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SCOPUS

A quarterly ornithological publication
of the East Africa Natural History Society

Volume 5 (1) March 1981 20 shillings

SCOPUS

Scopus is published five times a year by the East Africa Natural History
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NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Scopus welcomes original contributions in English on all aspects of the ornith-
ology of eastern Africa pertinent to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Contributions
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.A number of works, which are cited frequently, should not be listed under

Continued inside back cover

Scopus 5 (1) March 1981

SCOPUS

AN EXPLANATION FOR THE DISJUNCT DISTRIBUTIONS OF
MODULATRIX OROSTRUTHUS AND APALIS (OR ORTHOTOMUS) MOREAUI

Simon NWN. Stuart

Of the rare species of forest bird occurring in the Usambara Mountains, Tan-
zania, documented by Stuart & van der Willigen (1978), two are remarkable for
their disjunct distributions. These are the Dappled Mountain Robin Modulatrix
orostruthus and the Long-billed Apalis Apalis moreaui. An explanation for
their extraordinary distributions is offered below.

MODULATRIX OROSTRUTHUS
This species is known from Namuli Mountain in northern Mozambique (Vincent
1933), and the East Usambara Mountains in northeastern Tanzania (Sclater &
Moreau 1935). These two localities represent the northern and southern ends
of a chain of isolated mountain blocks known for their similar avifaunas
(termed the Tanganyika-Nyasa montane forest group by Moreau (1966)). It is
reasonable to assume that M.orostruthus is a relic that once occurred in
most of the intervening mountain forests. The species was initially considered
to be a greenbul (Phyllastrephus orostruthus), and perhaps for this reason
Hall & Moreau (1970) suggested that it had been overrun, and largely replaced,
by the Olive Mountain Greenbul Phyllastrephus placidus. Virtually nothing is
known of the habits of M. orostruthus, there being very few sightings of it in
the field. Stomach samples show its food to be insects. It seems likely that
it feeds on the ground, and this is supported by its relatively long tarsus
(mean 27.2mm+ 0.6mm, standard error from a sample (n) of 7 birds). Stronger
evidence comes from the very dirty rings found on retrapped birds (pers. obs.)
which indicate ground-feeding. Also, M.orostruthus tends to be caught low
down in mist nets, very rarely as high as 1m off the ground. Phyllastrephus
Placidus, on the other hand, though living in the ground stratum, forages
almost entirely in vegetation where it feeds on insects. It almost never
alights on the ground, and it is doubted, therefore, that it competes in any
way with M. orostruthus.

Benson & Irwin (1975) re-classified the bird as a robin in the genus Mod-
ulatrix. The only other member of this genus, the Spot-throat M. stictigula,
would appear to be a more likely candidate for competition with M. orostruthus.
This species is endemic to the Tanganyika-Nyasa montane forest group, occurring
in virtually all the mountain forests from the Usambaras south to the Nyika
Plateau in northern Malawi. It is, however, absent from Namuli Mountain, where
M.orostruthus occurs. It is also very rare in the East Usambaras (the only
other recorded locality for M.orostruthus). Modulatrix stictigula is abund-
ant in most parts of its range, being confined to montane forest. However, the
forests of the East Usambaras at only 900m are not truly montane; indeed, they

Scopus 5: 1-4, March i981

‘

2 Two disjunct distributions

were termed ‘Intermediate Evergreen Forests' by Moreau (1935). It would appear
that these forests are not very suitable for M. stictigula. Modulatrix oro-
struthus survives, therefore, in two localities: one where M. stictigula is
absent and one where it is very rare. This suggests that M. orostruthus was
once widespread in the forests of the Tanganyika-Nyasa highlands, but was
later displaced by M. stictigula. If this is the case, M.orostruthus could be
present in other parts of the Tanganyika-Nyasa highlands where M. stictigula
is rare or absent. Such localities are probably very few, but the Intermediate
Evergreen Forests on the eastern slopes of the Uluguru and Nguru Mountains in
eastern Tanzania may be suitable (although Th. Andersen collected many birds
at 1000m in the Ulugurus, he did not take this species (P.L. Britton pers.
comm.)). The close interlocking of the ranges of the two members of Modulatrix
lends strong support to the reclassification of Benson & Irwin (1975).

There are also ecological reasons for suspecting M. orostruthus and M. sticti-
gula to be in competition. Modulatrix stictigula is also insectivorous, forag-
ing almost entirely on the ground. Both species are of similar size, weights
being as follows:

M. orostruthus 3a 200 SE
M. stictigula 30.3.9. SE

a Reo Pain «eee /

a
t 2 40Gy) = 833

It may be objected that if M. orostruthus has been displaced by its congener,
then there should be nothing to prevent it from occurring in some of the low-
land forests of eastern East Africa, where M. stictigula is absent. In partic-
ular, why is it absent from the foothill forests of the East Usambaras, which
are contiguous with the Amani forests? There is another possible competitor in
these low altitude forests, the Pale-breasted Illadopsis Trichastoma rufipennis.
This is common in the East Usambara foothill forests, but occurs in smaller
numbers, where it is sympatric with either species of Modulatrix from 900m at
Amani up to at least 1200m in the West Usambaras. It is only slightly smaller
than the other two species’ (27-3g + 2-9'g, nm ="23), as "inseetiverous, and
feeds at least partially, if not mainly, on the ground. It may be that the
presence of the genus Modulatrix in the Tanganyika-Nyasa highlands accounts,
at least in part, for the very poor representation of the genus Trichastoma in
this region.

The Orange Ground Thrush Turdus gurneyi is sometimes mentioned as a com-
petitor with M. stictigula. It is considered most unlikely that it competes
with either species of Modulatrix since it is about twice the size and feeds
to a large extent on berries.

In conclusion, it appears possible that the disjunct distribution of M. oro-
struthus has arisen as a result of competition with M. stictigula, and, toa
lesser extent, Trichastoma rufipennis. It seems unlikely that other species
such as Phyllastrephus placidus and Turdus gurneyi could be competitors.

APALIS (or ORTHOTOMUS) MOREAUIL

This species is known from the Njesi Plateau in northern Mozambique (Benson
1945), and from the East Usambara Mountains (Sclater 1931). As with the pre-
vious species, it seems likely that it once occurred in most of the forests of
the Tanganyika-Nyasa highlands, but has now been largely displaced. Apalis
moreaui, with its dull plumage and skulking habits, shows few characteristics
of the genus Apalis. It therefore seems unlikely that it should have been
overrun by another member of this genus. Even the Bar-throated Apalis A. thor-
acica usually occurs markedly higher above the ground. Hall & Moreau (1962)
suggested that A. moreaui should be placed in the genus Orthotomus. There is
a strong morphological and behavioural similarity between this species and the
Red-capped Forest Warbler Orthotomus metopias. This latter species is endemic
to the Tanganyika-Nyasa highlands, occurring on most of its mountain blocks,

Two disjunct distributions 3

though absent from Mt Rungwe and all of Malawi. It has not been recorded from
the East Usambaras for over 40 years, its rarity here probably being due to
the presence of A. moreaui. The two species are sympatric on the Njesi Plateau,
and if the number of specimens that have been collected of each species (see
Benson 1946) can be related to the birds' abundance, then perhaps they occur
here in similar numbers. This indication could be pure chance, and one or the
other might be declining to eventual local extinction (as seems to apply to
O.metopias in the East Usambaras). Interestingly, Benson's collector reported
that on the Njesi Plateau A. moreaui occurred in the canopy (Benson 1946).
This seems surprising in view of the species' observed habits in the Usambaras,
and as a result Benson wonders if a mistake was made (see Hall & Moreau 1970).
However, it is possible that A. moreaui has avoided competition with O. metopias
on the Njesi Plateau by becoming a canopy species, allowing both to occur in
similar numbers.

The weights of the two species appear to be similar, as shown below:

A. moreaui 8.8g, n=1
O. metopias 8.4g, + 0.9g, n = 27

Both species are insectivorous, taking their food in patches of thick veget-
ation, nearly always within 10m of the ground. It therefore seems possible
that O. metopias has iargely displaced A. moreaui from most of its former
range.

Fry (1976), in his review of the systematics of African and Asian tailor-
birds, considered A. moreaui a strong candidate for inclusion in Orthotomus,
on the basis of physical characteristics and song. On the same grounds, he
sank Camaroptera into Orthotomus. In view of this it is interesting to note
that A. moreaui in the Usambaras is restricted to a very narrow altitudinal
range around 900 to 1000m. Below this altitude it is completely replaced by
-the Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura (while at higher altitudes
it is replaced by O. metopias). All three species are familiar to the author
in the Usambaras and it is confirmed that they occupy very similar niches,
favouring very dense undergrowth, especially in forest clearings, and along
the forest edge. It seems, from field observations, (and regardless of whether
or not all three species should be considered congeners), very likely that
both C. brachyura and O.metopias are competing with A. moreaui and restricting
its range. Camaroptera brachyura is not listed for the Njesi Plateau and if it
does occur it would be at its maximum altitude (Benson & Benson 1977). It is
possible, therefore, that this species has also played a part in fragmenting
the range of A. moreaui. It is only slightly larger, weighing around 10g.

CONCLUSION

Modulatrix orostruthus and Apalis moreaui are among the rarest birds in
Africa. This paper shows that they are probably rare for natural reasons.
However, their future is now in the balance owing to forest destruction, at
least in the Usambaras, and probably in northern Mozambique as well. As they
are not ende iic to East Africa they were not considered by Turner (1977);
nevertheless, their world populations are likely to be far lower than those
of several East African Endemics treated by Turner.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Mr C.W. Benson, Mr A.D. Forbes-Watson, Dr K.M. Howell,
Tessa van der Willigen and Janet Simkin for their helpful comments on earlier
drafts of this paper.

4 Two disjunct distributions

REFERENCES
BENSON, C.W. 1945. A new race of the Long-billed Forest Warbler from West
Portuguese East Africa. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 66: 19.

1946. A collection from near Unangu, Portuguese East Africa.
Ibis 88: 240-241.

& BENSON, F.M. 1977. The birds of Malawi. Limbe: Mountfort Press.

& IRWIN, M.P.S. 1975. The systematic position of Phyllastrephus
orostruthus and Phyllastrephus xanthophrys, two species incorrectly placed
in the family Pycnonotidae (Aves). Arnoldia (Rhodesia) 7 (17): 1-10.

FRY, C.H. 1976. On the systematics of African and Asian Tailor-birds (Syl-
viinae). ibidem 8 (6); 1-15.

HALL, B.P. & MOREAU, R.E. 1962. A study of the rare birds of Africa. Bulletin
of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 8 (7): 316-378.

MOREAU, R.E. 1935. A synecological study of Usambara, Tanganyika Territory,
with particular reference to birds. Journal of Ecology 23: 1-43.

SCLATER, W.L. 1931. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 51: 109.

& MOREAU, R.E. 1935. Phyllastrephus orostruthus amani subsp.
nov. Scl. & Moreau. ibidem 56: 16-17.

STUART, S.N. & van der WILLIGEN, T.A. 1978. Report of the Cambridge Ecological
Expedition to Tanzania 1978. Cambridge, cyclostyled.

TURNER, D.A. 1977. Status and distribution of East African endemic species.
Scopus 1: 2-11.

VINCENT, J. 1933. Phyllastrephus orostruthus sp. nov. Bulletin of the British
Ornithologists’ Club 53: 133.

Simon N. Stuart, Box 44, Soni, Tanzania

(Received 19 March 1980, revised 20 October 1980)

Stierling's Woodpecker 5

VOCAL AND OTHER BEHAVIOUR OF STIERLING'S WOODPECKER
DENDROPICOS STIERLINGI

Lester L. Short & Jennifer F.M. Horne

Stierling's Wocdpecker Dendropicos stierlingi is one of the least known African
woodpeckers, inhabiting parts of southern Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique
(White 1965, Snow 1978). During and after the Fifth Pan-African Ornithological
Congress in Lilongwe, Malawi, in late August 1980 three days were spent study-
ing, and especially recording vocalizations, of Stierling's Woodpeckers in the
Dzalanyama Mountains, southwest of Lilongwe. This report, the first to treat
this species in any detail, presents the results of these observations and an
analysis of vocal data.

Equipment used in the study included binoculars up to x12 and a Stellavox
SP-7 tape-recorder and Schoeps CMT-42 condenser microphone with a 30-inch
(approximately 76cm) parabolic reflector. Horne performed all the sound
recording in addition to observing, while Short observed and played back
using a Sony cassette tape-recorder. Audiospectrographic analysis was done
using the wide band pass fliter of a Kay Elemetrics Sonagraph 6061-B at the
American Museum of Natural History. The studies took place on 26, 30 and 31
August 1980 in hilly Brachystegia (miombo) woodland at 1200m in the Dzalany-
ama Forest Reserve 47km south-southwest of Lilongwe. The population along
6km of road through the woodland was estimated as at least five, and probably
seven pairs. Altogether at least nine individuals were observed, and recordings
were obtained of the voices of three males and two females. For vocal compar-
isons (Figs. 1,2,3 and Discussion) sonagrams of two other woodpeckers are
included: Bearded Woodpeckers Dendropicos namaquus from the southern Ewaso '
Ngiro River area and the Laikipia region of Kenya, obtained in July and August
1977 and 1978, and of the Cardinal Woodpecker D. fuscescens obtained at Karen,
Nairobi, in September 1977 and at the Olorgesailie Prehistoric Site south of
Nairobi during July 1977.

Nomenclature is that of Morony, Bock & Farrand (1975), Snow (1978) and Short
(in press A). Vocalizations are described and interpreted according to the
terminology and discussion of Winkler & Short (1978).

CHARACTERISTICS AND ECOLOGY

Benson & Benson (1977) reported a breeding record for August in Malawi, and
according to N. Hunter (pers. comm.) breeding takes place in September-October
in the Dzalanyama region. This woodpecker was found to be at least as common
during the present study, indeed, once its voice was learned, more common than
the Cardinal Woodpecker (four seen). Other picids in the vicinity were Bennett's
Woodpecker Campethera bennettii (one heard), the Golden-tailed Woodpecker
C.abingoni (one glimpsed) and the Bearded Woodpecker (none seen, but reported
by N. Hunter, pers. comm.).

In late August 1980 Stierling's Woodpeckers were active vocally and in Drumn-
ing (see below), and were common, although individuals and pairs were well
spaced apart (two pairs observed, the individuals of which were loosely
associated, plus at least five apparently single birds). The quavering Rattle
Call, rather loud Drumming, and darting flight drew attention to the birds,
which can be distinguished immediately from the slightly smaller Cardinal
Woodpecker by the plain brown back, white-spotted dark underparts, blackish
hind-crown and strong black moustachial mark which continues on to the lower
neck. It appears much more manceuverable and agile than the Cardinal Wood-

Scopus 5: 5-13, March 1981

6 Stierling's Woodpecker

pecker in its fast flight through dense tree cover, bursting through or dart-
ing around foliage and disappearing rapidly. Compared with the Cardinal Wood-
pecker it appears 'dumpy', heavier-bodied, longer-winged, and faster flying;
perched, it more resembles a small Bearded than a Cardinal Woodpecker.

Stierling's Woodpeckers were not breeding at the time of these studies,
although C.J. Vernon (pers. comm.) had reported one about a cavity in a stub
7m up a live tree in the study area prior to the authors' arrival, but no
roosting or other activity at the hole was found. A female was active briefly
about a cavity 6m up the trunk of a live tree on 30 August, and the hole
appeared to be freshly worked. The Drumming and vocalizations reported below
do indicate territorial activity, and the loose association and maintenance of
contact between members of two pairs suggest that breeding was about to begin.
The single series of Weep Calls reported below is also suggestive of the onset
of breeding.

Foraging Stierling's Woodpeckers usually move somewhat rapidly over the trunk
and branches of trees, almost continuously delivering loud taps (much more
frequent than in foraging D. fuscescens). The birds can be followed about by
the noise of their foraging taps and sounds of their occasional excavating
deep into the bark. They forage on the trunk, and major branches of diverse
trees, but especially on branches 4-12 cm in diameter. Only occasionally do
they feed at the tips of branchlets and bases of twigs (they were never seen
hanging upside down from the tip of a twig, as is frequently seen in the
Cardinal Woodpecker). They also utilize small trees, foraging up the trunk
and branches to the top. Usually they forage at mid and upper levels in the
canopy. Although this woodpecker moves frequently, pausing to tap here and
there and probe under the bark, it also settles in place to work for up to
ten minutes or more at rough places in the bark or broken tips of branches,
from which they were seen to extricate insect larvae and an apparent centi-
pede. The few Cardinal Woodpeckers seen in the vicinity foraged more frequent-
ly at lower levels in the trees, they worked over smaller trees and shrubs,
they fed frequently in twigs and small branchlets, they tapped less often
and more weakly, and they excavated into the bark less frequently.

Participation in mixed-species foraging flocks was noted, but Stierling's
Woodpeckers seem to associate only loosely with the foraging groups, moving
a short distance (perhaps through a part of their territory), then remaining
behind or diverging from the flocks. These foraging flocks included the
Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis, the Spotted Creeper Salpornis spilonota, the White-
breasted Cuckoo Shrike Coracina pectoralis, and various flycatchers, warblers
and other species.

When reacting to playback, Stierling's Woodpeckers move frequently, often
perching crosswise on branches as they search for the source of the sound,
and issuing a challenge in the form of Rattle Calls or Drumming (see below).
Visual displays include Crest Raising (in both sexes), especially in Rattle-
Calling individuals; the crest is erected and the feathers variably are thrust
forward. The only other visual display observed was Wing Flicking, repeated
fast spreading of the wings, especially in agitated, playback-responding birds.

Few interactions were noted with other species. A Lesser Honeyguide
Indicator minor perched near a male Stierling's Woodpecker at one point,
then followed it to another perch, but the woodpecker seemed unconcerned and
the honeyguide flew off. One actively calling and Drumming male was silenced
by the sudden appearance in the same tree of a Golden-tailed Woodpecker;
both birds then flew off. Because vocalizations of Stierling's Woodpecker
were played back, reactions of Cardinal Woodpeckers to the Stierling's
Woodpecker playback were observed: on three occasions involving different
Cardinal Woodpeckers, repetitive playback of Stierling's Woodpecker's calls

Stierling's Woodpecker 7

and Drumming elicited approach by the Cardinal Woodpecker, in a wary, alert
manner. These approached to within 10m, and one male very weakly drummed three
times as playback continued, suggesting that these two species may interact.

In two areas a Cardinal Woodpecker was found in the wicinity of Stierling's
Woodpeckers, but the other Cardinal Woodpeckers tended to be in open, woodland-
edge situations and secondary growth, whereas Stierling's Woodpeckers con-
sistently were found within tall woodland.

Reactions of the Stierling's Woodpeckers to playback may have elicited some
intraspecific interactions; indeed, the strong reactions of males seemed
several times to result in withdrawal or moving away of a female. When both
sexes were present in proximity to one another it was difficult to distinguish
their interactions from their more or less simultaneous reactions (vocaliz-
ations) to the playback.

ACOUSTICAL SIGNALS
FLIGHT RUSTLE: like many woodpeckers (see, for example, Short 1971, 1972;
Winkler & Short 1978) Stierling's Woodpecker is able to flutter or Rustle
its wings when it chooses to do so, as when startled or when interacting with
(chasing, supplanting, fleeing from) other conspecific birds. The Rustling
sounds were evident particularly during playback-stimulated interactions
between a male and a female. Tape-recorded examples are few and sonagrams show
too much background noise for illustration here. The Rustling sounds occur at

a tempo of 20-22/s.

SIGNAL TAPPING and DRUMMING: this is the only African woodpecker known to
employ Signal Tapping - single, loud taps on the surface of a tree, usually
interspersed with regular Drumming. The latter is a signal given at intervals,
and often in response to playback of Rattle Calls or of its Drumming. Over
200 bursts of Drumming by both sexes were heard in three days, most of them
stimulated by playback of Rattle Calls and Drumming. Analyses showed there to
be two types of Drumming, Slow Drumming (Fig. 1a) at 20-24 beats/s (three
examples), and Fast Drumming at an average of 28.5 beats/s (range 25.8 - 30.5).
Both types are delivered by the same bird, even in the same sequence of Drumming
bursts. Fast Drumming (Fig. ib) is the commoner form; in 21 examples the dur-
ation was 0.43 - 1.19s (mean 0.727s) and they contained 11-36 (mean 19.22)
beats per burst. Almost all have the first beat well separated from the others,
two-thirds are louder near the start than at the end, and some show breaks or
weakening at one or several points in a burst. Drums in a series may alternate
or vary irregularly in loudness at a single Drumming site. Compared with the
Fast Drumming (Fig. 2a,b) of the Cardinal Woodpecker the Fast Drumming of
Stierling's Woodpeckers is similar but louder, usually faster, and the bursts
are fewer per unit time, i.e. at 5/min in three cases, than in at least some
regularly Drumming individuals of the Cardinal Woodpecker (8-9/min). The
Cardinal Woodpecker Drums much less frequently than does Stierling's Wood-
pecker, and its Drums are rarely noted by observers. The Bearded Woodpecker
Drums (Fig. 3a) more loudly, its bursts are delivered much more slowly (at
9-14 beats/s), and there is a detectable slow-down as each burst progresses.
When Drumming, the actual taps with the beak seem to hit over a wide area;
there is movement of the head such that the bill covers a wide area of bark
surface. In response to playback the bird moves upwards in a tree, Drumming
at intervals on a branch to its tip, where it may Drum several times. It also
often backs down to an apparently better Drumming site, if a higher one proves
less suitable. It keeps moving upwards in the tree until near the top on a
good resonating branch (e.g. a dead branch), where it may Drum for a period
of 3-45min before departing, to Drum in another tree nearby. Thus, the
Drumming varies considerably in loudness and quality, depending upon the

8 Stierling's Woodpecker

Fig. 1 Acoustical 8

signals (audiospectro-

grams) of Stierling's 6
4
2

{4

‘ey

Woodpecker Denropicos
stierlingi. Wide-band
sonagrams of sounds
tape-recorded in south-
western Malawi.

a) Slow Drum

b) Drum

c) Weep

d) Fast Rattle
e) Pits

f) Short Rattle
g, h) Rattle

FREQUENCY, KHz

resonance of the particular Drumming site, as well as upon the type of Drumming
and the force that may be used in this action. It was clear that a Stierling's
Woodpecker Drums more frequently in response to playback (of voice or Drums)

if in a dead tree or tree with dead limbs, but responds vocally (see below) if
it is in a live tree. Drumming, as in other picids, seems to indicate the
presence of a territorial woodpecker, and its location, perhaps particularly

to its mate. Generally the context is aggressive.

PIK NOTES: single soft pik notes, or a series of them, were heard several
times, but tape-recorded only once, too weakly to be analyzed fully. The notes
are fast, mechanically sounding, sonagraphically inverted V-shaped, and have

a frequency of 2.1kHz, with a strong harmonic tone. The function, motivation
and meaning of these notes, in the sense of Winkler & Short (1978), remain

to be established.

Stierling's Woodpecker 9

alll th a Fig. 2 Acoustical signals
(audiospectrograms) of
An the Cardinal Woodpecker

lt

shy | | Denropicos fuscescens.
ni ih ’ Wide-band sonagrams of

si ii I | l " | sounds tape-recorded in

Wa Kenya.

a, b) Drums
Rattle-begging of a
juvenile male
intermediate juvenile
call

Short Rattle

FREQUENCY, kHz
Oo Le oO 1. Oo Bo Om” oO

{
TIME, s

Fig. 3 Acoustical signals
(audiospectrograms) of
the Bearded Woodpecker
Dendropicos namaquus.
Wide-band sonagrams of
sounds tape-recorded in
Kenya.

a) Wikka and Drum
b, c) Wik Rattles

FREQUENCY, kHz
So. -f-O.) P10 i) ce @- ©

WEEP CALL: also heard rarely and tape-recorded but once is a weep-sounding
note (Fig. ic), uttered in an irregular series over 7s. Each note is 0.05 -
0.06s in duration, and rises from 1.5 - 2.5kHz, then ends sharply in a rise
to 3.0kHz; there is a weak overtone at 2.5 - 4.5kHz. This vocalization
closely resembles Kweek Calls of such species of Picoides as P. nuttallii

and P. scalaris of North America (see Winkler & Short 1978, Fig. 22). In
Picoides, Kweek Calls particularly are prevalent prior to breeding, and mark
interactions between the sexes, but the present data are too sparse to

10 Stierling's Woodpecker

allow postulation on the function of the Stierling's Woodpecker's Weep Call.

FAST RATTLE CALL: soft series of repetitive notes composed of Pik-like elements
were delivered by a male on 31 August, as part of its reaction to playback of
its Rattle Calls (see below). The notes consist of from one to five peaked,
connected elements (Fig. id) and sound like bdddt when close enough to the
bird to hear them. The frequency of the peak is at 2.0kHz, with a strong

first harmonic tone in the three series (total of 24 notes) available for
analysis. Single notes may be as short as 0.02s, and compound notes with five
elements are 0.1s in duration. Their context suggests an aggressive motivation
(sensu Winkler & Short 1978: 92), as the calling male was singularly ‘tame'

and strongly reacted to playback as if seeking the 'calling' (playback) bird.
This is one of the two calls of this woodpecker which shows any similarity to
the main call (Short Rattle Call) of the Cardinal Woodpecker (Fig. 2e; and

see Discussion).

PIT RATTLE NOTES: commonly heard from both sexes in reaction to playback were
sharp pit calls, usually in loose series, and identical to notes of Short
Rattle Calls (see below). These are 0.02 - 0.04s in duration and sonagraph-
ically (Fig. le) appear peaked in structure with strong overtones and initial
and terminal vertical elements which connect the various tones. The fundamental
tone is at about 1.5kHz but the first harmonic tone at 3.0kHz usually is
dominant (in i5 of 19 analyzed) or else is codominant with the fundamental
tone. As many as five overtones can be distinguished, and the elements connect-
ing these provide sound at all frequencies at least up to 8kHz. Functionally
these notes are of the 'I am here', 'go away' type; motivationally they show
arousal and aggression; and their likely meaning is to indicate the location
and motivation (aroused, aggressive woodpecker) of the calling bird (see
Winkler & Short 1978: 85-86, 92, 94).

SHORT RATTLE CALL: another quite frequent vocalization is this call, a series
of four to seven Pit Notes lasting 0.23 - 0.47s. All eight calls analyzed
show a gap between the first and second notes, thus a lead note is followed
by a rapid series of three to six notes (Fig. if). As can be seen in that
figure, the individual notes are structurally identical to Pit Calls described
above. In fact, the Short Rattle Calls occur mainly in series of calls inter-
spersed with Pit Calls, suggesting similarities in function, motivation and
meaning of these calls. Basically, Short Rattle Calls were associated with
apparent searching behaviour, the bird appearing to seek the calling (playback)
intruder, and they seem to reflect greater aggression than do the associated
Pit Calls. The Short Rattle Call differs strikingly from that of the Cardinal
Woodpecker (Fig. 2e; see Discussion).

RATTLE CALL: the commonest vocalization appears to be the Rattle Call, which
is the loudest, most far-carrying of the Stierling's Woodpecker's array of
calls, and that most likely to call the attention of the human observer to it.
Rattle Calls are uttered in flight (often when flying towards the playback
sound) or while the bird is perched. Analysis of nine complete and two in-
complete Rattle Calls (Fig. ig, h) shows this vocalization to consist of a
series of usually asymmetrically peaked notes with strong overtones delivered
in 0.4 - 2.53s. Its duration is difficult to determine at times because of
the major feature of this Rattle Call; the call starts with a short, low-
pitched, soft pik-like note associated closely with a following, longer,
louder and higher-pitched note, and there is a strong tendency for the calls
to split into parts by interspersion of such shorter notes and an associated
note in each case. Overall the calls have a wavering quality and sound as if
there were double or triple notes within the Rattle Call. Since the calls are

Stierling's Woodpecker ii

often uttered in sequence it sometimes is difficult to separate one Rattle Call
from another. Very long calls have these numbers of notes: a) one of 2.52s has
five short notes and 22 long notes (thus five subsections); b) another of 1.87s
has two short and 18 long notes; c) a third, of 1.83s (Fig. ih) has four short
and 14 long notes.

The peaked short notes of the Rattle Call are 0.015 - 0.03s in duration, and
are separated by 0.01 - 0.02s from the following associated long note (long
notes are 0.04 - 0.07s or more apart in series). The fundamental tone of
short notes is 1.3 - 1.4kHz for lead notes of a Rattle Call, but short notes
of subsections are pitched higher, at 1.4 - 1.55kHz. As in the long notes,
the first harmonic (3.0kHz) is dominant. Because the note is softer, fewer
overtones are usually evident (up to 5 or 6) than in long notes. The latter
notes vary, especially when paired, in which case the first note of a pair is
lower pitched and shorter, tending thus towards the short notes just described.
The fundamental tone of long notes varies between 1.5 and 2.0kHz, but is often
weak; at best it is codominant with the first harmonic tone at 3.0 - 3.8kHz,
but often higher overtones are louder than the fundamental tone. At least
five overtones occur up to 8kHz (and continuing above that), contributing
to the ringing quality of the call. The long notes are 0.05 - 0.07s in
duration. Essentially unpaired long notes (several 0.5 - 0.6s sequences)
have a tempo of 11 notes/s; the dual nature of the notes of Rattle Calls and
their subsectioning tendency makes it difficult to estimate an average tempo
for all notes of the call, but 11/s is approximately that for most longer
calls. All long notes show asymmetry, as mentioned, tending usually to rise
Slowly and drop off more sharply, the peak being skewed towards the end of
the note. Sometimes there is a break in the rising section, tending to form
a sub-peak. The short notes are more symmetrical than are long notes and they
and initial long notes of couplets may even peak in the first half of the note
(Fig. ih), the reverse of the usual condition in long notes.

The Rattle Call is uttered sporadically as a foraging Stierling's Woodpecker
moves about its presumed territory. Playback may initially cause it to
approach silently, then perhaps to Drum, but repeated playback, and sometimes
initial playback, brings in the woodpecker giving Rattle Calls in flight, as
if in challenge. It was noted that males more often give Rattle Calls, where-
as females more frequently utter Fast Rattle, Pit, and Short Rattle calls in
response to playback. It is suggested that the Rattle Call of this species is
its chief long-distance call, indicating location and presence of an aroused,
aggressive territorial Stierling's Woodpecker. Its function, meaning and
motivation (Winkler & Short 1978) are more nearly similar to the commonly
heard Rattle Call (Fig. 3b, c) and to the Wikka Call (Fig. 3a) of the
Bearded Woodpecker than to the Short Rattle Call, the chief distance vocal-
ization of the Cardinal Woodpecker (see Discussion).

DISCUSSION

The abundance of Stierling's Woodpecker over its range is unknown; that is,
the paucity of specimens, observations and localities of occurrence of this
species suggest that it may be patchily distributed and perhaps rare in much
of its range. Its range in southernmost Tanzania and in northern Mozambique
remains relatively little known, and it could prove to be locally common
other than in the Dzalanyama Mountains, although it is surprising that there
have been so few records of it (Benson & Benson 1977) from ornithologically
well known Malawi. Factors affecting its distribution remain to be determined,
and could prove essential for the preservation of the species if it is indeed
rare in most of its range. Benson & Benson (1977: 116) suggested that compet-
ition by the Cardinal Woodpecker could be adversely affecting Stierling's

12 Stierling's Woodpecker

Woodpecker. There is evidence that these two species interact, and it may be
that the Cardinal Woodpecker restricts the distribution or numbers of Stier-
ling's Woodpeckers in some areas. However, in the area of the present studies
Stierling's Woodpeckers appear at least to hold their own in mature hilly
Brachystegia woodland. Undoubtedly the Cardinal Woodpecker is favoured, and
indeed the Stierling's Woodpecker may be eliminated by human activities which
open these woodlands or reduce them to secondary vegetation.

Stierling's Woodpecker appears relatively distinctive behaviourally, yet
the vocal and other data presented here support the view (Short in Snow 1978,
Short in press A, B) that this species taxonomically connects the Cardinal
Woodpecker subgroup (Dendropicos sensu stricto) with the Bearded Woodpecker
subgroup ('Thripias'’, 'Mesopicos' in part, i.e. Dendropicos namaquus,

D. xantholophus and D. pyrrhogaster) of Dendropicos. The Drumming of Stierling's
Woodpecker closely resembles that of the Cardinal Woodpecker (compare Fig. ib
and 2a, b), even to having several forms of this signal (Slow Drumming and
Drumming, tempi similar in both species). The Drumming of Stierling's Wood-
pecker is generally louder, it is rendered more frequently and probably in

a different context, and it therefore may have a different meaning, motivation
or function (sensu Winkler & Short 1978) from that of the Cardinal Woodpecker.
However, the similarity of their Drumming affords a possibility of their
Drumming serving as interspecific communication, perhaps in territorial ex-
clusion, although that requires demonstration.

The common vocalizations of Stierling's Woodpecker are the Fast Rattle Call
(Fig. 1d), the Short Rattle Call (Fig. 1f) and the Rattle Call (Fig. 1g, h).
These differ markedly from the Short Rattle Call (Fig. 2e) of the Cardinal
Woodpecker and more closely resemble the Wik Rattle Call (Fig. 3c) of the
Bearded Woodpecker. In Fig. 2, however, there is depicted a rattle-begging
call (Fig. 2c) of a juvenile male Cardinal Woodpecker, attended by an adult
female at Karen, Nairobi, and a call (Fig. 2d) of the same juvenile which is
intermediate between the juvenile rattle-begging call and the adult Short
Rattle Call series (Fig. 2e). The close resemblance of the Cardinal Woodpecker's
juvenile rattle-begging call to the Short Rattle Call of Stierling's Wood-
pecker (Fig. 1f) is remarkable, and the ontogenetic connexion of that form of
call to the apparently (and in its sound to the human ear, actually) very
different adult Cardinal Woodpecker Short Rattle Call provided by the inter-
mediate Call (Fig. 2d) indicates that the adult Short Rattle Calls of the two
species basically share a similar derivation, despite their structural
differences.

The Rattle Call of Stierling's Woodpecker (Fig. ig, h), compared with the
Wik Rattle Call of the Bearded Woodpecker (Fig. 3c, and variant such call,
Fig. 3b), both from the southern Ewaso Ngiro River area, Kenya, show great
structural similarity, although the latter species lacks the effect of group-
ing or pairing of notes and shorter initial notes which characterize the
Rattle Call of Stierling's Woodpecker. A Wikka Call of the Bearded Woodpecker
(Fig. 3a, from the Laikipia area of central Kenya) given during an inter-
action between an adult male and adult female (the Drumming in Fig. 3a follows
immediately after the Wikka Call, as shown), also resembles the Rattle Call of
Stierling's Woodpecker, but less closely than does the Bearded's Wik Rattle
Care

Other intraspecific calls of the Bearded Woodpecker and of the Cardinal
Woodpecker also bear similarities to various calls of Stierling's Woodpecker
(e.g. Kweek Calls, Mutter Calls, Short & Horne in prep.; see also Winkler &
Short 1978), but the examples just discussed suffice to demonstrate the
general similarities as well as some differences among the three species. In
appearance, posture and demeanour Stierling's Woodpecker is more like a small

Stierling's Woodpecker 13

version of the Bearded Woodpecker than like the Cardinal. Although it is not
the purpose of this report to treat the relationships of these woodpeckers in
detail, it should be emphasized that behaviourally Stierling's Woodpecker

shows approaches to both the Cardinal Woodpecker and Bearded Woodpecker groups,
and that these taxa appear from behavioural evidence to be phylogenetically
closely related congeners.

On a broader level, too little is known of the vocalizations of African
woodpeckers to place the vocal repertoire of Stierling's Woodpecker fully in
perspective, but comparison with the acoustical signals of the widely dist-
ributed large genus Picoides (one African species, P.obsoletus, placed along
with Stierling's Woodpecker in ‘Ipophilus' by Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1957)
shows its repertoire to be generally similar, including Tapping, Drumming,
wing-movement signals, and both Short Rattles and Rattle Calls (Winkler &
Short 1978). Short (1971, in press B) considers Picoides to have been derived
from Dendropicos, and a detailed comparison of the acoustical repertoires of
both genera would be very rewarding from a behavioural as well as from an
evolutionary point of view, as shown above by the vocal comparison of juvenile
and adult Cardinal Woodpecker and Stierling's Woodpecker Short Rattle Calls.
However, the analysis of vocal data on Dendropicos has barely begun, and does
not permit more than speculative comments. It is hoped that this report will
stimulate the generation of further such data on other East African picids,
additional to the authors' continuing studies

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to many people who helped us to organize and conduct these
studies, and especially to N.D. Hunter, F. Dowsett-Lemaire, R.J. Dowsett,
A. and I. Wilson, D.B. Hanmer and D.A. Turner. The L.C. Sanford Fund of the
American Museum of Natural History supported travel and field expenses of the
senior author.

REFERENCES
BENSON, C.W. & BENSON, F.M. 1977. The birds of Malawi. Limbe: Montfort Press.

MORONY, J.J.,Jr., BOCK, W.J. & FARRAND, J., Jr. 1975. Reference list of birds
of the world. New York: American Museum of Natural History.

SHORT, L.L. 1971. Systematics and behavior of some North American woodpeckers,
genus Picoides. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 145: 1-118.

1972. Systematics and behavior of South American flickers (Aves,
Colaptes). ibidem 149: 1-110.

in press A. Woodpeckers of the world. Greenville: Delaware Museum
of Natural History.

in press B. Speciation in African woodpeckers. Ostrich.

WHITE, C.M.N. 1965. A revised check list of African Non-Passerine birds.
Lusaka: Government Printer.

WINKLER, H. & SHORT, L.L. 1978. A comparative analysis of acoustical signals
in pied woodpeckers (Aves, Picoides). Bulletin of the American Museum of
Natural History 160: 1-109.

L.L. Short, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th
Street, New York, NY 10024, USA and J.F.M. Horne, Box 24622, Nairobi

(Received 12 February 1981)

14 The Andersen collection from Tanzania

NOTES ON THE ANDERSEN COLLECTION AND OTHER SPECIMENS FROM
TANZANIA HOUSED IN SOME WEST GERMAN MUSEUMS
Poh ABrieton

The thousands of specimens from Tanzania amassed by Thorkild Andersen between
1947 and 1967 represent one of the most comprehensive collections of birds
from East Africa. The 8532 skins traced by Britton (1978) included 971 from
Stuttgart and 1578 from Bonn. No details were available then for these
specimens in Bonn, and none of the specimens in Stuttgart had been personally
examined by the author at that time. During December 1979 a visit was made to
West Germany, where Andersen's specimens in Bonn, Stuttgart and Munich were
examined, and other specimens from Tanzania in these collections were noted.
In total, 11400 Andersen specimens of 690 species have been examined by the
author, while details are available for a further 285 specimens in Basel and
New York. The stay in West Germany was of necessity very short, in particular
the single week in Munich, where the Andersen collection (of over 3200 skins)
was far more comprehensive than had been expected. Thus, there was insufficient
time for the critical examination of certain species and it is hoped that a
return to Munich to complete this work can be made later in 1981.

SYSTEMATIC LIST

With the exception of Malaconotus alius the Uluguru Bush Shrike, detailed
by Britton, Stuart & Turner (in press), no specimen data included here were
incorporated in the distribution accounts given in Britton (1980). Most of
the selected data presented below add significantly to those accounts, which
are referred to frequently (by using the symbol '+') in an effort to render
records meaningful to the reader. Others, in particular dated records for
some Palaearctic and intra-African migrants, are worth giving for completeness.
In addition to providing full details for various species, including three
species previously unrecorded in Tanzania, Britton (1978) listed several other
species and subspecies new to the avifauna of Tanzania, mainly from Minziro in
West Lake. Circumstances did not allow fuller details to be included then, but
several of these species (in the large collection of Andersen specimens in
Copenhagen) are also represented in West Germany (mainly in Munich), so that
fuller details can now be given (marked '*'). Oriolus brachyrhynchus the
Western Black-headed Oriole is the only further addition to the avifauna
included in this paper (marked '**'). Britton (1978) gave details of altitude,
administrative Region and coordinates for most of the localities mentioned
here, while coordinates for many of these may be found in the gazetteer in
Britton (1980). The following were not included in either work:

Kibwesa, 900m, Kigoma Region, 6°30'S, 29°57'E.
Kisangara, 800m, Kilimanjaro, 3°45'S, 37°36'E.
Kurasini, near sea-level, Coast, 6°51'S, 39°17'E.
Mlalo, altitude not known, Tanga, c. 4935'S, 38°20'E.
Usa River, i1200m, Arusha,c. 3°25"S, 36°50"E-
Vikindu, 90m, Coast, 6°59"S, 39°17 ‘E-

IXOBRYCHUS MINUTUS Little Bittern +
Male of the Palaearctic nominate race at Kidugallo, 19 May 1953; few East
African records.

IXOBRYCHUS STURMII Dwarf Bittern +
Males at Mikindani, 16 Feb and 8 Mar 1964; Lembeni, 5 May 1959. Dates accord

Scopus 5: 14-21, March 1981

The Andersen collection from Tanzania 15

with its likely migratory status.

ARDEOLA RUFIVENTRIS Rufous-bellied Heron
One at Soga. Harvey & Howell (in press) give only one record for the Dar es
Salaam area.

CIRCUS RANIVORUS African Marsh Harrier +
Male at Soga, 20 Nov 1960; first coast record.

ACCIPITER OVAMPENSIS Ovampo Sparrowhawk +
Female at Lembeni, 25 Aug 1959; few East African records.

ACCIPITER RUFIVENTRIS Rufous Sparrowhawk +
Male in bamboo forest at 1600m in the Ngurus, 10 Jan 1949. In Tanzania it is
known from only Arusha in the northeast and Songea in the southeast.

MELIERAX METABATES Dark Chanting Goshawk +
One from east of the Ulugurus at 500m and two from Kidugallo extend its range
in Morogoro Region north from Mikumi National Park.

AVICEDA CUCULOIDES Cuckoo Hawk +
Mikindani, 11 Aug; Soga, 1 Aug and 4 Nov; Kidugallo, 31 Jly; further evidence
for the conclusion that it is a migrant to eastern Tanzania, Apr-Nov.

FALCO AMURENSIS Eastern Red-footed Falcon +
Females at Mikindani, 8 Mar and 14 Feb 1964; an uncommon Palaearctic migrant
for which there are few coastal records.

FALCO FASCIINUCHA Taita Falcon
Male in open miombo woodland at Namabengo, 29 May 1964. The bird from Nama-
bengo mentioned in Britton (1980) was a female collected there on 16 Nov 1964.

FALCO PEREGRINUS Peregrine Falcon +

Birds of the Palaearctic race calidus: male at Mikindani, in a Baobab on the
beach, 1 Nov 1962, wing 325mm; female at Lake Manyara, 27 Nov 1958, wing
355mm, weight 800g, collected by A. von Nagy. There is one previous East
African specimen of this race, which is, however, probably regular in small
numbers in the east.

CREX EGREGIA African Crake

Males at Soga on 9 May 1961 and 19 Jan 1962; males at Mikindani on 23 Feb and
22 Mar 1963. Harvey & Howell (in press) give no record for the Dar es Salaam
area.

