. 1966b. La faune ornithologique du Burundi. Documentation Zoologique Musée Royal de l’Afrique centrale 11: 1-81. Scott, D. A. & Rose, P. M. 1996. Atlas of Anatidae Populations in Africa and Western Eurasia. Wetlands International Publication No. 41. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wetlands International. Smith, K.D. 1957. An annotated check list of the Birds of Eritrea. Ibis 99: 1-26. Thesiger, W. & Meynell, M. 1935. On a collection of birds from Danakil, Abyssinia. Ibis 13th series Vol. 5 4: 774-807. Tilahun, S., Edwards, S. & Egziabher, T.B.G. 1996. Important Bird Areas of Ethiopia - A first inventory. Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society. Tree, A.J. 1997. Recent Reports. Honeyguide 434: 225-226. Urban, E.K. 1991. Palaearctic and Afrotropical ducks and geese at Gaferssa Reservoir, Ethiopia, 1964-1970. Scopus 14 2: 92-96 A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal 43 Vesey-Fitzgerald, D. & Beesley, J.5S.S. 1960. An annotated list of the birds of the Rukwa Valley. Tanganyika Notes and Records 54: 91-110. Viellard. J. 1972. Recensement et statut des populations d’Anatides du _ bassin tchadien. Cahiers ORSTOM Series Hydrobiologie 61: 85-100. Winterbottom, J.M. 1974. The Cape Wigeon. Ostrich 45: 110-132. Woodman, H.M. 1944. Notes on the Palaearctic migrants and resident ducks and geese of Abyssinia. [bis 86: 151-166. Woodman, H.M. 1945. Anas capensis Gmelin. Ibis 87: 461-462. Neil E. Baker P.O. Box 9601, Moshi, Tanzania. Kifufu@eoltz.com Scopus 23: 29-43, July 2003 Received February 2003 44 Short communications First record of Pale Wren-Warbler Calamonastes undosus for Uganda Between 17—21 September 2000 I conducted a bird guide training workshop in Lake Mburo National Park, Mbarara district, south Uganda (0°37’'N, 30°39’E). On 19 September at 0800 h I took seven participants and two workshop colleagues to an area of recently burnt acacia savannah, 8 km south of the education centre on the northern side of Lake Mburo. This area is in the north-west of the park. Leaving the vehicle on the track we set off on foot towards Lake Mburo to explore the thicket bush adjacent to the papyrus swamp some 1.5 km away. After 20 minutes of birding my attention was attracted by my colleagues, Alfred Twinomujuni and Clinton Schipper, who were having trouble identifying a bird at the base of an acacia tree. It was a warbler I had not seen before, slightly larger than a Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida, and heavier in appearance. I began to observe it closely and make notes. The bird was hopping very actively in warbler-style, at the bases of acacia trees in dry, unburned grass and thicker herbage. After 5 minutes or so it would fly 20-60 m to another tree and begin feeding again, often climbing up larger fallen dead branches. Features observed included fine barring on the underparts (under-tail coverts and flanks); a fine, longish and dark, curved warbler-like bill; longish pink legs; pale, barred throat; reddish eye and an elongated body shape. The overall colour was dull greyish. The bird was not moulting and its plumage was fresh. The size was similar to a medium-sized Cisticola and recalled a Green-winged Pytilia (Pytilia melba). | 7 After some 30 minutes of observation I consulted van Perlo (1995), and later also Zimmerman et al. (1996) and Keith et al. (**) from which it was clear that the bird was a species of ‘bush warbler’ (Calamonastes). The complete lack of barring on the lower parts ruled out C. simplex, the only species so far recorded in Uganda (Britton, 1980). The other Calamonastes warblers which could be considered are C. stierlingi and C. undosus. C. stierlingi, which occurs in southern Tanzania, has bold black-and-white barred underparts which this bird did not show. Therefore, of the three possible species, I concluded that it was C. undosus, especially considering that it was in fresh plumage and still did not show the strong or clear barring of C. stierlingi. To date C. simplex has been recorded on the eastern border of Uganda, whilst the closest that C. undosus, (previously considered a race of C. simplex) has been recorded to Uganda is north-west central Tanzania. Given that Lake Mburo National Park has a habitat described as an Akegera Short communications 45 system, as in the northern serengeti, then C. undosus is a species which could well be expected to turn up in southern Uganda. References Britton, P.L. (ed) 1980. Birds of East Africa: their habitat, status and distribution. Nairobi: East Africa Natural History Society. Urban, E.K., Fry, C.H., Keith, 5. 1997. Birds of Africa. Volume 5. London: Academic Press. Van Perlo, B. 1995. Birds of eastern Africa: Collins illustrated checklist. London: Collins. Zimmerman, D.A., Turner, D.A. & Pearson, D.J. 1996. Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania. South Africa: Russel Friedman. Malcolm Wilson* Box 20085, Nakawa, Kampala, Uganda ‘Present address: Box 29496, Melville 2109, Johannesburg, South Africa. shoebill@mwea.co.za Scopus 23: 44-45, July 2003 Received 2001 This species was also seen by C. Williams on 29th October 2001 in Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda (ed.). An exceptional autumn arrival of Amur Falcons Falco amurensis in Tsavo West National Park The Amur Falcon Falco amurensis performs perhaps the most remarkable migration of any bird of prey. It breeds between Lake Baikal and the Pacific, south into northern China, and winters in southeastern Africa, mainly from Malawi south to Transvaal (Moreau 1972, Brown et al. 1982). It appears in numbers in Assam each autumn, but is then believed to fly more than 3000 km across the Indian Ocean unseen, with the aid of tail winds, reaching eastern Africa mainly during November. It is a gregarious species which tends to migrate in flocks, and forms roosts thousands strong in its Winter quarters (Benson 1951, Benson et al. 1971, Brown et al. 1982). Backhurst et al. (1971) could list only a few records from Kenya, and considered, as did Brown et al. (1982) that most birds enter Africa well 46 Short communications south of the equator. But small groups and sometimes flocks of hundreds have since been noted regularly in late November and early December, especially in the Tsavo area. Some impressive recent counts in Tsavo West National Park include c.600 at Ngulia on 23 November 1993 (Pearson & Turner 1998), c.800 there on 26 November 1998 and 1700+ moving along the Negulia ridge on 23 November 2001 (Ngulia Ringing Group, unpublished), but the numbers on the plains northwest of Tsavo Gate early in December 2000 were unprecedented. In 2000, the rains began in Tsavo West during mid November, and by early December the bush was green almost everywhere, with an abundance of flying insects. An occasional Amur had been seen at Ngulia Lodge from 22 November onwards, but on 1 December, well over 200 birds were found on the plains to the east. After heavy afternoon showers, scattered groups were catching insects low over the bush, along the main track 10 to 15 km from Tsavo Gate. The next afternoon there were heavier and more widespread showers and another count along the same track, between 16:30 and 17:30, from the airfield to Tsavo Gate, revealed vastly more birds. Group after group was present along a stretch of about 10 km, petering out about 5 km from the gate, with many birds perched and others hawking low over the trees and bushes. About 1000 falcons were counted on this outward transect, but the numbers flying northward across the track suggested that this was part of a much greater landfall. The scale of this became clearer when we stopped at 17:40 on a slight rise not far from Tsavo Gate and looked with binoculars to the southwest towards the Negulia ridge. At least five large spirals of falcons were airbourne and visible within about 3-5 km. With the sun about to set they were presumably making a final survey before settling to roost. For about five minutes we were able to watch them and estimate numbers spiral by spiral, and we recorded a crude count of more than 2500 birds. Then the spirals broke up and within two to three minutes the birds had all glided back to the bush. As we returned towards Negulia, we repeated our count along the main track, which passed through the northern edge of the area into which the spirals had descended. This time we found over 1500 birds, with 50 to 100 perched in almost every large Delonix tree along a 7 km stretch. The only other large migrants seen with the falcons on 2 December were parties of Rollers Coracias garrulus totalling about 300 and four Grasshopper Buzzards Butastur rufipennis. Late next day there were still falcons in the area, and we counted about 200 moving north across the track, but by 4 December all appeared to have gone. | The landfall on 2 December seemed to be fairly concentrated, with the majority of the falcons perhaps confined within an area 5 km by 5 km along and to the south of the Tsavo Gate track. None were seen by observers out Short communications 47 at the time along the ‘back’ of the rhino sanctuary, less than 10 km away. But the total number of birds involved was certainly 3000-4000 and could easily have been twice this number. This must represent a significant proportion of the likely African wintering population (see Ferguson-Lees et al. 2002). The most northerly arrivals of Amurs would seem to take place each year near the East African equator, and the Tsavo-Mkomazi bush country may well be important as a regular refuelling area for onward migration. References Backhurst, G. C., Britton, P. L. & Mann, C. H. 1971. The less common Palaearctic migrant birds of Kenya and Tanzania. Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society 140: 1-38. Benson, C. W. 1951. A roosting site of the Eastern Red-footed Falcon Falco amurensis. Ibis 493, 567-568 Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1971. The Birds of Zambia. London: Collins. Brown, L. H., Urban, E. K. & Newman, K. 1982. The Birds of Africa. Vol. 1. London: Academic Press. Ferguson-Lees, I. J. & Christie D. A.. 2002. Raptors of the World. London: A&C Black. Moreau, R. E. 1972. The Palaearctic-African Bird Migration Systems. London & New York: Academic Press. Pearson, D. J. & Turner, D. A. 1998. Review of Kenya bird records, 1992-1996. Scopus 20, 65-83. David Pearson 4 Lupin Close, Reydon, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6NW, U.K. Sit Jeffrey James 7 Rockfield Close, Oxted, Surrey RH8 ODN, U.K. Scopus 23: 45-47, July 2003 Received March 2003 48 Book review African Forest Biodiversity: a field survey manual for vertebrates. Glyn Davies (ed). 2002. Earthwatch Europe. Those familiar with Scopus will be aware that an important component of recent contributions has been surveys of East African forests (see two papers in this issue). It is not unusual for such surveys to look at more than just birds which explains the coverage of this new publication from Earthwatch. Intended as a reference during survey planning, 160 pages of information are provided on a range of techniques available for vertebrate surveys. Help is provided in structuring surveys in methodical ways, and in how to carry out the methods. The intention is to maximise the scientific value of such surveys. Five key groups are dealt with: small mammals, large and medium- sized mammals, primates and birds. Methods are not restricted to direct observations of animals but include monitoring of signs and gathering information from people who may be resident in the forest. For birds, over 10 different approaches to surveying are considered including standardised sampling techniques like line transects and point counts, territory mapping and mist netting (though not specimen collection). For some of the methods, guidance is also given on data analysis and several chapters have sections on health and safety. The methods are always considered in the light of the particular conditions experienced in African forests. Each chapter is accompanied by detailed references and many have sample data collection sheets to use as templates. The manual is well produced on sturdy paper and spiral bound so that I suspect it will find it’s way out of the office and into the field. This book is a useful starting point for planning a forest survey. For many purposes it will suffice, though some survey planners will probably want more detail if they are concentrating on one particular method. However, such choice is often a luxury and the availability of this single volume will go a long way in guiding conservationists, surveyors and students in the region and enhancing the value of their work. Contact Earthwatch, 57 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HJ UK. email info@earthwatch.org.uk or visit www.earthwatch.org /europe If you have seen any publications of relevance to. East African ornithology, especially less well known ones, which you think should be reviewed in Scopus, please contact the editor by email putting “Scopus” in the subject field (jeremy.lindsell@rspb.org.uk). News 49 East African Rarities Committee After an absence of some years the East African Rarities Committee is in the process of being reconstituted. This committee is part of the Bird Committee of the East Africa Natural History Society which is also responsible for the publication of Scopus. The purpose of the rarities committee is to provide a centralised means for considering records of new and rare birds in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda so that the respective national lists can be kept up-to-date. A future edition of Scopus will provide further information about the committee and which species will be considered. Scopus will also carry reports of decisions from the committee and will continue to provide a forum for the publication of records. Records should be submitted to East African Rarities Committee, P.O. Box 44486, Nairobi, Kenya or by email to colin.jjackson@arocha.org who can also provide guidance on what information such records should contain. Recent (and not-so-recent) reports There have been a number of reports of new and scarce species in the region in recent years. These are unconfirmed records; details of some of these have been submitted to the rarities committee for consideration and are under review. To give you a taster, a summary is provided below: ‘Common Crane Grus grus (right) with Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum near Eldoret, Kenya (T. Stevenson). | 7 ‘Kenya | ‘Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, nine birds, Lake Paradise, Marsabit National Park, 30: November to 3 December 2002 (L. Borghesio). Common Crane 50 News Grus grus, NE of Eldoret, 2 October 1999 (C. Kruger); see photo. Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos, Athi Basin Dam, Nairobi (B. Finch, R. & A. Bishop, in Kenya Birds 10: 1&2). Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea, Sabaki River mouth (J. Bisschop, in Kenya Birds 10: 1&2). River Prinia Prinia fluviatalis, several territories located, near Lokichokio, 8 August (B. Finch). There are no former records of the crane, the tern or the prinia in East Africa. Tanzania Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus, Pemba Channel, 22 February | 1997 (J. Vaughan); no former records in Tanzania. Black-collared | Eremomela Eremomela atricollis, 1 February 2002, Sumbawanga district, | Rukwa_ region (S. Norman). Chestnut-mantled Sparrow-Weaver — Plocepasser rufoscapulatus, Mpanda-Inyonga road, Mpanda district, Rukwa region, 15 July 2001 (S. Norman). There are no former records of the | eremomela and sparrow-weaver in East Africa. Uganda Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Kibimba Rice Scheme, eastern Uganda, 20 November 2002 (M. Wilson, B. Williams, I. Kenton, C. Sharpe); no prior | records in Uganda. Black Stork Ciconia nigra, two flying over Nakasangola district, 17 November 2002 (M. Wilson et al.). Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea © leucorodia, two adults with 21 African Spoonbills Platalea alba, Kibimba Rice Scheme, eastern Uganda, 23 November 2001 (M. Wilson et al.). Beaudouin’s — Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus beaudouini, several sightings made in the west and north west of the country (C. Williams, J. Lindsell). Long-legged | Buzzard Buteo rufinus, hovering at eye-level beside Mweya lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park, 15 October 2000 (M. Wilson). Saker Falcon Falco cherrug, pair circling, Mount Moroto (M. Wilson), no prior records in Uganda. Sooty Falcon Falco «concolor, hunting over Chambura Gorge, Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, 6 August 2002 (M. Wilson). Black-rumped Button- quail Turnix hotentotta, adult with fledgling, Queen Elizabeth National Park, May 2000 (M. Wilson and A. Twinomujuni). Spotted Crake Porzana porzana, three caught and Beaudouin’s Snake-Eagle — Circaetus | ringed at Kibimba Rice Scheme, gallicus beaudouini, Murchison Falls | eastern Uganda, 22 November 2002 National Park, Uganda (J. Lindsell). News 51 (M. Wilson et al.). Probable Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus rochii, 2 April 2001, near Kampala (C. Williams). Thick-billed Cuckoo Pachycoccyx audeberti, 29 March 2001, Lake Mburo National Park (C. Williams); no prior records in Uganda. Fraser’s Eagle Owl Bubo poensis, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, August 2002 (A. Riley). Zenker’s Honeyguide Melignomen zenkeri, Kibale National Park, 10 August 2002 (M. Mills). Rufous-rumped Lark Pinarocorys erythropygia, four birds together, 16 June 2001, Lake Mburo National Park (C. Williams). Ansorge’s Greenbul Andropadus ansorgei, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, 4 August 1999 (N. Borrow, R. Demey, in Bull. ABC 9: 140-141); newly recorded for Uganda. Superb Starling Lamprotornis superbus, reported from Semliki Wildlife Reserve, December 2002, a substantial (100km) range extension from Masindi where it has been recorded rarely. House Sparrow Passer domesticus, flock of 10, Kibimba Rice Scheme, eastern Uganda (M. Wilson); no prior records in Uganda. Northern Masked Weaver Ploceus taeniopterus, two mist-netted, Lake Bunyoni, 2 June 2000, and seen displaying, Entebbe, February 2002 (M. Wilson); no prior records in Uganda. Orange-cheeked Waxbili Estrilda melpoda, four adults together, 1 and 7 June 2003, near Ntandi, Semliki (K.D. Dijkstra and G. Balyesiima); no prior records in East Africa. 52 News Note from the editor This is the first issue of Scopus since volume 22 produced in August 2001. Despite this gap there is still a strong commitment on the part of the Bird Committee of the East Africa Natural History Society and the Editorial Board to its production. There is certainly plenty of good quality research and ornithological observation going on the region to maintain a healthy journal. We are making efforts to ensure more regular production of the journal and have already made substantial progress in reducing the time it takes to deal with new papers. It is currently taking around two to three months for new papers to be reviewed by a relevant expert, which compares favourably with many higher profile scientific journals. Many articles are dealt with much more quickly. In