GALLINULA ANGULATA Lesser Moorhen
Male on a small rain pool in bushland at Lembeni, 28 Apr 1959.

PLUVIALIS DOMINICA Lesser Golden Plover +

Male on fallow land in sisal at Soga, 14 Nov 1961; female on sandy patch in
Sisal at Soga, 29 Nov 1961. Of seventeen previous East African records, four
were from Soga and one was from nearby Dar es Salaam. It is noteworthy that
all six Soga birds were collected in the same Palaearctic winter (14 Nov -

5 Jan), though Andersen's usually complete labels do not mention any party
or flock of birds.

GALLINAGO MEDIA Great Snipe
Males at Kidugallo, 10 and 12 May 1953.

BURHINUS CAPENSIS Spotted Thicknee
Female at Soga, 12 Feb 1962; not listed by Harvey & Howell (in press).

RHINOPTILUS CHALCOPTERUS Violet-tipped Courser +
Females at Kidugallo, 31 May, 17 Jun 1954; female at Soga, 14 Dec 1961. The

16 The Andersen collection from Tanzania

migratory status of this species is uncertain. Two collected in June were the
only records available to Harvey & Howell (in press).

RHYNCHOPS FLAVIROSTRIS African Skimmer

Male on a small lake at Kidugallo, 6 Jly 1953; pair from large numbers on the
Kilombero River in Ulanga, 8 Nov 1961. The Kidugallo bird, with testes enlarged,
was presumably a southern breeder (for full discussion see Britton & Brown 1974).

CERCOCOCCYX MONTANUS Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo
Two at Soga on 6 Dec 1961; see discussion in Britton (1980a).

CHRYSOCOCCYX CUPREUS Emerald Cuckoo +
Male at Lembeni, 18 Apr 1960; male at Kisangara, 25 Mar 1959. There are few
recorded localities in northeastern Tanzania.

CLAMATOR LEVAILLANTII lLevaillant's Cuckoo +

Seven at Mikindani, 5 Dec - 10 Jan; North Pare Mts, 12 Jan and 15 Feb. Move-
ments of this intra-African migrant are not well understood except in the
extreme southeast, Nov - Apr.

CUCULUS CANORUS Eurasian Cuckoo +

Nine at Mikindani, 12 Jan - 14 Feb; female collected at Lake Manyara by A. von
Nagy, 2 Mar 1959. It is hardly recorded in East Africa during January to mid
March.

CUCULUS GULARIS African Cuckoo
Male at Soga, 18 Jan 1962; not listed by Harvey & Howell (in press).

CUCULUS POLIOCEPHALUS Lesser Cuckoo +

Mikindani, 3 Dec 1965; Soga, 4 Apr and 5 Apr 1961; Ulugurus at 1700m, 23 Feb
(2) and 27 Feb 1960. All are nominate males or hepatic females (assumed to be
nominate). It is not listed by Harvey & Howell (in press); there are few East
African records of this Palaearctic migrant outside the period March - April.

CUCULUS SOLITARIUS Red-chested Cuckoo
Six at Mikindani, 7 Nov - 29 Jan; see discussion in Britton (1980a).

PACHYCOCCYX AUDEBERTI Thick-billed Cuckoo +

Five at Soga, 5 Oct - 13 Dec 1961; one at Mikindani, 30 Jly 1963. This uncommon
species is not listed by Harvey & Howell (in press); there is no previous
record from the coast south of Bagamoyo and Soga.

GLAUCIDIUM CAPENSE Barred Owlet

Twelve schlefferi at Soga; two nominate birds west of Kitangari. This species
is not given for the Dar es Salaam area by Harvey & Howell (in press) or
Britton (1980); previous records of the nominate race from the southeast are
east to Tunduru and Nachingwea.

CAPRIMULGUS EUROPAEUS Eurasian Nightjar

Male unwini west of Kitangari, 28 Jan 1966; male unwini Dodoma, 10 Jan 1962;
female, not raced, west of Kitangari, 18 Jan 1966. January (i.e. presumed
overwintering) records are noteworthy.

APUS APUS Eurasian Swift +
Nominate male from large numbers at 800m in the North Pare Mts, 23 Jan 1960.
January (i.e. presumed overwintering) flocks are unusual so far north.

APALODERMA NARINA Narina's Trogon
Six at 1800 - 2000m in the North Pare Mts; two east of the Ulugurus at 400m.

APALODERMA VITTATUM Bar-tailed Trogon +
One at 1700m in the North Pare Mts; one east of the Ulugurus at 400m.

The Andersen collection from Tanzania 17

Typically, this species is segregated at higher altitudes in areas of apparent
sympatry with narina.

ISPIDINA PICTA Pygmy Kingfisher
Seven nominate birds at 900 - 1400m in the North Pare Mts; single examples of
natalensis at Mikindani in Jly and Aug, Kidugallo in Apr, and Soga in Jun.

MEROPS BULLOCKOIDES White-fronted Bee-eater +

Female from pair in forest by a watercourse in the foothills of the Ngurus at
700m, 25 Aug 1949; not given for the Ngurus by Stuart & van der Willigen
(1978), but known from nearby Kilosa.

MEROPS NUBICUS Carmine Bee-eater +
Bushland by swamp at Mikindani: nominate male and female on 8 Jan 1963 and
nominate male on 12 Jan 1963; previously recorded south to Rufigi and Pande.

CORACIAS NAEVIA Rufous-crowned Roller
Mbuyuni, on the Great Ruaha River, 14 Jly 1952.

POGONIULUS SIMPLEX Green Tinkerbird +
Two males in secondary miombo woodland west of Kitangari, 12 Jan 1966; not
previously recorded in Tanzania south of Dar es Salaam.

INDICATOR [?MELIPHILUS] Pallid Honeyguide

A female in forest at 900m in the Ulugurus on 4 Jly 1955, and a female coll-
ected by J. Popp at 1200m on the Usa River on 23 Feb 1960 probably belong
here. This tentative identification, made in the absence of comparative
material, will be clarified later.

PRODOTISCUS REGULUS Wahlberg's Honeybird +
Male on the west side of the North Pare Mts at 1500m, 26 Jun 1961; not known
in eastern Tanzania north of Soga and Kidugallo.

JYNX RUFICOLLIS Red-throated Wryneck +
Male at Nandembo, i2 Sep 1963; east of other recorded localities.

CAMPETHERA NIVOSA Buff-spotted Woodpecker *
Female at Minziro, 23 Jly 1953.

DENDROPICOS STIERLINGI Stierling's Woodpecker +
Female at Nandembo, 14 Sep 1963; this rare and restricted species is known
from very few localities in Tanzania.

PITTA ANGOLENSIS African Pitta
Eleven at Mikindani, 10 Dec - 26 Mar; male in bushland thicket at Nambengo,
26 Nov 1964.

MIRAFRA ALBICAUDA Northern White-tailed Bush Lark +
Male collected by A. von Nagy at Lake Manyara, 26 Dec 1958; sparingly distrib-
uted in Tanzania.

ORIOLUS BRACHYRHYNCHUS Western Black-headed Oriole **
Female lJaetior in cultivation with scattered trees at Minziro, 11 Mar 1954; an
addition to the avifauna of Tanzania, known from the nearby Malabigambo Forest ©
in Uganda (Friedmann & Williams 1969). A female Black-headed Oriole O. larvatus
was collected in banana groves at Minziro on 2 Jun 1950.

TRICHASTOMA FULVESCENS Brown Illadopsis +

Male at Minziro, 27 Dec 1953. The only recorded locality in Tanzania is Kabogo
Forest, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, but it is known from Malabigambo
Forest in Uganda.

i8 The Andersen collection from Tanzania

TRICHASTOMA RUFIPENNIS Pale-breasted Illadopsis *
Female of the nominate race at Minziro, 26 Dec 1953.

BLEDA SYNDACTYLA Bristlebill *
Female at Minziro, 29 Dec 1953.

NICATOR CHLORIS Nicator
Three at 1700m in the North Pare Mts.

PHYLLASTREPHUS SCANDENS Leaflove

Male from a pair in open bush country at Kibwesa, 29 Sep 1949. Kibwesa is on
the south shore of the Kungwe Peninsular, immediately south of Mahari Mt;
previous records from Mahari Mt are from gallery forest at 1100m (Ulfstrand &
Lamprey 1960).

ALETHE FUELLEBORNI White-chested Alethe +

Nominate female at 2000m at Uwembe, 26 Sep 1950; male usambarae at 2000m in
the South Pare Mts, 5 Feb 1960; recorded from the Livingstone Mts and the
Usambaras respectively.

COSSYPHA CAFFRA Robin Chat +
Female from a pair in bushland thicket at 500m, north of the Ulugurus, 28 Sep
1948; in East Africa previously recorded as low as 1100m.

DRYOCICHLOIDES LOWEI Iringa Ground Robin
Male at 2000m at Uwemba, 26 Sep 1950; endemic to Iringa Region where it is
known from very few localities (Britton et al. in press).

MODULATRIX STICTIGULA Spot-throat +
Male in bushland at 600m, north of the Ulugurus, 6 Dec 1950; previously
recorded above 900m, and typically in forest.

SHEPPARDIA SHARPEI Sharpe's Akalat +
Nominate female at 2000m at Uwemba, 29 Sep 1950; otherwise known in Njombe
District from the Poroto Mts.

STIZORHINA FRASERI Rufous Thrush *
Male at Minziro, 17 Mar 1954.

ACROCEPHALUS GRISELDIS Basra Reed Warbler

Females at Mikindani, 29 Mar 1964 and 13 Jan 1965; west of Kitangari, female
on 25 Dec 1965, male on 7 Jan 1966; female at Kidugallo, 20 Dec 1952; female
at the Ngerengere River, 25 Jan 1949. See Pearson, Britton & Britton (1978)
for a review of the status of this Palaearctic migrant in East Africa.

APALIS BINOTATA Masked Apalis *
Nominate male in forest canopy at Minziro, 9 Mar 1954.

BRADYPTERUS BARRATTI Evergreen Forest Warbler +
Female from a pair at 2000m in the South Pare Mts, 5 Feb 1960; known from
mountain ranges to the north and south.

CHLOROPETA NATALENSIS Yellow Warbler +

North of the Ulugurus and at the Ngerengere River, both at 500m; in East
Africa previous records are from above 800m, including several localities in
Morogoro Region.

CISTICOLA NANA Tiny Cisticola +
Male collected by A. von Nagy at Naberera, 29 Sep 1958; known from few
localities in Tanzania, all in the northeast.

SCHOENICOLA PLATYURA Fan-tailed Warbler +
Female at Minziro, 16 Mar 1954; no previous records from the Lake Victoria

The Andersen collection from Tanzania 19

basin in Tanzania.

TROCHOCERCUS NIGROMITRATUS Dusky Crested Flycatcher *
Male at Minziro, 18 Dec 1953.

MALACONOTUS ALIUS Uluguru Bush Shrike

Males at Bagilo, 22 Sep 1952, 30 May 1962, 8 Jun 1962; immature female in the
Ulugurus at 1800m (very likely Bagilo), 22 May 1952; endemic to the Ulugurus,
and known from only thirteen records, all of specimens (Britton et al. in press).

MALACONOTUS QUADRICOLOR Four-coloured Bush Shrike +
One at 2000m in the North Pare Mts; all previous East African records are
from below 1200 m.

CORVINELLA MELANOLEUCA Magpie Shrike

Male collected by A Fischer at Kurasini, Dar es Salaam, 15 Dec 1910. This is
well east of recorded localities in Ruaha National Park and the southern part
of Arusha Region. Along with various other species of the semi-arid interior
recorded by Harvey & Howell (in press), it is best regarded as a wanderer.

POEOPTERA STUHLMANNI Stuhlimann's Starling

At 1500m on Mahari Mt, male from seven on 19 Oct 1949 and female from four
on 20 Oct 1949; a party of six at Mahari Mt on 18 Oct 1949, detailed by
Britton (1978), is the only previous record from Tanzania.

ONYCHOGNATHUS WALLERI Waller's Chestnut-winged Starling +

One at 1600m in the North Pare Mts; female at 1500m on Mahari Mt, 19 Oct
1949, wing 119mm; one collected by H. Kalchreuter at 2000m on Mahari Mt,
30 Jly 1958, wing 126mm. On size, Mahari Mt birds have been regarded as
intermediate between the nominate race and the western elgonensis, while the
North Pare Mts represent a new locality.

SPECULIPASTOR BICOLOR Magpie Starling

Female from a party of eight, west of the North Pare Mts at 900m, 7 Jan 1957.
This party is one of the two Tanzanian records given in Britton (1980); the
other is a party reported by Keith (1968). No date has been published for
either record.

ANTHREPTES LONGUEMAREI Violet-backed Sunbird

Male from a party of 4-6 in open bushland at Kidugallo, 4 Sep 1952. Britton
(1978) argued that a reference to the occurrence of this species in eastern
Tanzania as far north as Dar es Salaam was probably erroneous. More recently,
P.R. Colston (in litt.) has confirmed that a bird collected by N.R. Fuggles-
Couchman at Niberichi Vikundu (Dar es Salaam) on 22 May 1936 is a male long-
uemarei. The Vikindu Forest Reserve is part of a small plateau (rising to
160m) on the main south road from Dar es Salaam. This plateau, unique in
the area, has quite large remnants of well-grown miombo woodland, with many
bird species typical of that habitat (W.G. Harvey in litt.). Kidugallo and
Dar es Salaam are 120km apart on virtually the same latitude, some 4° north
of other recorded localities (all with miombo woodland) in the southeast.
Evidently, interdigitating habitats allow both longuemarei and the very
similar A. neglectus to occur sparingly in the Dar es Salaam area and around
Kidugallo. Typically, neglectus is a bird of forest or forest edge, while
longuemarei (races nyassae and angolensis) is found in woodland and wooded
grassland. Both have been collected in open bushland at Kidugallo, and there
is a specimen of neglectus from Kurasini, south of Dar es Salaam and only
about 15km from Vikindu (see next species for details). The only recent
records of either species for the Dar es Salaam area are from the Pugu Hills
(Harvey & Howell in press).

20 The Andersen collection from Tanzania

ANTHREPTES NEGLECTUS Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird

Twenty specimens are from varied habitats: bushland (often with tall trees) at
Soga, the Ngerengere River, Kidugallo and Mikindani; forest or forest edge in
the Ngurus (as low as 900m) and Ulugurus. The specimen from Kidugallo, and a
male collected by A Fischer at Kurasini, Dar es Salaam in 1909, are of par-
ticular interest (see discussion under A. longuemarei).

ANTHREPTES RUBRITORQUES Banded Green Sunbird +

Three males from the Ulugurus (including Bagilo at 1800m); male from the
eastern slopes of the Ngurus at 1400m, 27 Sep 1954; few records from either
of these mountain ranges are known.

NECTARINIA MANOENSIS Miombo Double-collared Sunbird +

Male of the race pintoi collected by A. Fischer at Mlalo in 1905. Mlalo, given
by the collector as 'M?talo, Wilhelmstal, Usambara', is some 300km northeast
of other known sites, mainly in miombo woodland.

NECTARINIA VENUSTA Variable Sunbird
Two males from Mahari Mt at 1500m are referable to falkensteini, as is the
single specimen from Mahari Mt mentioned in Britton (1980).

NECTARINIA VEROXII Mouse-coloured Sunbird

Bushland at Kidugallo: males on 3 Jly and 27 Jly 1952, females on 24 Jly and
7 Sep 1952. A specimen from Kidugallo was one of only two inland records from
East Africa given in Britton (1980).

PLOCEUS WEYNSI Weyns' Weaver

Male from a pair in undergrowth of tall forest at Minziro, 26 Feb 1954. Britton
(1980) omitted to include Bukoba District for this species, though it was
stated to occur in Tanzania. White (1963) and others have noted that this
western species reaches extreme northwestern Tanzania in Bukoba.

QUELEA QUELEA Red-billed Quelea

Mikindani, male and female from a small party on 9 Jan 1963, male from a small
party on 16 Jan 1963; its southern limits are given in Britton (1980) as Rukwa
and the Rufiji River.

LAGONOSTICTA RHODOPAREIA Jameson's Firefinch

Male from a pair in a patch of open woodland at Namabengo, 31 Oct 1963; female
from several feeding in cultivation in woodland at Namabengo, 26 Jun 1964.
Britton (1980) records it south to Dodoma and northern Iringa, and states

that this species and the African Firefinch L. rubricata do not occur on the
same ground in East Africa. There are two specimens of rubricata from open
woodland at Nambengo, where these two species might be sympatric.

MANDINGOA NITIDULA Green-backed Twinspot
Male on the eastern slopes of the Ngurus at 1500m, 23 Sep 1954; not given
for the Ngurus by Stuart & van der Willigen (1978).

PYRENESTES MINOR Lesser Seed-cracker

Seven specimens from the Ulugurus at 400-900m; female collected by A. Fischer
at Kurasini, Dar es Salaam in Jly 1911. The only other records from the Dar

es Salaam area are old specimens from the Pugu Hills (Stuart & van der Willigen
1978).

LONCHURA FRINGILLOIDES Magpie Mannikin
Several specimens from the Ulugurus as high as 1400m.

EMBERIZA CABANISI Cabanis' Bunting
Nandembo and west of Kitangari: Britton (1980) and Hall & Moreau (1970) gave
no localities in extreme southeastern Tanzania.

The Andersen collection from Tanzania 21

SERINUS CITRINELLOIDES African Citril +
Female at 400m on the slopes of the Ulugurus, 3 Mar 1960; in East Africa it
has not been recorded below 1100m.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Financial support from the Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund for transport and
accomodation made my visit to West Germany possible. I am also grateful to the
following for allowing me to work on specimens in their charge and for dealing
with my various queries and needs: Dr Claus Kénig at the Staatliches Museum
fur Naturkunde Stuttgart, Dr Josef Reichholf and his colleagues at the Zoolog-
ische Staatssammlung in Munich, and Dr H.E. Wolters and his colleagues at the
Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn.

REFERENCES
BRITTON, P.L. 1978. The Andersen collection from Tanzania. Scopus 2: 77-85.

1980a. A clarification of the status of the Red-chested Cuckoo
Cuculus solitarius in lowland areas of East Africa. Scopus 4: 71.

& BROWN, L.H. 1974. The status and breeding behaviour of East
African Lari. Ostrich 45: 63-82.

, STUART, S.N. & TURNER, D.A. in press. East African endangered
species. Proceedings of the 5th P.A.O.C., Lilongwe, Malawi. Ostrich suppl.

FRIEDMANN, H. & WILLIAMS, J.G. 1969. The birds of the Sango Bay forests, Buddu
County, Masaka District, Uganda. Contributions in Science, Los Angeles
162: 1-48.

HARVEY, W.G. & HOWELL, K.M. in press. Annotated check list of birds of the
Dar es Salaam area. Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and
National Museum.

KEITH, S. 1968. Notes on the birds of East Africa, including additions to
the avifauna. American Museum Novitates 2321: 1-15.

PEARSON, D.J., BRITTON, H.A. & BRITTON, P.L. 1978. Substantial wintering
populations of the Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis in eastern
Kenya. Scopus 2: 33-35.

STUART, S.N. & van der WILLIGEN, T.A. 1978. Report of the Cambridge ecological
expedition to Tanzania 1978. Cambridge, cyclostyled.

ULFSTRAND, S. & LAMPREY, H. 1960. On the birds of the Kungwe-Mahari area in
western Tanganyika Territory. Journal of the East Africa Natural History
Society 23: 223-232.

WHITE, C.M.N. 1963. A revised check list of African flycatchers...etc. Lusaka:
Government Printer.

P.L. Britton, Box 90163, Mombasa, Kenya

(Received 17 February 1981)

22 Terns breeding in southern Somalia

ROSEATE AND SOOTY TERNS STERNA DOUGALLII AND FUSCATA BREEDING
ON ISLETS IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA
J.S. Ash G@ Aca. Karani

Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii attempted to breed on two islets just offshore
a few kilometres south of Mogadishu, southern Somalia, in 1979. Their failure
was due to repeated egg-removal by the local people. Because hundreds of
several other species of terns, including Noddy Anous stolidus, Lesser Noddy
A. tenuirostris, Lesser Crested Tern S. bengalensis, Crested Tern S. bergii,
Bridled Tern S.anaethetus and Sooty Tern S. fuscata, joined the colony, plans
were made by the Wild Life Department to protect the islands if the birds
returned in 1980, particularly to see if any of these other species would also
breed.

Immense numbers of terns occur in coastal areas near Mogadishu, and large
numbers in other parts of the country, but there are surprisingly few breeding
records from anywhere in Somalia. Of the 17 Sterna and Anous species recorded
in Somalia, eight are known to have bred: Archer & Godman (1937) refer to
White-cheeked Terns S. repressa and Bridled Terns breeding on Aibat Is. (11°
31'N, 43°27'E) and Saad al Din Is. (11°27'N, 43°28'E) off Zeila in the Gulf
of Aden, Lesser Crested Terns on Aibat and Crested Terns on Aibat and Komaleh
Is. (11°28'N, 43°22'E); Heuglin (1869-74) and North (1946) discuss Sooty Terns
and Noddies breeding on Mait Is. (11°16'N, 47°15'E), also in the Gulf of Aden;
North (1944) records Little Terns S.albifrons breeding near Brava (1°06'N,
44°03'E) and also Roseate Terns attempting to breed on an islet only 60 yards
(55m) in diameter, named Chilani, at the same place. One of us (JSA) has
found Little Terns breeding in 1978-1980 all along the coast from 105km north-
east of Mogadishu to 37km southwest, and also at Brava. He also saw c. 100
pairs of White-cheeked Terns with eggs on 22 September 1979 on a small islet
at 37km north of Ras Kiamboni (1°39'S, 41°37'E), where there were also 20
Roseate Terns present; on the following day there were many White-cheeked
Terns, probably breeding, on one islet at 20km northeast of Ras Kiamboni,
and c. 50 Roseate Terns on another islet at 5km northeast. On the first of
these islets there were also many small dark feathers suggesting that Sooty
Terns or Noddies may also breed in the Baijun archipelago. There were also
many Sooty Terns over Chimoni Is. (0°21'S, 42°31'E) off Kismayu on 6 October
1978, and over an island off Ras Kiamboni on 19 September 1979, but these
could only be viewed from the mainland. It is very probable that terns breed
or attempt to breed on many islands off the Somalia coast, particularly in
the Baijun, but these still await investigation.

THE MOGADISHU ISLETS
There are four smalI islets south of Mogadishu, all of which can be reached
by wading at low tide. At their highest points they are only 4.5 - 7.0m
above low water mark.

a) ‘list Mosque Is." at Gezira (1°56'N, 45°11'E), 23km southwest of Mogadishu.
This island has a small mosque, and is not used by terns.

b) ‘North Is.' (1°55'N, 45°05'E), 32km southwest of Mogadishu, 78m xX 23m,
and 170m offshore. About half the island is bare sea-eroded coral rock, the
other half having a sparse covering of coarse grass Sporobolus virginicus.

c) '2nd Mosque Is.' lies only 13m south of North Is., 17im xX 41m, and has a
small mosque at its highest point. Much of this island is covered with a low
Suaeda, mostly less than 1.4m high, but there are also areas of coarse grass

Scopus 5: 22-27, March 1981

Terns breeding in southern Somalia 23

and bare rock.

da) Buntapsi Is. (1°58'N, 45°04'E), 35km southwest of Mogadishu, 55m x 25m,
and 180m offshore, and is mainly (95 per cent) covered with Sporobolus.

HISTORY OF ATTEMPTED BREEDING IN 1979

22 June: Buntapsi Is.: many Roseate Terns seen from mainland, and thought to
be breeding.

26 June: Buntapsi Is.: hundreds of eggs said to have been taken by local
people today.

29 June: Buntapsi Is.: c. 600 Roseate Terns present; three local boys removed
100 eggs.

30 June: 2nd Mosque Is.: local people reported hundreds of terns breeding.

13 July: 2nd Mosque Is.: c. 600 Roseate Terns, apparently breeding, seen from
mainland. No terns present at Buntapsi Is.

25 August: Buntapsi Is.: 300+ Roseate Terns present, probably breeding.

During these observations the other species of terns present included a few
Lesser Crested and Crested Terns on Buntapsi, where there were four Sooty
Terns on 26 June. There were usually up to five Bridled Terns on Buntapsi in
June and August, and on 2nd Mosque Is., in July. There were over 100 Lesser
Noddies on Buntapsi Is. on the first visit on 22 June, increasing to 400 on
29 June, and 400 again on 2nd Mosque Is. on 10 July, when the Roseate Terns
returned to breed there; they then returned to Buntapsi Is. with the Roseate
Terns, for there were 120 there on 25 August (Ash 1980). Noddies arrived on
the scene later, when there were over 300 on Buntapsi Is. on 24 August.

HISTORY OF BREEDING IN 1980
Roseate Terns began to return to the Mogadishu area in numbers in mid April.

30 May: at Buntapsi Is. there were over 200 adults displaying on the mainland
beach opposite the island, and 400-500 roosted on North Is. that evening.

6 June: no terns on Buntapsi Is. but c. 1000 Roseate Terns on North Is., of
which some probably had nests.

7 June: 1642 Roseate Terns were counted flying south past a headland near
ist Mosque Is.

8 June: c. 1000 Roseate Terns on North Is. A camp for two guards was estab-
lished on the mainland opposite the island.

13 June: c. 1000 Roseate Terns had now moved on to 2nd Mosque Is., where they
had just begun to lay. A Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis made three
crossings to the island and removed an egg each time, but only after
considerable time spent in searching.

16 June: all the birds left 2nd Mosque Is. at 07:00 and moved to Buntapsi
Is., where there were also four Sooty Terns.

27 June: Buntapsi Is.: many nests with 1 egg only. Local people claimed to
be removing eggs (guards still at 2nd Mosque Is.); nine Sooty Terns present,
confined to small area in centre of colony.

4 July: Buntapsi Is.: c. 800 Roseate Terns - many on nests all over island.
Seven Sooty Terns present, of which one appeared to be incubating.

1i July: Buntapsi Is.: c. 2000 Roseate Terns, and at least 500 nests, all with
C/1 or C/2, except one with C/3. Fourteen Sooty Tern nests each with C/1.

17 July: Buntapsi Is.: the northern half of the island completely deserted.
Eleven Sooty Terns counted.

25 July: Buntapsi Is.: Roseate Terns just hatching, but most still with eggs.
Eggs present in the deserted part of the colony. Seventeen Sooty Terns there.

1 August: Buntapsi Is.: probably over half the Roseate Terns had hatched, but

24 Terns breeding in southern Somalia

there were more dead than live chicks in all stcges from newly hatched to
well feathered (so some presumably hatched before 25 July). At least 12
Sooty Terns present, with one hatched egg and others with C/1.

10 August: North Is.: the guards reported that large numbers of Roseate Terns
with some Sooty Terns returned to this island today.

12 August: Buntapsi Is.: the young Roseate Terns were now at the flapping
stage (one had reached the mainland beach where it was very agile); only
20 young could be seen on the island through a telescope, and it was
considered that not more than 50 had survived. The, whole island was littered
with dead young in all stages of development, and the hundreds of nests in
the deserted half of the colony mainly contained C/2. There were 11 adult
Sooty Terns on the island and the single pullus was ringed, but 19 other
single egg clutches were deserted and contained dead embryos at various
stages from mid incubation to chipping. At this date it was considered that
heavy sea-spray at night was a possible cause for the desertion of eggs by
both species, and possibly also for the dead young.

12 August: North Is.: c. 1500 Roseate Terns and at least 20 Sooty Terns.

14 August: North Is.: terns present but not incubating.

19 August: Buntapsi Is.: c. 100 Roseate Terns present, but not breeding.
Recommended that guards return to North Is. site.

9 September: North Is.: several hundred Roseate Terns and about ten Sooty
Terns, but only a few of the former attending nests. Most of the birds had
now transferred to 2nd Mosque Is., where they were apparently not breeding.

10 September: Gezira: two juvenile Roseate Terns seen, presumably of local
origin.

12 September: North Is.: c. 20 Roseate Terns' nests, only one with C/3, but
most chipping or with small chicks near nests. According to local people
they had been removing eggs daily from this island in spite of the presence
of guards. No Sooty Terns here or on 2nd Mosque Is.

12 September: Buntapsi Is.: over 1000 adult Roseate Terns and at least three
juveniles (presumably locally bred). Nine adult Sooty Terns and the ringed
juvenile almost flying.

28 November: no terns on any islands.

During the 1980 breeding season small numbers of both Lesser Crested and
Crested Terns visited the colonies, of particular interest in June being
several, up to ten in a day, S. bergii thalassina, the southern race of the
Crested Tern, not previously recorded in Somalia. A few Bridled Terns usually
present but never more than six, at all the colonies. This year noddies were
present throughout the breeding season, reaching a peak of about 50 on 13
June, but the Lesser Noddy, although present throughout the period, was in
much smaller numbers than in 1979, reaching a peak of 100 + 5 on 4 July..

BILL COLOURATION OF ROSEATE TERNS

North (1944) noted that in June the bills of Roseate Terns at Brava were all-
black, but in August they were red with dark tips (apical 1.5mm brown,
remainder bright red, in one bird collected on 12 August). Warman (1979)
described the change in bill colour of adult Roseate Terns S. dougallii aride-
ensis through the breeding season on Aride Is., Seychelles. This race demon-
strates a change in colour from an all-black bill prior to breeding to an all-
red bill at the end of the cycle, the red colouration first appearing at the
base. The Somalia birds show similar stages of development, although the apical
one-third always remains black in this, the nominate race. In May and June
practically all the adult Roseate Terns had all-black bills, although from
about the middle of June an increasing number were showing traces of red at
the base of the bills. On 4 July about half of c. 800 Roseate Terns checked

Terns breeding in southern Somalia 25

at the colony had bills which were about half and half red and black, and by
29 July practically all had red bills with only the tip black. No Roseate
Terns were seen with all-red bills. An anomalous bird on 24 April had a black-
tipped red bill like the July birds, but this is an exceptional condition at
this time of the year in this area.

BREEDING SEASONS IN INDIAN OCEAN

The breeding season on Aride Is. is given as 22 April - 18 August by Warman
(1979) for the race arideensis of the Roseate Tern. In Kenya nominate birds
breed late July to early September (Britton 1980), whereas the same race in
Somalia starts to breed between these periods, from 30 May - early October
(although the picture is distorted here owing to disturbance at the colonies).
However, the timing of events in the Somalia colonies follows closely that on
Aride, but c. 30 days later, as can be seen in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Breeding and bill colour stages in Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii
in Somalia and Seychelles
eS 2 re SS EE SS ae ST esos

Stage of breeding Aride Difference
and bill colour (Seychelles) Somalia (in days)
Colonies occupied 7 May 6 June 30
First few eggs 12 May 13 June 32
Trace of red at bill base 12 May 13 June 32
Most with proximal 4 of

bills red 6 June 4 July 28
First eggs hatched c. 17 June c. 18 July 31
First flying young 14 July 12 August 2a

BREEDING FAILURES

Dr W.R.P. Bourne (in litt., 26 July 1980) has pointed out that Atlantic
populations of Roseate Terns have been suffering from inexplicable breeding
failures, so that their numbers are now at a very low level. It is tempting to
suggest that breeding failures in Somalia may be attributable to the same
cause or causes, whatever they may be, but in both 1979 and 1980 failures were
almost certainly caused by two factors: egg removal by man, and drenching by
spray from high seas. In 1979, desertion in June and August at Buntapsi Is.,
and in July at 2nd Mosque Is. could be attributed to egg-removal, which was
known to be occurring. In 1980, the Roseate Terns moved in June from North Is.,
where they were probably breeding, to the adjoining 2nd Mosque Is., where they
certainly laid eggs. They then moved again after a few days, to lay again on
Buntapsi Is. at the end of June, where they suffered from egg-removal by man.
Later they received protection here from egg-removal, but apparently suffered
heavy loss of eggs and young from drenching spray (possibly at night). It may
have been these unsuccessful birds which then returned to North Is. in August,
where they again lost eggs, apparently to man, and most moved to 2nd Mosque Is.,
but apparently did not breed. Owing to lack of observers we have no records
after 12 September.

Warman (1979) referred to two species of Mabuya skinks being egg-predators
on Aride, and mentioned the possible effects of the ticks Amblyomma loculosum
and their associated arbovirus on young birds. At the Somalia colonies, a
skink lives commonly just above the waterline on all the colony islets, but
is too small to break a tern's egg and there was no suspicion that they might

26 Terns breeding in southern Somalia

be doing so. All the colonies were searched in the usual sites for resting
ticks but none was found.

Brown-necked Ravens are very common on the mainland opposite the colonies,
but on only one day was a single bird seen, which removed an egg each time on
three sorties to the island and flew back to the mainland each time to eat
them. Often ravens flew along the shore close to Buntapsi Is., but made no
attempt to cross the narrow strip of water.

The restless behaviour of these terns may have been due to disturbance by
sea and man, or possibly it may be a characteristic of new colonizers.

CONSERVATION

Unfortunately there is no clear evidence as to the exact cause of the
relatively poor breeding success, although egg-removal by local people was
clearly an important contributory cause, which could be controlled. If egg
desertion and chick mortality are caused by breaking waves, then it is point-
less to attempt to conserve these colonies, but another season with close
observation by a trained observer is required to prove this point.

Roseate Terns are vulnerable birds, and their decrease in the Atlantic gives
cause for concern. In the Indian Ocean, the situation is clearly much better,
and with improved conservation, such as on Aride, the position may be better
now than it has been for a long time. Nevertheless, a conservation effort is
worthwhile in Somalia, where it is a relatively simple operation, for a large
colony of sea-birds close to the capital city is of educational, touristic
and scientific interest. The following recommendations are made if it is
decided to give full protection to the birds if they return in 1981:

1. Guards should be placed near the colonies as soon as the birds arrive.
They require reasonable living accomodation and protection from the heat
and strong winds, and adequate food and water.

2. One person with biological training should visit the site(s) at least
one day per week and preferably be present all the time.

3. The guards need to be educated in the reasons for protecting the birds.
4. The local people need to be instructed in the purpose of conservation,
and consideration might be given to them being permitted to harvest the
first crop of eggs.

5. The co-operation of local sheikhs might be sought to provide a religious
reason for protecting the birds.

6. Nobody except the biologist should ever visit an islet after it has been
colonized.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We extend our best thanks to: Yusef Mohamed Ahemed, Director of the Wild
Life Department, who organized the placing and welfare of the guards; Mohamed
Ibrahim and Husein Elmi, also of the Wild Life Department, who provided
valuable assistance; and Mrs J.W. Ash for identifying plant material.

REFERENCES
ARCHER, G. & GODMAN, E.M. 1937. The birds of British Somaliland and the Gulf
of Aden. London & Edinburgh: Gurney & Jackson.

ASH, J.S. 1980. Common and Lesser Noddy Anous stolidus and A. tenuirostris
in Somalia. Scopus 4: 6-9.

HEUGLIN, Th. von. 1869-1874. Ornithologie Nordost-Afrikas, der Nilquellen-
und Kusten-Gebiete des Rothen Meeres und des nordlichen Somal-Landes.
Cassel: Fischer.

Terns breeding in southern Somalia 9)

NORTH, M.E.W. 1944. Notes on the sea-birds of Brava. Journal of the East Africa
Natural History Society 18: 32-40.
1946. Mait Island - a bird rock in the Gulf of Aden. Ibis 88:

478-501.

WARMAN, S.R. 1979. The Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii arideensis on Aride
Island, Seychelles. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 99: 124-

128.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, DC 20560, U.S.A. and A.A. Karani, National Range
Agency, Box 639, Mogadishu, Somalia

(Received 20 February 1981)

THE LESLIE BROWN TRUST FUND

At the close of the 5th Pan African Ornithological Congress held at Lilongwe
it was unanimously decided to set up a Leslie Brown Trust Fund for ornithological

research in Africa.

But for his untimely death, Leslie would have been one of the Vice-Chairmen
at Lilongwe, and, as such, it is hoped that a fund of this nature will stim-
ulate and encourage others to emulate Leslie's ideals and aspirations in the
field of ornithological research.

A sizeable amount has already been raised, but before such a fund can become

Operational, many more contributions are needed. All contributions, no matter
how small, or in what currency, are welcomed and will, of course, be acknowl-

edged.
Please send your contribution to:

The Leslie Brown Trust Fund,
c/o Box 24916,
Nairobi, Kenya.
All cheques, bank drafts and transfers should be made payable to The Leslie
Brown Trust Fund.

28 Ngulia 1980/81

RINGING AND MIGRATION AT NGULIA, TSAVO,
NOVEMBER 1980 - JANUARY 1981
G.C. Backhurst & D.J. Pearson

During 1980/81, Ngulia Lodge was manned on 40 nights over the main period of
southward migration of Palaearctic passerines. On 20 of these nights, moonless
conditions combined with mist resulted in large concentrations of birds around
the lights. Coverage, and incidence of misty weather, were thus much as in
1979 but the Palaearctic ringing total was only slightly over half that of the
previous season (Backhurst & Pearson 1980). This was due to two factors:
firstly a full moon late in November coincided with the migration peak, and
secondly, a limited number of experienced operators was present on most of
those occasions when large falls did occur early in December.

No new Palaearctic species was caught during the season, although three
migrants new to Ngulia at this time of year - Sooty Falcon Falco concolor,
Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor and White Wagtail Motacilla alba - were seen.
This year was notable for the number and variety of nightjars caught, for the
totals of Spotted Flycatcher, Nightingale and Basra Reed Warbler ringed, and
for the number of Little Bitterns recorded. Totals of Palaearctic birds ringed
at Ngulia during October - February are shown in Table 1 for 1980/81 and for
the whole period of operations at the Lodge, 1969/81; scientific names are
given in the table.

Coverage in November 1980 was complete from 2nd until i7th, when a growing
moon intervened. Unfortunately, up to 12th, productive weather conditions
occurred on only two nights. Mist with light showers on 7th, and then con-
tinuous mist from midnight to dawn on 8th, resulted in catches of 274 and’ 400
migrants respectively, in which Whitethroat was the main species although
Spotted Flycatchers, Nightingales, Rufous Bush Chats, Eurasian Nightjars and
Olive-tree Warblers featured prominently. The nights of 13-17 November were
all productive to some extent, but with changeable weather conditions catches
differed greatly from night to night. Thus, 733 birds on 14th after a dry
night with continuous low mist, were followed by a mere 112 on 15th after the
heaviest rain (c. 80mm in 24h, mostly at night) recorded at the Lodge for
Many years, and then 245 on 16th almost all arriving in mist and drizzle
between 04:15 and 05:00hrs. This mid November period produced a record daily
catch of Nightingales (26 on 14th), good numbers of Eurasian Nightjars,
including examples of the central Asian race plumipes, the first River Warblers
of the season and a variety of shrikes, including an adult male Red-tailed
with the characters of the central Asian race speculigerus (see Pearson 1979).
The generally heavy rain was presumably responsible for unusual numbers of
Eurasian Rollers and birds of prey in the Ngulia area during mid November.
Over 1000 Rollers were counted passing south to the west of the ridge during
less than 20min on the afternoon of 14th. Two Eleonora's Falcons, three Sooty
Falcons, 21 Eastern Red-footed Falcons Falco amurensis and a few Hobbies
F. subbuteo were identified; in addition, some 20 more 'probable' Sooties
were seen, and a group of 40 small falcons flying high up the valley in the
mist on 16th were probably Eastern Red-footed. Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila
pomerina and Steppe Eagles A. nipalensis were both common, feeding on termites
along the Park roads.

Over the period 30 November - 15 December mist, with or without rain, brought
birds to the lights on all but three nights. The species composition of the
early December catch, which totalled over 5000 Palaearctic birds, was typical
of that normally found at this stage of the season, with less variety than in

Scopus 5: 28-30, March 1981

Ngulia 1980/81 29

TABLE 1

Numbers of Palaearctic night migrants ringed at Ngulia Safari Lodge
between October and February in the years 1969-1981

Species 1980/81 %* 1969/81
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus 1 - 3
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus 41 202 203
Eurasian Roller Coracias garrulus 3 120 25
Eurasian Swallow Hirundo rustica (at night) 33 334 4142
Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus 2 200 11
Rufous Bush Chat Cercotrichas galactotes 126 191 667
Irania Irania gutturalis 106 90 1056
Sprosser Luscinia luscinia 1484 141 10 008
Nightingale L. megarhynchos v2 AGT, 393
Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis 15 174 85
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina 10 LST 61
Northern Wheatear O. oenanthe 11 157 67
Pied Wheatear O. pleschanka 5 148 32
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus 4 152 25
Basra Reed Warbler A. griseldis 93 224 427
Marsh Warbler A. palustris 2178 118 L7..057
Sedge Warbler A. schoenobaenus 8 156 59
Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus 4 63 56
Upcher's Warbler Hippolais languida 9 37 207
Olive-tree Warbler H. olivetorum 46 182 dee S
Olivaceous Warbler H. pallida 44 144 291
River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis 2t5 106 1859
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 123 So 882
Garden Warbler Sylvia borin ay, 38 383
Whitethroat S. communis 2246 138 15 411
Barred Warbler S.nisoria 25 51 421
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 190 287 550
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis 1 = 17
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio 85 114 685
Red-tailed Shrike L. isabellinus 52 84 554
Hybrid collurio x isabellinus 3 = 7
Total ringed f254 51 937

*The 1980/81 total expressed as a percentage of the 1972/80 mean for each species

Totals of species ringed in previous seasons but not in 1980/81 are as follows:
Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae 1, Corncrake Crex crex 6, Spotted Crake
Porzana porzana 1, Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 2, Lesser Cuckoo C. polio-
cephalus 1, Scops Owl Otus scops 1, Sand Martin Riparia riparia 5, Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurus 1, Whinchat Saxicola rubetra 2, Icterine Warbler
Hippolais icterina 1, Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides 1, Wood Warbler
Phylloscopus sibilatrix 1, Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 45 and Yellow Wag-

tail Motacilla flava 3.

mid November, and only very small numbers of Nightingales, Rufous Bush Chats
and Eurasian Nightjars, for example. Basra Reed Warblers were prominent in
the catch on most days. Little Bitterns were regularly heard at night, and on
7th, when several groups (including one of eight) had passed in the mist, a
Single bird of the nominate race was caught, whilst two others bounced from

30 Ngulia 1980/81

nets. Aquila passage was much reduced during December, and falcons were hardly
seen.

During the period 28 December - 3 January there was a marked absence of mist
at night and consequently, few birds were attracted to the lights. However, the
bush south of the Lodge was lush and provided a rich habitat for a number of
warblers, some of which had been in the area for up to three weeks previously.
Two Reed Warblers caught on the afternoon of 28th were both in active wing
moult as were some of the retrapped Whitethroats. The small total of 146
migrants caught during the period comprised mostly Whitethroats and Marsh
Warblers; the two late migrants, the Garden Warbler and Upcher's Warbler,
were poorly represented while the Blackcap was not recorded at all.

Afrotropical region migrants occur at Ngulia in small numbers during the
southward Palaearctic movement (Backhurst & Pearson 1977): Black and White
Cuckoos Clamator jacobinus, Harlequin Quails Coturnix delegorguei and five
species of nightjar formed the majority of the Afrotropical birds. Other species
of interest were: a Green-backed Heron Butorides striatus at the end of Decem-
ber, a Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii early in the month, several Button
Quails Turnix sylvatica (December and January), a Black Cuckoo Shrike Campeph-
aga flava in mid November, a juvenile Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae in
early November, an African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus at the end of
December and occasional Golden Pipits Tmetothylacus tenellus throughout.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Mr Bill Woodley, the Warden of Tsavo National Park (West), for
allowing us te ring in the Park. The Lodge Manager, Mr Roger Chambers and his
wife Jan gave us every assistance - we cannot thank them enough for all they
did. We should also like to thank especially Mrs A.M. Forbes-Watson, Mrs D.E.G.
Backhurst, Mrs J. Dirks and L. Bennon. Thanks are also due to J. Halliday,
A.D. Lewis, P.L. & Mrs H.A. Britton, M.A.C. Coverdale, T. & Mrs D. Mathews,
A.E. Butterworth, Mrs B. Couldrey, Mrs M. Gross and members of the EANHS who
helped with operations on 6 and 7 December.

REFERENCES
BACKHURST, G.C. & PEARSON, D.J. 1977. Ethiopian region birds attracted to the
lights of Ngulia Safari Lodge, Kenya. Scopus 1: 98-103.

1980. Southward migration at Ngulia, Tsavo,
Kenya 1979/80. Scopus 4: 14-20.

PEARSON, D.J. 1979. The races of the Red-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus
occurring in East Africa. Scopus 3: 74-78.

G.C. Backhurst, Box 24702, Nairobi and D.J. Pearson, Box 30197, Nairobi.

(Received 15 January 1981)

oe

THE AFROTROPICAL REGION

The Ornithological Sub-Committee would like to mention that it has been
swayed by the arguments of Benson et al. (1979) in Ibis 121: 518, and intends
to use the term Afrotropical Region in place of Ethiopian Region. Ed.

Short communications 4

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

WILSON'S STORM PETREL OCEANITES OCEANICUS IN KENYA On 6 April 1980, some 3km
off Malindi, I watched a Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanicus through x10 binoculars
for at least 2min. When disturbed by the boat at about 20m range, it was
immediately recognizable as one of the small, dark-bodied, white-rumped storm
petrels. The tail was virtually square (appearing very slightly cleft in the
centre), the wings were all-dark below and only slightly angled at the carpal
joint, and the legs were long, projecting beyond the tail. Most texts stress
that the webs of the feet of this species are yellow. The webs of this bird
were apparently dark, as was the case with several individuals I observed in
the South Atlantic in January 1968. In fact, the photographs and text of
Boswall (1979) show that web colour is séldom a useful field character. Long
legs, projecting beyond the tail, combined with other features such as tail
shape and wing shape, allow Wilson's Storm Petrel to be identified with
certainty if a reasonable view is obtained. In contrast, a bird which I saw
off Watamu on 23 April 1978, most probably Leach's Storm Petrel Oceanodroma
leucorhoa (E.A. Bird Report 1978), had a slightly forked tail, markedly angled
wings, and legs short (apparently concealed beneath the tail).

Britton (1980) refrained from admitting Wilson's Storm Petrel to the East
African avifauna, despite the liklihood that most of the small storm petrels
seen annually in our waters are this species (rather than Leach's Storm Petrel,
for which there is, however, one specimen record from Kenya). These earlier
sightings, often involving several individuals on several dates, were made by
fishing enthusiasts without the benefit of binoculars or a knowledge of
critical field characters.

Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1957), Penny (1974) and others have considered it
likely that the Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus occurs off the coasts of
eastern Africa. White (1965), on the other hand, noted that, although the
species is common off the Cape Province of South Africa during November to
May, there is no proper record of the Storm Petrel from the Indian Ocean or
the Red Sea. In response to Penny's comments, Feare & Bourne (1978) have
established that there is no specimen of the Storm Petrel north of its
accepted winter quarters off South Africa, whereas a large series of the
superficially similar Wilson's Storm Petrel has now been collected all round
the Indian Ocean.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Major R. and Mrs L. Didham for inviting me as a passenger
on the Lallie Lee on 6 April 1980.

REFERENCES
BOSWALL, J. 1979. Flight characters of Wilson's Petrel. British Birds 72:330-4.

E.A. BIRD REPORT 1978. Scopus 2: 105-144.

FEARE, C.J. & BOURNE, W.R.P. 1978. The occurrence of 'portlandica' Little
Terns and absence of Damara Terns and British Storm Petrels in the Indian
Ocean. Ostrich 49: 64-66.

PENNY, M. 1974. The birds of Seychelles and the outlying islands. London: Collins.
WHITE, C.M.N. 1965. A revised check list of African Non-Passerine birds.

Lusaka: Government Printer.
P.L. Britton, Box 90163, Mombasa Received 17 February 1981
Scopus 5: 31, March 1981

32 Short communications

THE DUNLIN CALIDRIS ALPINA IN ETHIOPIA AND SOMALIA The confusing situation
regarding occurrences of Dunlins Calidris alpina in East Africa, clarified by
Backhurst et al. (1973), prompted us to review records of the species in Ethi-
opia and Somalia. It now appears that there are three acceptable records, all
inland, from Uganda and Kenya (Britton 1980), none from Tanzania, and that it
is therefore a rare vagrant to East Africa. It is reported from as far south
as South Africa (McLachlan & Liversidge 1980), but Dowsett (1980) is sceptical
of all records south of the equator. However, those from Rwenzori and Nakuru,
accepted in Britton (1980), are actually just south of the equator.

On the Red Sea coast of Eritrea Dunlins are stated to be regular in small
numbers on coastal mudflats in winter (Smith 1957). This is confirmed by Ash
from mid winter visits to the Massawa (15°37'N, 39°28'E) and Assab (13°0i'N,
42°43'E) areas where the following birds were seen:

Assab area: 25 December 1970 - 1 January 1971. Not very common;
maximum 30 in one locality, and small numbers elsewhere. On 24-30
December 1973 there were a scattered few.

Massawa area: 26-28 December 1972. Up to 15 in a day.

However, elsewhere the species is obviously of only very rare occurrence at a
few inland sites. In the years 1969-1977, Ash saw Dunlins only four times
inland:

Akaki (8°52'N, 38°08'E), 3 on 18 November 1969.

Koka (8°27'N, 39°06'E), 1 on 16-17 December and 2 on 18-21 December
1970; 1 on 3 and 6 March 1973.

Langano (7°35'N, 38°45'E), 1 adult in partial breeding plumage on
24-25 August 1974.

There are six other inland records listed in the collection of data being used
in preparing distribution maps for Ethiopia. Three of these are from Eritrea
(E. Johnson and K.D. Smith, pers. comm., but no details), one from Lake Basaaka
(8°53'N, 39°53'E) in May 1969, one at Lake Langano (A. Vittery, pers. comm.),
and one from Lake Tana (Moltoni & Ruscone 1944). In addition, Mann (1971) saw
three at sea among the Dahlac Islands on 3 September 1962. We believe that all
these are acceptable records.

Dunlins have only been recorded in 14 of the % x 4k-degree squares used in
the Ethiopian distribution maps (Ash & McConnel 1975) as follows: 7A, 11AD,
12ACD, 26CD, 34B, 35A, 69B, 7OBC and 83B.

There are at least five records of 1-2 birds from Somalia, as follows:

Berbera (10°26'N, 45°02'E), 1 male collected, no date (Elliott 1897),
a record overlooked by Archer & Godman (1937).

Berbera, 1 male collected 27 November, year not given (Archer & Godman
1937).

Shonde (1°10'N, 42°33'E), one with a few black feathers on belly,
27 February 1980 (authors' pers. obs.). Inland locality.

Gezira lagoon (1°57'N, 45°11'E), one in full breeding plumage,
1 April 1980 (authors' pers. obs.); 1 in winter plumage 10 December
1980 and 2 between 13 December 1980 and 10 January 1981 (Ash pers. obs.).

These records are placed in three of the 4 x 4-degree squares of the Somalia
distribution maps: 11C, 66D and.69A (Ash & Miskell in prep.).

In conclusion, in Ethiopia Dunlins are fairly common on the coast south to
Assab, but are rare inland. They are apparently unknown in Djibouti, where

Short communications 33

Ash saw none in a detailed survey on 24-27 December 1975. Further south, in
Somalia, there are only five records of 1-2 birds, two on the coast in the
north and two on the coast and one inland in the south. It appears that the
regular wintering area in northeastern Africa does not extend south of a line
through Aden and Assab. South of this line the bird occurs irregularly as

a vagrant.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank Peter Hay, Brother Edmond Johnson, C.F. Mann, the late K.D. Smith
and Alan Vittery for providing information on Dunlins in Ethiopia.

REFERENCES
ARCHER, G.F. & GODMAN, E.M. 1937. The birds of British Somaliland and the
Gulf of Aden. Vol. 2. London & Edinburgh: Gurney & Jackson.

ASH, J.S. & MISKELL, J.E. (in prep.). An atlas of bird distribution in Somalia.

& McCONNEL, E. 1975. A biological distribution map for Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Medical Journal 13: 37-39.

DOWSETT, R.J. 1980. The migration of coastal waders from the Palaearctic
across Africa. Le Gerfaut 70: 3-35.

ELLIOTT, D.G. 1897. Catalogue of a collection of birds obtained by the recent
expedition into Somali-land, authorised and equipped by the Field Columbian
Museum, with descriptions of new species. Field Columbian Museum, Publication
17, Ornithological Series 1(2): 29-67.

MANN, C.F. 1971. Migration in the Dahlac Archipelago and the neighbouring
mainland of Ethiopia, autumn 1962. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’
Club 91: 41-46.

McLACHLAN, G.R. & LIVERSIDGE, R. 1980. Roberts birds of South Africa. Cape
Town: Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund.

MOLTONI, E. & RUSCONE, G.G. 1944. Gli uccelli dell'Africa Orientale Italiana.
Vol. 3. Milano.

SMITH, K.D. 1957. An annotated check list of the birds of Eritrea. Ibis 99:
1-26, 307-337.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A. and J.E. Miskell, c/o UNDP, Box 24,
Mogadishu, Somalia. Received 20 February 1981.

Scopus 5: 32-33, March 1981

NOTES FROM THE RWENZORI MOUNTAINS, INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF THE NEST AND EGGS
OF ARCHER'S GROUND ROBIN DRYOCICHLOIDES ARCHERI During early January 1959, I
visited the Rwenzoris in western Uganda as one of a party from Rhodesia (now
Zimbabwe) . Recollections are a little hazy, but my few observations and speci-
mens include some items of interest. All species noted above about 4000m are
mentioned, even if no proper identification was made. Most were in the vicinity
of Bujuku Lake and Kitandara, but we reached the Stanley glacier and the summit
of Mount Speke.

Buteo tachardus Mountain Buzzard

A pair of dull brown buzzards with a nest on the southern side of the eastern
approaches to the Stuhlmann Pass, about two-thirds of the way up from the
Bujuku huts, was evidently this species. In East Africa as a whole, Britton
(1980) records it as high as 3800m.

34 Short communications

[Sarothrura affinis Chestnut-tailed Pygmy Crake

I have no proper notes on 'some crake-like birds flushed by a porter near
Bujuku Lake'. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile noting the possibility that they
were this species, which has a discountinuous and relict distribution (essent-
ially montane) in eastern and southern Africa. Keith, Benson & Irwin (1970)
state that it 'doubtless remains to be discovered in many further localities,
especially in Tanzania’.

Schoutedenapus myoptilus Scarce Swift
A dead bird picked up in the snows of the glacier atop Mount Speke. A number
of unidentified swifts were noted elsewhere.

[Corvus albicollis White-necked Raven
A ‘couple of ravens' weze noted.

Dryocichloides archeri Archer's Ground Robin

On 17 January one parent and two well set eggs were collected from a grove of
5-m tall senecios about 100m upstream from the top lake at Kitandara. Accord-
to Brown & Britton (1980) the nest and eggs are still undescribed.

The nest was a neat cup of rootlets and tendrils let into a depression about
1.2m up on the side of a great mass of moss that clung to the trunck of one of
the senecios. There was no outer bulk to the nest as the moss itself provided
the support for the cup. When taken, the eggs were a pale blue, freckled with
a few small insipid brown spots, mostly about the middle and towards the top,
but not forming any distinct ring of markings. They measured 24.4 x 15.7 and
23.5. 16. Oaum:.

Bradypterus cinnamomeus Cinnamon Bracken Warbler

This was the most numerous species. To my ear, its simple, slightly protracted
seee call was significantly different from those of the three Bradypterus spp.
(baboecala, barratti, sylvaticus) familiar to me in southern Africa. A nest
near Nyamleju on 9 January had two slightly incubated eggs, but each of the
several other nests found was empty. All were bulky structures of straw, leaves
and fern fronds, in tangles against the truncks of senecios, with a neat cup
lined with fine dry grasses.

[Phylloscopus umbrovirens Brown Woodland Warbler
A small warbler seen was probably this species.

[Onychognathus tenuirostris Slender-billed Chestnut-winged Starling
Some red-winged starlings seen were presumably this species.

Nectarinia johnstoni Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird

We paid particular attention to this common species and found a dozen or more
nests. Apart from a single egg on the point of hatching, all nests were empty.
Some nests were tucked into the dead growth under the green leaves at the top
of big senecios, while others hung in more typically sunbird fashion from the
trailing end of creepers or branches. The occupied nest was built into the
leaves and twigs of an upright sprig of tree heath where it was well supported
by the surrounding growth. One nest was almost snow white, having apparently
been built very largely of the downy material from the underside of the
petioles of the senecios. This material was usually used for lining alone.

Serinus striolatus Streaky Seed-eater
This was another common species, though only one nest was found (C/2).

REFERENCE
KEITH, S., BENSON, C.W. & IRWIN, M.P.S. 1970. The genus Sarothrura (Aves,
Rallidae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 143: 1-84.

A.N.B. Masterson, Box 2093, Salisbury, Zimbabwe Received 16 November 1980
Scopus 5: 33-34, March 1981

‘Short communications 35

DESERT WHEATEARS OENANTHE DESERTI IN ETHIOPIA AND SOMALIA Desert Wheatears
Oenanthe deserti overwinter in parts of Ethiopia and Somalia, but the limits
of their distribution are not well known. They are said to be common in NE
Ethiopia (Urban & Brown 1971) and in (ex-British) Somaliland, "but it does not
penetrate as far south as the Equator" (Archer & Godman 1961). White (1962)
states that it winters in both countries (two races), but according to Moreau
(1972) only one race is involved. There are no certain records further south
in Kenya and Uganda (Britton 1980).

DISTRIBUTION IN ETHIOPIA

The species occurs mainly in the sandy coastal plains of Eritrea, where it is
also found in the west of the country up to 1300m in open acacia country
(Moreau 1972). Further south I found it to be regular in small numbers in the
Awash valley in the Danakil north of 10°30'N and in the area round the Djibouti
and Somali borders to 10°N. There are a few scattered records outside this
area: a male collected and identified by Patrizi (?1941) at Addis Ababa (and
thus at about 2300m); it is included in Hay's (1969) list of the birds of the
Awash National Park as a winter visitor; and another from an area just north
of the Park from a plot on my unpublished distribution maps, but I do not have
a note of the original reference.

DISTRIBUTION IN SOMALIA

In northern (ex-British) Somalia, where it occurs in great numbers, the maj-
ority are on the coastal plain, but they also occur on the central plateau up
to 240km from the sea (Archer & Godman 1961). However, further east and south
I have not been able to trace any records at all in ex-Italian Somaliland,
although presumably it should be as common in the north as it is further to
the west, for it also occurs on Socotra. In the past two winters I have found
several birds in the Mogadishu area, which opens up the possibility that
probably they occur further north throughout coastal Somalia. As these birds,
all males, extend the known wintering range by some 1000km southwards, they
are recorded below in detail:

Hal Hambo (1°54'N, 45°05'E), 32km southwest of Mogadishu, 1 on
14 and 21 December 1979.

Mallable (2°12'N, 45°37'E), 35km northeast of Mogadishu, 1 on
11 January 1980.

Buntapsi (1°53'N, 45°04'E), 34km southwest of Mogadishu, 1 on
8 February 1980.

near Gezira (1°57'N, 45°11'E), 21km southwest of Mogadishu,
1 on 15 February 1980.

12km northeast of Mogadishu (2°05'N, 45°26'E), 1 on 16 February 1980.
Gezira, 2 on 10 January 1981.

SUBSPECIES

Desert Wheatears have been separated into four races, nominate, atrogularis,
oreophilus and homochroa. According to Moreau (1972) deserti and homochroa
are mainly sedentary in the northern part of the desert belt, oreophilus
winters in Iran and Arabia and atrogularis winters from India westwards to
Lake Chad. Birds in Ethiopia and Somalia therefore should be atrogularis.
However, White (1962) lists deserti only for Ethiopia and British Somaliland,
atrogularis for Somaliland [sic] and oreophila [sic] for southern Arabia and
Socotra. Urban & Brown (1971) follow White in listing only deserti for Ethio-
pia, and Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1960) and Archer & Godman (1961) also agree

36 Short communications

in listing only deserti. It would thus be of interest to know the basis for
White's inclusion of atrogularis in Somalia. I was impressed by the brownish-
buff colouration of the upperparts of the birds I saw in southern Somalia,
appearing appreciably darker than the birds (deserti) that I know well in
Ethiopia and North Africa. Presumably they are either oreophilus or atrogularis,
the former being more likely, but a specimen is needed to settle the question.

DATES

Smith (1957) states that birds are present in Eritrea from the last week of
September to the end of March; Archer & Godman's extreme dates are 20 Sept-
ember - 17 March. My own for these countries fall within these periods.

REFERENCES
ARCHER, G. & GODMAN, E.M. 1961. The birds of British Somaliland and the Gulf
of Aden. Vol. 4. Edinburgh & London: Oliver & Boyd.

HAY, P.W. 1969. Check list of the birds of Awash Park and Basaaka area. Special
Mimeo. Report. Imperial Ethiopian Government Wild Life Conservation Depart-
ment, pp. 1-16.

PATRIZI, S. (?1941). Governo Generale dell'A.O.I. Divezione Superiore CC. LL.
Ispettorato della Caccia. Registro Inventario della Raccolta Zoologica.
1938-1941. (Unpublished MS).

SMITH, K.D. 1957. An annotated check list of the birds of Eritrea. Ibis 99:
1-26.

URBAN, E.K. & BROWN, L.H. 1971. A checklist of the birds of Ethiopia. Addis
Ababa: Haile Sellassie I University Press.

WHITE, C.M.N. 1962. A revised check list of African shrikes...... etc. Lusaka:
Government Printer.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A. Received 20 February 1981

Scopus 5: 35-36, March 1981

MAPPING SCHEMES IN THE AFROTROPICAL REGION One of the notable developments in
Afrotropical ornithology in the past decade has been the initiation of schemes
to map the distribution of birds. As a result of this interest, an informal
meeting was held at the 5th Pan-African Ornithological Congress, Malawi, 1980,
to discuss the topic. The main objectives of these schemes have been to estab-
lish a baseline upon which to measure future trends, but valuable data have
also been accumulated to indicate changes in distribution during the past
century, and longer. Fortunately, most schemes have followed the Ethiopian
model (Ash 1972), which was begun in 1969. Consequently they are compatible,
and can be used in the future for an Atlas of the Afrotropical region.

The Hall & Moreau (1970) Atlas did much to stimulate interest in mapping, to
which the Snow (1978) Atlas has provided added impetus. Already further countr-
ies have plans for an Atlas, and clearly, others will follow. Obviously it is
desirable for all Atlases to adopt the same basic format, and for this reason
we present here a list of schemes known to us, together with information on
the year started, status, progress and people/organizations involved.

PROPOSED FORMAT

We believe that the following suggestions should apply to all future projects.
They are divided into two groups: the essential minimum, and what we have
termed ‘optional data'. The latter category embraces various additional

Short communications 37

records which might be considered by countries with above-average numbers of
observers.
Essential data
1. Mapping units should be 4 x 4-degree squares, or smaller compatible units
(e.g. 4 X 4-degree). For international co-ordination, squares should be
referred to by the co-ordinates of their southwest corners (e.g. 04S 32E)
although other numbering schemes may be preferred for internal use.
2. Records should generally refer to the period 1970 to i990.
3. Records of each species in each square should be allocated to one of the
following categories:
a. Present but no evidence of breeding.
b. Present and possibly breeding.
c. Present, breeding confirmed.
4. It is assumed that the organizer(s) of each scheme will accept responsib-
ility for the accuracy of records published.

Optional data
Depending upon conditions, the collection of additional relevant data may be
considered.
5. Pre-1970 records for each species in each square.
6. More detailed categories of breeding records (as per the European Atlas
Scheme) .
- Monthly records (as per the Natal Atlas Scheme).
A five-point abundance rating for each species in each square, namely:
- believed to be absent
- present but only a few pairs/birds
uncommon and/or local
- common and/or widespread
4 - Abundant throughout
9. Basic habitat data for the parts of the square visited. This needs further
consideration if a degree of conformity is to be achieved.

oO ~
.

WNke ©
!

LIST OF AFROTROPICAL ATLAS SCHEMES

sh aed Poa Status Co-ordinator/Address

Natal 1976 Published Cyrus & Robson, Publication of the Univers-
ity of Natal Press, 1980.

Transvaal 1975 in press Mrs M. Kemp, Transvaal Museum, Pretoria.

South Sudan i978 advanced G. Nikolaus, c/o Box 47051, Nairobi, Kenya.

Ethiopia 1969 advanced J.S. Ash, UNDP, Box 24 Mogadishu, Somalia.

Somalia 1978 advanced J.S. Ash, as above.

Zambia 1976 advanced R.J. Dowsett, Private Bag, Chilinda,

Malawi 1979 started P.O. Rumphi, Malawi.

Madagascar 1979 started D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi, Kenya.

Kenya, Tan-

zania, Uganda 1980 started D.A. Turner, as above. (% x 4-degree Ls)

Kenya 1980 started G.R. Cunningham-van Someren, Section of
Ornithology, Division of Natural Sciences,
National Museums of Kenya, Box 40658,
Nairobi. (10-kmL)s)

Namibia 1978 started C. Clinning, P.Bag 13186, Windhoek, SWA.

Mauritania = planned =

Zimbabwe = planned Ornithological Society of Zimbabwe, Box
4382, Causeway, Salisbury.

Cameroun = eae amy Louette, Africa Museum, B-1980, Tervuren,

Zaire = planned Belgiun.

38 Short communications

The following were also reported, but are not presently planne4 as Atlases:

Mali: detailed list exists G. Morel,
Senegal: detailed data on BaP ./20)
distribution exist Richard-Toll, Senegal.

In addition, the check-list of The Gambia (Jensen & Kirkeby 1980), pub-
lished in book form, contains distribution maps in a non-grid format.

Enquiries about individual schemes should be addressed to their respective
co-ordinators.

REFERENCES
ASH, J.S. 1972. Distribution map scheme for Ethiopia. Ibis 114: 109.

JENSEN, J.V. & KIRKEBY, J. 1980. The birds of The Gambia. Arhus: Aros Nature
Guides.

J.S. Ash, UNDP, Box 24, Mogadishu, Somalia and D.E. Pomeroy, Box 43844, Nairobi
Scopus 5: 36-38, March 1981 Received 12 February 1981

THE EAST AFRICAN DISTRIBUTIONAL MAPPING SCHEME - A PROGRESS REPORT This scheme
was formally launched in 1980, and areas covered by observers in Kenya and
Tanzania are shown in Fig. 1. While showing reasonably good coverage over
much of Kenya and Tanzania, there is still much ground to be covered and it
is hoped that many of the gaps will be filled during the coming years.

For the benefit of new readers, and anyone contemplating assisting in the
mapping scheme, the basic principles to be noted are as follows:

1. The three East African countries are divided into 1 x 1i-degree squares
which are numbered 1-178 (see Fig. 1). These squares are further divided
into four i x 4-degree squares, labelled a, b, c and d as shown in the
inset. The basic squares follow the lines of latitude and longitude.
These lines are shown on the Shell Road Maps for Kenya, Tanzania and
Uganda and these maps will be found most useful for participants.

2. All that is required from contributors is simply a list of the species
recorded in each x 4-degree square they have records from, between
1965 and the present. Species may be given two symbols: a tick (Wf) for
'present' or a cross for ‘breeding confirmed'. The lists themselves may
be submitted on a monthly basis (preferred) or annually. The data sheets
will be provided by the writer, from the address below.

Contributors may send in data sheets for either their home area, areas
they visit regularly, as well as for areas which might be visited only
on a casual basis. All records are welcomed, but please remember to
show clearly which % x 4-degree square is covered as well as the month
(or year) your data were collected.

Coverage during 1980, and in some cases during the previous two years, has
been extremely encouraging, and will, I hope, encourage others to participate
in the scheme. Our ultimate aim is to produce a Distributional Atlas of East
African Birds and, as such, the scheme is styled on similar mapping exercises
currently being undertaken elsewhere in Africa (Ash & Pomeroy, Scopus 5: 36-
38, above).

This initial progress report would not be complete without due acknowledge-
ment to all those who have contributed so far, and in particular to the
following who have submitted considerable quantities of data on a monthly
basis, often covering vast areas of their respective countries:

Kenya: F.N. Bruce-Miller (Western), M.A.C. Coverdale (south coast),

N. Hartley (Western and central), J. Miskell (northeastern), D.J. Pearson

[Continued on page 40

' Short communications 39

~ a 6 i he ae

Te lle =p
RSet

ome

59
162| 163 | 164
ae 2

Fig. 1. Map showing the 178 1 x 1-degree squares in East Africa.
Shading indicates that records have been received for the
4, x 4-degree squares concerned.
Inset: showing method of labelling the % x %-degree squares

40 Short communications, Notices

(eastern and northern), T. Stevenson (Lake Baringo).

Tanzania: J.S.S. Beesley (northern and central), K. M. Howell (Dar es Salaam
area), D. Moyer (southwestern), Father E. Sion (Mbeya District, southern Tan-
zania), S.J. Tyler (southwestern and southern), R.K. Walton (Tabora Region).

Anyone requiring further information, data sheets, etc. please contact me at
the address below or by telephone (Nairobi 48772).

D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi Scopus 5: 38-40, March 1981
NOTICES

CHECK-LIST OF THE BIRDS OF KENYA

This 40 page list, Scopus-size (i.e. A5), has been produced by the OS-C and is
likely to prove very useful. It consists of a list of all the birds recorded
for Kenya in Birds of East Africa. The nomenclature and order of the book are
followed and each species is provided with four "boxes' - useful for ticking
for different localities, months, etc. The Check-list may be bought by personal
callers from the EANHS office in the National Museum, Nairobi for Shs.10/- per
copy - this price applies to EANHS members and Scopus subscribers only.

Postal orders (to D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi, cheques or drafts made
payable to ‘Birds of East Africa') are at the following rates, per copy.

1. By surface to anywhere in East Africa: Shs. 12/-

2. By airmail to East African addresses: Shs. 15/-

3. By surface to anywhere in the world: Shs. 12/- or £0.70 or $1.50
4. By airmail to anywhere in the world: Shs. 18/- or £1.00 or $2.20

THE EAST AFRICAN BIRD REPORT 1980

Please send all records as soon as possible, preferably before the end of April,
to D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi (all non-Palaearctic species) or to Dr D.J.
Pearson, Department of Biochemistry, Box 30197, Nairobi (Palaearctics).

THE BIRDS OF THE WESTERN PALEARCTIC

The compilers of this fine handbook are anxious to hear from ornithologists who
have information on species which are not well known in the Western Palaearctic
itself. Anyone who may be able to help is asked to write to Stanley Cramp, the
Chief Editor, 32 Queen Court, London WCiN 3BB.

BIRDS OF EAST AFRICA

Copies of this 270 page book are still available, but for how long, we don't
know. It seems likely that our printers will not be able to fulfil the original
order. Copies may be obtained by post from D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi;
cheques or drafts should be made out to ‘Birds of East Africa’. Post-free
prices (surface mail) are as follows: to East Africa Shs. 130/-, to the rest

of the world, £8.00 or $17.00. East African residents wishing to send copies
to friends abroad may do so for Shs. 130/- per copy.

Continued from inside front cover

"References'; the name(s) of the author(s) and date(s) of publication should be
given in the text in the normal way. A list of the works concerned is given below.

All contributions should be sent to Dr D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.
WORKS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE LISTED UNDER 'REFERENCES'

BACKHURST, G.C., BRITTON, P.L. & MANN, C.F. 1973. The less common Palaearctic
migrant birds of Kenya and Tanzania. Journal of the East Africa Natural
History Society and National Museum 140: 1-38. = Backhurst et al. 1973.

BENSON, C.W., BROOKE, R.K., DOWSETT, R.J. & IRWIN, M.P.S. 1971. The birds of
Zambia. London: Collins. = Benson et al. 1971.

BRITTON, P.L. (ed.) 1980. Birds of Fast Africa. Nairobi: EANHS. = Britton i980.

BROWN, L.H. & BRITTON, P.L. 1980. The breeding seasons of East African birds.
Nairobi: EANHS. = Brown & Britton 1980.

HALL, B.P. & MOREAU, R.E. 1970.‘An atlas of speciation in African Passerine birds.
London: British Museum (Nat. Hist.). = Hall & Moreau 1970.

JACKSON, F.J. 1938. The birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate. 3 vols.
London: Gurney & Jackson. = Jackson 1938.

MACKWORTH-PRAED, C.W. & GRANT, C.H.B. 1957 & 1960. African handbook of birds.
Series I, vols 1 & 2. Birds of eastern and north eastern Africa. 2nd Edition.
London: Longmans Green & Co. = Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1957 and/or 1960.

MOREAU, R.E. 1966. The bird faunas of Africa and its islands. London: Academic
Press. = Moreau 1966.

1972. The Palaearctic-African bird migration systems. London:
Academic Press. = Moreau 1972.

SNOW, D.W. (ed.) 1978. An atlas of speciation in African Non-Passerine birds.
London: British Museum (Nat. Hist.). = Snow 1978.

EAST AFRICAN BIRD REPORT

This forms the fifth issue of Scopus and each report covers one calendar year.
Records of Afrotropical Region (i.e Ethiopian Region and Malagasy Sub-Region)
birds should be sent to D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi; records of Palaearctic
Region birds to Dr D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry, Box 30197, Nairobi.

CONTENTS

SIMON N. STUART. An explanation for the disjunct distributions of
Modulatrix orostruthus and Apalis (or Orthotomus) moreaui . .

LESTER L. SHORT and JENNIFER F.M. HORNE. Vocal and other behaviour of
Stierling"s Woodpecker Dendropicos stieriang? =) ie) cei

P.L. BRITTON. Notes on the Andersen collection and other specimens
from Tanzania housed in some West German museums .......

J.S. ASH and A.A. KARANI. Roseate and Sooty Terns Sterna dougallii and
fuscata breeding on islets in southern Somalia ....... .

G.C. BACKHURST and D.J. PEARSON. Ringing and migration at Ngulia,
duSfehi{o) 5 INenieyoyene IC)s{0) S wyeibenay ICSI 6 5 56 6 6 656 6 0 0 co oo

Short communications

P.L. BRITTON. Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus
dn Kenya 5.5 ve 6 Se fe te, ion ee ss) eee ee ee eee Cg

J.S. ASH and J.E. MISKELL. The Dunlin Calidris alpina in
Behaoepia and) Somadiital j .0 “-s cer fen komen ence en nr

A.N.B. MASTERSON. Notes from the Rwenzori Mountains, including
a description of the nest and eggs of Archer's Ground Robin
Dryocichloides areheri. in = 6 & us %) sce eee ec

J.S. ASH. Desert Wheatears Oenanthe deserti in Ethiopia
hays lacie) inten eal RMT MEE LO MeO MEGHNG G8 .de ob 6 o 4 G 6 6 Jo 0 0 © 9

J.-S. ASH and D.E. POMEROY. Mapping schemes in the Afrotropical
ra(=\o Ko) 7 a kc ee Oe MOMS ET OUT “colo: ‘oualo’ GG: CO “cd 0 oO Oo o

D.A. TURNER. The East African Distributional Mapping Scheme -

Gl OIGOIIGeSS MENON 5 6 6 9 0 60 6 8 8 oo ool OlolllO O -
Notices

The Leslee: Brown) eusit biamGl vy ey snes ey a volte sits cHCs TCs oom
The Afvotroprcalregwon) -)s<) 2 a) ciisnsn aon tan nnn ote
(CyeeleIiee Gig isle lomiinols Oi ISM) 5 6 56 o o 50 0 6 6 oO oa
The Hast Afrvean Bird eReport el9GO\ even cueneeone uae ro
The birds of ‘che western Palearctic! 2 cise ae ee
Birds of East Africa ; ee te ee EE POP SG CO tO

Printed in Kenya by General Printers Ltd, Box 18001, Nairobi

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b FEO MUS. COMP. ZOOL.

NOV 41 @1981

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A quarterly publication of the
Ornithological Sub-Committee

East Africa Natural History Society

Edited by

GRAEME BACKHURST

Volume 5(2) June 1981 K.Shs 20

SCOPUS

Scopus is published five times a year by the East Africa Natural History
Society's Ornithological Sub-Committee. Subscriptions are payable to the OS-C
Hon. Treasurer (and Secretary), D.A. Turner [tel. 48772], Scopus a/c, Box
48019, Nairobi, Kenya, at the following rates:

East African residents: KShs 75.00
Overseas, surface mail: Sterling £6.00 or US$12.00
Overseas, air mail: Sterling £7.50 or US$15.00

Overseas rates apply to all countries other than Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Those wishing to remit by bank transfer should do so to D.A. Turner, Scopus a/c,
No. 2852601, Barclay's Bank of Kenya Limited, Market Branch, Box 30018, Nairobi.

All material for Scopus, including papers and short communications, should be
sent in the first instance to the Chairman of the Ornithological Sub-Committee,
Dr D.J. Pearson [tel. 47041], Department of Biochemistry, University of Nairobi,
Box 30197, Nairobi. Notes for contributors are given below.

Other Sub-Committee members are as follows: G.C. Backhurst [tel. 891419],
Editor of Scopus and Ringing Organizer, Box 24702, Nairobi; J.S.S. Beesley,
Box 634, Arusha, Tanzania; Mrs Hazel A. Britton, Nest Record Scheme Organizer,
Box 90163, Mombasa; P.L. Britton, Box 90163, Mombasa; Dr Margaret Carswell,
Box 7051, Kampala; Dr K.M. Howell, Box 35064, Dar es Salaam; Dr A.D. Lewis,
Box 30197, Nairobi; B.S. Meadows [tel. 40539], Box 30522, Nairobi; Prof. D.E.
Pomeroy [tel. Kahawa 439], Box 43844, Nairobi; J.F. Reynolds (U.K.);

D.K. Richards [tel. 891178], Box 30750, Nairobi; P.B. Taylor [tel. 24065],
Box 87336, Mombasa.

NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Scopus welcomes original contributions in English on all aspects of the ornith-
Ology of eastern Africa pertinent to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Contributions
will be assessed by the Sub-Committee and by independent referees. The material
published in Scopus will be divided into 'papers' and 'short communications',
the latter will usually be less than two Scopus-pages in length. Contributions
which are submitted as 'papers' should be written in the third person (except
in the 'Acknowledgements' section); 'short communications' may be written in
the first or third person. Authors of papers are entitled to five copies of
their contribution, free of charge, but they should be requested when the MS

is submitted. Extra copies, which will be supplied at cost, must be ordered
when the MS is submitted.

Contributions should be typed in double spacing on one side of the paper only,
with wide margins all round, and they should be submitted in duplicate.
Exceptionally, clear hand-written MSS will be considered but these too should
be sent in duplicate. Both English and scientific names of birds should be
given when the species is first mentioned, thereafter only one should be used.
Normally, authorities for taxa should not be given. English and scientific
names should be those used in Birds of East Africa unless the species does not
occur in that work.

Tables, which should be numbered, should appear in the typescript, not grouped
on separate sheets at the end. Metric units should be used. If non-metric units
were used in the original observation or experiment, the approximate metric
equivalent should be given in brackets.

Illustrations should be on bristol board, good quality white paper or tracing
paper, in line - i.e. black on white, and should not be larger than 19 xX 23 cm.
Lettering (in black) will be the responsibility of the author and should be

done neatly in Letraset, no larger than 14 point (3.9mm). Each illustration
should be numbered (Fig. i, etc.) and provided with a legend typed on a separate
sheet of paper. Photographs will be considered if they are absolutely necessary.

Continued inside back cover

a

“Scopus 5 (2) June 1981

SCOPUS

THE RESIDENTIAL STATUS OF THE MADAGASCAR BEE-EATER
MEROPS SUPERCILIOSUS IN AFRICA
C.H. Fry

One of the more interesting species of its genus is the Madagascar Bee-eater
Merops superciliosus. With its allospecies M.persicus and M. (s.) philippinus
it is strongly suspected to fish (Fry 1981). Its breeding distribution is
unusual amongst Afrotropical birds and its migrations are mysterious.

Its status in East Africa has been clarified in Britton (1980), which states
that it is widespread from May to September as a migrant from southeast Africa
and perhaps Madagascar. Similar caution as to the provenance of these migrants,
especially the notion that they are from Madagascar, has been expressed by
Rand (1936), Benson (1960), Moreau (1966) and Clancey (1971); yet many people
still regard the species as a straightforward migrant between Africa and
Madagascar.

The purpose of this paper is to integrate more recent information with the
full discussion of the problem by Clancey (1971). The conclusion may be
anticipated by adding to Moreau's remark (1966, p. 252) that “large-scale
Migration of Merops superciliosus from Madagascar remains to be proved", that,
in the author's view, there may be no such migration at all.

BREEDING DISTRIBUTION
On present evidence there are five reproductive foci of M.superciliosus in
the Afrotropical Region, as shown in Fig. 1. Populations (i) and (ii) are
quite discrete and (v) may be so; but there is probably movement and gene
flow between (iii) and (iv) which should hence not be treated as similarly
distinct from each other.

(i) In southwestern Africa M.s.alternans Clancey is abundant along the
lower Cunene River, breeding there and probably in the desert coastal strip
north of its mouth (Lucira) and north to the lower Cuanza River. The race
Fanges in the south to Ondagua, Ovamboland, in the east to the valley of the
Okavango River and in the north to about Luanda.

(ii) In the Guban area of northwest Somalia there resides a population
morphologically indistinguishable from the nominate race but breeding much
earlier in the year than it. The species is common and widespread there,
nesting being known at Saad-ed-Din Island, Bulhar and Saba Wanak on the coast
and at Sheikh, Burao and Oadweina in the hinterland (Archer & Godman 1961,
whose records were inadvertently omitted from Map 310 of Snow 1978). Two more
recent breeding records - a colony of 20 nests, and three pairs feeding
fledglings, which may be ascribed to this population, are from the Awash
valley, Ethiopia (J.S. Ash in litt.).

Scopus 5: 41-45, June 1981

42 The Madagascar Bee-eater

Fig. 1. The Afrotropical range of Merops superciliosus. Hatched areas (i) to

(v) are the main breeding foci (see text); filled circles, known nesting, open

circles, probable nesting. Dotted lines, approximate non-breeding ranges.
Arrows, pre-breeding migrations.

(iii) Breeding of M. s. superciliosus on the East African coast has been
reported to occur with any regularity only on Pemba Island (Pakenham 1979).
It is likely to nest regularly also in the Lamu archipelago and adjacent Kenya
coast (although nesting has only once been found there), and around Mogadishu.
Breeding colonies or indications of breeding have been reported once each on
or near the coast at Malindi, on the Galana River, near Dar es Salaam and on
Mafia Island, and inland near Kisumu, on the upper Tana River, and perhaps on
the Athi River; also near the Omo River north of Lake Turkana and at three
localities near Mogadishu on the Somali coast (J.S. Ash in litt.). The last
records, geographically isolated, could almost as easily refer to population
(i) as te, 2s 3) .

‘The Madagascar Bee-eater 43

(iv) On the African coast of the Mocambique Channel the nominate race has
nested at Masambeti near Beira, and it probably breeds regularly and numer-
ously from that area south to Bazaruto and Santa Carolina Islands (22° and
23°S). Inland, a colony has been found ©M the Zambezi at Mana Pools (Zim-
babwe) and an evident fledgling near Furancungo (Mo¢ambique) (Brooke & Hou-
gaard 1971). There are Zimbabwe nest record cards, marked ‘European Bee-eater'
(M. apiaster), and dated 1921, 1928 and 1953 at Wedza (100km southeast of
Salisbury) and 1956 at Fort Victoria. The author of the 1953 and 1956 records
now feels that his identification must have been erroneous (in litt. per
B. Donnelly) and the first two records are also unacceptable as M. apiaster
(M.P.S. Irwin, in litt.). In point of fact, all four very probably mean
M. superciliosus. In addition, there is an unconfirmed report of a 1980 nest-
ing colony of M. superciliosus near Bulawayo.

In areas (iii) and (iv) breeding inland appears to be sporadic, and the
species has been described as abundant in the breeding season only within the
hatched coastal zones shown in Fig. 1, namely at Lamu, Pemba, Masambeti and
Sta. Carolina.

(v) The nominate race is widespread and common as a breeding bird in the
Malagasy Subregion, on Madagascar and Mayotte Island (Comoro archipelago).

BREEDING SEASONS AND MIGRATIONS
(i) M. s. alternans lays in November-December; whether and to what extent it
is migratory within its rather circumscribed range is not known.

(ii) M. s. superciliosus lays in April on the north Somali coast and in May
inland at 1400m altitude (Archer & Godman 1961). The birds were seen in all
seasons and were thought to be entirely sedentary in the Guban area. Nonethe-
less, it is possible that this population contributes to the East African
presence (see below). On the Awash River laying is from mid April to late May.

(iii) Inferred egg-laying times, by climatic regions (see Brown & Britton
1980, Map 1), are: Region B, Kano Plains near Kisumu, April-May; Region C,
Momela Crater Lake, early September (Britton 1979); Region D, upper Tana
River, early August (Bullock & Bullock 1976 - not January-February as given
by Pakenham 1979), Galana River at Sala, early May (Lack, Leuthold & Smeenk
1980), Dar es Salaam, March, Mafia Island, September, Pemba Island, late June
to early August, Omo Valley, April-May, and near Mogadishu, April-May;
Region E, Malindi, late November - early December, Lamu, late November.

It occurs all year in southern Somalia but is not necessarily sedentary
there (J.S. Ash in litt.). On the Kenya coast the species occurs erratically
throughout the year and at Lamu abundantly in August - September (Britton
1980). Pakenham (1979) found it on Pemba in at least nine months (not April
or May), and commonly in mangrove roosts for four or five months after the
breeding season; but on nearby Zanzibar Island, where nesting has not yet
been found, it occurs only from May to November. Also close by, it visits
Dar es Salaam in March - August, and further south near the coast at Mikin-
dani occurs only in July - August (Britton 1980), presumably on passage. In
Tsavo East and Tsavo West and in the region to the north, flocks occur in
February and March, and further inland the bird is a visitor from May to
September, west to the Albertine Rift and north to Kidepo Valley. P.C. Lack
and D.J. Pearson have noted (in litt.) that the Tsavo and east Kenyan bush-
land birds in February - March are in fresh plumage, leading them to suggest
that the birds might be pre-breeding migrants bound for Somalia. The idea
receives some support from Pearson's additional observation that these east
Kenyan bee-eaters seem to prefer drier habitats, like the Somali ones (Archer

44 The Madagascar Bee-eater

& Godman 1961), than do the birds found later in the year around Lake Vittoria;
perhaps the latter are from the wetter area (iv).