this volume there are a number of sections which have not featured in the last few issues: a book review, news items and recent reports. It would be good to see these expand so that Scopus develops as a resource for those interested in East African ornithology. If you have something to contribute to these sections you can email, fax or write to the editor at the contacts below. If you have a paper to submit to Scopus we would draw your attention to the guidance notes on the inside front and back cover. Jeremy Lindsell, Editor Scopus, c/o RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK SG19 2DL, fax + 44 1767 692365 or The Editor, Scopus, Nature Kenya, P.O. Box 44486, Nairobi, Kenya. jeremy.lindsell@rspb.org.uk Wirban, EK, Fry, CH. & Keith, 5S. (eds) lM soumine birds of Ajrica. Vol. 2: London: Academic Press. Both English and scientific names of birds should be given when the species is first mentioned—in the title and in the text—thereafter, only one name should be used. Bird names should be those of a stated work. Any deviations from this work should be noted and the reasons given. Contributions should be submitted by email or on paper (two copies) with a copy on disc as a Rich Text Format (RTF) file. Manuscripts should be typed in double-spacing on one side of the paper only with wide margins all round. Original black-and-white photographs and line illustrations should not be larger than A4 (210 x 297 mm). Line illustrations should be on good quality white paper or board, or on tracing material, with lettering of professional quality (if this is not possible, label an overlay, not the original figure). Copies of graphics as_ separate electronic documents (files) in TIFF or EPS format are appreciated. Authors of ‘papers’ receive five copies, and authors of ‘short communications’ one copy, of their contribution gratis. Extra copies, charged at cost, must be ordered when the MS is accepted. Please send all contributions to: ‘Dr Jeremy Lindsell, The Editor, Scopus, oO RoeB, the Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, UK. email: jeremy.lindsell@rspb.org.uk Rare birds in East Africa Records of rare birds from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are assessed by the East African Rarities Committee. Initially, a full account of the record Should be sent to the Committee’s co- ordinator, Colin Jackson, East African Rarities Committee, c/o P.O. Box 44486, Nairobi, Kenya, tel. +254-(0)122-32037. email: colin.jackson@arocha.org Ringing scheme of eastern Africa This covers several countries in the area. Qualified and aspiring ringers should contact the ringing organizer, Graeme Backhurst, P.O. Box 15194, Nairobi, tel. +254-(0)2-3891419. email: graeme@healthnet.or.ke EANHS Nest Record Scheme Details of most kinds of breeding activity are welcomed by the scheme and _ nest record cards may be obtained free of charge from the Nest Record Scheme organizer, EANHS, P.O. Box 44486, Nairobi. email: office@naturekenya.org The BirdLife International Partnership in eastern Africa The BirdLife Partnership in eastern Africa co-ordinates bird conservation work and produces several other publications of interest to ornithologists. Ethiopian Wildlife & Natural History Society. P.O. Box 13303, Addis Ababa, tel. +251-(0)2-183520. email: ewnhs@telecom.net.et The East Africa Natural History Society Nature Kenya, P.O. Box 44486, Nairobi, tel. +254-(0)2-3749957 /3746090, fax 3741049. email: office@naturekenya.org Nature Uganda, P.O. Box 27034, Kampala, tel. +256-(0)41-540719, fax 533528. email: eanhs@imul.com Wildlife | Conservation Society of Tanzania, P.O. Box 70919, Dar es Salaam, tel. +255-(0)22-2112518/2112496, fax 2124572. email: wcst@africaonline.co.tz Scopus 23, July 2003 Contents BEN D. MARKS, THOMAS P. GNOSKE AND CHARLES K.M. NGABO. Additions to the avifauna of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Echuya Forest Reserve, L270 Fc leveperemmenr emer porreee deere neceiN reo mercer rrr es tT EER Nea eel en cpdoenadcccocacoscocnoscensaedhooscocsonse ERWIN NEMETH, JOHN H. FANSHAWE AND DAVID NGALA. A first nest record and notes on the breeding behaviour and season of the East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunning from Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in Kenya...........::ccsceecceeeeees THOMAS M. BUTYNSKI AND CAROLYN L. EHARDT. Notes on ten restricted-range birds in the Udzungwa Mountains, Vanzania.. "= ee eee ee NEIL BAKER. A reassessment of the northern population of Cape Teal Anas COPPENISIS .5ci.5 hesgesroessiootvussinechaietuesdbiysunsoeunsinysseh ste oetsspabal Olas sal ONmaneE Oo (ee eco Uae Rane eee ean Short communications MALCOLM WILSON. First record of Pale Wren-Warbler Calamonastes undosus for DAVID PEARSON AND SIR JEFFREY JAMES. 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