(iv) Egg-laying at Masambeti was in October, at Mana Pools in September, at
Wedza in late October - early November, and at Fort Victoria in early December.
Madagascar Bee-eaters are regular non-breeding visitors to the eastern Congo
savannas from late April to August, and are passage migrants in Zambia and
Malawi from late August to early October, mainly in September, and (less
commonly) in April and May.

(v) On Mayotte egg-laying is in early November and in Madagascar in early
September (once) and in October (often). The species has been seen on Mayotte
in February (common), May, and August - November (common). On Madagascar it is
present in all months and remains common in May - September (M. Nicholl, pers.
comm.) when, it was formerly supposed, part of the population is wintering in
Africa (data from Benson 1960 and Benson, Colebrook-Robjent & Williams 1976).

DISCUSSION

It is still impossible to draw firm conclusions about the status and
migrations of Merops superciliosus in Africa. However, the above data for
areas (iii) and (iv) are broadly consonant with some post-breeding dispersal
west, and perhaps north, from area (iii) and west and north from area (iv),
and with temporally and spatially more concentrated pre-nuptial migrations
back again (unbroken arrows in Fig. 1) to essentially coastal breeding stations.

All populations of the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater M. persicus and the Oriental
Blue-tailed Bee-eater M. (s.) philippinus, both very close relatives of Merops
superciliosus, are highly migratory; in fact they are probably the most
migratory of all bee-eaters except M. apiaster. It makes it likely that M.s.
superciliosus in area (ii) is not quite as sedentary as was argued by Archer &
Godman (1961). It also means that Malagasy birds may move in part to Africa
for their non-breeding season as conventionally supposed; elsewhere, in the
Red Sea for example, the superspecies readily crosses water. But there is no
need to invoke migration from the Malagasy Subregion to explain adequately
the picture of intra-African migrations, and since some evidence suggests
that Madagascan Bee-eaters are sedentary in Madagascar it seems safer to put
the idea of their crossing to Africa in obeyance until better evidence for
it should arise.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am grateful to P.L. Britton, B. Donnelly, M.P.S. Irwin and M. Nicholl and
especially so to J.S. Ash for the provision of information, and to D.J. Pearson
for reading and materially adding to a draft.

SUMMARY
Fig. 1 summarizes the distributional data assembled, and shows inferred pre-
nuptial migrations of Merops superciliosus. Migration between Africa and
Madagascar need not be invoked.

REFERENCES
ARCHER, G. & GODMAN, E.M. 1961. The birds of British Somaliland and the Gulf
of Aden. London: Oliver & Boyd.

BENSON, C.W. 1960. The birds of the Comoro Islands: results of the British
Ornithologists' Union Centenary Expedition 1958. Ibis 103b: 5-106.

The Madagascar Bee-eater 45

BENSON, C.W., COLEBROOK-ROBJENT, J.F.R. & WILLIAMS, A. 1976. Contribution a
l'ornithologie de Madagascar. L'Oiseau et la Revue frangaise d'Ornithologie
46: 209-242.

BRITTON, H.A. 1979. E.A.N.H.S. nest record scheme. Scopus 2: 126-132.

BROOKE, R.K. & HOUGAARD, P. 1971. The Madagascar Bee-eater breeding in Rhodesia.
Ostrich 42: 230.

BULLOCK, D.A. & BULLOCK, K. 1976. Madagascar Bee-eater Merops superciliosus
nesting on Tana River. EANHS Bulletin 1976: 4.

CLANCEY, P.A. 1971. Miscellaneous taxonomic notes on African birds XXXII.
Durban Museum Novitates 9 (5): 39-44.

PRY, C.H. 1981. The diet of large green bee-eaters Merops superciliosus
supersp. and the question of bee-eaters fishing. Malimbus 3: 31-39.

LACK, P.C., LEUTHOLD, W. & SMEENK, C. 1980. Check-list of the birds of Tsavo
East National Park, Kenya. Journal of the East Africa Natural History
Society and National Museum i170: 1-25.

PAKENHAM, R.H.W. 1979. The birds of Zanzibar and Pemba. London: British Orni-
thologists' Union.

RAND, A.L. 1936. The distribution and habits of Madagascar birds. Bulletin of
the American Museum of Natural History 72: 143-499.

C.H. Fry, Aberdeen University, Zoology Department, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen
AB9 2TN, Scotland

(Received 5 May 1981)

46 Uzungwa Mountain birds

SOME ADDITIONS TO THE FOREST AVIFAUNA OF THE UZUNGWA MOUNTAINS,
TANZANIA
S.N. Stuart, K.M. Howell, T.A. van der Willigen and

A.A. Geertsema

The Uzungwa Mountains are one of the most extensive highland regions in Tan-
zania, encompassing an area of some 23000 km*; the highest peaks are around
2500 m. In Britton (1980) they are referred to either as 'Uzungwe', or the
Iringa Highlands, while the Dabaga Highlands are part of the same area.

Compared with other mountains of eastern and southern Tanzania, the Uzungwa
Mountains have been very poorly studied from a biological point of view. This
fact is particularly emphasized by the discovery of a new and very isolated
subspecies of the Crested Mangabey Cercocebus galeritus in late 1979 in the
Mwanihana Forest, near Sanje (Homewood & Rodgers, in press). Ornithological
work has been very limited, perhaps the most significant contribution being
that of Bangs & Loveridge (1933). More recently, Ripley & Heinrich (1966,
1969) mention some interesting records from the Dabaga area which include the
first records of the Iringa Ground Robin Dryocichloides lowei from the Uzungwa
Mountains. However, no detailed account of the avifauna exists.

Fig. 1 shows the Uzungwa Mountains with the main settlements and forests.
Like other mountain ranges in eastern Tanzania the Uzungwa Mountains have
wet eastern and southern sides facing the Indian Ocean, and a drier area to
the north and west. In the Uzungwa Mountains the very high rainfall area is
restricted to the southeast scarp slope running approximately from Kidatu,
south to Mlimba. The natural vegetation of this area is rain forest, covering
a wide range of altitudes from 300m to over 2000m. The canopy of this
forest rises to more than 40m in places, as high as the forests of the
Usambaras, Ngurus and Ulugurus. The plateau country, which encompasses most
of the mountains, is considerably drier, especially to the north and north-
west. Where forest does occur it is of a dry and scrubby type, often with a
canopy below 20m. It appears that most past ornithological work has been
concentrated in these drier forests. Certainly Heinrich's work at Dabaga comes
under this category. The scarp rain forests have, until very recently,
‘remained virtually unstudied.

In order to at least partially fill the gap in our knowledge of the forest
avifauna of these mountains, visits have been made to two previously unstudied
forests in the last two years. In late August and early September 1979 SNS
and TAvdW worked in Mufindi Forest, at 1800m on the Brooke Bond-Liebig tea
estate. This is an example of the dry plateau forests. In June 1980 AAG
visited Mwanihana Forest Reserve on the steep scarp slope above Sanje village.
This is an example of the scarp rain forests. In early January 1981 SNS and
KMH also paid a visit to this locality. So far it has not been possible for
any visits to be made to the higher part of the Mwanihana forest scarp, above

Fig. i (right). Map of the Uzungwa Mountains.
Contours: SS 4 enemenss FED Sig eerie 1000 m,
ie hes 1500 m, ————_—— 2000 a:

=: wet scarp forests; dry plateau forests.

Scopus 5: 46-50, June 1981

—

47

Uzungwa Mountain birds

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48 Uzungwa Mountain birds

1800 m. Most of the observations were made below 1500m.

As a result of these visits a few tentative suggestions as to the affinities
of the forest avifauna can be made. The scarp rain forest avifauna shows a
strong similarity to the other rain forests in eastern Tanzania, especially
those of the Ngurus and Ulugurus, and also of Mt Rungwe in Mbeya Region. The
plateau forests show more similarities with the other dry montane forests,
notably the Ukagurus and Mdando Forest in the Southern Highlands.

It is still too early to make a comprehensive list of the forest birds of
the Uzungwa Mountains. The records given below refer to range extensions, of
which the most important must be the White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa.

It is worth mentioning that the Mountain Buzzard Buteo tachardus was found to
be common both at Mufindi and Mwanihana Forests. Dowsett & Dowsett-Lemaire
(1979) confirm that a specimen from the Uzungwa Mountains (Bangs & Loveridge
1933) is correctly identified. This species has obviously been very under-
recorded, not only in the Uzungwa Mountains, but also in many other mountain
forests in Tanzania (see Turner 1980).

SPECIES LIST
Guttera pucherani Kenya Crested Guineafowl
This is fairly common in Mwanihana Forest up to at least 1500m, a range
extension to the southwest from the Ulugurus.

Columba delegorguei Bronze-naped Pigeon
Fairly common in forest both at Mufindi and Mwanihana, a considerable range
extension to the southwest.

Apaloderma vittatum Bar-tailed Trogon

Recorded twice in Mwanihana Forest, partially filling a gap in the distribution
between the Ulugurus and the Southern Highlands. The species has probably been
overlooked in the Uzungwas.

Buccanodon leucotis White-eared Barbet

Recorded once in Mwanihana Forest. It is not mentioned in Britton (1980) from
the Uzungwas, though a plot which may refer to Mwanihana Forest is marked in
Snow (1978). However, it is possible that this plot refers to one of the nearby
lowland forest patches, such as Magombera Forest. The Uzungwa birds are
presumably referable to the race leucogrammicum, previously known from the
Ulugurus and Mahenge.

Buccanodon olivaceum Green Barbet

Common in Mwanihana Forest up to at least 1800m. The subspecific identity of
these birds is unclear, rungweensis, uluguruensis and nominate all being
possibilities.

Pogoniulus bilineatus Golden-rumped Tinkerbird

Common in Mwanihana Forest up to at least 1800m, in the absence of the two
green tinkerbirds, P. leucomystax and P. simplex. Pogoniulus leucomystax is
recorded from the drier forests further west in the Uzungwas, including
Mufindi, where P. bilineatus apparently does not occur, suggesting allopatry
between these two species in these mountains.

Smithornis capensis African Broadbill'
Common in Mwanihana Forest up to at least 1500m. This appears to be the first
record for the Uzungwa Mountains.

Oriolus chlorocephalus Green-headed Oriole
Very common in Mwanihana Forest up to at least 1800m, a range extension
southwest from the Ulugurus.

Uzungwa Mountain birds 49

Andropadus virens Little Greenbul

Locally common in forest at Mufindi, and common in Mwanihana Forest. These
records effectively fill an apparent gap in the distribution between the
Ulugurus and Tukuyu (Southern Highlands).

Phyllastrephus flavostriatus Yellow-streaked Greenbul

Common in Mwanihana Forest to over 1500m. Britton (1980) does not record

this species from the Uzungwas, though there is a plot that may correspond to
Mwanihana Forest in Hall & Moreau (1970). It is possible that this plot refers
to a nearby lowland forest patch.

Turdus gurneyi Orange Ground Thrush

Records from Mufindi and Mwanihana Forest effectively fill the apparent gap in
the distribution of this species between the Ulugurus and the Southern High-
lands.

Apalis chariessa White-winged Apalis

A few, maximum four, of this very rare bird were seen clearly in a mixed
species flock at 1100m in Mwanihana Forest on 3 January 1981. They were in
the top of the canopy, at least 30m above the ground, moving very actively
through the foliage, and seemed to be associating with a much larger number of
the Black-headed Apalis A. melanocephala. Also in the flock were Green Barbet,
Green-headed Oriole, Grey Cuckoo Shrike Coracina caesia, Square-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus ludwigii, Yellow-streaked Greenbul and Dark-backed Weaver Ploceus
bicolor. Later on the same day what was almost certainly this species was
seen in a similar mixed species flock at 1500m. These records represent a
range extension from the Uluguru Mountains, and Mwanihana Forest becomes the
third locality from which this species is known in East Africa. It has, how-
ever, not been recorded in Tanzania since 1938 (Moreau 1940), nor in East
Africa as a whole since 1961 (Britton 1980). The Mwanihana Forest birds are
presumably referable to the race macphersoni.

Apalis melanocephala Black-headed Apalis

Common in Mwanihana Forest to over 1500m. These birds could be either the

race moschi or muhuluensis. At higher altitudes in Mwanihana it may be replaced
by the Chestnut-throated Apalis A. porphyrolaema, as is the case in the Uluguru
and Nguru Mountains. Further west in the Uzungwas, including Mufindi, it is
certainly absent with both A. porphyrolaema, and the Brown-headed Apalis

A. alticola occurring instead. ’

Camaroptera brachyura Grey-backed Camaroptera

Pairly common in Mwanihana Forest up to at least 1500m, especially in natural
clearings. One bird caught in a mist net was found to be of a green-backed
race, presumably fugglescouchmani previously known only from the Ulugurus and
Mahenge. No previous records of this species have been traced from the Uzungwas,
but if there are any they are probably of the grey-backed race intercalata
which has been recorded from Iringa Region (Britton 1980) and may occur on

the plateau.

Macrosphenus kretschmeri Kretschmer's Longbill

Present in small numbers in Mwanihana Forest, probably up to 1500m, being
especially partial to natural clearings. This represents an extension of the
range of the nominate race southwest from the Ulugurus.

Phylloscopus ruficapilla Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler
A few were noted in Mwanihana Forest, an extension of the range (presumably of
the race minulla) southwest from the Ulugurus.

Batis soror East Coast Batis
A few in Mwanihana around 600m, extending the range inland.

50 Uzungwa Mountain birds

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SNS and TAvdW would like to thank the staff of Brooke Bond-Liebig Ltd.,
especially Mr J. Niblett, for helping us during our stay at Mufindi. SNS, KMH
‘and AAG would like to thank Dr W.A. Rodgers for making our visits to Mwanihana
' Forest possible. We would also like to thank Dr Rodgers for his helpful
comments on a draft of this paper.

REFERENCES
BANGS, O. & LOVERIDGE, A. 1933. Reports on the scientific results of an exped-
ition to the southwestern highlands of Tanganyika Territory: 3 Birds. Bylletin
of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard) 75: 143-221. ;

DOWSETT, R.J. & DOWSETT-LEMAIRE, F. 1979. The Mountain Buzzard Buteo tachardus
in Central Africa. Scopus 3: 14-18.

HOMEWOOD, K.M. & RODGERS, W.A. (in press). A new Mangabey from Southern Tan-
zania. International Journal of Primatology. '

MOREAU, R.E. 1940. Distributional notes on East African birds. Ibis 14th ser.
4: 454-463.

RIPLEY, S.D. & HEINRICH, G.H. 1966. Comments on the avifauna of Tanzania. I.
Postilla 96: 1-45.

1969. Comments on the avifauna of Tanzania. II.
Postilla 134: 1-21.

TURNER, D.A. 1980. The Mountain Buzzard Buteo tachardus in Tanzania. Scopus
4: "92-93:

S.N. Stuart, Box 44, Soni, Tanzania, K.M. Howell, Box 35064, Dar es Salaam,
Tessa A. van der Willigen, Box 9543, Dar es Salaam and Aadje A. Geertsema,
Box 1501, Karatu, Tanzania.

(Received 1 April 1981)

CORRECTION

In the paper by Short and Horne, Vocal and other behaviour of Stierling's
Woodpecker Dendropicos stierlingi (Scopus 5: 5-13) we regret that the names
of C. Chappuis, R. Stjernstedt and C.J. Vernon were omitted from the Acknow-
ledgements section on p. 13. Ed.

a ale

;
:
:
:
;
;

Short communications 51

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

STORK AND RAPTOR MIGRATION IN SOUTH NYANZA, KENYA During the morning of 17
March 1981, just to the south of Homa Bay, South Nyanza, Kenya (0°28'S, 34°27'
E), we watched a large scale migration of storks and raptors. .

At 10:i5hrs, a lucky glance at the sky overhead revealed four dense flocks
making use of thermal currents, totalling at least 2500 birds. One huge circling
mass alone contained an estimated 1000 individuals.

“The birds were predominantly White Storks. Ciconia ciconia, accompanied by
very subordinate numbers of other species. Afrotropical storks were represented
by a separate flock of 90 Abdim's Ciconia abdimii, and a straggling group of
four Open-billed Storks Anastomus lamelligerus.

Raptors were seen at first moving singly or in loose groups, and included one
Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax, two Lesser Spotted Eagles A. pomarina, one Steppe
Eagle A. nipalensis, and a total of 20 Steppe Buzzards Buteo buteo vulpinus.
In addition to these ungrouped birds, a flock in a thermal over us at 10:35hrs
contained singles of Lesser Spotted Eagle, Wahlberg's Eagle A. wahlbergi,
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus, Steppe Buzzard and Honey Buzzard Pernis api-
vorus. It is quite possible that we missed other raptors within or associated
with the large soaring masses of storks, and our counts in general must be
considered minima. We may have missed the start of the passage, for on the
following morning, which was similarly hot and sunny, we noted at nearby Rongo
that Black Kites Milvus migrans started using the thermals at 09:30hrs, so
that we could have missed the initial 30-45min of the previous day's movement.

The birds had moved on out of sight by 10:40hrs, although occasional
Wahlberg's Eagles and Steppe Buzzards were still in the vicinity around 11:00
hrs. Three other parties of birds seen later on the same day were probably
also associated with this northwards movement. Later in the morning, about
16km south of the above sightings, two Hobbies Falco subbuteo were moving
north together. In the afternoon, about 15km west of Migori (1°04'S, 34°28'
E), separate groups of 70 and 700 Abdim's Storks were soaring in thermals.

These migrants may well have been grounded while on passage the previous
day by heavy rain in and to the south of the Homa Bay area. With the except-
ion of the two afternoon flocks of Abdim's Storks, they were all drifting
steadiliy to the north-northeast, presumably about to pass over the narrow
Winam Gulf. The path that they were taking was thus parallel to, and just
to the west of, the Tarime-Wire Hill-Ng'iya line, which Britton (1980) notes
as an established migration route for Steppe Buzzards.

Britton & Britton (1976) and Britton (1980) record northwards migration of
White and Abdim's Storks around the eastern edge of Lake Victoria in spring,
but in maximum flocks of only 700 and 250 individuals respectively;

P.L. Britton (pers. comm.) considers the numbers reported here to be except-
ional.

There appear to be no previous definitive Nyanza records of Lesser Spotted
Eagle or Honey Buzzard; Booted Eagle and Steppe Eagle occur on passage in
Wyanza only rarely (Backhurst et al. 1973, Britton & Britton 1976, Britton
1980).

REFERENCE
BRITTON, H.A. & BRITTON, P.L. 1976. Records section (Birds). EANHS Bulletin
1976: 52-61.

Adrian D. Lewis, Department of Geology and D.J. Pearson, Department of Bio-
chemistry, Box 30197, Nairobi

Scopus 5: 51, June i981 Received 15 May 1981

52 Short communications

BREEDING OF THE SPUR-WINGED GOOSE PLECTOPTERUS GAMBENSIS IN ETHIOPIA

The Spur-winged Goose, although locally abundant in Ethiopia, is not nearly so
widespread as indicated by Urban & Brown's Checklist (1971), and there are now
four breeding records for the country. The distribution of this goose is con-

fined to two areas, one in central Ethiopia extending from Lake Tana (12°00'N,

37°20'E) in the north to the Rift Valley as far south as Awasa (7°03'N, 38°27'E),

and eastwards to Awash Park (9°N, 40°E); the other is along the Baro River from
Gambela (8°15'N, 34°38'E) westwards to the Sudan border at Jokau (8°22'N, 33°
47°E). :

The species is present in every month of the year, often in flocks of up to
200-300 birds (although there are no reports of flocks in excess of 50 birds
in May, June, November and December). Since the publication of the Checklist
(op. cit.), at which time breeding was unknown, there have been four records:

1. Lake Abiata (7°41'N, 38°37'E), Rift Valley, 9 goslings c. 2 weeks old
on 9 October 1971 (pers. obs.).

2. Bahar Dar (11°35'N, 37°25'E), Lake Tana, 5 goslings about two-thirds
grown on 27 December 1971 (pers. obs.).

3. Lake Zwai (8°05'N, 38°50'E), a young bird hand-reared from one of i1
chipping eggs found on the north shore in mid October 1976 (Alamargot i980).

4. Awash Park area. (I do not have the original reference for this record
shown on the Ethiopian Distribution Scheme map.)

The first two and the last of these breeding areas, together with other
sightings of non-breeding birds are shown on Snow's (1978) map.

The paucity of breeding records indicates that this species is merely an
irregular breeder in Ethiopia. It has a wide range within the Afrotropical
Region, and breeds in many areas within this range to as far north as 17° on
the Niger and in Senegal in West Africa, south to the Cape. In Ethiopia, eggs
are laid in August - September towards the end of the big rains when the
country is at its wettest.

Although unknown in Ethiopia east of the Rift Valley, it occurs in Kenya,
where it is widespread, as a locally numerous resident breeder and wanderer
from 3000m down to the coast (Britton 1980, Snow 1978). It is unknown in
Somalia, but may be expected to occur in the southern wetlands.

REFERENCES

ALAMARGOT, J. 1980. Nesting data - probably the first - on the Spur-winged
Goose in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Wildlife & Natural History Society Newsletter
154-27

URBAN, E.K. & BROWN, L.H. 1971. A checklist. of the birds of Ethiopia. Addis
Ababa: Haile Sellassie I University Press.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A.

Scopus 5: 52, June 1981 Received 2 March 1981

A BREEDING RECORD FOR CASSIN'S HAWK EAGLE HIERAAETUS AFRICANUS Cassin's Hawk
Eagle is perhaps one of the least known of Africa's large raptors, being
restricted to tropical forests where observation of the species is difficult.
Though its distribution ranges from West Africa, across the equatorial forest
belt, and into the forests of western Uganda (Bannerman 1953, Mackworth-Praed
& Grant 1957, Williams 1967) it appears that there are no breeding records

‘

Oe

Short communications 53

for this species (Brown 1970, Brown & Britton 1980, G.R. Cunningham-van Som-
eren, pers. comm.).

While conducting field studies on primate ecology in the Kibale Forest of
western Uganda (0°13' to 0°41'N and 30°19' to 30°32'E) I recently had an
opportunity to observe a pair of Cassin's Hawk Eagles at the nest, the details
of which are given below.

Nest construction was initiated on or about 3 October 1980 when I first saw
an adult bird wildly flapping its wings while hanging upside-down from the
terminal branchlets of a Parinari excelsa, eventually causing the branchlet to
break, which the bird subsequently departed with. Both adult birds continued
to return to this tree and a neighbouring Aningeria altissima, breaking off
and carrying away branchlets for the better part of the day. The nest platform
itself was located at a height above the ground of approximately 27m (visual
estimate) in a mature A.altissima. By 19 October the nest structure was still
transparent from below, appearing to be about a third complete. Nest construct-
ion was completed sometime in the interval 4 - 18 November. When fully complete,
the dimensions of the nest structure were approximately 1.0m in diameter and
0.25m in vertical section (visual estimate, using the known length of Anin-
geria leaves for scale). The nest was roughly circular and in general resembled
a typical raptor 'stick' nest. Incubation was first detected on 4 December and
continued until 8 January 1981 when this nesting attempt failed, apparently
due to the disappearance of one of the adult birds.

The nest tree was located in a section of Kibale Forest which had been ex-
tensively felled for timber between September 1968 and April 1969. Accordingly,
extensive and numerous breaks in the forest canopy exist, and whether the
degraded nature of this habitat had any influence on the timing or end result
of this nesting attempt is unknown. It should be noted though that a pair of
Crowned Eagles Stephanoaetus coronatus were nesting simultaneously in a tree
only 200m from the Cassin's Hawk Eagle nest and they fledged an eaglet
successfully.

During the course of these observations, the Cassin's Hawk Eagles were heard
to give two distinctive types of vocalization. One is a gull-like two-noted
call which may be rendered as kee-wee. It was noted under various circumstances
(soaring over the forest, perched, etc.) and was the call most frequently heard.
A second vocalization was heard only in the vicinity of the nest, and only in
those instances in which a food exchange was taking place between the male and
the incubating female. I have rendered this call as wee-wee-wee...... ree-ree,
repeated rhythmically, though rarely the first part of the call would be
abbreviated to only one or two notes. The call appeared to be given only by
the male and in response the female invariably left the nest, returning shortly
with a food item. This contrasted sharply with the neighbouring Crowned Eagles,
in which the female would vocalize vigourously upon sighting the male in the
vicinity of the nest, and the male invariably brought food items directly to
the nest. It is hoped that the description of the second call of Cassin's
Hawk Eagle will facilitate the location of other nests in the future.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I have benefited greatly from the correspondence of G.R. Cunningham-van Som-
eren (National Museums of Kenya). My field studies in the Kibale Forest are
Supported by the New York Zoological Society and the World Wildlife Fund.

I also wish to thank the President's Office of Uganda, Uganda National Research
Council and Uganda Forest Department for permission to conduct field work in
the Kibale Forest.

REFERENCES
BANNERMAN, D.A. 1953. The birds of West and Equatorial Africa. Vol. I.
Edinburgh & London: Oliver & Boyd.

54 Short communications

BROWN, L. 1970. African birds of prey. London: Collins.

WILLIAMS, J.G. 1967. A field guide to the national parks of East Africa.
London: Collins.

Joseph P. Skorupa, Ecology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis,
CA 95616, U.S.A. Present address: Box 409, Fort Portal, Uganda.

Scopus 5: 52-54, June 1981 Received i April i981

AYRES' HAWK EAGLE HIERAAETUS DUBIUS IN ETHIOPIA AND SOMALIA Throughout its
range in Africa Ayres' Hawk Eagle is regarded generally as a rare bird.
Undoubtedly its scarcity, or apparent scarcity, is partly due to difficulties
in field identification. Hieraaetus dubius is one of a group of small eagles,
which in some species are mainly brownish in some stage of their plumage
sequence, and requiring, in our present state of knowledge, great care and
experience in their identification in the field. Recently, as notable advances
have been made in establishing diagnostic recognition characteristics, some of
these species are being identified much more frequently, resulting in a better
understanding of their distribution and abundance. However, much remains to be
discovered, particularly with regard to birds in intermediate, and often
indeterminate, plumages, and for most observers (including myself) there will
still be a rather large proportion of unidentified birds. The situation is
complicated further because some species are dimorphic in having both dark

and light forms, and others show much variability within any one plumage
phase.

Species from which H. dubius has to be distinguished in Ethiopia and Somalia,
assuming that the observer has narrowed down the identification to this ‘group
of four', are immature and dark phase Booted Eagles H. pennatus, sub-adult
African Hawk Eagles H. spilogaster, and Wahlberg's Eagles Aquila wahlbergi.

I have critically reviewed my own notes resulting from observations on smaller
eagles throughout Ethiopia in the years 1969-1977, and exchanged a valuable
correspondence on the subject of their identification with the late Dr Leslie
Brown. As a result, a record of H. dubius has been discarded, and as this
affects the distribution map in Snow (1978) it is listed here, together with
all other records which are definitely assigned to H. dubius, in both Ethiopia
and Somalia.

One plumage character given for H. dubius by Brown & Amadon (1968) led to
both my misidentification of one H. pennatus as the aforementioned H. dubius,
and also to my inability to identify other birds which are now recognizable
as H. pennatus. From these authors' description of the field characters of
H.dubius I assumed earlier that any eagle of the ‘group of four' with white
shoulder patches had to be this species. Later I came to realize in Somalia,
where H. pennatus is common, that quite a large proportion of this species
also possessed white shoulders. On acquiring a copy of Porter et al. (1978)
this point was confirmed, so that white shoulder patches on a bird within the
‘group of four' could no longer be regarded as a monospecific diagnostic
character. Nevertheless, its presence was still of value in eliminating
A. wahlbergi and immature H. spilogaster from consideration. The white shoulder
patches, although small, are visible from above or head-on for a considerable
distance in bright light.

ETHIOPIA
Urban & Brown (1971) summarize the situation of H.dubius in Ethiopia, as

being uncommon to rare in the South-East Highlands, West Ethiopia and South
Ethiopia, and possibly in the Rift Valley, but its range is uncertain; it is

Short communications 55

said to occur at 300-3200m in a variety of woodland, including lowland river-
ine Ficus/Acacia, lowland subtropical humid forest, Olive/Podocarpus/Juniper
forest, Juniper/Podocarpus woodland, and probably combretaceous woodland. I
have traced two published records from Ethiopia, and have five subsequent
records of my own:

1. Burca (9°16'N, 41°17'E), in the South-East Highlands (Moltoni & Ruscone
1942).

2. Godare (7°18'N, 34°58'E), in West Ethiopia, one on 10 February 1969
(Brown & Urban 1970).

3. 7km east of Jimma (7°40'N, 36°50'E), in the West Highlands, one on
11 January 1972. A dark bird with conspicuous white shoulder patches, pale
throat, darker blobs on dark underparts, three or four bands on tail.

4. 2ikm east of Ambo (8°59'N, 37°52'E), in the Western Highlands, on 10
June 1975. A pale bird with conspicuous white shoulder patches, barred tail,
primaries and secondaries.

5. Bulcha Forest (6°25'N, 38°11'E), in the Rift Valley, two on 7 December
1976. Two similar dark birds together, feeding on a White-bellied Go-away
Bird Corythaixoides leucogaster, of which only one had white shoulder
patches; remiges and tails boldly barred below.

Two other birds, one at Gambela (8°15'N, 34°35'E) in West Ethiopia on 24 July
1971, and another at Koka (8°27'N, 39°06'E) in the Rift Valley on 23 January
1977, were almost certainly this species.

The record of mine in Snow (1978) at Aseita (11°33'N, 41°26'E) should be
deleted as I have now clearly identified it as H. pennatus.

SOMALIA

Ayres' Hawk Eagles are apparently confined to a restricted area of riverine
forest along the Juba River in southern Somalia, whence there are three records,
of which the first two have been published:

1. Hanole (c. 0°25'N, 42°43°E), 1 July 1901 (Erlanger 1904, Hilgert 1908,
Zedlitz 1914-1916, Moltoni 1936, Snow 1978).

2. Serenli (2°26'N, 42°17'E), January 1923 (van Someren 1929, Moltoni 1936,
Snow 1978).

3. Gelib (= Jilib) (0°29'N, 42°46'E), a sub-adult on 23 February 1980 (JSA
and J.E. Miskell). A pale bird with barred tail, secondaries and inner
primaries from below; white underparts, streaked on breast and spotted on
flanks.

Ayres' Hawk Eagle is at present only known as a rare bird in Ethiopia, where
the seven records are scattered over a wide area of the western and southern
parts of the country south of i0°N and west of 41°E. The three records from
Somalia are from the Juba River. The respective distribution maps' squares
are, Ethiopia: 58B, 69A, 81B, 97C, 109A; Somalia: 60C, 71D.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am grateful to the late Dr L.H. Brown for the trouble he took over answering
my queries about the field identification of Hieraaetus eagles.

REFERENCES
BROWN, L. & AMADON, D. 1970. Eagles, hawks and falcons of the world. Feltham:
Hamlyn for Country Life Books.

BROWN, L.H. & URBAN, E.K. 1970. Report on the World Wildlife expedition to
the rain forests of Southwest Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Haile Sellassie I
University. Duplicated report, pp. 1-37.

56 Short communications

ERLANGER, C.F. 1904. Beitrage zur Vogelfauna Nordostafrikas. Journal fir
Ornithologie 1904: 137-244.

HILGERT, C. 1908. Katalog der Collection von Erlanger in Nieder-Ingelheim
a Rh. Berlin: Friedlander & Sohn.

MOLTONI, E. 1936. Gli uccelli fino ad oggi notificati per la Somalia italiana.
Atti della Societa Italiana di Scienze Naturali 75: 307-389.

& RUSCONE, G.G. 1942. Gli uccelli dell'Africa Orientale Italiana.
Vol. 2. Milano.

PORTER, R.F., WILLIS, I., CHRISTENSEN, S. & NIELSEN, B.P. 1978. Flight ident-
ification of European raptors. Berkhamsted: Poyser.

URBAN, E.K. & BROWN, L.H. 1971. A checklist of the birds of Ethiopia. Addis
Ababa: Haile Sellassie I University Press.

van SOMEREN, V.G.L. 1929. Notes on birds of Jubaland and the Northern Frontier,
Kenya. Journal of the East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society 9:25-70.

ZEDLITZ, O.G. 1914-1916, Das Siid-Somaliland als Zoogeographisches Gebiet. Eine
ornithologische Studie. Journal ftir Ornithologie 62: 608-678.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A.

Scopus 5: 54-56 Received 18 April i981

SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE BAT HAWK MACHEIRAMPHUS ALCINUS I have watched a Bat
Hawk in Langata, Nairobi between 7 and 24 November 1980; some of the more note-
worthy observations are given below:

7 November: I saw the Bat Hawk flying both in the morning and afternoon. The
bird resembled a large falcon; it made fast circles about 10m above the ground.
The appearance, flight-style, irregular dull brown markings of the underside
and its large size led me to think at first that it was a Saker Falcon Falco
cherrug. However, the lack of barring on the tail and wing distinguished it as
a Bat Hawk.

10 November: the Bat Hawk was flying round at about 60m when it was attacked
by a Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus. The Lanner was evidently disturbed, as it
was 'hecking' loudly when it closed in. The Bat Hawk was flying at a slower
rate yet easily avoided the Lanner's half-hearted stoops. After the Lanner had
left, the Bat Hawk landed on a tree and I was able to confirm the original
identification.

16 November: at 17:00hrs, in bright daylight during a break in a storm, I saw
it leave its favorite tree, fly around, and reappear with a bird (probably a
swift Apus sp.) in its foot. It was being chased by a Hobby Falco subbuteo,
but, before landing, the Bat Hawk swallowed the prey.

17 November: during heavy rain a dark phase Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae

was occupying the Bat Hawk's habitual perch; on the approach of the Bat Hawk ;
the falcon flew away.

18 November: again, during heavy rain, the Bat Hawk was seen to chase a Steppe
Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus but took no notice of 20-30 Eastern Red-footed
Falcons Falco amurensis which were hawking termites overhead. Three days later
it chased a Black Kite Milvus migrans and attempted to strike it.

Simon Thomsett, c/o Wilderness Trails, Private Bag, Isiolo, Kenya
Scopus 5: 56, June 1981 Received 25 February 1981

{
4
eS een

Short communications 57

RED-FOOTED FALCON FALCO VESPERTINUS IN TSAVO On 26 April 1980, at about
07:00hrs, I encountered a large group of falcons on the edge of low cloud
near Kamboyo, Tsavo National Park (West). Well over 100 birds, most of them
Hobbies Falco subbuteo, moved slowly north around and past me, feeding as they
went. I was aware of a few smaller birds which were not Hobbies, but only three
such were seen close enough for identification, a male Lesser Kestrel Falco
naumanni, a female Eastern Red-footed Falcon F. amurensis, with dark slaty
upperparts, cap and moustaches, heavily streaked white underparts and red
feet, and an adult male Red-footed Falcon. The last of these, slightly smaller
than an accompanying Hobby, flew past me in leisurely fashion, and was seen in
good light through 10 x 40 binoculars at a minimum distance of about 40m. It
was entirely dark grey on the body, apart from a rusty red patch on the thighs
and undertail area. The underwing was clearly seen, and was also entirely dark
grey. The feet were red.

D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry, Box 30197, Nairobi
Scopus 5: 57, June i981 Received i0 March 198i

RED-FOOTED FALCON FALCO VESPERTINUS AT NAIROBI An immature male Red-footed
Falcon was seen by myself and Dr E. Muller on the eastern grasslands of Nairobi
National Park at about 09:00hrs on 3 May 1980. Initially it was seen perched
on acacias with a pair of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni, when good views

were obtained in direct sunlight for about 4min, at ranges decreasing from
about 100 to 30m, and using 10 x 40 and 8x60 binoculars. The bird was then
Geliberately flushed to show the wing plumage, and together with the Lesser
Kestrels made off in a leisurely manner northwards.

The bird was the same size as the Lesser Kestrels. The upperparts were all
dark grey, with a dark cap and black moustaches on a white face. The throat
was white, the upper breast unmarked rufous, and the rest of the ventral torso
unmarked grey except for dull red thighs and vent. The underwing was all dark
grey. The red of the thighs was difficult to see except at close range in good
light. Bill and foot colour were not noted.

Adrian D. Lewis, Department of Geology, Box 30197, Nairobi
Scopus 5: 57, June i981 Received 10 March 1981

[The above constitute only the third and fourth records for Kenya. Ed.]

A ZAMBIAN RECORD OF THE LITTLE RINGED PLOVER CHARADRIUS DUBIUS
On 27 September 1980 I saw a Little Ringed Plover at Makoma Sewage Ponds,
Luanshya, Zambia; this was the same locality that produced the first Zambian
record of the species (Taylor 1980). Colour transparencies (now lodged, with
full field notes, at the British Museum (Natural History), Tring) were kindly
examined by J.H. Marchant who confirms the identity as a first-autum C. dubius.
These two records from Luanshya suggest that this species may have been over-
looked in Zambia in the past, and it may possibly reach the country regularly.
Although it is described as regular in Tanzania only in the northeast (Britton
1980), in view of the Zambian records it may occur more frequently in central
and southern Tanzania than has previously been supposed.

REFERENCE
TAYLOR, P.B. 1980. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius at Luanshya, Zambia.
Scopus 4: 69.

P.B. Taylor, Box 87336, Mombasa, Kenya y
Scopus 5: 57, June 1981 Received 17 January 1981

58 Short communications

SOME NOTES ON THE RED-CHESTED CUCKOO CUCULUS SOLITARIUS IN TANZANIA’ In view
of the recent interest in the status and distribution of the Red-chested Cuckoo
in East Africa, and in particular in Tanzania (Howell, Msuya & Stuart 1980,
Britton 1980a), some notes on the species made between 1930 and 1962 may be
worth recording, expanding a previously published short note (Fuggles-Couchman
1939).

I agree with Britton (1980a) that the Red-chested Cuckoo is a bird of wide
altitudinal and regional distribution in Tanzania. In the old Eastern Province
it occurred near sea level; in the Kilombero Valley (Rufiri, c. 300m); gener-
ally throughout the intermediate levels of Morogoro and Kilosa Districts at
500-600 m, up to about 1900m at Tchenzema, in the western Uluguru Mountains.

In the old Northern Province, of Moshi, Arusha, Masailand and Mbulu Districts,
it ranged from the bottom of the Rift Valley at Engaruka (c. 1000m), to over
2000m on Mt Hanang and at Kilema and Rongai on Mt Kilimanjaro; in the Crater
Highlands it was found at 1800m at Kavenjiro. I have also one record from
Bukoba District, Lake Province, at c. 1300m on 15 May, when it was in full
song.

The Red-chested Cuckoo was more catholic in its choice of habitat than is
suggested by Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1957). While it frequented forest edges
at higher altitudes, it was to be found widely distributed in miombo woodland,
Acacia pallens - Combretum woodland and Combretum bushland at intermediate
levels. It was also a bird of well-treed townships and cultivated areas such
as at Morogoro and Kilosa and round Mts Meru and Kilimanjaro. But I never met
it in the dry acacia scattered tree grasslands, and its appearance at Engaruka,
in an arid area of the Rift Valley, could be accounted for by the existance of
a narrow strip of evergreen trees and bush along the stream at the bottom of
the Rift wall.

The song was heard over a long season in Morogoro, but the period could have
been prolonged by the arrival of migrants. In 1937-38 the familiar call was
first heard in Morogoro township on 27 October 1937, although it had been
heard already at Tchenzema on 9 October. The last date it was heard at Moro-
goro was 26 June 1938. This date was later than that given in Fuggles-—Couchman
(1939), the earlier date having been the latest up to the time of submission
of the MS. There was a high frequency of calls during November to early
February, falling off into April and early May, but still usually heard on
most days. Song then became increasingly noticeable towards the end of May.

In the Northern Province first dates varied from 30 October at Monduli to
18 November on Mt Kilimanjaro, and the latest date recorded was 6 June on
the western slopes of Kilimanjaro.

REFERENCES
BRITTON, P.L. 1980a. A clarification of the status of the Red-chested Cuckoo
Cuculus solitarius in lowland areas of East Africa. Scopus 4: 71.

FUGGLES-COUCHMAN, N.R. 1939. Notes on some birds of the Eastern Province of
Tanganyika Territory. Ibis 1939: 76-106.

HOWELL, K.M., MSUYA, C.A. & STUART, S.N. 1980. The Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus
solitarius in coastal Tanzania. Scopus 4: 44.

N.R. Fuggles-Couchman, Old Prices, Chedworth, Cheltenham GL54 4AA, England
Scopus 5: 58, June 1981 Received 19 March 1981

Short communications 59

THE IDENTITY OF TWO FICEDULA FLYCATCHERS RECENTLY COLLECTED IN KENYA Britton
(1980a) has pointed out that there appears to be no entirely satisfactory
record of the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca for East Africa. Confusion
has arisen in the past because of the close similarity of this species to the
Collared Flycatcher F.albicollis, and in particular its eastern race semi-
torquata. Some authors (e.g. Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1960) have actually
regarded semitorquata as a race of hypoleuca rather than of albicollis, while
others (e.g. Voous 1977) have accorded semitorquata specific rank.

Individuals recently claimed in East Africa as hypoleuca have included adult
males seen in the field and adult female/first year birds examined in the hand.
From the descriptions available, all these birds could well have been semi-
torquata.

I have been able to examine two Kenya specimens in the National Museum,
Nairobi, collection which were originally assigned to hypoleuca. Both are
first year birds, one collected at Kakamega on 24 December 1970 and the other
at 2550m on Mt Elgon on 16 January 1976. I have compared these two birds with
a Nairobi Museum specimen of nominate albicollis, a first year bird identi-
fiable by the white bases of the hindneck feathers, which was collected at
Ng'iya on 2 October 1972. I have also compared all these Nairobi Museum birds
with a series of hypoleuca, nominate albicollis and semitorquata in the
British Museum (Natural History) study collections at Tring.

Adult male semitorquata is readily distinguishable from hypoleuca by the
greater amount of white in the wing, including a more extensive 'speculum',
formed by the bases of the inner primaries, and an additional narrow bar
formed by the tips of the median coverts (see, for example, Svensson 1975).

It is typically much blacker above than hypoleuca and often shows a white
half collar and a greyish rump; with good views these characters can be seen
in the field. Adult female and first winter semitorquata resemble nominate
albicollis in colour, being grey-brown above rather than the olive-brown
colour of hypoleuca. Like nominate albicollis, they also show more white in
the wing than female/first winter hypoleuca, with a broad bar formed by the
greater covert tips and secondary bases, broad white tertial edges, and a
small visible speculum formed by the bases of the inner primaries, which is
typically hidden by the primary coverts in female/first winter hypoleuca.

In the hand, wing formula would also appear to be a useful character in
many birds. I noted the position of the second primary tip relative to that
of the fifth in British Museum specimens, and numbers of birds in various
categories were as follows:

P2<P5 P2 = P5 P2>P5
Ficedula hypoleuca 46 4 1
Ficedula a. albicollis 3 11 36
Ficedula a. semitorquata 5 19 20

In hypoleuca, the second primary was typically 2-3mm shorter than the fifth,
and only in albicollis (both races) was it commonly longer, or even equal.

The Nairobi Museum birds from Kakamega and Mt Elgon match specimens of
albicollis as regards colour of upperparts, being paler and greyer than any
hypoleuca examined. One, the Elgon bird, had as much white in the wing as the
Nairobi Museum Ng'iya albicollis, and both had a small visible speculum in the
primary bases extending back to about level with the primary tips. The Elgon
bird, like the one from Ng'iya, had the second primary equal to the fifth;
in the Kakamega bird it was marginally (<1mm) shorter.

Thus, judging mainly by the colour of the upperparts, but also taking into
account the visible primary speculum, the amount of white in the wing generally,
and the length of the second primary, I would assign both the Kakamega and
Elgon specimens to semitorquata.

60 Short communications

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am grateful to I.C.J. Galbraith for facilities afforded me at the British
Museum (Natural History) and to G.R. Cunningham-van Someren for the loan of
material from the National Museum, Nairobi.

REFERENCES
BRITTON, P.L. 1980a. Ficedula flycatchers in East Africa. Scopus 4: 21-22.

SVENSSON, L. 1975. Identification guide to European Passerines. Stockholm:
Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet. ,

VOOUS, K.H. 1977. List of recent Holarctic bird species. Ibis 119: 223-250.

D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry, Box 30197, Nairobi.
Scopus 5: 59-60, June 1981 Received 10 March 1981

A RECORD OF THE COLLARED FLYCATCHER FICEDULA ALBICOLLIS FROM NAIROBI Britton
(1980a) summayizes the status of Ficedula flycatchers in East Africa. For
Kenya, the only definite records of the Collared Flycatcher are of an adult
male at Mara River on 3 March 1973, referable to the eastern race semitorquata,
a female/first winter male at Ng'iya on 2 October 1972 and the Kakamega and

Mt Elgon birds assigned to semitorquata by Pearson (1981). A number of other
Ficedula records from Kakamega Forest, Mt Elgon, Mau Narok and Nairobi are
indeterminate (Britton 1980a).

At noon on 16 November 1980 I located a female/first autumn male Ficedula
around tall trees in my garden in Spring Valley, Nairobi. There had been heavy
rain in the night and several other Palaearctic migrants were also visible.
The Ficedula was intermittently in view for 30min as it flitted about in
typical flycatcher fashion in the open tree canopy. It also climbed on slant-
ing trunks like a treecreeper Certhia sp., and twice chased off and mobbed
single Red-eyed Doves Streptopelia semitorquata. It was watched through
10 x 40 binoculars, in good light, at ranges between 30 and 50m.

The upperparts were unmarked grey-brown, with a definite paler grey patch on
the rump visible in direct sunlight. There was no hint of a paler collar, and
no white on the frons. The closed wing was dark brown or blackish, with a
broad white bar in the region of the greater covert tips and prominent white
edges to the tertials. The dorsal tail surface was also dark brown or blackish.
The eyes, legs and bill were dark. The chin and throat were whitish above a
very pale greyish breast that merged via very diffuse streaks to an unmarked
white belly and vent. The bird was silent.

In view of the grey tone to the upperparts, the pale rump and the large
amount of white in the wing, I identified the bird as a Collared Flycatcher
rather than a Pied F. hypoleuca. The absence of any visible pale neck collar
despite the excellent views obtained would suggest that the bird was of the
eastern race semitorquata.

REFERENCES
BRITTON, P.L. 1980a. Ficedula flycatchers in East Africa. Scopus 4: 21-22.

PEARSON, D.J. 1981. The identity of two Ficedula flycatchers recently collected
in Kenya. Scopus 5: 59-60.

Adrian D. Lewis, Department of Geology, Box 30197, Nairobi
Scopus 5: 60 Received 10 March 1981

Continued from inside front cover
-

Any references cited should be listed at the end of the contribution following
the form used in this issue. Names of periodicals must be given in full and,

in the case of books, the town of publication and the publisher should be given.
A number of works, which are cited frequently, should not be listed under
"References'; the name(s) of the author(s) and date(s) of publication should be
given in the text in the normal way. A list of the works concerned is given below.

All contributions should be sent to Dr D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.
WORKS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE LISTED UNDER 'REFERENCES'

BACKHURST, G.C., BRITTON, P.L. & MANN, C.F. 1973. The less common Palaearctic
Migrant birds of Kenya and Tanzania. Journal of the East Africa Natural
History Society and National Museum 140: 1-38. = Backhurst et al. 1973.

Benson, C.W., BROOKE, R.K., DOWSETT, R.J. & IRWIN, M.P.S. 1971. The birds of
Zambia. London: Collins. = Benson et al. 1971.

BRITTON, P.L. (ed.) 1980. Birds of East Africa. Nairobi: EANHS. = Britton 1980.

BROWN, L.H. & BRITTON, P.L. 1980. The breeding seasons of East African birds.
Nairobi: EANHS. = Brown & Britton 1980.

HALL, B.P. & MOREAU, R.E. 1970. An atlas of speciation in African Passerine birds.
London: British Museum (Nat. Hist.). = Hall & Moreau 1970.

JACKSON, F.J. 1938. The birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate. 3 vols.
London: Gurney & Jackson. = Jackson 1938.

MACKWORTH-PRAED, C.W. & GRANT, C.H.B. 1957 & 1960. African handbook of birds.
Series I, vols 1 & 2. Birds of eastern and north eastern Africa. 2nd Edition.
London: Longmans Green & Co. = Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1957 and/or 1960.

MOREAU, R.E. 1966. The bird faunas of Africa and its islands. London: Academic
Press. = Moreau 1966.

1972. The Palaearctic-African bird migration systems. London:
Academic Press. = Moreau 1972.

SNOW, D.W. (ed.) 1978. An atlas of speciation in African Non-Passerine birds.
London: British Museum (Nat. Hist.). = Snow 1978. }

EAST AFRICAN BIRD REPORT
This forms the fifth issue of Scopus and each report covers one calendar year.

Records of Afrotropical Region (i.e. Ethiopian Region and Malagasy Sub-Region)
and Oceanic birds should be sent to D.A. Turner [tel. 48772], Box 48019,
Nairobi; records of Palaearctic Region birds to B.S. Meadows [tel. 40539],
Box 30522, Nairobi. Records should be sent in early in the new year to ensure
the speedy production of the Bird Report.

IC4AMREF

CONTENTS

C.H. FRY. The residential status of the Madagascar Bee-eater
Merops superca:] 70sus “invAErica <7. 2). ene eee Aras) eas is tae ed

19)
Zz

TUART, K.M. HOWELL, T.A. van der WILLIGEN and A.A. GEERTSEMA.
Some additions to the forest avifauna of the Uzungwa Mountains,
PANZANDA a) 16) et eS se ww ee ei ee fe ce oer nye ery

ADRIAN D. LEWIS and D.J. PEARSON. Stork and raptor migration

in South Nyanza, Kenya Us saa sige. «esas eee tate I
J.S. ASH. Breeding of the Spur-winged Goose Plectopterus
gambensis an, Ethiopia 2 2 ie) ss 93) es in be) aa ed ote

JOSEPH P. SKORUPA. A breeding record for Cassin's Hawk Eagle

Hieraaetus africanus . 3) = sls SS oe es sep ees ee ee ee
J.S. ASH. Ayres' Hawk Eagle Hieraaetus dubius in Ethiopia

and Somablia. “s -s sss (s ws; eke es) ee) 6. 0c Sm Sie ole tee en, eae coe
SIMON THOMSETT. Some observations on the Bat Hawk

Macheiramphus: al@inus = 2.93 (ess st Sw Se ee ee

D.J. PEARSON. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus in Tsavo .. . 57
ADRIAN D. LEWIS. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus at Nairobi . 57

P.B. TAYLOR. A second Zambian record of the Little Ringed
Plover Charadrius dubius'. 2-20 % %<) 4 eee ee

N.R. FUGGLES-COUCHMAN. Some notes on the Red-chested Cuckoo
Cuculus solstarius in VlanZanva ©). © = moe aes ee

J. PEARSON. The identity of two Ficedula flycatchers
recently collected in Kenya ~<"s 2 2) 2's ae) eS ee

ADRIAN D. LEWIS. A record of the Collared Flycatcher Ficedula
oligs from Nairobi- <2 2-5) aS = 2 ne oe ee ee

Printed in Kenya by AMREF, Box 30125, Nairobi

Se CO ISSN 0250--4162
© F6O Zi

SCOPUS

A quarterly publication of the
Ornithological Sub-Committee

East Africa Natural History Society

Edited by

GRAEME BACKHURST

Volume 5(3) September 1981 K.Shs 20

SCOPUS

Scopus is published five times a year by the Ornithological Sub-Committee of
the East Africa Natural History Society. Subscriptions are payable to the OS-C
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All material for Scopus, including papers, short communications, letters and
notices, should be sent in the first instance to the Chairman of the Ornithol-
ogical Sub-Committee, Dr D.J. Pearson [tel. 47041], Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi.

Other Sub-Committee members are as follows: G.C. Backhurst [tel. 8914i9], Editor
of Scopus and Ringing Organizer, Box 24702, Nairobi; J.S.S. Beesley, Box 634,
Arusha, Tanzania; P.L. and Mrs H.A. Britton (U.K.); Dr Margaret Carswell, Box
7051, Kampala; Dr K.M. Howell, Box 35064, Dar es Salaam; Dr A.D. Lewis, Depart-
ment of Geology, Box 30197, Nairobi; B.S. Meadows [tel. 48535], Box 30521,
Nairobi; Dr D.E. Pomeroy [tel. Kahawa 439], Box 43844, Nairobi; J.F. Reynolds
(U.K.); D.K. Richards ftel. 501501] ,.Box, 30750, Nairobi; PBs Payior, Nese
Record Scheme Organizer, [tel. Mombasa 24065], Box 87336, Mombasa.

NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Scopus welcomes original contributions in English on all aspects of the ornith-
Ology of eastern Africa. Contributions will be assessed by the Sub-Committee
and by independent referees. The material published in Scopus will be divided
into 'papers' and ‘short communications', the latter will usually be less than
two pages in length. 'Papers' should be written in the third person (except in
the 'Acknowledgements' section); 'short communications' may be written in the
first or third person. Authors of 'papers' are entitled to five copies of their
contribution gratis. Extra copies, which will be supplied at cost, must be
ordered when the MS is submitted.

Ccntributions should be typed in 1% or double spacing on one side of the paper
only, with wide margins all round, and should be submitted in duplicate.
Exceptionally, clear hand-written MSS will be considered but these too should
be sent in duplicate. Both English and scientific names of birds should be
given when the species is first mentioned, thereafter only one should be used.
English and scientific names should be those of Birds of East Africa unless
the spécies does not occur in that work.

Tables, which should be numbered, should appear in the typescript, NOT grouped
on separate sheets at the end. Metric units should be used. If non-metric
units were used in the original observation or experiment, the approximate
metric equivalent should be given in brackets.

Illustrations should be on bristol board, good quality white paper or tracing
material, in line - i.e. black on white, and should not be larger than 19 x 23
cm. Lettering (in black) will be the responsibility of the author and should
be done neatly in Letraset (or similar), no larger than 14 point (3.9mm). Each
illustration should be numbered (Fig. 1, etc) and be provided with a legend
typed on a separate sheet of paper. Photographs will be considered if they are

eee eee. Continued inside back cover

Scopus 5 (3) September 1981

SCOPUS

SURVIVAL AND INTERCOLONY MOVEMENTS OF
WHITE-BROWED SPARROW WEAVERS
PLOCEPASSER MAHALI
Nicholas E. Collias & Elsie C. Collias

From 17 March to 17 June 1976, we ringed 45 White-browed Sparrow Weavers
Plocepasser mahali with individual combinations of coloured rings and, in
some cases, with aluminium rings as well, in the Samburu-Buffalo Springs
Game Reserve, Kenya; 26 in seven colonies at the Samburu Game Lodge area and
19 in four colonies near the Buffalo Springs bandas. The natural vegetation
is largely acacia wooded grassland. A map showing the location of 13 nesting
colonies at Samburu has been published with details of behaviour (Collias &
Collias 1978a).

SURVIVORSHIP
Each colony had its nests in an acacia tree. During 6-12 April 1978 (Collias
& Collias 1978b) and again from 6-10 September 1980 we returned to the two
study sites to look for surviving individuals. In April 1978 we found 21 (47
per cent) of the colour-ringed birds still present after two years. None of
the young fledged during the breeding season of 1976 apparently survived these
two years, and all but one disappeared within three months of age. In Sept-
ember 1980 we found 11 birds (24 per cent) of those ringed in 1976, still
present after a period of just over four years. The birds had the same combi-
nation on both legs and colour ring loss was not serious during the first two
years (Collias & Collias 1978b), while enough rings persisted so that all but
one survivor could be identified in 1980. The high survivorship minimized the
importance of ring loss.

We found that 21 of 43 birds ringed as adults in 1976 survived the first
two years, and were still present in the study area, while of these 21 survi-
vors, 11 survived to September 1980. If the probability of an individual
dying during any one month is q then the probability of surviving one year
is (1-q)’*. From this formula (R. Vance, pers. comm.) we calculated the average
annual survival. The annual survival of birds ringed as adults in 1976 aver-
aged 70 per cent during the first two years and 77 per cent from April 1978
to September 1980. These figures are rather similar to the figure for adult
annual survival for P.mahali found by Lewis (1980) for two years in mopane
woodland in northeast Zambia of 74 per cent and 69 per cent, and indicate
high survival rates for adults in this species. Like ourselves, Lewis checked
for movements of colour-ringed birds beyond a peripheral zone of colonies
surrounding the study area and also found very little, if any, such movement,
indicating that disappearance of birds was probably largely, if not entirely,

Scopus 5: 61-65, September 1981

62 White-browed Sparrow Weaver studies

due to mortality rather than to emigration. We checked for ringed birds in 14
neighbouring colonies 50-150m from the ringing sites, and all were unringed
except for movement of ringed birds one to two colonies away from a ringed
colony. We were generally able to census all the birds within a colony within
one hour, but repeated the census in doubtful cases.

MOVEMENTS AND RESIDENCE
The birds reside at their colonies the year round, and defend a group feeding
territory about 50m in diameter around the acacia tree in which their nests
are located. In 1978, after two years, 11 of 20 colour-ringed survivors had
moved from their original home to an adjoining territory (7 birds), or toa
colony only two territories removed (4 birds), while the remaining nine still
lived in the same colonies. But in 1980, nine of the 11 survivors from birds
ringed in 1976 still resided on the same territories as in 1978, and only two —
birds had moved to an adjacent territory. It would appear that attachment to
a given colony became firmer after two years, while more shifting took place
during the first two years after being ringed as adults.

Male YO was found in the same colony in 1976, 1978 and 1980, and each year
appeared to be the most dominant bird in this colony. In a neighbouring
colony, Male AY was the most dominant bird in 1976 and 1978, but had disap-
peared by 1980, his place as dominant male being taken by Male AB. Male AB
was originally ringed two territories away in 1976, and he circulated between
three different colonies in 1978 when he slept in the colony adjoining the
one in which he was found in 1980. Male BB was repeatedly and almost constant-
ly attacked by the dominant male of the colony in which he was ringed in 1976,
and BB eventually left this colony for another in which he was found in both
1978 and 1980.

In each colony of P. mahali there was only one brood female who did all the
incubating and most of the feeding of the young. Female AA left her home
colony for another colony two territories removed in which she was found to
be the brood female in both 1978 and 1980. In 1978, on the same day as she
was incubating, Female AA was seen to feed nestlings in another colony two
territories away. In that colony, Female GR became the brood female, after
the original brood female of 1976 disappeared, and Female GR was apparently
the brood female both in 1978 and 1980, though not in 1976 (although she was
then a colony member).

COLONIES AND POPULATION DENSITY
Territorial boundaries remained essentially the same, with few exceptions, in
some 27 colonies observed over the period of 4s:yr, despite turnover of most
of the population. Thus, territorial boundaries were traditional, and their
locations survived the individuals composing the colonies. The same trees
were often used in boundary disputes between neighbouring groups in 1976,
1978 and 1980.

Between 1976 and 1978, one colony at Samburu Lodge became extinct, apparent-
ly because of human disturbance, while one new colony appeared. By 1980, the
colony that had become extinct was replaced by one in a tree next to the.
original colony tree. The birds prefer isolated trees for their nests.. At >
Buffalo Springs, between 1976 and 1978, the birds of one colony moved their
nests over to another tree about 12m away after the canopy of the original
colony tree and that of two adjoining trees grew to overlap.

- The strong territorial behaviour of P.mahali appears to exert considerable
stabilizing influence on population density, but at Samburu there was an
increase in. population size of over 40 per cent between 1976 and 1980. In 18
Samburu colonies, in April 1976, April 1978 and September 1980, we counted in
all 88, 110 and 126 adults and fledged young, respectively. The average number

White-browed Sparrow Weaver studies 63

of adults per colony in each of these three years was 5, 6 and 7 respectively.
The year 1976 was relatively dry and survival of the young was generally poor.
Most breeding takes place during the rains, but some young may be raised even
during the dry season. In September 1980, towards the end of the long dry
season, we saw three fledged young at the Samburu Lodge site and one at the
Buffalo Springs bandas area.

To summarize: 1) Over a period of about 44: yr, P.mahali populations showed
a high annual adult survival, and the population density and average colony
size increased by about 40 per cent. 2) The birds are sedentary and the loc-
ation of colony trees and of territorial boundaries generally outlast the life
of the individuals composing the populations. 3) About half the ringed birds
moved to neighbouring or other nearby colonies during the first two years
after ringing, but the great majority remained in the same colonies from the
second to the fourth year.

DISCUSSION

One of the nearest relatives of Plocepasser is Pseudonigrita. In April-June
1978 we colour-ringed 56 individuals of the Grey-capped Social Weaver Pseudo-
nigrita arnaudi at the Olorgesailie National Prehistoric Site some 70km south-
west of Nairobi. In September 1980 we and Dr Derek Pomeroy found only six
ringed individuals still present, and only one of these had been certainly
ringed as an adult. However, of 29 adults which we had colour-ringed, Mr G.R.
Cunningham-van Someren observed 14 (48 per cent) still present about 9 months
later, equivalent to an annual survival rate plus dispersion out of the study
area, of about 38 per cent for adult P. arnaudi, much less than the 70-80 per
cent average annual survival indicated for adult Plocepasser mahali. It is
possible that many of the birds dispersed widely in P. arnaudi. Pseudonigrita
arnaudi is a smaller bird, weighing about 20g compared to an average 42g
for P.mahali, and correlated with its apparently greater population turnover
rate it usually lays three eggs to a clutch instead of the two characteristic
of P.mahali. Pseudonigrita arnaudi does less communal feeding of the nest-
lings than does P.mahali (Collias & Collias 1980). Its maximum life span in
nature is probably shorter since only six of 56 ringed individuals were found
after 24 yr in contrast to 11 of 45 P.mahali still alive after 4:yr. The
greatest maximum age we found for any of our colour-ringed individuals was
2 years and 10 months for P. arnaudi and 5 years and 4 months for P. mahali.
Another closely related species, Philetairus socius the Sociable Weaver of
southwestern Africa, is often put into the same subfamily, the Plocepasserinae,
with the two preceding genera. Based on extensive ringing at the Kalahari
Gemsbok National Park in South Africa, Maclean (1973: 232) thought it "unlikely
that the Sociable Weaver's maximal longevity ever exceeds about 3% years."
It resembles Pseudonigrita arnaudi and differs from Plocepasser mahali, in
addition to its shorter life, in usually laying a larger clutch (four eggs),
and in that communal feeding of nestlings is less common than in P. mahali.

Plocepasser mahali resembles many small land birds of tropical regions and
differs from most of those of temperate and colder regions in high survival of
adults, in relatively long life once adulthood is reached, in having an
enclosed nest, in laying a very small clutch of eggs (usually two), and in
that more than two birds usually feed the nestlings and fledglings. The rel-
atively long life span of adults may be a key factor in this complex of diff-
erences from small land birds of temperate or colder zones. Survival rates
for adults of most species of small temperate zone land birds range between
40 to 60 per cent (Ricklefs 1969, Cody 1971). In contrast, Snow & Lill (1974)
have reported annual adult survival rates of 70 to 90 per cent for 15 species
of ringed forest birds of various species of the New World tropics in Trini-
dad, and Fogden (1972) of 86 per cent for various land birds, excluding hole

64 White-browed Sparrow Weaver studies

nesters, of the Old World tropics in Sarawak. One would expect greater average
adult survival of small land birds in the tropics than in the temperate or
colder zones because the hazards of migration and seasonal cold are much less
in the tropics. Many species of tropical birds lay small clutches, and one
reason for this may be that high adult survival means fewer places available
for young birds. Fewer young birds are needed to replace a long-lived adult
population. Communal nesting with more than two birds caring for the brood, is
much more common in the tropics than in higher latitudes (Rowley et al. 1976).
Here again, in the face of a saturated population, with many long-lived adults,
one of the best evolutionary strategies that young birds could adopt would be
to help their parents raise younger brothers and sisters, until they could
establish a place for themselves as independent breeders. Brown (1974) and
Woolfenden (1976) have expressed similar views for communal nesting jays of
warm temperate latitudes, as has Fry (1980) after a survey of the world lit-
erature comparing longevity in tropical and temperate zone birds. Fry points
out that, "scant as tropical studies have been, small land birds of low latit-
udes commonly attain the advanced ages known for only a tiny fraction of high
latitude birds." Brown & Pomeroy (in press) have developed data from tropical
Africa which indicate that large birds generally live longer than small birds,
and that communal or co-operative breeders tend to live longer than species
where only the mated pair raises the young.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank the Office of the President of Kenya for permission to do this re-
search, the National Museums of Kenya for sponsorship and invaluable aid, the
Kenya Wildlife Conservation and Management Department for permission to ring
the birds, the Warden of the Samburu-Buffalo Springs Game Reserve for permis-
sion to carry out this project in the Reserve, and S.Altmann, G.R. Cunninghan-
van Someren, J.T. Emlen, T.R. Howell, D.E. Pomeroy, D.A. Turner and R. Vance
for help in various ways. The United States National Science Foundation and
UCLA helped finance the project.

REFERENCES
BROWN, J.L. 1974. Alternate routes to sociality in jays - with a theory for
the evolution of altruism and communal breeding. American Zoologist 14:61-78.

BROWN, L.H. & POMEROY, D.E. (in press). The age structure of populations of
wild birds in tropical Africa, as demonstrated by plumage characters and
marking techniques. Proceedings of the Vth Pan-African Ornithological Congress.

CODY, M.L. 1971. Ecological aspects of reproduction. in Avian Biology (D.S.
Farner & J.R. King, eds.), Vol. 1, Chap. 10: 462-512, Academic Press: New
York and London.

COLLIAS, N.E. & COLLIAS, E.C. 1978a. Cooperative breeding behavior in the
White-browed Sparrow Weaver. Auk 95: 472-484.

1978b. Survival and intercolony movement of
White-browed Sparrow Weavers Plocepasser mahali over a two-year period.
Scopus 2: 75-76.

1980. Behavior of the Grey-capped Social Weaver
(Pseudonigrita arnaudi) in Kenya. Auk 97: 213-226.

FOGDEN, M.P.L. 1972. The seasonality and population dynamics of equatorial
forest birds in Sarawak. Ibis 114: 307-342.

FRY, C.H. 1980. Survival and longevity among tropical land birds. Proceedings
of the IVth Pan-African Ornithological Congress 333-343.

ee

White-browed Sparrow Weaver studies 65

LEWIS, D.M. 1980. Population biology of a communal bird species Plocepasser
mahali. Ph.D. thesis, University of Texas, Austin, Texas.

MACLEAN, G.L. 1973. The Sociable Weaver, Part 3: Breeding biology and moult.
Ostrich 44: 219-240.

RIKLEFS, R.E. 1969. An analysis of nesting mortality in birds. Smithsonian
Contributions in Zoology 9: 1-48.

ROWLEY, I., GRIMES, L.G., WOOLFENDEN, G.E. & ZAHAVI, A. 1976. Symposium on co-
operative breeding in birds. Proceedings of the 16th International Ornith-
ological Congress, Canberra, Australia 655-693.

SNOW, D.W. & LILL, A. 1974. Longevity records for some neotropical land birds.
Condor 76: 262-267.

WOOLFENDEN, G.E. 1976. Co-operative breeding in American birds. Proceedings
of the 16th International Ornithological Congress, Canberra, Australia
674-684.

N.E. Collias and E.C. Collias, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024,
and Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Exposition Park, Los Angeles,
CA 90007, U.S.A.

(Received 11 February 1981, revised 26 May 1981)

66 The Grey-crested Helmet Shrike

THE PAST AND PRESENT STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE GREY-CRESTED
HELMET SHRIKE PRIONOPS POLIOLOPHA

Adrian D. Lewis

Hall & Moreau (1970) refer to the Grey-crested Helmet Shrike Prionops polio-
lopha as replacing the Helmet Shrike P. plumata in the Kenya highlands. Prionops
poliolopha is described in Britton (1980) as endemic to woodlands east and
south of Lake Victoria at 1200-2000m, typically in Acacia drepanolobium or
leleshwa Tarchonanthus.

However, despite the fact that this species exhibits the noisy and promin-
ent habits of its family, confirmed records of its occurrence are few, and
several authors comment on its rarity (e.g. van Someren 1932, Jackson 1938,
Turner 1977, Britton 1980). Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1960) describe its occur-
rence in Kenya as "somewhat erratic".

This paper reviews the past and present records of P. poliolopha, and relates
a new series of observations from the Nakuru area. For convenience, the species’
range is considered under four main areas.

THE RECORDS
Naivasha-Kedong Valley area
Fischer & Reichenow (1884) recorded the type at Naivasha, from a female killed
“off the nest" on 11 May. Jackson (1901) described the collection of an adult
female and a juvenile male from a small flock in the Kedong Valley on 17 April
1896, and this record is also quoted by Reichenow (1900-1905).

Van Someren (1922) mentioned it as collected by Doherty at Escarpment Stat-
ion, Uplands (1°03'S, 36°39'E); he also remarked on the destruction of its
habitat. On 4 February 1923, V.G.L. van Someren collected a female at Naiv-
asha; this was followed by a male and a subadult male on 26 June 1925, in the
Kedong Valley (Catalogue of East Africa and Uganda birds collected by V.G.L.
van Someren 1910-1951). Van Someren (1932) mentioned what are presumably these
specimens, while summing up the species' status as "not very common".

On 12 February 1926 E.H. Ward collected a male from 'Sterndale', Naivasha
(National Museum Collection, Nairobi). Sclater (1930) mentioned the locality
"Naivasha', which presumably includes Doherty's Escarpment specimen.

Jackson (1938) derived his summary of the distribution of the species from
Sclater (1930), and quoted the Escarpment record (van Someren 1922), and the
type from Naivasha (Fischer & Reichenow 1884). His only personal observation
of the bird was the Kedong family party in 1896.

Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1960) referred to the occurrence of the species in
central Kenya, and mentioned the breeding at Naivasha, while White (1962) and
Hall & Moreau (1970) also used earlier records from this area.

Turner (1977) noted the absence of recent records from Naivasha-Kedong and
attributed its apparently complete disappearance to recent rural development.
P.L. Britton (in litt.) notes the absence of published records from this area
during the last 50 years.

Kenya-Tanzania border areas
Reichenow (1900-1905) recorded the collection of the species by O. Neumann in
January from Ssero (or Scero) (1°15'S, 35°30'E), which is in the Loita Plains
area.

The Willoughby-Lowe catalogue (housed in the National Museum, Nairobi) lists
a female, taken on the Amala River (0°45'S, 35°25'E) on 14 October 1912, which
was also mentioned by Jackson (1938). Van Someren (1932) also collected a bird

Scopus 5: 66-70, September 1981

The Grey-crested Helmet Shrike 67

from this locality, and Sclater (1930) presumably used one or both of these
specimens to define the range from this locality southwestwards into Tanzania.
Bowen (1931) found it to be common in the Ikoma (2°05'S, 34°37'E) region of
northern Tanzania.

F.N. Betts (unpublished MS) encountered it several times in the Narok Dis-
trict between 1948 and 1952, between the town of Narok (1°05'S, 35°52'E) and
the southern part of the Uaso Nyiro (1°55'S, 36°07'E), and at the foot of the
Loita Hills. In his account of the resident breeding birds of southwest Kenya
(Betts 1966) he mentions one record, of a flock "of several adults and a number
of newly fledged young" near Narok on 27 May (no year given but between 1948
and 1952).

J.G. Williams collected an adult male on 19 August 1959, at Mosiro (1°30'S,
36°06'E) in Narok District, altitude 1200m (National Museum, Nairobi).
Williams (1963) described it as uncommon in the bush of central southern Kenya
and northern Tanzania, but not uncommon around Loliondo (2°03'S, 35°37'E) in
northern Tanzania, where he observed it in mixed flocks with P. plumata. This
constitutes the only record of sympatry between these two species, and is
quoted by Hall & Moreau (1970). Williams (1967) recorded it without details or
comment from the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya, while Williams & Arlott (1980)
repeat the Loliondo sympatry note, but now (as opposed to Williams (1963) )
consider it a "very uncommon" bird of the bush country.

D.A. Turner (pers. comm.) notes it as a local and uncommon resident of the
northern Serengeti (Mara Region), Tanzania, particularly where whistling thorn
Acacia depanolobium is dominant. He has also recorded it "many times" within
a 5km radius of Keekorok Lodge (1°38'S, 35°16'E), Masai Mara Game Reserve,
and considers that it is possibly resident in this part of Kenya.

L.L. Short collected two specimens from Lion Camp, Olonganaiyo Lugger (1°18'
S, 35°49'E), 25km south southwest of Narok, both at an altitude of 1770m.
The first was a female on 10 July 1978, while the second was a male two days
later (National Museum, Nairobi); the habitat is described as "riparian fever
trees", i.e. Acacia xanthophloea.

Britton (1980) states that "most records are from border areas in Narok and
Serengeti."

South of Lake Victoria

Reichenow (1900-1905) quoted three records from this area from previous German
collectors. O. Neumann took the species in June in Muansa, which Reichenow's
map shows to be modern Mwanza (2°31'S, 34°54'E), and from the Ngarre Mousse
River (1°45'S, 35°00'E) during January. R. Béhm and von Trotha collected it
during December from the Ugalla River, which is a tributary of the Malagarisi
River, which flows into Lake Tanganyika just south of Kigoma (4°52'S, 29°37'E).

Jackson (1938) quotes localities from Reichenow (1900-1905), including
Unyamwezi, which is also in the Kigoma-Tabora area.

These early records thus extend the range dramatically southwestwards to
about 5°S in the Kigoma-Tabora region, but appear to form the only evidence
for the occurrence of the species there. They are utilized, in one form or
another, by Sclater (1930), Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1960), White (1962) and
Hall & Moreau (1970), the last noting the range "into much lower and drier
country as far as Tabora”™ (5°01'S, 32°48'E).

As for Naivasha-Kedong, Britton (1980) could detail no records from the
Tabora Region "in recent decades".

Nakuru area

Williams (1967) describes the species as "uncommon" in Lake Nakuru National
Park, but gives no supporting details; for this reason the locality is not
included by Britton (1980). The following recent series of observations thus
properly documents the occurrence of the bird up to 60km north of its hither-

68 The Grey-crested Helmet Shrike

to known range, as well as providing the first records from the central Kenya
rift since 1926.

Table 1

Recent Nakuru area sight records of the Grey-crested Helmet Shrike

a

Date No. Habitat Area Observers
25.10.78 9 Riverine Acacia 1.6km N of Naishi I.G.Marshall
xanthophloea Ranger Post, LNNP
04.02.79 3 A. xanthophloea near Makalia Bridge I.G.Marshall
woodland LNNP
02.10.80 5 ditto SE corner LNNP R.R.Izagiriza
& ADL
09.11.80 11 ditto between Naishi & I.G.Marshall
Makalis Falls,
LNNP
14.12.80 6 Tarchonanthus, Protea, W side of Menen- P.L.:& H-A.
patches of richer wood- gai Crater, Britton &
land and coarse grasses Nakuru R. Boy

'No.' refers to the number of birds in the flock; LNNP = Lake Nakuru National
Park

The concentration of records from Lake Nakuru does not mean that the bird is
common there. I.G. Marshall has extensively searched the vicinity of his sight-
ings on foot and failed to relocate the birds, as did the author and R.R. Iza-
giriza on the day after their record. Ornithologists currently resident in the
Park and routinely noting birds there for over a year have not seen this
Species (V. Haas, pers. comm.); earlier resident observers report irregular
sightings in the periods February-May and even July-August, but these records
lack detail and confirmation.

DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY
Changes in distribution
From the existing records, it is clear that the Grey-crested Helmet Shrike
has never been a numerous bird, certainly far less abundant than the closely
related P. plumata. Only Bowen (1931) regarded P. poliolopha as common, in
northern Tanzania.

Since its discovery in 1884, it has apparently become extinct in the Naivasha-
Kedong area, and possibly also in areas of Tanzania south of Lake Victoria.
Apart from the Nakuru sightings, recent records suggest that its range has
contracted into the Kenya-Tanzania border areas in the Serengeti-Mara and Loita-
Loliondo regions.

The reasons for these changes are not clear. V.G.L. van Someren, as early as
1922, noted that the forest and scrub from which Doherty had collected his
Escarpment specimen(s) had since been cut down or burnt, "and the entire
aspect of the country altered". Turner (1977) also blames "recent rural devel-
opment" for the disappearance of the species from the Naivasha-Kedong area,
and makes the point that little is known of its breeding biology or habitat
requirements. Several of the recent records have been from Acacia xanthophloea
country, which certainly still exists around Naivasha.

A possible explanation for the lack of records is misidentification as P.
plumata, particularly by observers not acquainted with P. poliolopha, and/or

The Grey-crested Helmet Shrike 69

assuming the commoner of the two species. The plumage of both species is
essentially black and white, with a white bar visible on the closed wing
(varying racially in plumata) and a white tip to the tail; both have a grey
crown and nape, becoming darker behind the ear coverts.

The unique features of poliolopha are the yellow eye, the lack of eye wattles,
the tuft-like grey crest on the rear of the crown, and the blackish spot on
the side of the breast. But in the field, the author considered that the eye
colour of poliolopha could be mistaken for the wattle colour of plumata, i.e.
as a yellow flash/colouration in the eye area, while, unless seen clearly,
the crest could be taken for part of the general grey crown colour of plumata;
both species have a whiter crest on the forehead. P.L. Britton, H.A. Britton
and I.G. Marshall all comment on the larger size of poliolopha, i.e. compared
to plumata, but this point is really useful only to observers with previous
knowledge of at least one of the species.

Hence, the only unmistakable feature of poliolopha is the blackish spot on
the side of the breast, which is most distinctive when the bird is viewed from
the front. Interspecific confusion is thus quite possible.

While the recent absence of sightings in the Naivasha-Kedong area cannot be
attributed to lack of observers, this could well be a factor in less frequently
visited regions, such as Mwanza, Tabora and Loliondo. Hence, the recent absence
of the species in these regions could be, at least in part, illusory.

The Nakuru records

The five recent sightings around Nakuru fall between October and February,
while the only two breeding records for the species are in April and May
(Brown & Britton 1980). Presence of the species at Nakuru during the breeding
season requires confirmation.

The various Prionops species have a tendency to forage for food over long
distances (Britton i980), and I.G. Marshall (pers. comm.) comments on this
point with reference to his Nakuru poliolopha sightings. Van Someren (1932)
gives three examples of the erratic appearance of the related plumata, which
were probably due to these long distance movements. The clustering of the
sightings in the southeast corner of Lake Nakuru National Park could reflect
the habit, recorded by Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1960) for plumata, of flocks
repeatedly following the same foraging route, though in these cases over
widely spaced intervals. ©

The Nakuru records probably refer to highly mobile flocks foraging long
distances from their breeding areas. Judging from the above discussion, these
areas are probably to the southwest, along the Kenya-Tanzania border, such that,
to reach Nakuru, birds would have to cross the Mau highlands, or circumvent
them to the south. Williams’ (1967) reference to the species at Nakuru implies
that these movements are none too recent an innovation. Certainly the under-
watched nature of the Mau and its forested western slopes could preclude
detection of any ‘passage’.

CONCLUSIONS
Since its discovery 97 years ago, the Grey-crested Helmet Shrike has apparent-
ly become extinct in the Naivasha-Kedong area of Kenya, and possibly also in
the Mwanza-Tabora area of northern Tanzania. The reasons for these changes
are not clear, but probably involve habitat modifications.

The population now appears to be centred on, and presumably breeding in,
the Kenya-Tanzania border areas, between the eastern rift and Lake Victoria.
FPoraging parties regularly reach Nakuru.

The paucity of records probably reflects a small total population of the
species, moving erratically through large, poorly observed areas, combined
with possible misidentification as P. plumata.

70 The Grey-crested Helmet Shrike

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A summary of this type relies heavily on the co-operation and help of a large
number of people. I am indebted to I.G. Marshall and D.A. Turner for their
unpublished records, and to Miss D. Angwin and Mrs E. Angwin of the East Africa
Natural History Society for access to Society publications. G.R. Cunningham-
van Someren, Head, Department of Ornithology, provided ready and useful access
to reference literature, specimen skins and unpublished MSS at the National
Museum, Nairobi. Particular thanks are due to P.L. Britton, for much useful
discussion and information, and for the provision of unpublished material.
D.J. Pearson & P.L. Britton criticized earlier drafts of the paper.

REFERENCES
BETTS, F.N. 1966. Notes on some resident breeding birds of southwest Kenya.
Ibis 108: 513-530.

BOWEN, W.W. 1931. East African birds collected during the Gray African
Expedition, 1929. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadel-
Phia 83: 11-79.

FISCHER, G.A. & REICHENOW, A. 1884. Neue V6gelarten aus dem Massailand (inner-
es Ost-Afrika). Journal fiir Ornithologie 1884: 178-182.

JACKSON, F.J. 1901. List of birds obtained in British East Africa, with notes
by R.B. Sharpe. Ibis 1901: 33-97.

REICHENOW, A. 1900-1905. Die Végel Afrikas. Neudamm: J. Neumann.
SCLATER, W.L. 1930. Systema Avium Aethiopicarum. London: Taylor & Francis.

TURNER, D.A. 1977. Status and distribution of the East African endemic species.
Scopus 1: 2-11.

VAN SOMEREN, V.G.L. 1922. Notes on the birds of East Africa. Novitates Zool-
Ogicae 29: 1-246.

1932. Birds of Kenya and Uganda, being addenda and corri-
genda to my previous paper in Novitates Zoologicae 29, 1922. ibidem 37: 252-
380.

WHITE, C.M.N. 1962. A revised check list of African shrikes, orioles, etc.
Lusaka: Government Printer.

WILLIAMS, J.G. 1963. A field guide to the birds of East and Central Africa.
London: Collins.

1967. A field guide to the national parks of East Africa.
London: Collins.

& ARLOTT, N. 1980. A field guide to the birds of East Africa.
London: Collins.

Adrian D. Lewis, Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, Box 30197,
Nairobi, Kenya

(Received ii June 1981)

a

Spring Whimbrel passage off Somalia 71

SPRING PASSAGE OF WHIMBREL WUMENIUS PHAEOPUS AND OTHER WADERS
OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA
J.S. Ash

I have lived close to the sea in Mogadishu (2°03'N, 45°21'E), Somalia, for
parts of three spring migrations in 1979-1981, and have been impressed by the
substantial numbers of Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus passing north offshore each
year. As I have been unable to trace any reference to similar Whimbrel migrat-
ion in Africa the situation in Somalia is worth recording. It is sufficiently
spectacular to have attracted the attention of several visitors to Mogadishu,
none of whom has had any particular interest in birds, but local fishermen I
questioned, rather surprisingly, had not noticed them.

The passage is apparently a normal annual event judging from my experience
in three successive springs, but no really systematic observations have been
made, so that the conclusions which follow must be tentative to some extent.
I have, however, recorded every flock seen in the three years, and in 1981,
besides estimating numbers I also noted height of flight, distance off-shore
and time of day. Times of observation were mainly restricted to after 15:00
local time, except for one day a week when observations continued throughout
the day, and for a few other days when I observed for an hour or so following
dawn. Many flocks, especially low-flying ones, were found whilst I was scan-
ning the sea with a telescope or binoculars for sea-birds; others were first
seen with the naked eye, my attention often being drawn to them by distant
calls. Approaching flocks could sometimes be found at a great distance to the
southwest by scanning the horizon.

In the Mogadishu area the coastline runs about ENE-WSW, but further north
and south it runs NE-SW. It therefore provides an excellent leading-line for
migrants by day, and also by night because of its line of surf. From about mid
March to about the end of April is a season of relatively very little wind
between the two monsoons, and with generally good meteorological conditions
for migration. However, the situation in 1981 was dissimilar from 1979 and
1980, for on every day there was considerable atmospheric instability with
heavy rain showers active in the area or within sight, and the light winds
were usually from between south and west, instead of in the opposite quadrant.
This may have been the reason for more Whimbrel flocks being further from
land (see below).

DATES
The dates of the first flocks passing north varied from year to year (I use
the direction 'north' throughout, whereas when passing Mogadishu the birds
are actually flying ENE): 6 April 1979, 5 April 1980 and 26 March 1981 (when
they were heard but not seen, far overhead). I was away from home from 26
April 1979 and 15 April i980.

NUMBERS
Over 13000 birds were counted in 145 flocks, and these are summarized in
Table 1, where over half the flocks comprised between 31 and 120 individuals.
The bulk of the birds (68 per cent) passed in the two weeks 9-22 April when
the data for all years are examined, and the figures for more extensive data
in 1981 are nearly similar (66 per cent) for the same period (Table 2).
Throughout the period of six weeks during which passage occurred in 1981,
only 10 per cent of the migration was in the first two weeks, and 24 per cent
in the last two. Thus migration gets under way rather slowly, and terminates

Scopus 5: 71-76, September 1981

72 Spring Whimbrel passage off Somalia

more quickly.

TABLE 1

Flock size of Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus passing north
along the coast of Somalia

Flock size Number Flock size Number Flock size Number

1-10 14 71-80 7 151-200 1°
11-20 8 81-90 6 201-250 6
21-30 13 91-100 9 251-300 : 4
31-40 15 101-120 10 301-350 3
41-50 13 121-130 1 351-400 1
51-60 10 131-140 1 401-450 6)
61-70 7 141-150 5 451-500 1

SR EL I Ps RE PETTITT LI TE IZ)

TABLE 2

Weekly numbers of Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus passing Mogadishu
in spring 1981

Dates 26.3-1.4 2-8.4 9-15.4 16-22.4 23-29.4 30.4-6.5 Total

Observation (h) N62 1 Ar2 at aZ 17.4 16.3 1S 90.6

Numbers of birds 457 362 2476 2792 1808 80 7975

Birds/h Se 26 221 161 ple! 5 88

per centage of :

total birds By.i/ a5 3120 35.0 227 110 99.9
HEIGHT

Height of flight was judged for 95 flocks in 1981, of which 47 per cent were
at or below 15m, and the highest at 150m. However, these figures are not
very meaningful, for although high-flying birds remained at a more or less
constant height, lower flying birds changed their altitude, often dropping to
sea-level and vice versa. Migrating flocks flew higher later in the season,
but the reason for this is unknown. The average height of 74 flocks between 26
March and 22 April was 25m, whereas afterwards the height of 21 flocks aver-
aged much higher at 71m. The later birds were also closer inshore (see below).

DISTANCE OFFSHORE
In 1979 and 1980 many more flocks were seen close inshore than in 1981, when
there were many more days with tail-winds. Birds pass on a front at least 8km
wide, extending from a position above the coastal dunes (rarely) out to sea
to the farthest extent of visibility through a telescope. Against the sky the
flocks are visible with the naked eye up to perhaps 5km, but when low over
the sea, probably seldom for distances over ikm. In 1981 I estimated the
distances offshore for 93 flocks as:

Over beach 7 (7 per cent)
Within reef (<ikm) 14 (15 per cent)
Over reef (1km) 12 (13 per cent)

Beyond reef to 2km 18 (19 per cent)
Beyond reef to 4km 33 (35 per cent)
Beyond reef to 8km 9 (10 per cent)

It is mentioned above that the later flocks flew higher. They also flew nearer

Spring Whimbrel passage off Somalia 73

inshore: 11 flocks between 24 April and 3 May averaged 0.9km offshore, com-
pared with 3.0km for 82 flocks in the earlier period. This marked difference
in behaviour between early and late birds cannot be explained by conditions of
weather, which remained similar throughout.

FLIGHT SPEED AND FORMATIONS
I failed in my attempts to assess the speed of flying flocks over a measured
distance, but I was impressed by the apparent rapid speed of some of then.
When viewed through a telescope the birds appeared to be ‘straining forward’,
whereas the flight of coastal non-migrating Whimbrel always appears rather
leisurely. Passing flocks rapidly outpaced flocks of migrating terns, which
are themselves moving rapidly. I guessed that Whimbrel ground-speed was in
the region of 65kmh"'. Often birds in a flock called with their usual 'whinny-
ing’ call, and occasionally with a spring 'bubbling' call. Occasionally one or
two birds were seen to drop out of flocks and fly to the shore, but these
were always restless and soon took off again, apparently without feeding. How-
ever, a few feeding birds seen at times along the shore may have left passing
flocks.

Almost always flocks took up a V-formation in flight, and with the larger
ones there was often a compact group at the lead, but characteristically there
was usually a long line of birds trailing behind in one arm, or sometimes
both, of the V. At times they adopted a W-formation, or even a series of Vs
as they advanced on a broader front. Lower flying flocks often changed
altitude, and there was frequent change in formation among the leading birds,
as if they were trying to forge ahead. A line of birds approaching frequently
wavered or undulated, producing a rippling effect along the line.

TIME OF DAY
As most of my time for observation was in the late afternoon this was nat-
urally when I mostly saw Whimbrel. I was usually out soon after 15:00, but
only twice saw flocks before 15:30 on these days; I never saw Whimbrel at
dawn watches or at other times of the day, except once. On 19 April, during
the period of peak passage, I watched from 10:00-17:30 when flocks passed at
12:10, 12:40, and from 13:50 to 17:10. Thus there may be some other movement
earlier in the day which I have not otherwise observed. Whilst moon-watching
on 15 April about 4h after sunset, I saw a V-formation of c. 30 birds cross
the face of the moon and remain outlined against illuminated clouds for some
time. They appeared to be Whimbrel, and were flying NE very high, probably
about over the coastline. On many occasions flocks of migrating Whimbrel were
seen around sunset, which in this area is at c. 18:00, and for as long after-
wards as enough light remained to see them, but no change in behaviour was
noted.

AUTUMN PASSAGE
There is little evidence for a corresponding return passage in autumn. I have
only four observations of from 3 to 23 birds flying south over the sea between
8 August and 25 November. The only indication that large numbers of birds might
be involved was a record of hundreds sitting in mangrove trees at high tide
south of Kismayu (0°22'S, 42°32'E) on 10 October 1978. This is in contrast
to the situation in Kenya where there is a large autumn passage (D.J. Pearson
in litt.).

OTHER SPECIES
Occasionally other smaller waders accompany the Whimbrel flocks, which I think
are mostly Grey Plovers Pluvialis squatarola. A few Curlew Numenius arquata
also join them, and I have also seen Crab Plovers Dromas ardeola, Oyster-

74 Spring Whimbrel passage off Somalia

catchers Haematopus Ostralegus, and once Ringed Plovers Charadrius hiaticula.

Generally other species of waders fly separately, but no spectacular pass-
age has been noted for any of them. The following notes refer only to flocks
of birds judged to be actively migrating; they do not include reference to
birds on the shore or lagoons which are misleading indicators of the migration
actually taking place (vide the Whimbrel for example). All are from the Moga-
dishu area, except where stated otherwise:

Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Only noted on three occasions, 6 March -
6 April. Largest party 11, on 6 March; 4 accompanied a flock of Whimbrel on
6 April. All were flying low over the sea.

Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus Very large numbers pass through in Feb-
ruary and March, when flocks fly low over the dunes and beach. However, most
probably migrate at night.

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Only seen once: 10 with a flock of 90
Whimbrel on 6 April.

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Only noted in 1981, when 16 flocks contain-
ing 3 to 115 birds (average 44) passed, 23 April - 10 May. They were probably
overlooked in earlier years, for characteristically they fly very high, usually
directly above the coastline; the larger flocks are spread out in wide Vs.

Curlew Numenius arquata Very few seen, but probably overlooked when accomp-
anying Whimbrel, or even misidentified as such, 2-29 April. One flock of 33
on 2 April.

Greenshank Tringa nebularia A few only, mostly single birds, but dates not
recorded.

Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus My only records were 5 flocks, 1-3 April, in
2 years. Two of these contained 40 and 49 birds, and all passed over high
above the coastline. A flock of 46 on 8 May 1980 as Garas Wadi (11°16'N, 49°
O2'E) on the north coast were flying about at sunset in an excited manner
whilst other waders were leaving, as if they themselves were about to leave.
They do not get into formation in flight.

Sanderling Calidris alba Only noted in 1981 when 18 flocks, of 12-80 birds
passed between 23 April and 10 May. Many of these flew in compact flocks just
above the sea and only a few metres from the beach, but a few, very low, were
identified up to 1km offshore. Possibly many of the unidentified flocks of
waders over the sea were this species. Following a day, 27 April 1980, when
thousands of Sanderling were present along 47km of beach at Hafun (10°25'N,
51°20'E), the next morning thousands of small waders in a succession of flocks
flew low over the sea round the headland after dawn. They were probably this
species, although the possibility that they may have been phalaropes should
be considered.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres Only 4 flocks seen, of 5-29 birds between 10 and
14 May, all flying high over the head of the beach. One of 29 birds in V-form-
ation, but the others in loose flocks. At Garas Wadi, on the north coast, I
watched successive flocks at dusk on 8 May flying out of the estuary, rising
high and flying off about northeast.

Crab Plover Dromas ardeola Movements are difficult to interpret, particularly
as there seem to be long distance feeding flights up and down the coast.
Apparently most migration is low over the sea and far offshore, when in spring
such flocks were noted between 2 April and 4 May. The largest flock consisted
of c. 400 birds, but otherwise they have been in flocks of 30 or fewer. Birds

Spring Whimbrel passage off Somalia ~ 75

accompanying Whimbrel flocks may fly higher, but exceptions were 2 flying
together steadily north at about 100m above the shore on 4 May, and birds
calling over Mogadishu at night on several occasions. It is likely that
migrating flocks of Crab Plovers 'pick-up' additional birds as they pass with-
in sight of them along the shore-line. On 2 April 1980 I watched through a
telescope a flock of 226 leave the shore-line and fly straight out to sea to
join a passing flock of c. 400 others some 8km offshore. It seems hardly
credible that they could have seen or heard them at this distance from a low
position on the shore, but their behaviour left no doubt that this was not a
chance encounter.

Many other wader flocks must be missed as they pass high overhead along the
shore-line. On many occasions I have heard them calling, including Whimbrel,
but have failed to see them against a blue sky.

DISCUSSION
The questions arise as to where these birds originate, where they are heading,
and whether they stop to feed or rest anywhere? Obviously, I am seeing only a
(probably small) fraction of the birds which pass, so that the total passage
‘must be considerable. Relatively few Whimbrel overwinter in the Mogadishu
area, and if one assessed the spring passage on the basis of birds seen along
the shore one would conclude it was virtually non-existent. Thus I conclude
that passage is through the area, and is rapid. I have no evidence of concen-
trations of Whimbrel elsewhere in Somalia, either further south or further
north. I have not visited the south in the spring, so the position south of
Kismayu is unknown; but further north at Hafun, for example, where there were
large numbers of waders and sea-birds at the end of April 1980, there was only
one flock of Whimbrel. The flock of 65 birds flew NE low over the sea, but on
reaching the headland turned and returned southwards.

Further south in eastern Africa, Dr D.J. Pearson (in litt.) informs me that
he has not observed Whimbrel passing north offshore in April, although he has
occasionally heard them over Watamu (3°21'S, 40°01'E) at night. The regular
coasting movement of adult waders in early autumn are not seen at all in
spring. Similarly, P.L. Britton states (in litt.) that there is no evidence
of coastal passage or large numbers of Whimbrel in spring, but reports also
that they have been heard at night over Watamu. Britton (1980) records it as
a common winter visitor to East Africa, as do McLachlan & Liversidge (1980)
for South Africa, where they note that it occasionally occurs in flocks of up
to 50. The birds which pass the Mogadishu area could thus be drawn from the
whole of the east African coastline, and doubtlessly pass along its entire
length just offshore. Even so, there are presumably areas of concentration
somewhere, where several hundred birds can get together into one flock, but
if this is the case they do not seem to have been found yet. Alternatively,
passing flocks may be augmented as they proceed, but I have no evidence for
this from Somalia (but see under Crab Plover for evidence of flock accretion
in that species).

It is tempting to conclude from the Somalia evidence that Whimbrel are pass-
ing on an uninterrupted long distance flight. As the bulk are seen to pass in
the last three hours before sunset, it is conceivable that their non~appear-
ance off the Kenya coast is because they pass there at night, and the observ-
ations quoted above by Britton and Pearson support this view. Mogadishu is
593km northeast of the northern tip of the 440km-long Kenya coastline.
Assuming a ground speed of 65kmh"', the birds arriving at Mogadishu at 18:00
(sunset), must have joined the Kenya coast at 02:00 that morning, if travell-
ing non-stop. Further observations elsewhere should be able to delineate their
flight route throughout the western Indian Ocean. To the north, on reaching

76 Spring Whimbrel passage off Somalia

the Asian land mass they must pass overland to their breeding grounds. One
wonders what the advantage of a flight over the sea must be in the southern
sector of their migration. There is no evidence for anything other than a
meagre overland passage of Whimbrel within Africa (Dowsett 1980).

Assuming that the Whimbrel passing Mogadishu at 65kmh'are on an uninter-
rupted long distance coastal flight, and it is hardly conceivable that they
could travel for more than 72h without a break, then they would be near Lindi
in Tanzania 24h earlier, near Beira, Mozambique, 48h earlier and near Maputo,
Mozambique, 72h earlier. However, Whimbrel are seen continuing their flight
over the sea after sunset at Mogadishu, and birds almost certainly this species
were seen crossing the face of the moon 4h after sunset, so that it is most
unlikely that they had already travelled for 72h, and thus that they must
have begun their journey somewhere north of southern Mozambique (and probably
south of Kenya). There is much evidence that many waders begin migration
around sunset, so possibly the birds seen at Mogadishu leave somewhere along
the coast of Mozambique or Tanzania.

North of Mogadishu there are no very suitable areas for Whimbrel until one
reaches Hafun, some 1150km or 18h flying time to the north, but more inform-
ation is required from there before further suppositions can be made.

Some support for the estimate of flight speed was obtained from near Merca
on 24 April 1981. Birds were passing this site some 64km south of my usual
one near Mogadishu between 14:20 and 15:10, and thus about one hour's flying
time away. The earliest of these birds would arrive at 15:20, which is close
to the time of 15:30 when I normally expect to see them.

CONCLUSION
A large coastal passage of Whimbrel, with smaller numbers of some other waders,
occurs in eastern Somalia in spring. The bulk of the Whimbrel seem to pass in
the late afternoon between 26 March and 6 May, with the majority passing 9-22
April. Flocks may number up to 500 birds, but over half number 31-120. They
extend from the coast up to 8km out to sea, flying at altitudes from sea-
level to 150m, but later in the season flocks fly higher and nearer inshore.
Some of these birds probably originate from as far away as SE Africa, and pass
rapidly north in (presumably) a series of non-stop flights, probably passing
the length of the Kenya coast at night. At a later stage they must undergo a
long overland trans-Asian flight to their breeding grounds. It is possible
that a series of traditional stop-over sites for food and rest exist along
their flight-route, but these have yet to be discovered. However, it is
suggested that one may be along the coast of Tanzania or northern Mozambique.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I thank P.L. Britton and Dr D.J. Pearson for their comments on Whimbrel in
Kenya.

REFERENCES
DOWSETT, R.J. 1980. The migration of coastal waders from the Palaearctic across
Africa. Le Gerfaut 70: 3-35.

McLACHLAN, G.R. & LIVERSIDGE, R. 1980. Roberts birds of South Africa. Cape
Town: The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A.

(Received 21 May 1981)

Short communications 77

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

PINTADO PETREL DAPTION CAPENSE IN KENYA The Pintado Petrel Daption capense
has occurred as far north on the east coast of Africa as Mocambique town
(15°00'S, 40°44'E), Mocgambique (Saccarao 1951); there is also a record from
further south in Mo¢gambique, at Beira (Long 1964). Around Mauritius it is
"rare but regularly recorded vagrant" (Temple 1976). It has also strayed north
of the equator in the Indian Ocean where it has been acceptably recorded once
(no date given) in the Gulf of Manaar between India and Sri Lanka (Hume 1870).
This present note reports more fully a sighting of a single Pintado Petrel in
Kenyan coastal waters (Sinclair 1979).

At 05:00 East African Time on 26 September 1974 the MV Asia, on which I was
travelling, hove to 10km off Mombasa, Kenya (4°04'S) to await permission to
enter Mombasa Harbour. Garbage had been thrown overboard from the galley which
attracted about 30 Sooty Gulls Larus hemprichii and one Lesser Black-backed
Gull L.fuscus. These were joined at 08:15 by one Pintado Petrel which flew
around the ship several times before alighting on the water near the stern.
The bird stayed with the ship for some 10min before flying out to sea. The
black and white checkered back, dark head and two white patches on each wing
were clearly seen - characters which make this petrel unmistakable. A small
dark brown patch was visible on the white belly which might have been an oil
smear. The general condition of the bird was good and it appeared to be strong
and healthy.

This sight record seems to be the first for Kenya and for East Africa.

REFERENCES
HUME, A.H. 1870. (Letter to the Editor) Ibis 1870: 435-438.

LONG, R.C. 1964. Some observations from Portuguese East Africa. Ostrich 35:
17-21.

SACCARAO, G. da F. 1951. Contribuicao para o estudo das aves de Mocambique, 3.
Bocage Museum Archives 22: 39-52.

SINCLAIR, J.C. 1979. Birds observed at sea in the Indian Ocean. Cormorant
7: 7-10.

TEMPLE, S.A. 1976. Observations of seabirds and shorebirds on Mauritius.
Ostrich 47: 117-125.

J.C. Sinclair, Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University
of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa.

Scopus 5: 77, September 1981 Received 30 March 1981

WHITE-EYED POCHARDS AYTHYA NYROCA IN CENTRAL KENYA DURING EARLY 1981

The White-eyed Pochard Aythya nyroca winters commonly in the Lower Nile basin,
and to a lesser extent within the West African savannah belt (Moreau 1972,
Cramp & Simmons 1977). It is regular in small numbers south to Ethiopia
(Moreau 1972, Ash 1980), but there are few records from East Africa. Backhurst
et al. (1973) give six records from the Kenya highlands, and there is a single
old record from northwestern Uganda (Jackson 1938). Despite increased observ-
ation and interest in wintering Palaearctic duck in recent years, we know of
only four further records during the 1970s, a bird shot at Ol Bolossat during
the season 1972/73 (Davey & Harrison 1976), one in March and one in April

1973 on Lake Turkana (Hopson & Hopson 1975), and one seen at Lake Paradise,
Marsabit, on 22 April 1974 (Harper & Harper 1974). A series of records of the

78 Short communications

species from Central Kenya early in 1981 is therefore noteworthy. Birds were
recorded as follows:

Dandora Oxidation Ponds, Nairobi: 4 (1 adm.) 1 Jan (DUP)

(1 ad m.) 2 Jan (BSM, A.D. Lewis)

1 (ad m.) 3, 4 Jan (DJP, D.A. Turner,
D.E.G. Backhurst)

N

Thika Oxidation Ponds: 1 f£./juv 3 Jan (BSM)
1 adm. 4 Feb (DJP, A.D. Lewis)

Lake Naivasha: 2 (1 ad m.) 1i Mar (BSM)

The White-eyed Pochard is known to fluctuate markedly in wintering numbers
in West Africa. Thus, it is apparently absent from Nigeria in some years, yet
a single flock at Kano numbered 1500 during 1963/64 (Elgood, Sharland & Ward
1966). The above Kenya records probably reflect a genuine small influx during
1980/81. It is quite possible, however, that the species has been overlooked
amongst flocks of Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma. Features which proved
useful in separating the 1981 birds from Southern Pochards are shown in Fig. 1
and discussed below.

Fig. 1. Left, Southern Pochard: female (upper), male (lower). Right, White-
eyed Pochard: female or juvenile (upper), male (lower)

At a distance, or in awkward light, adult male A. nyroca often appeared as dark
as N. erythrophthalma, but were readily picked out by their pure white under-
tail coverts, smaller size and higher carriage in the water. At close range,
the rich mahogany head and neck, reddish medium brown back and wings, and white
eye were also distinctive. The flanks were dark brown; the white belly was not
visible in swimming birds. As compared to N.erythrophthalma, the neck was
typically held straighter, and the head was more rounded, with a steeper fore-
head and a narrower tipped bill with a more pronounced hook.

Despite the size and 'jizz' characters outlined above, female/juvenile A.
nyroca were usually difficult to pick out from flocks of swimming N. erythroph-
thalma. They were duller brown than males, and the flanks contrasted more
with the back, being barred and generally paler and more yellowish. The eye
was pale, but not strikingly white. Female/juvenile A. nyroca of course lacked
the white head markings of a female N. erythrophthalma. They had 'dirty' white
undertails, but in some birds this was partly obscured by brownish blotching,
and it should be noted that female N. erythrophthalma can appear pale under

Short communications 79

the tail in some lights.

In flight, A. nyroca were relatively easily picked out by their smaller size
and their broader, more curved white wing-bar. The distinctive, curved wing-
bar is a feature which would distinguish White-eyed Pochard from Tufted Duck
A. fuligula as well as from N. erythrophthalma. The white belly was not at all
easy to see in flight.

REFERENCES
ASH, J.S. 1980. Migrational status of Palaearctic birds in Ethiopia. Proceed-
ings of the 4th Pan-African Ornithological Congress: 199-208.

CRAMP, S. & SIMMONS, K.E.L. (eds.) 1977. The birds of the Western Palearctic,
Vol. 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

DAVEY, P. & HARRISON, J. (1976). Notes on migrant Eurasian duck in the shoot-
ing bag at Ol Bolossat Lake, Kenya. Cyclostyled, WAGBI, Rossett.

ELGOOD, J.H., SHARLAND, R.E. & WARD, P. 1966. Palaearctic migrants in Nigeria.
Ibis 108: 84-116.

HARPER, J. & HARPER, L. 1974. White-eyed Pochard at Marsabit. EANHS Bulletin
1974: 163.

HOPSON, A.J. & HOPSON, J. 1975. Preliminary notes on the birds of the Lake
Turkana area. Cyclostyled, Kitale.

B.S. Meadows, Box 30521, Nairobi and D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi.

Scopus 5: 77-79, September 1981 Received 13 August 1981

LONG-TAILED SKUAS STERCORARIUS LONGICAUDUS AT THE KENYA COAST During an after-
noon seawatch from Ras Ngomeni, 25km north of Malindi, on 19 October 1980,
two Long-tailed Skuas Stercorarius longicaudus were observed flying south over
the sea at 15:30 and 15:45 respectively. The first bird was observed at ranges
of 100-150m, whilst the second was very much_closer, at ranges down to c. 30m.
Light conditions were excellent, with the sun behind the observer, and both
birds were seen well with 10 x 40 binoculars.

Body size was larger than that of Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii seen in the
same field of view, and judged to be that of Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon
nilotica. Unmistakable 'jizz', with very pointed wings, slight build, and
extremely long projecting central tail feathers (judged to be at least one
third body length in the nearer bird).

Both birds were in adult plumage with clear-cut blackish cap, medium dark
grey-brown back and upperwing coverts, and rather darker flight feathers and
tail. Underwing and undertail dark, with slight off-white bases to the prim-
aries; rest of underparts otherwise white, with no breast band. Bill dark.

A pale orange-buff wash to the nape was seen on the nearer bird.

Flight of both birds was buoyant and tern-like, with graceful wingbeats.
Further bird flying some 5m above the waves, nearer bird up to 10m above the
waves. Both seen to make sorties towards nearby terns.

The skuas were observed during a period of quite heavy southward tern pass-
age (about 800 per hour, mostly Roseates), in wind conditions NE force 3-4.

seabirds of note recorded the same day were a Common Noddy Anous stol-
i flying south at 16:55 during the same seawatch, and three large dark
brown shearwaters, thought to have been Wedge-tailed Puffinus pacificus, seen
from a boat 3km offshore earlier in the day.

There is only one previous record of this species for East Africa, also an
adult at Lake Turkana, 25-26 August 1961 (Britton 1980).

R.D. Moore, Box 24819, Nairobi Received 6 August 1981
Scopus 5: 79, September 1981

80 Short communications.

THE OCCURRENCE OF BOTH RED-THROATED AND WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATERS IN THE VIRUNGA
PARK, EASTERN ZAIRE The two species Merops bulocki and M. bullockoides (the
Red-throated and the White-fronted Bee-eater, respectively), are sometimes
considered to be conspecific (e.g., White 1965); however, Mackworth-Praed &
Grant (1970) and Snow (1978) recognize both as good species on the basis of
plumage, weight and vocal differences. The ranges of the two have not prev-
iously been recorded to overlap, therefore our observation is of interest.

On 19 June 1978, as we stood on the eastern bank of the Rwindi river in the
Virunga Park, Zaire (00°46'S, 29°19'E), we were able to overlook a small patch
of riparian forest and observe White-fronted Bee-eaters (brown crown, white
forehead and chin noted) hawking insects from the topmost branches. This is a
species with which in Zambia we are both familiar. After a few minutes we
realized that at least one bird was different and was, in fact, a Red-throated
Bee-eater (green crown and crimson chin and throat noted). We watched these
birds for some ten minutes, during which time both species alighted on the
same branch and the Red-throated Bee-eater was harassed and chased by a Scaly-
throated Honeyguide Indicator variegatus.

The distribution map in Snow (1978) separates the two, at their closest point
of contact, by some 240km, the Red-throated ranging southwards to approxim-
ately 2°N, 314°E and the White-fronted northwards to approximately 4°N, 29°E.
Our sighting was within this general area of supposedly no contact and extends
the range of the Red-throated 370km further ne overlapping that of the
White-fronted by 130 km.

The Red-throated Bee-eater is not known to be A and whilst the bird
we observed may merely have been a non-breeding wanderer, we believe it could
indicate that the two species do co-exist regularly in the Virunga Park.

There is no shortage of breeding habitat along the Rwindi and Rutshuru rivers,
so it is an area worth investigating for a study of the relationship between
the two closely allied species.

REFERENCES
MACKWORTH-PRAED, C.W. & GRANT, C.H.B. 1970. African handbook of birds Series
III vol. 1 Birds of west central and western Africa. London: Longman.

WHITE, C.M.N. 1965. A revised check list of African non-passerine birds.
Lusaka: Government Printer.

C. Carter, Box 71793, Ndola, Zambia and G.P. Robinson, Woodside Cottage,
Knaresborough, England

Scopus 5: 80, September 1981 Received 27 June 1981

SPRING FALLS OF PALAEARCTIC PASSERINES AT MTITO ANDEI, KENYA The bushland of
southeastern Kenya tends to contain remarkably few Palaearctic passage migrants
during April, even when luxuriant after recent rain. In particular, such
species as the Sprosser Luscinia luscinia, the Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus
palustris and the River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis are presumed to rout-
inely overfly this area in spring, and in view of the lack of records, north-
east Kenya also. These three species, together with many Whitethroats Sylvia
communis and Sedge Warblers A. schoenobaenus, have only occasionally been
revealed on northward migration in mist or heavy rain at the lights of Ngulia
Lodge (Pearson 1980). Observations of many Palaearctic migrants at Mtito Andei
after rainy moonless nights on 1 and 7 April 1981 are therefore of some inter-
est.

A violent thunderstorm at Mtito Andei early on the night of 31 March/1 April
was followed by about three hours of heavy rain. An overcast dawn with high
cloud revealed scores of Sprossers, together with a few Whitethroats, Upcher's

Short communications 81

Warblers Hippolais languida, and Palaearctic shrikes. These birds appeared to
have been attracted to the light of the township. They were particularly
abundant in scrub around the small river valley immediately to the west, where
a number of strong lights surround an electricity transformer. Practically no
migrants were present in attractive-looking bushland habitat 5km northwest

of the township, nor in scrub 2km to the southeast. On the night of 6/7 April,
heavy rain at nearby Ngulia Lodge brought migrants within view of the lights
at night, but practically none landed. At Mtito, on the other hand, the rain-
sodden scrub contained hundreds of migrants at 07:00-09:00 on 7th. Whitethroats,
were predominant, but there were many Sprossers, and a few Marsh Warblers,
Olive-tree Warblers H.olivetorum, Upcher's Warblers and Sedge Warblers. The
large proportion of Sprossers in the two Mtito Andei falls is noteworthy, as
also is the presence of 29 among the 110 migrants caught in showers and mist
at Ngulia by the author and D.E.G. Backhurst on 5 April i981. Other recorded
Tsavo spring falls (at Ngulia) have been in mid to late April, when the bulk
of the Sprosser passage appears to be over.

It is interesting that on northward migration birds can be grounded by rain
at Mtito when they are not grounded at Ngulia Lodge; the reverse tends to be
the case during November-December. This presumably stresses the unfavourable
position of the Ngulia lights during spring, situated as they are on the north-
eastern side of the main ridge.

REFERENCE
PEARSON, D.J. 1980. Northward spring passage of Palaearctic passerines across
Tsavo. Scopus 4: 25-28.

D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry, University of Nairobi, Box 30197,
Nairobi

Scopus 5: 80-81, September 1981 Received 13 August i981

BASRA REED WARBLERS ACROCEPHALUS GRISELDIS OVERWINTERING IN SOMALIA The exist-
ing knowledge of the wintering range of the Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus
griseldis in eastern Africa has been summarized by Pearson, Britton & Britton
(1978). They also presented new information to show that it overwinters in
substantial numbers in eastern Kenya, and predicted that it may well be found
by the rivers of southern Somalia. The only occurrence of griseldis in Somalia
until recently is the bird recorded at Kismayu (0°22'S, 42°32'E) by van Someren
(1929) and Moltoni (1936).

On visits to Dannow (1°44'N, 44°32'E), close to the river Webi Shebelle in
southern Somalia, one of us (JSA) saw and heard many large Acrocephalus warbl-
ers on 8, 9 and 21 November 1978. Many of these were obviously Lesser Swamp
Warblers A. gracilirostris, previously unknown in Somalia, but at least one
other species was present but clear views could not be obtained in the dense
cover. On 4 December 1978 JSA with A.A. Murshid erected two mist nets at the
Same site and captured two Basra Reed Warblers. At the time it was not suspect-
ed that these were anything other than passage birds.

On 2 March 1979 we visited the site together, watched a griseldis singing,
and soon caught it in a net. We returned on 31 March, and placed a line of
seventeen 12-m mist nets across a small portion of the marsh. Three griseldis
were caught that evening and a further four on the following morning. Associat-
ed species netted with these birds were Reed Warblers A. scirpaceus on 2 and
31 March and 1 April, African Reed Warblers A. baeticatus on 31 March and 1
April, Sedge Warblers A. schoenobaenus on 2 and 16 March and 1 April, and
large numbers of Lesser Swamp Warblers and Winding Cisticolas Cisticola
galactotes.

82 Short communications

The area at Dannow consists of several large man-made lakes, embanked as
water storage areas for irrigation schemes. Two of these, totalling 200-300 ha,
have become almost entirely overgrown with a dense stand of Typha sp., from
3-4m high, and it is in this habitat that all these birds were found. The
Typha stands are a major roosting site for Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea,
which was the main object of our visits, but the area is a major wetland hab-
itat in Somalia for large numbers of birds and the only known locality in the
country for several species.

The birds caught on 4 December might well have been on passage, for further
north in Ethiopia passage continues until at least 12 December (Ash 1980) and
to the south at Ngulia in Kenya until 13 January (Pearson et al. 1978). The
bird at Dannow on 2 March must have been overwintering, for return migration
from further south does not seem to begin until the end of March. At this
time, and in early April, birds are laying down pre-migratory fat in Kenya
(Pearson et al. 1978) and southern Malawi (Hanmer 1979).

We have heard birds singing at Dannow, and at another site (difficult to
work because of dense vegetation and the presence of elephants) at 38km south
of Afgoi (1°58'N, 44°57'E) between 26 October and 3 February. We suspect this
rich song with some of the qualities of a Nightingale's Luscinia megarhynchos,
the paired notes of Reed Warblers (but lacking their 'scratchiness'), and
without the 'croakiness' of Great and Clamorous Reed Warblers (A. arundinaceus
and A. stentoreus respectively), may be griseldis, but confirmation is required.

One of the birds ringed at Dannow on 1 April 1979 was retrapped on 6 Nov-
ember 1979, though Ortstreue has been demonstrated already for this species
on migration in Ethiopia (Ash 1978) and in winter quarters in Malawi (Hanmer
1979).

Comparing the present choice of habitat with those recorded by Pearson et
al. in Kenya (coastal scrub and areas of Suaeda), and by Hanmer in Malawi
(mostly in dense thicket, less often in Typha and mulberry), it is interesting
to note the range of biotope selected by griseldis. The bird is now being
found in many areas, and overwinters in southern Somalia and eastern Kenya
from just north of the equator to as far south as southern Malawi and southern
Mozambique, i.e. from c.1°N to 16°S, a remarkably large area, but in which
it may not occur throughout, for a bird with such a restricted breeding range
in southern Iraq.

REFERENCES
ASH, J.S. 1978. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia, Report No. 7. Cyclostyled, pp.15.

1980. Migrational status of Palaearctic birds in Ethiopia. Proceed-
ings of the 4th Pan-African Ornithological Congress: 199-208.

HANMER, D.B. 1979. A trapping study of Palaearctic passerines at Nchalo,
southern Malawi. Scopus 3: 81-92.

MOLTONI, E. 1936. Gli uccelli fino ad oggi notificati per la Somalia italiana.
Atti della Societa Italiano di Scienze Naturali 75: 307-389.

PEARSON, D.J., BRITTON, H.A. & BRITTON, P.L. 1978. Substantial wintering
populations of the Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis in eastern
Kenya. Scopus 2: 33-35.

VAN SOMEREN, V.G.L. 1929. Notes on the birds of Jubaland and the Northern
Frontier, Kenya. Journal of the East Africa and Uganda Natural History
Society 9: 25-70.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A. and J.E. Miskell, 11 Second Street,
Genesco, N.Y. 14454, U.S.A.

Scopus 5: 81-82, September 1981 Received 9 March 1981

, aa

Short communications 83

THE SOMALI SPARROW PASSER CASTANOPTERUS: A BREEDING RECORD FOR EAST AFRICA
Hall & Moreau (1970) describe the nominate race of the Somali Sparrow Passer
castanopterus as the "common house sparrow of the coastal plain” of northern
Somalia, also extending into adjacent highlands. Much less, however, is known
of the distinctive race fulgens, which occurs in northern Kenya around the
Lake Turkana basin, in areas to the east and west of the lake, and in adjacent
border areas of Ethiopia (Hall & Moreau 1970, Britton 1980). Recent sightings
of fulgens in the Dida Galgalla desert and between Lodwar and Ferguson's Gulf
(all in northern Kenya) are the first "for many years" (East African Bird
Report 1978 and 1979, Scopus 2: 105-144 and Scopus 3: 105-140).

On 23 May 1981, I found a solitary nest of the race fulgens at 2°04'N, 37°37'E,
about 4km northeast of Korr, in the Kaisut Desert of northern Kenya. The nest
was at a height of about 4m in the canopy of a solitary acacia, about 100m
from a dry, acacia-lined wadi.

The young birds could not be seen due to the position of the nest, but they
kept up a continuous loud high chirruping. At first only the female of the
Pair was seen, perched a little distance from the nest. But the male appeared
later, flying from the nearby wadi with a 3-cm green caterpillar, which was
fed to the nestlings. The bright yellow tinge to the ventral torso and sides
of the face of the male confirmed the racial identity.

This race presumably breeds regularly in northern Kenya and southernmost
Ethiopia, but this appears to be the first confirmed record of its breeding
for East Africa.

Adrian D. Lewis, Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi
Scopus 5: 83, September i981 Received ii June i981

RAPTOR AND STORK MIGRATION AT NAMANGA, SOUTHERN KENYA During the morning of
24 November 1980, immediately to the east of Namanga, Kenya/Tanzania border
(2°33'S, 36°47'E), we watched a large-scale migration of raptors and storks.

At around 08:00, a flock of large eagles Aquila was noted soaring over the
northern end of the Oldoinyo Orok ridge, immediately to the north of Namanga
township. This flock, comprising about 30 birds, moved south-southwest along
the top of the ridge and was lost to view; poor light conditions prevented
their identification.

A little later, larger numbers of eagles began to soar over the northern end
of the ridge and, instead of moving southwards along it, began to drift south-
southwestwards over the Namanga township area. We were positioned on the main
Ai04 road, and these large flocks passed directly and impressively overhead.

Between 08:25 and 09:25, we counted a minimum of 250 Steppe Eagles Aquila

nipalensis, all of which were in the distinctive immature plumage. They were

accompanied by a total of 150 White Storks Ciconia ciconia, in loose groups.

An immature Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca was identified by the following
features: flying amongst the Steppe Eagles along the western slopes of Oldoinyo
Orok, it was first distinguished by the very dark, even blackish, colouration

‘the upperparts, which also showed a paler rump, a small whitish area at

base of the primaries, and a pale head. It then flew out from the hillside
and directly over us, in the company of three immature Steppe Eagles and
along with the general movement of the eagle flocks. From below, it was at

- omce distinguished by its great size, being markedly larger than the immedi-

ately adjacent Steppe Eagles, at first giving the impression that the nearby
Steppe Eagles were at a much greater height. The bird was generally dark
below, with a very diffuse pale panel on the inner primaries.

The eagle and stork flocks moved on out of sight to the south or south-
southeast. Extrapolation of this route would take the birds between Mts Meru

84 Notices, Short communications

and Kilimanjaro, which may well be an established migration corridor. There
appear to be no previous references to this in the literature.

Other raptors seen during the morning were probably related to this southerly
movement. At 06:30, an immature Sooty Falcon Falco concolor and another un-
identified falcon were moving south in heavy mist near Bissel (2°06'S, 36°48’E).
During the late morning, small numbers of Tawny Eagles Aquila rapax and immat-
ure Steppe Eagles, and a single immature Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina,
were observed from the A104 between Namanga and Bissel.

Adrian D. Lewis, Department of Geology and D.J. Pearson, Department of Bio-
chemistry, University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi

Scopus 5: 83-84, September 1981 Received 18 August i981

NOTICES

WBC SYMPOSIUM

The Witwatersrand Bird Club, a branch of the Southern African Ornithological
Society, announces that a three day symposium on 'Birds and Man" will be held
in Johannesburg in April 1983. Invited overseas and local speakers will present
papers. For further information please write to the Symposium Secretary, Wit-
watersrand Bird Club, Box 72091, Parkview, Johannesburg 2122, South Africa.

IMPORTANT! FOR OVERSEAS SUBSCRIBERS

Recent legislation in Kenya regarding foreign exchange procedures has made the
following announcement necessary:

subscribers overseas are advised that they must send their Scopus
subscriptions (or payment for Birds of East Africa and/or Check-
list of the birds of Kenya) in £Sterling, US$ or the equivalent
in any convertible currency. Payments in Kenya Shillings cannot
be accepted and, if received, will be returned.

The practical reason for this is that Kenya banks now make a minimum charge
of 40 Shillings for handling foreign drafts drawn in Kenya Shillings on local
banks.

Kenya residents wishing to take out gift subscriptions to Scopus for friends
overseas are asked to contact the Hon. Treasurer, D.A. Turner for the rates.

Continued from inside front cover

Any references cited should be listed at the end of the contribution following
the form used in this issue. Names of periodicals MUST be given in full and,

in the case of books, the town of publication and the publisher should be given.
A number of works, which are cited frequently, should not be listed under
"References'; the name(s) of the author(s) and date(s) of publication should

be given in the text in the normal way.

All contributions should be sent to Dr D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.

WORKS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE LISTED UNDER 'REFERENCES'
BACKHURST, G.C., BRITTON, P.L. & MANN, C.F. 1973. The less common Palaearctic

migrant birds of Kenya and Tanzania. Journal of the East Africa Natural Hist-
ory Society and National Museum 140: 1-38. = Backhurst et al. 1973.

BENSON, C.W., BROOKE, R.K., DOWSETT, R.J. & IRWIN, M.P.S. 1971. The birds of
Zambia. London: Collins. = Benson et al. 1971.

BRITTON, P.L. (ed.) Birds of East Africa their habitat, status and distrib-
ution. Nairobi: EANHS. = Britton 1980.

BROWN, L.H. & BRITTON, P.L. 1980. The breeding seasons of East African birds.
Nairobi: EANHS. = Brown & Britton 1980.

HALL, B.P. & MOREAU, R.E. 1970. An atlas of speciation in African Passerine
birds. London: British Museum (Nat. Hist). = Hall & Moreau 1970.

JACKSON, F.J. 1938. The birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate.
3 vols. London: Gurney & Jackson. = Jackson 1938.

MACKWORTH-PRAED, C.W. & GRANT, C.H.B. 1957 & 1960. African handbook of birds.
Series I, vols 1 & 2. Birds of eastern and north eastern Africa. 2nd Edition.
London: Longmans Green & Co. = Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1957 and/or 1960.

MOREAU, R.E. 1966. The bird faunas of Africa and its islands. London: Academic
Press. = Moreau 1966.

1972. The Palaearctic-African bird migration systems. London:
Academic Press. = Moreau 1972.

SNOW, D.W. (ed.) 1978. An atlas of speciation in African Non-Passerine birds.
London: British Museum (Nat. Hist.). = Snow 1978.

EAST AFRICAN BIRD REPORT

This forms the fifth issue of Scopus and each report covers one calendar year.
Records of Afrotropical Region (i.e. Ethiopian Region and Malagasy Sub-Region)
and Oceanic birds should be sent to D.A. Turner [tel. 48772], Box 48019,
Nairobi; records of Palaearctic Region birds to B.S. Meadows [te]. 48535],
Box 30521, Nairobi. Records should be sent in early in the new year to ensure
the speedy production of the Bird Report. Reports of rare birds may be phoned
through to any OS-C member.

BIRDS OF EAST AFRICA

Copies of this 270 page book are available from D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi
at the following post-paid prices. All cheques should be made out to 'Birds of
East Africa'. Those overseas MUST remit in Sterling, US$ or the equivalent in
a convertible currency; drafts in Kenya Shillings cannot be accepted.
By surface mail to East Africa or to anywhere in the world: Shs. 130/-,
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£13.50 or US$28.00.
The 40 page Check-list of the birds of Kenya is also available from D.A. Turner.
Post-paid: surface: East Africa Shs. 12.00, anywhere in the world £0.70 or US
$1.50. Airmail to anywhere in the world £1.00 or US$2.20.

| C6AMREF

CONTENTS

NICHOLAS E. COLLIAS and ELSIE C. COLLIAS. Survival and intercolony

ADRIAN D.

J.S. ASH.

movements of White-browed Sparrow Weavers Plocepasser mahali

LEWIS. The past and present status and distribution of the
Grey-crested Helmet Shrike Prionops poliolopha .......

Spring passage of Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus and other
waders off. the coast of Somalia: i) <7 cnc) i ten Cen

Short communications

Notices

J.C. SINCLAIR. Pintado Petrel Daption capense in Kenya...

B.S. MEADOWS and D.J. PEARSON. White-eyed Pochards Aythya
nyroca in central Kenya during early 1961 > 22s 2a

R.D. MOORE. Long-tailed Skuas Stercorarius longicaudus at
the Kenya. CoaSt— <5 ap oe) ee) tee) te) CCC moe

C. CARTER and G.P. ROBINSON. The occurrence of both

Red-throated and White-fronted Bee-eaters in the Virunga
Park, .eaSterni Zaire... « «© 5. sve), [oe vel ope ee Conn oneee

D.J. PEARSON. Spring falls of Palaearctic passerines at
yuiieabiele) (NeVSSL HIS 5 5 56 G6 6 6 0 oo Gof

J.S. ASH and J.E. MISKELL. Basra Reed Warblers Acrocephalus
griseldis overwintering in) Somalia ~~ <=) =) asruiein eens

ADRIAN D. LEWIS. The Somali Sparrow Passer castanopterus:
a breeding record for East Africa ....:..4.5:5 6.66. «6

ADRIAN D. LEWIS and D.J. PEARSON. Raptor and stork migration

at Namanga, southern Kenyas 2) ca ces shiek ous etnn
WBC: Symposium “asi. s,s. Se ep ee. Case ee ee
Important! For Overseas Subscribers ........+....

Printed in Kenya by AMREF, Box 30125, Nairobi

61

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84

are, ISSN 0250-4162

(9 FEO "

MUS, AQMP, Zoom

MAY 3

A quarterly publication of the
Ornithological Sub-Committee

East Africa Natural History Society

Edited by

GRAEME BACKHURST

Volume 5(4) December 1981 K.Shs 20

SCOPUS

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7051, Kampala; Dr K.M. Howell, Box 35064, Dar es Salaam; Dr A.D. Lewis, Depart-
ment of Geology, Box 30197, Nairobi; B.S. Meadows [tel. 48535], Box 30521,
Nairobi; Dr D.E. Pomeroy [tel. Kahawa 439], Box 43844, Nairobi; J.F. Reynolds
(U.K.); D.K. Richards [tel. 501501], Box 30750, Nairobi, PaB. Taylor, Nese
Record Scheme Organizer, [tel. Karen 2019], Box 25138, Nairobi.

NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Scopus welcomes original contributions in English on all aspects of the ornith-
Ology of eastern Africa. Contributions will be assessed by the Sub-Committee
and by independent referees. The material published in Scopus will be divided
into 'papers' and 'short communications', the latter will usually be less than
two pages in length. 'Papers' should be written in the third person (except in
the 'Acknowledgements' section); 'short communications' may be written in the
first or third person. Authors of 'papers' are entitled to five copies of their
contribution gratis. Extra copies, which will be supplied at cost, must be
ordered when the MS is submitted.

Contributions should be typed in 1% or double spacing on one side of the paper
only, with wide margins all round, and should be submitted in duplicate.
Exceptionally, clear hand-written MSS will be considered but these too should
be sent in duplicate. Both English and scientific names of birds should be
given when the species is first mentioned, thereafter only one should be used.
English and scientific names should be those of Birds of East Africa unless
the species does not occur in that work.

Tables, which should be numbered, should appear in the typescript, NOT grouped
on separate sheets at the end. Metric units should be used. If non-metric
units were used in the original observation or experiment, the approximate
metric equivalent should be given in brackets.

Illustrations should be on bristol board, good quality white paper or tracing
material, in line - i.e. black on white, and should not be larger than 19 x 23
cm. Lettering (in black) will be the responsibility of the author and should
be done neatly in Letraset (or,similar), no larger than 14 point (3.9mm). Each
illustration should be numbered (Fig. 1, etc) and be provided with a legend
typed on a separate sheet of paper. Photographs will be considered if they are

absolutely necessary. Continued inside back cover

Scopus 5 (4) December 1981

SCOPUS mua BRARY

BIRD-RINGING RESULTS AND RINGED BIRD RECOVERIES IN ETHIOPIA

7.S. Ash

A bird-ringing scheme commenced in Ethiopia in 1969, and remained active
through 1980. Interim results and the totals ringed appeared in duplicated
reports (Ash 1972-1975, 1977-1979) and one printed report (Ash 1976), but
these had limited circulation and are not readily available. As active ringing
has now ceased, except of Quelea quelea by W. Erickson in connexion with an
FAO project, and there is little likelihood of any further recoveries, it is
expedient to summarize all the results in one place.

An attempt was made, by contacting the main ringing schemes, to trace all
the recoveries of ringed birds in Ethiopia, so the opportunity is also taken
to publish all the recoveries known to me of ringed birds in the country. Some
of these have incomplete data, and others may not have been traced, so I shall
be grateful for addenda and corrigenda to the list included here.

The following participated in the ringing scheme during the years shown
against their names, with individual ringing totals in parentheses:

Dr J.S. Ash, 1969-1977 (42 304); Dr R.W. Ashford, 1972 (296); C. Erard, 1971
(18); W. Erickson, 1977-1980 (12 410); Brother Edmund Johnson, 1974-1977 (250);
G. Nikolaus, 1972-1976 (1516); Dr C.S. Olson, 1973-1975 (280); H. Pain, 1975-
1976 (1194); Dr S.J. Tyler, 1973-1976 (2710); Dr E.K. Urban, 1973-1974 (325).

A grand total of 61 303 birds was ringed of 495 species during the period,
but a degree of selection was involved, and only about half the birds captured
were actually ringed. Those mainly ringed included the following: samples of
50 Afrotropical species in each of five areas in connexion with arbovirus
studies, all Palaearctic migrants, all known intra-tropical migrants, and
others in special studies (e.g. garden bird studies in Addis Ababa, a White
Pelican study, etc.).

Only British Trust for Ornithology rings were used. The recovery rate was
very low, as might be expected, for largely there is indifference to birds in
Ethiopia, and most migrants leaving pass over large tracts of country with
small human populations with a high degree of illiteracy - factors which
militate against the reporting of recoveries. The only other bird-ringing
undertaken in Ethiopia so far as I know is a small number (560) by a Swedish
group (Broberg 1967), and some colour-ringing in 1968 in an Addis Ababa garden
(Urban 1975). Other results from ringing in Ethiopia, in addition to the
reports quoted above, have been published elsewhere, notably in Ash (1978a),
Tyler (1979) and Urban & Jefford (1977).

The total list of species ringed is too long for inclusion here, but can be
found in the separate annual reports. Table 1 includes only the totals of

Scopus 5: 85-101, December 1981

86

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

Palaearctic migrants ringed, together with those of other species for which
recoveries were reported by the British Trust for Ornithology. For those
Palaearctic species which have Afrotropical representitives, such as Little

Bittern, Scops Owl, Hoopoe, etc., only those are included for which subspecific

identification was certain. Others which cannot be separated, such as Squacco

Heron,

are excluded.
TABLE 1

Ringing totals of Palaearctic migrants and of

those other species for which recoveries were

reported by the British Trust for Ornithology
Species Ringed Recov
Pelecanus onocrotalus White Pelican 420 4
Ixobrychus minutus Little Bittern 14* =
Phoenicopterus ruber Greater Flamingo 8 =
Alopochen aegyptiacus Egyptian Goose 22 1
Anas acuta Pintail 3 =
Anas clypeata Shoveler 2 -
Anas querquedula Garganey 8 =
Circus aeruginosus Eurasian Marsh Harrier 1 =
Circus macrourus Pallid Harrier 6 =
Circus pygarus Montagu's Harrier 2 -
Accipiter tachiro African Goshawk 17 1
Buteo augur Augur Buzzard 35 2
Buteo buteo Common Buzzard 2 ~
Milvus migrans Black Kite 25 1
Falco chicquera Red-necked Falcon 4 1
Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 1 =
Coturnix coturnix Quail 4 =
Crex crex Corncrake 2 -
Porzana porzana Spotted Crake 1 =
Charadrius alexandrinus Kentish Plover 8 =
Charadrius asiaticus Caspian Plover 1 =
Charadrius dubius Little Ringed Plover 72 =
Charadrius hiaticula Ringed Plover 94 =
Charadrius mongolus Mongolian Sandplover 1 =
Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover 1 =
Vanellus spinosus Spur-winged Plover 471 2
Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper 451 =
Tringa glareola Wood Sandpiper 666 =
Tringa nebularia Greenshank 17 =
Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper 42 =
Tringa stagnatilis Marsh Sandpiper 188 =
Tringa totanus Redshank c 20 =
Xenus cinereus Terek Sandpiper 4 | =
Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe oer =
Gallinago media Great Snipe 3 =
Calidris alpina Dunlin 1 =
Calidris ferruginea Curlew Sandpiper 268 =
Calidris minuta Little Stint 1390 1
Calidris temminckii Temminck's Stint ae ee =
Limicola falcinellus Broad-billed Sandpiper Are =

SS — 7

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

Table 1, Continued

Species Ringed Recov
Limosa limosa Black-tailed Godwit 3 -
Philomachus pugnax Ruff 558 2
Arenaria interpres Turnstone 1 -
Pluvianus aegyptius Egyptian Plover 36 2
Iarus ridibundus Black-headed Gull 4 -
Clidonias. leucopterus White-winged Black Tern 17 =
Gelochelidon nilotica Gull-billed Tern 1 =
Pterocles quadricinctus Four-banded Sandgrouse 22 1
Streptopelia decipiens Mourning Dove 1655 2
Streptopelia lugens Dusky Turtle Dove 126 1
Streptopelia turtur Turtle Dove 30 2
Cuculus canorus Eurasian Cuckoo 7 -
Asio flammeus Short-eared Owl 1 ~
Otus scops Scops Owl 22* -
Caprimulgus europaeus Eurasian Nightjar 15 -
Apus apus Eurasian Swift 1 =
Ceryle rudis Pied Kingfisher 271 a
Halcyon leucocephala Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher 562 2
Merops apiaster Eurasian Bee-eater 3 -
Merops persicus Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 3 -
Upupa epops Hoopoe 74* 1
Jynx torquilla Eurasian Wryneck 86 1
Hirundo rustica Eurasian Swallow 1019 4
Riparia riparia Sand Martin 382 1
Oriolus oriolus Golden Oriole 15 1
Pycnonotus barbatus Common Bulbul 1440 1
Cercotrichas galactotes Rufous Bush Chat 25 =
Irania gutturalis Irania 19 -
Luscinia luscinia Sprosser 154 -
Luscinia megarhynchos Nightingale 510 1
Luscinia svecica Bluethroat 25 -
Monticola saxatilis Rock Thrush -
Monticola solitarius Blue Rock Thrush 2 -
Oenanthe hispanica Black-eared Wheatear 2 -
Oenanthe isabellina Isabelline Wheatear 32 -
Oenanthe oenanthe Northern Wheatear 12 -
Oenanthe pleschanka Pied Wheatear 56 -
Phoenicurus phoenicurus Redstart 294 -
Saxicola rubetra Whinchat 24 -
Saxicola torquata Stonechat 18* -
Turdus abyssinicus Northern Olive Thrush 168 2
Turdus litsipsirupa Groundscraper Thrush 9 1
Turdus philomelos Song Thrush 6 -
Acrocephalus arundinaceus Great Reed Warbler 100 -
Acrocephalus griseldis Basra Reed Warbler 61 1
Acrocephalus palustris Marsh Warbler 77 ~
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Sedge Warbler 89 -
Acrocephalus scirpaceus Reed Warbler 1158 1
Acrocephalus stentoreus Clamorous Reed Warbler 2 -

Hippolais icterina Icterine Warbler 3 =

87

88 Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

Table 1, Continued

Species Ringed Recov
Hippolais languida Upcher's Warbler 8 -
Hippolais pallida Olivaceous Warbler 297 -
Locustella fluviatilis River Warbler 11 -
Locustella luscinioides Savi's Warbler 68 =
Locustella naevia Grasshopper Warbler 6 -
Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaff 406 =
Phylloscopus sibilatrix Wood Warbler 1 i
Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler 1232 =
Sylvia atricapilla Blackcap 902 4
Sylvia borin Garden Warbler 361 -
Sylvia communis Whitethroat 505 ~
Sylvia curruca Lesser Whitethroat 246 =
Sylvia hortensis Orphean Warbler 28 =
Sylvia mystacea Ménétries' Warbler 27 =
Sylvia nisoria Barred Warbler 162 =
Muscicapa striata Spotted Flycatcher 91 =
Anthus cervinus Red-throated Pipit 204 -
Anthus trivialis Tree Pipit 141 =
Motacilla alba White Wagtail 36 =
Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail 4 =
Motacilla flava Yellow Wagtail 1162 1
Dryoscopus gambensis Northern Puffback 36 1
Lanius collurio Red-backed Shrike 42 ~
Ianius isabellinus Red-tailed Shrike 33 =
Lanius nubicus Nubian Shrike 54 1
Lanius senator Woodchat Shrike 2 =
Creatophora cinerea Wattled Starling B27 1
Lamprotornis chalybaeus Blue-eared Glossy Starling 510 if
Nectarinia tacazze Tacazze Sunbird 228 1
Ploceus baglafecht Baglafecht Weaver 236 1
Ploceus taeniopterus Northern Masked Weaver 819 zB
Passer griseus Grey-headed Sparrow 491 1
Hypochera chalybeata Indigobird 502 1
Emberiza hortulana Ortolan Bunting 31 =

*Palaearctic migrant races only totalled.

RECOVERIES

In 1972 I circulated a list of all recoveries of birds known* at that time in
Ethiopia to 51 major ringing schemes asking for additions and amendments. The
following were written to; those marked with one asterisk replied, stating that
there were no additional data; those marked (*) stated that it was not possible
to check their records, and those with two asterisks sent additional data;
there was no reply from the others: Angola: Dr Pinto, Dr Santos. Belgium:
Brussels. Bulgaria: Sofia**. Channel Islands: Jersey. Cyprus: Cyprus Ornithol-
ogical Society, Dr G.E. Watson. Czechoslovakia: Prague. Denmark: Dansk Orn-
ithologisk Central*, Ringmwrknings Afdelingen*, Kalo*, Copenhagen*. East
Germany: Hiddensee*. Egypt: Dr G.E. Watson. Estonia: Lihula*. Ethiopia: Dr E.K.
Urban. Finland: Helsinki*. France: CRMMO. Hungary: Budapest. Iceland: Reykjavik.
India: Dr Salim Ali. Iran: Dr D.A. Sceott*. Italy: Bologna. Jordan: Dr .C-B. Wate
son. Kenya: Nairobi. Morocco: Rabat*. Netherlands: Arnhem*. Nigeria: Dr C.H.Fry.

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia 89

Norway: Vollebekk(*), Stavanger*. Poland: Varsovia**, Dr W. Rydzewski**. Port-
ugal: Oporto*. Romania: Bucarest. Senegal: Dr G. Morel. South Africa: Ronde-
bosch*. South West Africa: Dr R.A.C. Jensen. Spain: Grupo de Ciencias Naturales
Aranzadi, Madrid. Sweden: Norrkdéping*, Stockholm(*). Switzerland: Sempach*.
U.K.: B.T.O*. U.S.S.R.: Moscow. West Germany: Helgoland**, Radolfzell**.
Yugoslavia: Zagreb. Zaire: Dr De Bont. Zambia: R.J. Dowsett. Zimbabwe: Dr R.M.
Harwin.

The earlier results of such schemes as Radolfzell, Helgoland, and Rossitten
are difficult to trace, and are probably incomplete, but some recoveries have
been found in the literature. In addition, Gerhard Nikolaus kindly searched
the Helgoland data files and was able to locate many recoveries, and the late
Dr W. Rydzewski provided a valuable list. However, no exhaustive search of the
literature has been possible.

From the 61 303 birds ringed in 1969-1980 only 58 recoveries were notified
to the B.T.O. and passed to me (0.09 per cent), and of these only 30 were
found in Ethiopia. As the value of ringing in Ethiopia largely lies in the
need to recognize individuals in special studies, any recovery is to be regard-
ed as a bonus, and almost every one of them is of special value, and provides
new knowledge from an area that is virtually unknown as far as bird movements
are concerned. Of the known 14619 Palaearctic migrants ringed, 21 recoveries
(0.14 per cent) were reported through the B.T.O. compared with 37 (0.07 per
cent) from the other species. However, only two of the Palaearctic migrants
were recovered in Africa (0.01 per cent), the remainder being recovered out-
side (0.13 per cent). Thus the chances of a ringed migrant being recovered
outside Africa is 13 times greater than within the continent, and about two
times greater than a non-Palaearctic migrant being recovered within Africa.
This does not necessarily mean that its chance of survival is less outside
Africa (although it may be), but that the chance of its ring being reported
is greater. There are seven times fewer (0.01 per cent) Palaearctic migrants
recovered within Africa than there are Afrotropical species (0.07 per cent),
which suggests a lower mortality rate for the migrants within the continent,
not allowing for the fact that they may be there for only about half the year.
However, so many interacting factors are involved that the figures do not
justify further analysis.

Table 2 details recoveries of birds ringed in Ethiopia, all by the present
scheme (i.e. with B.T.O. rings), and recovered elsewhere, and of birds ringed
in other countries and reported from Ethiopia. Recoveries within Ethiopia
exclude a huge number of retrapped birds at the site of ringing, as well as
others showing only local movements. Nomenclature and sequence, as in Table 1,
follow Britton (1980). The conventions and symbols used follow Spencer & Hudson
(1978), with the following additional abbreviations used for foreign ringing
schemes: BTO - British Trust for Ornithology, Mort. - Mortensen.

In addition, the time elapsing between ringing and recovery follows Back-
hurst's (1974) convention, e.g. 1:7:13 indicates 1 year, 7 months and 13 days.
For ease of reference the White Stork recoveries are grouped in numerical
order under their respective ringing schemes, but only the first recovery in
each group is identified by its scheme.

Geographical co-ordinates are given in degrees and minutes but the symbols
for these units are omitted. Data given in parentheses are approximate while
those enclosing the recovery date have the added meaning of denoting the date
of the reporting letter (Spencer & Hudson 1978).

Besides the long series of White Stork recoveries, there are many others of
special interest. Of particular note is the Squacco Heron, which is, I believe,
the first more-than-presumptive evidence for a Eurasian bird in eastern Africa
(vide Moreau 1972); the Terek and Curlew Sandpipers were presumably on trans-
African migration northwards from South Africa, although the latter was

90 Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

probably a non-breeding bird stopping-over in Ethiopia for the northern summer;
a Ruff from the farthest extremity of its range in Siberia; evidence for intra-
tropical migration in Egyptian Plover, Pied and Chestnut-bellied Kingfishers;
evidence for the origin of east African Turtle Doves from the southern U.S.S.R.;
an overwintering Eurasian Wryneck in Addis Ababa; a Nightingale from Armeniya
confirming its identification as the race L.m. africana; four Blackcaps from
Syria and Lebanon, and the first record for a Eurasian Starling from south of
the Sahara (although since then there has been another, a sight record).

Fig. 1. Map showing ringing sites of ringed birds recovered in Ethiopia, and
localities where birds ringed in Ethiopia were recovered. Key opposite

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia 91

TABLE 2

Recoveries involving Ethiopia

Note: where no country name is given, the locality is in Ethiopia.

PELECANUS ONOCROTALUS WHITE PELICAN

Z302-- 1 May/Jun 72 Lake Shalla, 7.27N 38.28E, (Shoa).
vv 24.06 542 Dit Bahari, 11.32N 41.16E, (Harrar), 548km
(0:1:0); seen until 05.07.72.

Z302-- 1 May/Jun 72 Lake Shalla.
vv 21.06.72 Dit Bahari; seen until 05.07.72.
Z33--- 1 Apr/May 73 Lake Shalla.
VV 08.08.73 Nderit River, 00.20S 36.05E, Lake Nakuru, KENYA,
(0:3:0), 904km; also seen 09.08.73.
233526 1 21.04.73 Lake Shalla.
= 08:05-73 10km W of Asosa, 10.02N 34.26E, (Wollega), 528km,
0:00:17.
Z33581 1 26005 .73 Lake Shalla.
- 03.06.73 Shenon, 8.23N 37.28E, (Shoa), 151km, 0:0:8.
233657 1 04.05.74 Lake Shalla.
xX 27,405.74 Kwetu Farm, 00.29S 36.19E, Gilgil, KENYA, 913km,
0:0:23.
Z33--- 1 01.06.74 Lake Shalla.
vv 15.06.74 Lake Langano, 7.34N 38.51E, (Shoa), 44km, 0:0:14.

The first three records and the last are sightings of birds with coloured
markers. Z33581 was reported killed whilst eating sheep!

ARDEA CINEREA GREY HERON

Varsovia 1 25305.71 Krzyzowiec Forest Range, 51.56N 16.23 E, Wlosza-
kowice, Leszno, POLAND.
/2/ (00.07.73) Ethiopia.

Table 2 continued overleaf

KEY TO RECOVERIES

A White Pelican 2 M Ruff 1 W Basra Reed W'bler 1
B Grey Heron i N Terek Sandpiper 1 X Reed Warbler 1

C Squacco Heron 1 O Egyptian Plover 2 Y Eurasian Swallow 4

E Black Stork 2 P Lesser Black-backed Gull 6 Z Sand Martin 1

F Greater Flamingo 3 Q Caspian Tern 1 a Nubian Shrike 1

G Lesser Flamingo 1 R Pied Kingfisher 1 b Golden Oriole 1

H Black Kite 2 S Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher 2 c Yellow Wagtail 1

J Common Buzzard 1 T Hoopoe 1 d Eurasian Starling 1
K Curlew Sandpiper 1 U Nightingale 1 e Turtle Dove 2

ZL Little Stint 1 V Blackcap 4 f Osprey 1

D and the hatched area indicate where the 54 White Storks recovered in Ethiopia

were ringed.

92

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

ARDEOLA RALLOIDES SQUACCO HERON

Moscow
E889558

1

Vv

20.06.74

13<09.75

Kzyl-Agach Reserve, Lenkoran, Azerbaijan, USSR,
39.00N 48.50E.

Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa), 3531km, 1:2:24.
Reringed BTO EF72162.

CICONIA ABDIMII ABDIM'S STORK

1080---

CICONIA CICONIA WHITE STORK

Bucarest
B19i0

Budapest

9373

Helgoland
E2840

H4108

H9141

Hi2id

205062

207671

207671

210488

212595

212946

222133

223477

1
VV

1
PAE

1
--
1
X
1

10.06.72
07.07.72

24.06.66
/ late 11.66

summer 25
00.12.26

12.07.69
02.07.70

10.07.58

(14.03.61)
14.06.63

f2/ (04.12.64)

18.06.62
(12.02.63)

00.00.34
(29.03.235)

14.07.31
/ 00.00.32

00.00.36
12.04.38

08.07.32
(22 09 . 33)

summer 39
09.12.39

10-07..433
7 29.08.36

24.06.57
20;.12. 58

20.06.41
00.11.41

Lake Shalla, 7.27N 38.28E, (Shoa).
Debre Zeit, 8.44N 38.59E, (Shoa), 154km, 0:0:27.

Sf. Gheorghe, 44.55N 29.34E, Danube Delta,ROMANIA.
"Around Gondar', (12.37N 37.27E), (Begemdir),
(0:5:0), (3666 km).

Komajati, Abauj [untraced] HUNGARY.
Adua, 14.09N 38.53E, (Tigre), (1:6:0).

Bohme, 52.47N 9.28E, (Ltineburg) , WEST GERMANY.
Golgol, 14.07N 38.44E, (Tigre), 5011 km, 0:11:20.

Grosswish, 53.51N 9.22E, (Schleswig Hostein) ,
WEST GERMANY.
Wollo Province, (2:8:4).

Freiburg-Laak, 53.49N 9.17E, (Stade), WEST GERMANY.
SW of Lake Tana, (Gojjam), (1:5:21).

Rethem, 52.47N 9.23E, Aller, WEST GERMANY.
Sinna, (7.05N 40.10E), (Bale), (0:7:25), (5793km).

Commerau b. Klix, 51.16N 14.32E, EAST GERMANY.
Dera, 10.10N 38.59E, Salale, (Shoa), (0:7:0),
5079 km.

Oersdorf/Segeberg, 53.55N 10.20E, WEST GERMANY.
Adi Quala, 14.37N 38.50E, (Eritrea), 5021 km.
[see notes]

Rosenberg, 53.40N 11.14E, EAST GERMANY.
38km from Asmara, 15.20N 38.55E, 4829 km.
[see notes]

Thedinghausen, 53.00N 9.05E, Bremen, WEST GERMANY.
Gondar, 12.36N 37.28E, (Begemdir), (1:2:0),
5144km.

Oberneuland, 50.30N 17.20E, Nysa, now POLAND.
Combolcia, 11.04N 39.43E, (Wolo), (0:6:0), 4834km.

Malini, 50.31N 18.18E, POLAND.
S of Lake "Tana, 17/35N"37.22E, (Gojjam) , 3:21:19,
4662 km.

Ochsenwerder, 53.29N 10.05E, Hamburg, WEST GERMANY.
Asmara, 15.20N 38.58E, (Eritrea), 1:4:23, 4959 km.

Fallersleben, 52.25N 10.44, WEST GERMANY.
Lake Tana, (12.00N 37.18E), (0:5:0), (5080km).

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

226999

230716

232981

234676

238147

240504

242017

244928

8664

Radolfzell

B51671

BB994

BB8095

BB8720

BB8743

BB9262

BB13458

BB13668

BB15556

/?/

01.07.39
23.12.39

08.07.47
00.11.47

21.06.51

(13.06.61)

09.07.53

(13.06.61)

09.07.55
14.12.55

09.07.55
00.12.57

24.06.59

(09.12.60)

10.07.68

autumn 68

11.07.73
24.10.73

26.06.31
00.00.32

17.07.19
24.10.19

21.06.58
00.11.58

06.06.68

(16.12.68)

05.07.55

(14.02.56)

29.06.57
01.01.58

29.06.58

early 03.63

24.06.62

09.11.62
17.07.60

(17.01.61)

25.06.60

(17.01.61)

07.07.66

end 11.66

93

Nysa, 50.30N 17.20E, POLAND.
Between Quozien Mariam and Blue Nile, 0:5:22.

Bekmiinde, 53.55N 8.30E, WEST GERMANY.
Bishoftu, 8.44N 38.59E, (Shoa), (0:4:0), 5708km.

Gliickstadt, 53.47N 9.26E, Holstein, WEST GERMANY.
Between Gore and Goba, 9.03N 38.42E, (Bale),
5613 km.

Hemke, 52.24N 7.55E, Niedersachsen, WEST GERMANY.
Between Gore and Goba, 5560 km.

Wathlingen, 52.32N 10.09E, Liineburg, WEST GERMANY.
Gambela, (Tigre), 0:5:5. [see notes]

Stellau/Wrist, 53.50N 9.45E, WEST GERMANY.
Bahar Dar, 11.32N 37.25E, (Gojjam), (2:5:0), 5296 km.

Artlenburg, 53.23N 10.28E, Liineburg, WEST GERMANY.
Tigre Province, (14N 38E), (1:5:0), (5000 km).

Altrathjensdorf, 54.14N 11.00E, Oldenburg, WEST
GERMANY.
Dembi Woreda, 12.39N 37.29E, (Begemdir), 5169 km.

Miihro, 52.01N 12.15E, Zerbst, EAST GERMANY.
Near Woliso, 8.32N 37.59E, (Shoa), 0:3:13, 5367 km.

Sebaucius, 55.42N 24.50E, LITHUANIA.
Danya, 6.30N 37.40E, (Gemu Gofa), 5584km.

Varde, 55.37N 8.23E, Janderup, DENMARK.
Near Adua, 14.09N 38.53E, (Tigre), 0:3:7, 5296km.

Horka, 51.17N 14.54E, (Niesky), EAST GERMANY.
Teramni, 14.30N 39.00E, (Eritrea), (0:5:0),
4619 km.

Limnochorion, 40.37N 21.34E, Florina, GREECE.
Engiabaia, 10.59N 37.00E, (Gojjam), (0:6:10), 3624 km.

Bietikow, 53.19N 13.52E, Uckermark, EAST GERMANY.
Kreis Bule, 6.20N 38.50E, (Sidamo), (0:7:9), 5688km.

Limberg, 51.43N 14.21E, Cottbus, EAST GERMANY.
Wadla-Dawmt, 11N 39E, (Wollo), 0:6:3, (5040km).

Sergen, 51.42N 14.30E, Cottbus, EAST GERMANY.
Kloster Dinssa Kidanne Meheret, 12.36N 37.10E,
near Bahar Dar, (Gojjam), (4:8:0), 4797 km.

Hofenstetten, 49.20N 12.15E, Oberpfalz, WEST
GERMANY.
S of Lake Tana, (Gojjam), 0:4:14.

Molkenberg, 52.42N 12.13E, Magdeburg, EAST GERMANY.
Begemdir Province, (0:6:0).

Blindow, 53.22N 13.53E, Neubrandenburg, EAST
GERMANY.
Tigre Province, (0:6:23).

Grosspetersdorf, 47.14N 15.19E, Burgenland AUSTRIA.
Near Harar, 9.20N 42.10E, (0:4:20), (4912km) .

94

Rossitten
1282
B31480

B55368

B60181

B64056

BB5141

BB 12132
Sofia
$12624
$20081
$25674

$34885

Varsovia
B2282

B522644

B527337

B528813

B530360

Zagreb
D105048

D108847

D103156

a

—

ta

xe + Re

05.

28.
OS.

22%.
aL

04.
(00.

26%
O07.

00.

29's

16.
02.

26 .

winter

28.
OO.

42
OO.

00.
aa.

08.

oo.

26.
00.

ee
(23.3

-60)

-58)

-60)

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

? [ringing data untraced]
Near Bishoftu, 8.45N 38.58E, (Shoa).

Lugowen, 54.37N 21.50E, Chernyakhovsk, USSR.
Engababa, 10.58N 36.58E, (Gojjam), 0:7:5, 5030km.

Diebowen, 53.46N 21.37E, now POLAND.
Ponte sul Ghibbie, 8.55N 37.08 E, (Wolega),
1:0:0, 5173 km

Hagenow, 53.27N 11.12E, Greifenberg, EAST GERMANY.
Bejan Grande, 7.40N 36.49E, (Kaffa), (3:9:0),
5584 km.

Woosmer, 53.12N 11.10E, Mecklenburg, EAST GERMANY.
Dessie, 11.07N 39.38E, (Wollo), 0:9:12, 5317km.

"Strickershagen', '30.05N 16.52E!. [untraced, the
co-ordinates are in Libya]
Bonga,.. 7.15N, 36,.14E, (Kata) ,.(157:0)

Wiesenberg, 52.24N 17.32E, now POLAND.
Gulliso, 9.10N 35.30E, (Wolega), 0:10:16, 5071 km.

Borisovo, 43.55N 25.59E, Russe, BULGARIA.
Lekempti, 9.05N 36.33E, (Wollega), 4003 km.

Krivina, 43.06N 25.21E, Svishtov, BULGARIA.
Adua, 14.10N 38.54E, (Tigre), 3466km.

Borisovo, BULGARIA.
Neggio Nadseho, 9.29N 35.29E, (Wollega), 3935km.

Borisovo, BULGARIA.
Gewani, 10.05N 40.37E, (Harar), (0:4:0), 4015 km.

Nowa Huta Forest Range, 53.40N 18.25E, Bydgoszcz,
POLAND.
Scire, 14.15N 38.158), (Tigre), (0:6:0),, =7it km.

Tabory, 53.55N 19.31E, (Olsztyn), POLAND.
400km W of Addis Ababa in Illubabor Province,
(ON 39E), (1:0:0), (5300 km).

Radziadz, 51.31N 16.58E, Wroclaw, POLAND.
Eritrea or Tigre Province, (1:6:0).

Leszczewek, 54.14N 23.05E, Bialystok, POLAND.
Eritrea or Tigre Province, (0:5:24).

Slowin, 53.01N 15.47E, Szczecin, POLAND.
Alfelira, 14.30N 39.00E, (Eritrea), (0:4:27),
4742 km.

Idvor, 45.09N 20.36E, Kovacica, YUGOSLAVIA.
Saganeiti, 15.04N 39.12E, (Eritrea), 0:2:19,
3770 km.

Senta, 45.36N 20.05E, YUGOSLAVIA.
Near Axum, (14N 38E), (Tigre), (0:4:0), 3893km.

Aradac, 45.25N 20.24E, Zrcnjanin, YUGOSLAVIA.
Agordat, 15.33N 37.53E, (Eritrea), (0:6:0)
3699 km.

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia 95

D101789 3 16.06.54 Kadino Selo, 41.54N 21.40E, Makedonija, YUGO-
SLAVIA.
X 00.12.54 Sakala District, (11.10N 37.15N), Gojjam, (0:6:0),
(3740 km).

Notes: Helgoland E2840: a second recovery card for this ring is held by Vogel-
warte Helgoland (Tigre Province, 05.08.70), however, the data given above are
correct, for I reported the ring myself. Helgoland 207671: there are two sets
of data for this ring number; the first has been confirmed as correct by Helgo-
land, so that the second is presumably correct ringing and recovery data but
recorded under the wrong ring number. Helgoland 238147: there are several
localities by this name in Ethiopia, but this one in Tigre Province cannot be
traced.

CICONIA NIGRA BLACK STORK

Rossitten 1 15.07.36 Rominter Heide, (54.23N 22.23E), now POLAND.
B62851 +3 30.01.39 Entotto, 9.07N 38.45E, (Shoa), 0:6:15, (5240km).
Varsovia 1 09.06.49 Budy Forest Range, 50.25N 22.04E, Rzeszow,
B521404 POLAND.

f2/ 07.01.50 50km E of Gondar, 12.35N 37.28E, (Begemdir),
0:6:29, 4431 km.

B62851 is this species (Vogelzug 11: 24); the entry as Ciconia ciconia in Vogel-
warte 15: 168 is an error.

PHOENICONAIAS MINOR LESSER FLAMINGO

BTO 1 02.11.62 Lake Magadi, 1.55S 36.18E, KENYA.
1032064 xX 09.07.64 Sodere, 8.25N 39.23E, (Shoa), (1:8:8), 1198km.

PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER GREATER FLAMINGO

Iran 1 06.08.71 Ashk Is., 37.25N 45.30E, Lake Rezaiyeh, Azarbai-
LL1036 jan, IRAN.
/?/ 00.09.71 Begemdir and Simien Province.
Iran 1 07.08.74 Ashk Is, IRAN.
LL1509 /?/ 00.09.71 Begemdir and Simien Province.
Iran 1 25.08.73 Dowguzlar Isles, 37.18N 45.40E, IRAN.
LL3620 + 15.01.74 Massawa, (15.30N 39.30E), (Eritrea), 0:5:10,
(2500 km) .

[NEOPHRON PERCNOPTERUS EYGPTIAN VULTURE ?

Moscow Zz ? o
A19813 + early 03.70 Alamata, 12.26N 39.35E, Rayano Kobo, (Wollo).

The description of the recovered bird suggested this species, but no inform-
ation could be obtained from the Moscow Ringing Office.

BUTEO BUTEO COMMON BUZZARD

Rossitten 3 00.06.08 Dassow, 53.55N 10.59E, Mecklenburg, EAST GERMANY.
1286 + 02.123..23 Makalle, 13.31N 39.28E, Tembien, (Tigre), 15:5:0,
5133 km.

The identification of this bird has been queried (vide Orn. Monatsber. 34: 86).

96

MILVUS MIGRANS BLACK KITE

FS11041 2 O09. 12. 72

() OP el gree AS
Varsovia 1 26.06.61
C29399 Pic, 09.10.61

PANDION HALIAETUS OSPREY

29.06.64
00.02.65

Helsinki 1
M433 ~

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

Gambela, 8.15N 34.35E, (Illubabor).
Kadogli, 11.00N 29.44E, Kordufan, SUDAN, 613km,
0:10:25.

Bienowice, 51.16N 16.17E, Wroclaw, POLAND.
Near Dessie, 11.05N 39.40E, (Wollo), 0:3:13, 4942 km.

Kullaa, 61.33N 22.07E, Jarventausta, FINLAND.
Adua, 14.10N 38.54E, (Tigre), (0:7:0), 5433 km.

FALCO CHICQUERA RED-NECKED FALCON

as 6 .O7212a72
() 04.03.74

DS88423

TRINGA TOTANUS REDSHANK

CJ05566 2 19:10 ft
Vv WOR i22 02

Gambela, 8.15N 34.35E, (Illubabor).

Gambela, 1:2:25.

Lake Abiata, 7.36N 38.40E,
Koka, 8.27N 39.06E,

(Shoa).

(Shoa), 0:2:0, 106km.

XENUS CINEREUS 'TEREK SANDPIPER

25 02573
21.04.76

Pretoria 6
2-48356 Vv

Langebaan, 33.05S 18.02E, Cape, SOUTH AFRICA.
Koka, 8.27N 39°.0GE, (Shea), S21 227, 225 ea

CALIDRIS FERRUGINEA CURLEW SANDPIPER

Pretoria 5
------- VV

Jan/Apr 76
14.06.76

CALIDRIS MINUTA LITTLE STINT

BP61799 2 22.0076
V 1707216

PHILOMACHUS PUGNAX RUFF

CN35959 20 a at a7
+ 17.05.74
CN35992 2.2 Of 22570

[2 CLP OST 25

PLUVIANUS AEGYPTIUS EGYPTIAN

CJ06601 6 Pe iy Na Py (4
Vv 25..08275
CJ 40966 e 23.04.75
+ 16.09 75

Langebaan, 33.05S 18.02E, Cape, SOUTH AFRICA.
Lake Abiata, 7.34N 38.34E, (Shoa), (0:2:0),
501i1km. (A sight record of a ringed and colour-
dyed bird.)

Lake Langano, 7.34N, 38.51E, (Shoa).

Lake Airkol, 48.28N 62.09E, Turgay Dolina,
Kazakhstan, USSR, 0:6:25, 5044km. Moscow K425413
added.

Lake Abiata, 7.36N 38.40E, (Shoa).
26km from Yakutsk, 62.19N 129.50E, USSR, 3:7:17,
9314km.

Lake Abiata.

Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa), 1:9:16, 106 km.

PLOVER

Gambela, 8.15N 32.38E, (Illubabor).

Kosti, 13.11N 32.38E, Blue Nile, SUDAN, 2:9:0,
588 km.

Gambela.

Khartoum, 15.33N 32.35E, SUDAN, 0:4:24, 840km

i le el

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia 97

LARUS FUSCUS LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL

Helsinki 1 17.06.62 Vastamaa, 60.15N 26.13E, FINLAND.

cC114775 + 00.08.62 Gore, 8.09N 35.32E, (Illubabor), (0:2:0), 5841 km.

Helsinki 1 28.06.64 Kustavi, 60.41N 21.03E, FINLAND.

H54378 xX 17 .410;564 Gambela, 8.36N 40.29E, (Harar), 0:3:20), 6007 km.

Helsinki 1 02.07.66 Pitkakari, 60.48N 21.05E, Turku-Pori, FINLAND.

H65506 xX 00.01.68 Lake Langano, 7.40N 38.45E, (Shoa), (1:5:0),
6084 km.

Helsinki 1 08.07.69 Mj616, 60.06N 25.03E, (Uusimaa), FINLAND.

H105122 /2/ (15.06.70) Archicho, 15.32N 39.28E, (Eritrea), (0:11:0),
5088 km.

Helsinki 1 06.07.71 Korkiainen, 60.24N 27.42E, (Kymi), FINLAND.

HTOO060 1 xX A OS!) aT Lake Tana, (12.00N 37.30E), 0:7:21, (5440km).

Stockholm 1 08.07.62 Angholmarna, 55.58N 14.26E, (Kristianstad),

8003025 SWEDEN.

f2/ (27.10.62) Wollega Province, (9N 35E), (0:3:0), (5500km).

STERNA CASPIA CASPIAN TERN

Helsinki 1 02.07.66 Sk6éldharuklobb, 59.51N 23.39E, (Uusimaa) , FINLAND.
H76493 xX 00.00.67 Awasa, 7.10N 38.40E, (Sidamo), 5989km.

STREPTOPELIA TURTUR TURTLE DOVE

DA10780 6 18.12.74 Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa).
~ 15.09.76 Near Konstantinoviskiy, 47.36N 41.06E, (Rostov),
USSR, 1:8:28, 4354km.
DS88081 2 30.10.70 Lake Abiata, 7.36N 38.40E, (Shoa).
~ Si evae ts Near Voznesensk, 47.34N 31.20E, Ukraine, USSR,

3:10:1, 4495 km.

CERYLE RUDIS PIED KINGFISHER

CN35308 2 21.08.70 Gambela, 8.15 34.35, (Illubabor).
X early 09.71 Lake Kyoga, 1.38N 32.48E, near Alemere, UGANDA,
(1:0:10), 761 km.
Two other Pied Kingfishers moved 14km.

HALCYON LEUCOCEPHALA CHESTNUT-BELLIED KINGFISHER

CJ40224 3 04.10.74 Aseita, 11.34N 41.27E, (Harar).
- O2.03: 75 Zombo, 4.00S 39.25E, near Mombasa, KENYA, 0:4:25,
1744 km.
CN35522 4 16510270 Lake Abiata, 7.36N 38.40E, (Shoa).
Vv i Ttsr4 Masogo, 0.10S 34.51E, Kano Plains, near Kisumu,

KENYA, 4:1:3, 961 km.

CN35522 was captured and bled in an American arbovirus study in Ethiopia, and
was similarly treated in a British arbovirus study in Kenya: a remarkable
coincidence.

UPUPA EPOPS HOOPOE

CN36341 2 06.03.71 Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa).
+ 00.08.73 Az Zilfi, 26.15N 44.50E, SAUDI ARABIA, (2:5:0),
2068 km.

—.

98 Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

JYNX TORQUILLA EURASIAN WRYNECK

BP25712 2 06:72:15 73 Addis Ababa, 9.02N 38.46E.
+ 15.03.74 Addis Ababa, 0:4:9.

This bird was killed and stuffed by the finder.

HIRUNDO RUSTICA EURASIAN SWALLOW

HV16353 2 15.10.71 Lake Abiata, 7.36N 38.40E, (Shoa).
x 17.05.74 Near Babayurt, 43.37N 46.44E, Dagestan, USSR,
23222,,.4078 km.

HV16460 2 16.10.71 Lake Abiata.
Vv 24.05.73 Near Blagordarnoye, 45.06N 43.26E, Stavropol',
USSR, 1:7:8, 4192 km.
HV169 20 2 28.10.71 Lake Abiata.
X 27:.05.072 Near Belye Vody, 42.23N 69.49E, Chimkent, Kazakh-
stan, USSR, 0:6:29, 4922km.
JX11109 4 18.04.76 . Lake Langano, 7.34N 38.51E, (Shoa).

xX 19.05.76 Near Uman', 48.44N 30.15E, Cherkassy, Ukraine,
USSR, 0:1:1, 4645km.

RIPARIA RIPARIA SAND MARTIN
JK11274 4 20).05275 Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa).

x 28.08.75 Near Magaramkent, 41.36N 48.22E, Dagestan, USSR,

! 0:3:8, 3795 km.

ORIOLUS ORIOLUS GOLDEN ORIOLE
CJ40254 3 06.10.74 Aseita, 11.34N 41.27E, (Harar).

~ 04.07.75 Vonan Village, 34.34N 50.54E, IRAN, 0:8:28, 2729km.
LUSCINIA MEGARHYNCHOS AFRICANA NIGHTINGALE

JJ20410 3 13,095 75 Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa).
+ 26.07.76 Near Yekhegnadzor, 39.55N 45.18E, Armeniya,
USSR, 0:10:13, 3550 km.
ACROCEPHALUS GRISELDIS BASRA REED WARBLER

JS33684 4 19.09.75 Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa).
xX (OL. 02070) Chire, 16.42S 35.20E, Morrumbala District, Zam-
bezia, MOZAMBIQUE, (1:4:13), 2825 km.
ACROCEPHALUS SCIRPACEUS REED WARBLER
HV13605 2 18.04.70 Bahadu, 10.05N 48.37E, Gewani, (Harar).
() 03.09.73 Ahmadi, 29.05N 48.04E, KUWAIT, 3:4:16, 2112 km.

SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA BLACKCAP

ee

HV17537 29 30.10.74 Lake Abiata, 7.36N 38.40E, (Shoa).
- 10.09.72 Damascus, 33.30N 36.19E, SYRIA, 0:10:11, 2888km.
3719430 20 26 fA 272 Bulcha, 6.27N 38.11E, (Sidamo).

/3/ 02.05.73 Tripolis, 34.27N 35.49E, LEBANON, 0:5:12, 3121 km.

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

JJ21251 43 27.01.74 Bulcha.
- 21.04.74

KC56497 4d 01.04.77 Debre Mariam Is.,
xX 20.04.79 Near Baabda,

2473 km.

MOTACILLA FLAVA YELLOW WAGTAIL

JJ19245 2 24.10.72
X 23.10.75

Filwoha,

Beirut, 33.52N 35.29E, LEBANON, 0:2:25,

10.00N 40.33E, Mataka,
Near Talovaya, 51.06N 40.43E, Voronezh, USSR,

99

3059 km.

11.38N 37.25E, (Shoa).
33.50N 35.40E, LEBANON, 2:0:19,

(Harar).

2:11:29, 4567 km.

Note the difference in migration dates in the two years.

LANIUS NUBICUS NUBIAN SHRIKE

BN54172 59 02.04.72 Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa).
x 1s 2O5.. 13 Shuaiba, 29.03N 48.10E, Mina al Ahmadi, KUWAIT,
1:1:11, 2477 km.

STURNUS VULGARIS EURASIAN STARLING

19.05.32
12.06.36

Althaus,
Dessie,

Helgoland 1
619337 +

50.37N 17.51E, POLAND.
11.07N 39.38E,

(Wolo), 4:0:24, 4817 km.

The leg and ring of this bird were returned. It was the first record from south

of the Sahara of a Eurasian Starling (Jitschin 1938).
Vogelwarte Helgoland kindly investigated this record for me

Mrs Ute Bechtloff of
5 NW BE Uy eS NR 0 Te

and confirmed that there seemed to be no error. The bird was shot, the leg and
ring returned, together with a map showing the locality; it was confirmed also
by the Italian Associazione Provinciale del Cacciatori, Firenze.

CREATOPHORA CINEREA WATTLED STARLING

CN36951 2 22.10.71 Lake Abiata, 7.36N 38.40E, (Shoa).
* 17.01.73 Dukem, 8.49N 38.54E, (Shoa), 1:2:26, 138km.
ORTSTREUE

A total of 154 Palaearctic migrants of 29 species were retrapped in subsequent
seasons, up to four or five years after the initial ringing. Some of these had
clearly returned to previous winter quarters (e.g. Sylvia mystacea), but others
of even more interest were returning to the same site on passage (e.g. Acro-
cephalus griseldis), indicating fidelity to migratory route. In the following
list of species involved, the first figure refers to the number of seasons
elapsed since ringing, and the figures in parentheses refer to the numbers of
individuals involved each season. Eight birds were retrapped in more than one
subsequent season, and these are detailed under month/year, where the first

date shown is that of ringing:

Charadrius alexandrinus 2 (1)

Charadrius dubius 1 (2)

Actitis hypoleucos 1 (5), 2 (1), 3 (1),
4 (1)

Tringa glareola 1 (1), 3 (2), 4 (2),
eens tome bird 12.71, 10.74, 09.75,
another 12.71, 10.74, 09.76)

[easaess minuta 1 (5), 2 (2), 3 (3),

4 (2); (one bird 10.73, 03.74, 04.76)
Calidris temminckii 1 (2), 2 (4)
Philomachus pugnax 1 (2)
Upupa epops 1 (1), 2 (1)
Jynx torquilla 1 (1), 2 (1)
Luscinia luscinia 1 (1), 2 (1)
Luscinia megarhynchos 1 (21), 2 (3),
3. (3), 4 (2)3 (one bird 11.71, 10.72,

100

L. megarhyncos, contd.: 02.75; another
04.71, 02.73, 02.75)

Oenanthe pleschanka 1 (1)

Phoenicurus phoenicurus 1 (1), 2 (4), 3 (1)

Acrocephalus arundinaceus 1 (1)

Acrocephalus griseldis 1 (2), 2 (1);
(one bird 10.74, 09.75, 10.76)

Acrocephalus scirpaceus 1 (8), 2 (6),
3°(l); one,bized 01771 11.7% Onde

Hippolais pallida 1 (5), 2 (1), 4 (1)

Locustella luscinioides 1 (2)

Sylvia atricapilla i (1), 2 (1)

Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Anthus

EI
3
q

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia

borin 1 (3)

curruca 2 (5)
communis 1 (6)
mystacea 3 (1)
nisoria’ 2°"), 2/2)
trivialis 1 (1)

Motacilla alba 1 (2)
Motacilia* flava’ TY'(10);, 2 (47, 2 ta)

4 (1)

Lanius

isabellinus 1 (1), 2 (2); one

bird 03.71, 03.72, 02.73

Lanius

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank: the British Trust for Ornithology for permission to use their
rings in Ethiopia (but with the best will in the world were unable to produce
more recoveries) and for providing a list of ringing schemes, and R. Hudson,

C. Mead and R. Spencer for much correspondence over the years. Dr C.C.H. Elliott

nubicus 1 Cl), 2) ae);

(AFRING) ; Gerhard Nikolaus for much help in abstracting Helgoland data; Mekuria
Ayele, my field assistant for much of the time I was in Ethiopia; the late Prof.

W. Rydzewski for his list of Ethiopian recoveries; and the ringers listed above |
for all their friendly collaboration. Graeme Backhurst greatly exceeded his .
normal duties as an editor with much help and advice in the preparation of the
manuscript, and checked all, and added further details to some, of the recov-

eries; for his help I am most grateful.

REFERENCES

ASH, J.S. 1972. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia,
1973. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia,
1974. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia,
1975. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia,
1976. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia Report No. 5, 1969-1975.US NAMRU-5,

Technical Report 1:1-17.

1977. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia, Report No. 6, 1969-1976. Duplicated,

$19.

1978. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia, Report No. 7, 1969-1977. Duplicated,

1-16.

1978a. A Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus griseldis in
Mozambique. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 98: 29-30.

1979. Bird-ringing in Ethiopia, Report No. 8, 1969-1978. Duplicated,

eae

BACKHURST, G.C. 1974. East African bird ringing report 1972-73, 1973-74. Journal
of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum 146: 1-9.

BROBERG, L. 1967. A Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta in Ethiopia. Ibis 109:

440.

JITSCHIN, J. 1938. Oberschlesischer Star (Sturnus vulgaris) in Abessinien.

Vogelzug 9:109.

1969-1971. Duplicated (1): 1-19.
1969-1972. Duplicated (2): 1-14.
1969-1973. Duplicated (3): 1-17.
1969-1974. Duplicated (4): 1-14.

Bird-ringing in Ethiopia 101

SPENCER, R. & HUDSON, R. 1978. Report on bird-ringing for 1976. Ringing &
Migration 1: 189-252.

TYLER, S. 1979. Bird ringing in an Addis Ababa garden. Scopus 3: 1-7.

URBAN, E.K. 1975. Weights and longevity of some birds from Addis Ababa. Bull-
etin of the British Ornithologists' Club 95: 96-98.

& JEFFORD, T.G. 1977. Movements of juvenile Great White Pelicans
Pelecanus onocrotalus from Lake Shalla, Ethiopia. Ibis 119: 524-528.

J.S. Ash, Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A.

(Received 8 August 1981)

POSTSCRIPT
The following recovery was notified after the above was set.

CALIDRIS MINUTA LITTLE STINT

BP60178 2 21.10.74 Koka, 8.27N 39.06E, (Shoa).
5 01.01.79 Suq Ash Shuyukh, 30.53N 46.28E, IRAQ, 4:2:11,
2607 km.

The following bird has been recovered but the details have not yet been
received by the author.

CIRCAETUS GALLICUS PECTORALIS BLACK-CHESTED SNAKE EAGLE
1080714 6 04.05.76 Chifra, 11.39N 40.01E, (Wollo).

—S— |):

102 Owl food requirements

THE FOOD REQUIREMENTS OF OWLS COMPARED WITH
THOSE OF DIURNAL RAPTORS

Dale B. Hanmer

Little has been published on the food requirements of owls since the work of
Craighead & Craighead (1956) in the U.S.A. A Verreaux's Eagle Owl Bubo lac-
teus was kept for four months in 1975/76 and two White-faced Scops Owls Otus
leucotis for three months in 1978/79 at Nchalo, Malawi (16°16'S, 34°55’'R).

The birds were weighed at intervals, as was their food, to the nearest gram.

OBSERVATIONS

VERREAUX'S EAGLE OWL
The immature Verreaux's Eagle Owl was given initially 70-80g daily and later
80-95 g. Food consisted of small birds, small rodents, insects (crickets,
grasshoppers, locusts, dragonflies and alate termites), minced beef, ox heart
and liver. The owl was fed at dawn, dusk and about 21:00 hrs, but seldom
appeared to be particularly hungry, being generally rather slow to take and
eat food. However, there were two occasions when bird specimens being pre-
pared for the museum were grabbed and eaten. The bird's weights and the
average quantities of food it received over three periods are given in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Weight of food eaten daily and body weight changes of one Bubo lacteus

Age/sex ist Wt 2nd Wt Average Wt]| Days Wt/day
(g) (g) food/day (g) gained (g)
Immature male Period 1 1505 1536 Vile? 28 Alera
Period 2 1536 1603 88.5 58 eZ
Period 3 1603 1625 85.2 34 Oey

It was assumed to be male (wing at six months old 445mm; see Ginn (1976) for
male and female wing-lengths). It gained weight slowly during the period it
was kept and its daily food requirement was apparently just met; this seemed |
to be about 5.5 per cent of the body weight. This figure probably provided
for the equivalent of hunting energy, as the bird had the run of the house and
spent much time in play. Wastage of about 10 per cent is included in the food
figures in Table 1, leaving an actual daily consumption need of about 5 per
cent of body weight. Wastage was determined by weighing some of the daily ;
castings and discarded food (mainly bird heads and wings and the hard parts
of large insects).

WHITE-FACED SCOPS OWL

One White-faced Scops Owl was probably an adult female (wing 202mm) and the
other an immature, possibly male (wing at four months old 192mm), just learn-
ing to fly in October 1978 (see McLachlan & Liversidge (1978) for male and
female wing-lengths). Initially both birds were fed 30-35g daily, the immat-
ure usually eating a little more than the adult. Food consisted of insects,
minced beef, small birds and small rodents; the birds and rodents were usually
chopped into four pieces. Generally both owls were fed at the same time, each
bird being handed a similar sized food item at the same moment, but sometimes
mince or alate termites were placed in a dish for the owls to help themselves.

Scopus 5: 102-105, December 1981

—

Owl food requirements 103

After about six weeks both birds almost stopped eating, so their food was
reduced to 20-25g daily. After 16 days on this regime both birds became very
hungry and so were given 30-35g daily to fatten them before release. The
adult bird averaged 241g over the whole period that it was kept and the young
bird 205g after the first six weeks, this early period being ignored since
the bird was very light and apparently starved when first obtained. These
weights fit with the weights of wild White-faced Scops Owls as detailed by
Ginn (1976) and Worden & Hall (1978).

TABLE 2
Weight of food eaten daily and body weight changes of two Otus leucotis

Age/sex | ist Wt | 2nd Wt Average Wt]|Days. Wt/day
(g) (g) food/day (g) gained (g)

Adult female |Period 1 225 252 32. 0.5 (gain)
Period 2 252 241 22. 0.7 (loss)

Period 3 241 246 33. 0.5 (gain)

Immature male [Period 1 146 214 cae 52 1.3 (gain)
Period 2 214 193 22.8 16 1.3 (loss)

Period 3 193 208 33.2 10 1.5 (gain)

Table 2 shows the average quantity of food given, the initial and final
weights and the rate of weight gain or loss of both birds over the three
separate feeding periods mentioned above. Rates of weight gain on about 33g
of food daily over periods 1 and 3 were similar to the rate of loss on about
23g daily during period 3, suggesting that the actual requirement was about
midway between, i.e. at about 28g per day. This may be complicated by the
differing requirements of male and female, adult and immature, but it gives a
figure of about 12-14 per cent for food needs as a percentage of body weight.
Wastage, determined by weighing castings and discarded food (mainly hard parts
of insects and bird bills, legs and wings), averaged about 5 per cent of the
food provided, so that the actual daily consumption need was only about 11-13
per cent of body weight. This figure probably provided for the equivalent of
hunting energy, as the birds had the run of the house and spent much time in

play.

DISCUSSION

COMPARISON WITH OTHER OWLS
Worden & Hall (1978) noted that breeding White-faced Scops Owls ate 40-45g
each daily, but it is not clear whether this referred to adults, chicks or
both. The adults weighed 192 and 206g, so the food eaten averaged 19.4 to
23.4 per cent of adult body weight, which seems high, but might imply low
body weights during breeding. Breeding birds probably require more energy for
hunting and perhaps waste more food when feeding chicks. It should be noted in
this context that Snelling (1969) found from the food requirements of captive
chicks of the Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax, that an adult pair feeding chicks
would need to catch more than 14 times their usual weight of food daily.
Summer food needs for owls in the U.S.A., as reported by Craighead & Craig-
head (1956), are included in Table 3. Requirements were similar, for birds
of similar weight, to those found for the two African species. Winter needs in
the U.S.A. were higher, except in the Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa which has
a very efficient body insulation (L.H. Brown, pers. comm.)

104 Owl food requirements

TABLE 3

Food, as a percentage of body weight, required by raptors

0 SST a Se a A A ST

Species Body weight Wt of food Food as % References
(g) daily (g) body wt for %

Screech Owl Craighead &

Otus asio (summer) 134 14 10.3 Craighead 1956

White-faced Scops Owl

O. leucotis 205-240 26-27 11-13 this study

Great Horned Owl Craighead &

Bubo virginianus summer 1100-1200 82-85 7.0-7.4 Craighead 1956

Verreaux's Eagle Owl

B. lacteus (male) 1600-1625 80-82 5 this study

(female) 2525-2610 126-130 5?

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus 240 50 21 Brown 1970

African Hawk Eagle Brown &

Hieraaetus dubius 714-940 120-125 LS Davey 1978

Wahlberg's Eagle

Aquila wahlbergi 800-1000 80-100 10 Brown 1970

Tawny Eagle

A. rapax 2150-2326 150 6.5-7.0 Snelling 1969

Fish Eagle Brown (pers.

Haliaeetus vocifer 2634-2900 132-145 5 comm. )

Crowned Eagle Brown 1970,

Stephanoaetus coronatus 3500 210 6 1971

Golden Eagle Brown 1971,

A. chrysaetos 3500-4000 230-240 6.0-6.5 1976

SS SSS 9 AR IS

COMPARISON OF OWLS WITH DIURNAL RAPTORS
Table 3 lists the reported food requirements and body weights of a variety of
owls and diurnal raptors, data being taken both from Africa and from temperate
latitudes in summer. Where given, body weight data were taken from the
authority cited for food requirement, otherwise they were taken from Ginn
(1976), Britton (1970) or Skead (1977). Within both groups of birds of prey,
daily food requirement as a percentage of body weight clearly decreases with
body size, but it would seem that an owl of given weight requires less food
than a diurnal raptor of the same weight. This conclusion is emphasize by
Fig. 1, in which daily food requirement is plotted against body weight.

L.H. Brown (pers. comm.) suggested that the Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
is not an energetic hunter and hence requires less food than other eagles
of similar body weight; owls are also not very energetic hunters and may be
better insulated than diurnal raptors, so that their food requirement would be
less

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am grateful to the late Dr L.H. Brown for supplying references and much

5
|

EE —eEeEE——— ss

EE

» *
a

ee ie, en i

Owl food requirements 105

data on owl and diurnal raptor food requirements and to Dr D.J. Pearson for
commenting on an earlier draft.

Weight of food required daily (g)

sc0 | 00 «1500 200 25 3000 80D LON
Body weight (g)

Fig. 1 Weight of food required by diurnal raptors
and owls. African diurnal raptors =A, European
diurnal raptors =4, African owls =O,
U.S.A. Owls (summer) =8

REFERENCES

BRITTON, P.L. 1970. Some non-passerine bird weights from East Africa. Bulletin
of the British Ornithologists’ Club 90: 152-154.

BROWN, L.H. 1970. African birds of prey. London: Collins.

1971. The relations of the Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus
and some of its prey animals. Ibis 113: 240-243.

1976. Birds of prey, their biology and ecology. London: Hamlyn.

& DAVEY, P.R.A. 1978. Natural longevity as determined by plumage
variation in Ayres' Eagle Hieraetus dubius. Bokmakierie 30: 27-31.

CRAIGHEAD, J. & CRAIGHEAD, F. 1956. Hawks, owls and wildlife. Harrisburg:
Stackpole Co.

GINN, P.J. 1976. Birds of Makgadigadi; a preliminary report. Wagtail 15: 21-96.

McLACHLAN, G.R. & LIVERSIDGE, R. 1978. Roberts birds of South Africa. 4th ed.
Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund.

SKEAD, D.M. 1977. Weights of birds handled at Barbespan. Ostrich Suppl. 12:
117-131.

SNELLING, J.C. 1969. A raptor study in the Kruger National Park. Bokmakierie
21 (3) Suppl.: viii-xi.

WORDEN, C.J. & HALL, J. 1978. Observations on the White-faced Owl Otus
leucotis at Cleveland Dam, Salisbury. Honeyguide 94: 31-37.

Mrs Dale B. Hanmer, Sucoma, P/Bag 50, Blantyre, Malawi

(Revised MS received 12 October 1981)

106 Forest birds from Tanzania

FURTHER RANGE EXTENSIONS AND OTHER NOTABLE RECORDS OF
FOREST BIRDS FROM TANZANIA
S.N. Stuart & F.P. Jensen

Stuart & Turner (1980) and Stuart, Howell, van der Willigen & Geertsema (1981)
have documented some recent range extensions of forest birds in Tanzania. In
this paper we present the latest discoveries, which, we believe, amount to
the most extraordinary and unexpected ornithological finds in East Africa in
recent years. Of particular interest are the new records from Mwanihana
Forest on the eastern scarp of the Uzungwa Mountains. It seems likely that
this forest has an avifauna at least as rich in species and endemics as the
Usambaras and Ulugurus, which have hitherto been regarded as the centres of
species richness in eastern Tanzania (Stuart 1981).

The species list for Mwanihana Forest is still incomplete. However, among
the more interesting species so far found are a new species of sunbird Nectar-
inia (Jensen in press), Swynnerton's Forest Robin Swynnertonia swynnertoni
(new to East Africa), the Dappled Mountain Robin Modulatrix orostruthus, the
White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa and the Usambara Weaver Ploceus oliva-.
ceiceps nicolli. Virtually all the ornithological work so far done has been
restricted to the area below 1500m, so clearly it is possible that much more
remains to be discovered here, especially at higher elevations.

s,s MT KILIMANJARO
4
GS Marangu

Q “3. KENYA
PAREMTS % ‘3.

TANZANIA Va *
USAMBARA MTS

OQ-NGURU MTS
UKAGURU MTS -y

inioaeats MTS

e PUGU HILLS

Mwanihana Forest &
Sanje Village,
* Dabaga

rom
Mufindi MAHENGE

UZUNGWA MTS

MOZAMBIQUE

Fig. 1 Forest areas in Tanzania mentioned in the text
Scopus 5: 106-115, December 1981

EEE

Forest birds from Tanzania 107

This paper also includes many records from the Uluguru Mountains. Several
species have been added to the area list, these being mainly lowland forest
birds. Of particular importance is the rediscovery of the endemic Uluguru
Bush Shrike Malaconotus alius.

Many of the records refer to highland forest birds occurring at unusually
low altitudes. This appears to be a widespread phenomenon in eastern Tanzania
where wide altitudinal spans of forest occur from the mountain tops down to
the surrounding plains. Many records of species from levels far lower than
those at which they normally occur fall between the months April to September.
This is suggestive of altitudinal movements of. birds to foothill forests in
the cold months (probably after breeding at higher altitudes).

Not included in this paper are records from the Pugu Hills. These are being
documented by Howell, Baker & Stuart (in prep.).

The areas mentioned in the text are all marked on Figs. 1-3. Appendix 1
lists those birds so far recorded from Mwanihana Forest, an asterisk denoting
what are considered to be forest species. Appendix 2 details the distributions
of species endemic to the Tanganyika-Nyasa forests (in the sense of Moreau
1966). It is an updated version of Appendix 1 of Stuart & Turner (1980).

SPECIES LIST

Circaetus fasciolatus Southern Banded Snake Eagle
One at Kimboza Forest, 300m, 19 Jly 1981, first record from the Ulugurus. One
near Sanje, 300m, 27 Jly 1981, first record from the Uzungwas.

og Accipiter minullus Little Sparrowhawk
One at Kimboza Forest, 300m, 19 Jly 1981, and one near Sanje, 300m, 27 Jly
1981. These may be new localities.

. Accipiter ovampensis Ovampo Sparrowhawk

One netted in Mwanihana Forest, 800m, 28 Jly 1981, and another netted on 18
Sep 1981 at 1350m in the same locality. These are new records for the area
and also an unusual habitat for the species.

Accipiter rufiventris Rufous Sparrowhawk

One in Shume Juniperus forest, 5 May 1981, at 1900m was new to the Usambaras,
the nearest confirmed localities being Arusha (Britton 1980), and the Nguru
Mountains (Britton 1981).

Fig. 2 The Usambaras

1 Shagayu Forest 8 Kwenhondwe Forest
— WEST 2 Shume Juniperus forest 9 Ambangulu
« Lu
mite ast 3 Shume-Magamba Forest 10 Amani

Bumbuli * 4 Mazumbai 11 Amani-Sigi Forest
5 Balangai 12 Kihuhwi-Sigi Forest
6 Mahezangulu 13 Kiwanda

Feet ore 7 Dindira 14 Magrotto Estate

Hieraaetus dubius Ayres' Hawk Eagle
One at Sanje, 300m, 27 Jly 1981, new to the Uzungwas.

Stephanoaetus coronatus Crowned Eagle
Recorded in July 1981 in the Uluguru Mountains from 300 to 2150m. Although
widespread, we can trace no previous Uluguru records.

108 Forest birds from Tanzania

Aviceda cuculoides Cuckoo Hawk
One at Sanje, 300m, 27 Jly 1981, new to the Uzungwas.

Aplopelia larvata Lemon Dove
Recorded at Kwenhondwe Forest, 450m, 14 May 1981, and at Kimboza Forest, 300m,
19 Jly 1981 - very low altitudes for a characteristically mountain forest bird.

Columba delegorguei Bronze-naped Pigeon
Many records as low as 300m in the East Usambara foothills, and recorded in
Kimboza Forest, 18-20 Jly 1981 at the same altitude (in the Ulugurus).

Poicephalus robustus Brown-necked Parrot
Common in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18-20 Jly 1981, an unusual habitat.

Chrysococcyx cupreus Emerald Cuckoo

One heard in Shume-Magamba Forest, 2200m, 11 Feb 1981. Not previously recorded
above 2000m (Britton 1980).

Schoutedenapus myoptilus Scarce Swift MOROGORO
Common over Shagayu Forest, 2000m, 30 Apr
to 2 May 1981, and at Shume Juniperus
Forest, 1900m, 3-5 May 1981. Previously
recorded only from Mazumbai in the West
Usambaras.

Morningside

Neafrapus boehmi Bohm's Spinetail
Common in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18-20 Jly
1981, new for the Ulugurus.

Telacanthura ussheri Mottle-throated
Spinetail
Recorded over Kinole Forest, 1200m, in
mid-Jly 1981, and a few at Kimboza Forest,
300m, 19 Jly 1981. New for the Ulugurus.

Bunduki —<7

Ispidina picta Pygmy Kingfisher
One netted at 600m in Mwanihana Forest, Lukwangule
3 Aug 1981, possibly new to the Uzungwas.
One netted in Amani-Sigi Forest, 600m, Plateau
22 Aug 1981, and two in Kihuhwi-Sigi
Forest in early September 1981, 300m,
suggesting that this species might visit
the East Usambara foothills in small
numbers in the cold months.

—— 1500m contour

Phoeniculus purpureus Green Wood Hoopoe
Occurs within forest in Mwanihana Forest
up to at least 1500m. Fig. 3 The Ulugurus

Bycanistes bucinator

Bycanistes bucinator Trumpeter Hornbill

Abundant in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 17-20 Jly 1981, and several at Sanje, 300m,
27 dhy 1981.

Buccanodon olivaceum Green Barbet

A specimen taken from Mwanihana Forest, 17 Sep 1981 has been described as a
new subspecies (Jensen & Stuart, in press). Birds from Mahenge can also be
assigned to this new race, but we regard B. o. ulugurensis described by Ripley
& Heinrich (1969) as invalid and prefer to treat Uluguru birds as nominate
(see Jensen & Stuart, in press).

Forest birds from Tanzania 109

Pogoniulus leucomystax Moustached Green Tinkerbird
Occurs as low as 450m in Kwenhondwe Forest, 14 May 1981. Not previously
recorded below 900m (Britton 1980).

Pogoniulus simplex Green Tinkerbird

Sympatric with the previous species in Kwenhondwe Forest, not previously
recorded from the West Usambaras. Common in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18-20 Jly
1981, first confirmed record from the Ulugurus (see Britton 1980).

Indicator variegatus Scaly-throated Honeyguide
One at 800m in Mwanihana Forest, 29 Jly 1981, possibly new to the Uzungwas.

Campephaga quiscalina Purple-throated Cuckoo Shrike

One seen in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18 Jly 1981, the first recent record of the
subspecies muenzneri. A female was seen subsequently in Mwanihana Forest at
700m, presumably the same subspecies, but certainly a new locality. The sub-
species muenzneri appears to be both a highland and lowland form, though most
of the specimens and observations are from low altitudes.

Coracina caesia Grey Cuckoo Shrike

Although usually a mountain forest species, it is common down to 300m in
Kihuhwi-Sigi Forest throughout the year. It has also been recorded in Kwenhon-
dwe Forest, 450m, 13-14 May 1981, Kimboza Forest, 300m, 19 Jly 1981 and in
Mwanihana Forest, 600m, 6 Jan 1981.

Andropadus masukuensis Shelley's Greenbul
Common down to 500m in the East Usambara foothills. No previous records
below 900m (Britton 1980).

Andropadus milanjensis Stripe-cheeked Greenbul

Although not previously recorded below 900m, according to Britton (1980),
there is a skin in the Nairobi Museum collected by R.E. Moreau at Kiwanda,
East Usambara foothills, 150m, 20 Jly 1932. In January 1980 a few were
recorded at 600m in Amani-Sigi Forest and a few at 800m in Mwanihana Forest,
early August 1981.

Phyllastrephus fischeri Fischer's Greenbul
A couple netted at 600m in Mwanihana Forest, 31 Jly 1981, new to the Uzungwas.
Common in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18-20 Jly 1981, new to the Ulugurus.

Phyllastrephus flavostriatus Yellow-streaked Greenbul
Birds from Mwanihana Forest have been described as a new subspecies (Jensen &
Stuart, in press).

Phyllastrephus placidus Olive Mountain Greenbul

One netted at 600m in Amani-Sigi Forest, 19 Jan 1980, another low altitude
record. It is common at Amani at 900m though Britton (1980) gives the lowest
altitude as 1000m.

Alethe fuelleborni White-chested Alethe

In the Usambaras this species is common down to 500m throughout the year.
Common in Kimboza Forest, 18-20 Jly 1981, at only 300m, and at Mwanihana
Forest at 800m in late July 1981. No previous records below 900m (Britton
1980).

Cossypha natalensis Red-capped Robin Chat

A few seen in Mahezangulu Forest, 1000m, 15 Apr 1981, first record from the
West Usambaras, with subsequent records from Dindira (900m) and Kwendhondwe
Forest (450m).

Modulatrix orostruthus Dappled Mountain Robin
One netted at 1250m in Mwanihana Forest, only the third locality for this

110 Forest birds from Tanzania

very rare bird known previously from Namuli Mountain, northern Mozambique, and
the East Usambaras. The Mwanihana specimen has been described as a new sub-
species (Jensen & Stuart, in press).

Modulatrix stictigula Spot-throat

Abundant up to 2200m in the West Usambaras (in all localities, not just at
Mazumbai as stated by Stuart & Turner (1980)) and up to 2400m in the Ulugurus.
Britton (1980) gives the maximum altitude as 1800m.

Pogonocichla stellata White-starred Forest Robin

Several low altitude records, especially interesting in the light of the
findings of Britton, Britton & Coverdale (1981) on the south Kenya coast: one
immature, Kihuhwi-Sigi Forest, 300m, 11 Feb 1981, two in Kwenhondwe Forest,
450m, 14 May 1981, common in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18-20 Jly 1981, several
in Kihuhwi-Sigi Forest, 300m, 1-10 Sep 1981. Probably most common at lower
altitudes in the cold months April to September.

Sheppardia sharpei Sharpe's Akalat

Common in Amani-Sigi Forest in August 1981 down to 600m. This indicates a
cold season movement down the East Usambara scarp, it being absent at this
altitude in the hot season. Not previously recorded below 900m (Britton 1980).

Swynnertonia swynnertoni Swynnerton's Forest Robin

An extraordinary range extension of 1300km from Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Two
were collected in Mwanihana Forest, both at 100m, the first on 3 Aug 1981 and
the second on 17 Sep 1981. They constitute a new subspecies (Jensen & Stuart,
in press) and the first records of this species from East Africa.

Turdus gurneyi Orange Ground Thrush

Another species showing a cold season movement down the East Usambara scarp
(as low as 450m in this case). Not previously recorded below 900m in the
East Usambaras, though recently found at only 300m on Mrima Hill (Britton et
at. 19BBiz

Apalis chariessa White-winged Apalis

Several seen in mid July 1981 in Kinole Forest from 1250 to 1400m. These are
the first Uluguru records since 1938 (see Moreau 1940). Subsequent to its
discovery in Mwanihana Forest in January 1981 (Stuart et al. 1981) there have
been further records at this locality from July to September 1981.

Bathmocercus winifredae Mrs Moreau's Warbler
Recorded up to 2400m on the Lukwangule Plateau, 21-22 Jly 1981. Not recorded
previously above 2200m (Britton 1980).

Camaroptera brachyura Grey-backed Camaroptera
A specimen taken from Mwanihana Forest on 31 Jly 1981 has been assigned to the
race fugglescouchmani.

Hyliota australis Southern Hyliota

A pair on the forest edge at Dindira, 1000m, 9 May 1981. This is the first
record from the West Usambaras, presumably of the seldom recorded race usam-
barae.

Phylloscopus ruficapilla Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler

Recorded down to 450m in Kwenhondwe Forest, 13-14 May 1981, and at 800m in
Mwanihana Forest, late July 1981. Not previously recorded below 900m (Britton
1980). A specimen taken in Mwanihana Forest on 17 Sep 1981 was assigned to the
race minulla.

Phylloscopus umbrovirens Brown Woodland Warbler
The rarely recorded race fugglescouchmani was found to be common in forest
above 2250m on the Lukwangule Plateau, 21-22 Jly 1981.

Forest birds from Tanzania 111

Muscicapa adusta Dusky Flycatcher
Seen at only 700m in Mwanihana Forest, late July 1981. Not generally found
below 900m (Britton 1980).

Muscicapa caerulescens Ashy Flycatcher
Particularly common in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18-20 Jly 1981, and one seen at
800m in Mwanihana Forest, 17 Sep 1981.

Myioparus plumbeus Lead-coloured Flycatcher
A pair was seen in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18 Jly 1981, and another at 900m in
Mwanihana Forest, 30 Jly 1981.

Bias musicus Black and White Flycatcher

Recorded in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18-20 Jly 1981, first record from the
Ulugurus. Subsequently it was recorded in Mwanihana Forest at 700m, late
July 1981, new to the Uzungwas, and at the foot of the scarp at Sanje, 300n,
in mid September 1981.

Platysteira peltata Black-throated Wattle-eye
Recorded in Mwanihana Forest, late July 1981, from 500 to 700m.

_ Erythrocercus holochlorus Little Yellow Flycatcher
Recorded at 450m in Kwenhondwe Forest, 13-14 May 1981, first record from the
West Usambaras.

Erythrocercus livingstonei Livingstone's Flycatcher

Seen in Mwanihana Forest at 600m, 1 Aug 1981, new to the Uzungwas, and first
record north of the Kilombero River (see Hall & Moreau 1970). The previous
species appears to be absent at this locality.

Trochocercus albonotatus White-tailed Crested Flycatcher
Recorded down to 450m in Kwenhondwe Forest, 13-14 May 1981, where it is sym-
patric with the next species. No previous records below 900m (Britton 1980).

Trochocercus cyanomelas Crested Flycatcher
Recorded at 450m in Kwenhondwe Forest, 13-14 May 1981, first record from the
West Usambaras.

Malaconotus alius Uluguru Bush Shrike

An immature was seen very clearly at 1600m, 2 Jly 1981 on the west side of
Lupanga Mountain. An adult was seen nearby at 1650m on 5 Jly 1981. This bird
gave an unmistakable call enabling us to locate the species on both the east
and west sides of Lupanga, and on the west scarp of the Lukwangule Plateau at
2100 m. No other birds were seen. It is probably very thinly spread through-
out the Uluguru forest above 1500m. Virtually all previous records of the
species had been seen from Bagilo, the most recent in 1962 (Britton 1980).

Malaconotus multicolor nigrifrons Black-fronted Bush Shrike

There are several low altitude records, as follows: 450m in Kwenhondwe Forest,
13-14 May 1981; 600m in Mwanihana Forest, 6 Jan 1981; 300m in Kimboza Forest,
19 Jly 1981; and 300m, Kihuhwi-Sigi Forest, 4-9 Sep 1981. Not previously
recorded below 900m (Britton 1980).

Lamprotornis corruscus Black-breasted Glossy Starling

A few seen at Marangu, southeast slopes of Kilimanjaro on 6 Aug 1981 were a
considerable extension of the range inland in Tanzania (Britton 1980). However,
in the National Museum, Nairobi there is a specimen from nearby Old Moshi
collected in April 1916. The species is described by the collector as being
common at this locality.

112 Forest birds from Tanzania

Onychognathus walleri Waller's Chestnut-winged Starling
Recorded as low as 300m in Kihuhwi-Sigi Forest in early February 1980, and
14 Mar 1981. Not previously recorded below 900m (Britton 1980).

Poeoptera kenricki Kenrick's Starling

Low altitude records from Kimboza Forest, 300m, 18 Jly 1981 and the Sigi
Valley below Amani, 450m in mid August 1981. Not previously recorded below
900m (Britton 1980). A few at 1500m, 17 Sep 1981 in Mwanihana Forest con-
stitute the first record from the Uzungwa Mountains, partially filling a gap
between the Ulugurus and Mdando Forest (Njombe).

Anthreptes neglectus Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird

Recorded in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 19 Jly 1981, first recent Uluguru observ-
ation. In Mwanihana Forest it was seen from 600 to 1150m in July to September
1981, a range extension to the Uzungwas, inland from the Ulugurus.

Anthreptes rubritorques Banded Green Sunbird
A few seen in Magrotto Estate, extreme east East Usambaras at only 750m, 7
Apr 1981. Not previously recorded below 900m (Britton 1980).

Nectarinia loveridgei Loveridge's Sunbird
In July 1981 recorded up to 2400m on the Lukwangule Plateau, not previously
recorded above 2000m (Britton 1980).

Nectarinia sp. nov.

A male of this most distinctive and recently described species (Jensen, in
press), was netted on 2 Aug 1981 at 1000m in Mwanihana Forest. A female was
taken in the same place on 16 Sep 1981. Subsequently two males and one female
were seen there but not caught.

Ploceus olivaceiceps nicolli Usambara Weaver

A family party at Shume, 17 Feb 1981. One pair at Balangai, 1400m, 12 Apr
1981, a new West Usambara locality. One seen in Kinole Forest, 1350m, only
the third record for the Ulugurus. Three seen in Mwanihana Forest, 1200-1250nm,
17 Sep 1981, a range extension to the Uzungwas.

Pirenestes minor Lesser Seed-cracker
One seen in Kimboza Forest, 300m, 19 Jly 1981, first record from the Ulugurus
in recent years.

Serinus burtoni Thick-billed Seed-eater

A pair netted at Mufindi, 1800m, 30 Aug 1979 in forest were originally
identified as the Streaky Seed-eater S.striolatus. Recent re-examination of
photographs of these birds has shown that they were, in fact, the highly
distinctive subspecies of the Thick-billed Seed-eater S. b. melanochrous. In
the National Museum, Nairobi there are two specimens of this race from Dabega,
2000m, collected on 24-26 Mar 1952. These records from Dabaga and Mufindi
extend the range of melanochrous some 200km northeast from Njombe, into the
Uzungwas. Records from Mt Rungwe in August 1980 extend the range 70km west-
wards. Clearly melanochrous is far more widely distributed thatn was hitherto
realized.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank Dr K.M. Howell, Miss J.M. Simkin, Miss T.A. van der
Willigen and Dr E.O. Willis for helping with field observations. Miss J.A.
Brown, K. Gribben, J.C. Lovett, Dr W.A. Rodgers, C.A. Msuya, J. Kielland,

M. Stoltze and N. Scharff were also of much assistance in the field. We also
thank G.R. Cunningham-van Someren for affording us facilities at the National
Museum, Nairobi.

Forest birds from Tanzania L£3

REFERENCES

BRITTON, P.L. 1981. Notes on the Andersen Collection and other specimens from
Tanzania housed in some West German Museums. Scopus 5: 14-21.

, BRITTON, H.A. & COVERDALE, M.A.C. 1981. The avifauna of Mrima
Hill, south Kenya coast. Scopus 4: 73-78.

HOWELL, K.M., BAKER, N.E. & STUART, S.N. in prep. The avifauna of Pugu Hills
Forest, Tanzania. Scopus.

JENSEN, F.P. in press. A new species of sunbird from Tanzania. Ibis.

& STUART, S.N. in Prep. Some new subspecies of forest birds from
Tanzania. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club.

MOREAU, R.E. 1940. Distributional notes on East African birds. Ibis 14th ser.
4: 454-463.

RIPLEY, S.D. & HEINRICH, G. 1969. Comments on the avifauna of Tanzania. II.
Postilla 134: 1-21.

STUART, S.N. 1981. A comparison of the avifaunas of seven east African forest
islands. African Journal of Ecology 19: 133-151.

, HOWELL, K.M., van der WILLIGEN, T.A. & GEERTSEMA, A.A. 1981.
Some additions to the forest avifauna of the Uzungwa Mountains, Tanzania.
Scopus 5: 46-50.

& TURNER, D.A. 1980. Some range extensions and other notable
records of forest birds from eastern and northeastern Tanzania. Scopus 4:
36-41.

S.N. Stuart, Department of Applied Biology, University of Cambridge, Pembroke
Street, Cambridge CB2 3DX, UK and F.P. Jensen, Zoologisk Museum, Universites-
Parken 15, DK2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.

(Received 15 November 1981)

APPENDIX 1

Birds recorded from Mwanihana Forest, eastern Uzungwa Mountains,
up to September 1981. An asterisk (*) denotes what are
considered to be forest birds in this locality

Gypohierax angolensis Palm-nut Vulture
*Circaetus fasciolatus Southern Banded Snake Eagle
*Accipiter minullus ? ssp. Little Sparrowhawk
A. Ovampensis Ovampo Sparrowhawk
*A.tachiro sparsimfasciatus African Goshawk
*Buteo tachardus oreophilus Mountain Buzzard
*Hieraaetus dubius Ayres' Hawk Eagle
*Stephanoaetus coronatus Crowned Eagle

Aviceda cuculoides verreauxii Cuckoo Hawk
*Guttera pucherani Kenya Crested Guineafowl
*Aplopelia 1. larvata Lemon Dove
*Columba a. arquatrix Olive Pigeon
*C. delegorguei sharpei Bronze-naped Pigeon
*Turtur tympanistria Tambourine Dove
*Tauraco 1. livingstonei Livingstone's Turaco

114

Forest birds from Tanzania

*Cercococcyx montanus patulus Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo

*Chrysococcyx klaas Klaas' Cuckoo

*Apaloderma vittatum Barred-tailed Trogon

*Ispidina picta ?ssp. Pygmy Kingfisher

Upupa epops africana Hoopoe

*Phoeniculus purpureus marwitzi Green Wood Hoopoe

*Bycanistes brevis Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

*B. bucinator Trumpeter Hornbill

*Tockus alboterminatus suahelicus Crowned Hornbill

*Buccanodon leucotis ?ssp. White-eared Barbet

*B. olivaceum ssp. nov. Green Barbet

*Pogoniulus b. bilineatus Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird

*Indicator variegatus Scaly-throated Honeyguide

*Campethera abingoni ?ssp. Golden-tailed Woodpecker

*Dendropicos fuscescens hartlaubi Cardinal Woodpecker

*Mesopicos griseocephalus ?ssp. Olive Woodpecker

*Smithornis capensis suahelicus African Broadbill

Psalidoprocne pristoptera ?ssp. Black Roughwing

*Dicrurus ludwigii muenzneri Square-tailed Drongo

*Oriolus chlorocephalus amani Green-headed Oriole

Corvus albicollis White-necked Raven

*Campephaga flava Black Cuckoo Shrike

*C. quiscalina muenzneri Purple-throated Cuckoo Shrike

*Coracina caesia pura Grey Cuckoo Shrike

*Andropadus masukuensis roehli Shelley's Greenbul

*A. milanjensis striifacies Stripe-cheeked Greenbul

*A. virens zombensis Little Greenbul

*Phyllastrephus fischeri Fischer's Greenbul

*P. flavostriatus ssp. nov. Yellow-streaked Greenbul

*P, p. placidus Olive Mountain Greenbul

Pycnonotus barbatus layardi Common Bulbul

*Alethe fuelleborni usambarae White-chested Alethe

*Cossypha natalensis intensa Red-capped Robin Chat

*Modulatrix orostruthus ssp. nov. Dappled Mountain Robin

*Pogonocichla stellata orientalis White-starred Forest Robin

*Swynnertonia swynnertoni ssp. nov. Swynnerton's Forest Robin

*Sheppardia s. sharpei Sharpe's Akalat

*Turdus abyssinicus nyikae Northern Olive Thrush

*T, gurneyi otomitra Orange Ground Thrush

*Apalis chariessa macphersoni White-winged Apalis

*A. melanocephala ?ssp. Black-headed Apalis

*Bradypterus barratti usambarae Evergreen Forest Warbler

*Camaroptera brachyura fugglescouchmani Grey-backed Camaroptera

*Macrosphenus k. kretschmeri Kretschmer's Longbill

*Phylloscopus ruficapilla minulla Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler

*Muscicapa adusta fuelleborni Dusky Flycatcher

*M. caerulescens cinereola Ashy Flycatcher

*Myioparus plumbeus ?ssp. Lead-coloured Flycatcher

*Batis m. mixta Forest Batis

B. soror East Coast Batis

*Bias musicus changamwensis Black and White Flycatcher

*Erythrocercus livingstonei thomsoni Livingstone's Flycatcher

*Terpsiphone viridis plumbeiceps Paradise Flycatcher

*Trochocercus albonotatus subcaeruleus White-tailed Crested
Flycatcher

F
j
i

~~

Forest birds from Tanzania 115

*T. cyanomelas bivittatus Crested Flycatcher

Motacilla clara torrentium Mountain Wagtail

*Dryoscopus cubla ?ssp. Black-backed Puffback

Laniarius ferrugineus ?ssp. Tropical Boubou

*Malaconotus multicolor nigrifrons Black-fronted Bush Shrike
*Onychognathus w. walleri Waller's Chestnut-winged Starling
*Poeoptera k. kenricki Kenrick's Starling

*Anthreptes collaris zambesiana Collared Sunbird

*A. neglectus Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird

*Nectarinia Olivacea alfredi Olive Sunbird

*Nectarinia sp. nov. (see Jensen, in press)

*Zosterops senegalensis stierlingi Yellow White-eye
*Ploceus bicolor kersteni Dark-backed Weaver

*P., olivaceiceps nicolli Usambara Weaver

*Cryptospiza reichenovii australis Red-faced Crimson-wing
Lonchura bicolor nigriceps Rufous-backed Mannikin

APPENDIX 2

Endemic and near-endemic birds of the Tanganyika-Nyasa montane forests
(as defined by Moreau 1966)

Species Area

Dist’ AS ee Guy ite eB BordO old 12 13
Bubo poensis vosseleri x
Buccanodon olivaceum x. = aoe eae. 4
Oriolus chlorocephalus = ak x & x x
Anropadus milanjensis 1G OC MME Mei ws. & x x x
Alethe choloensis x
Alethe fuelleborni Ba Se EG ier 1) 6 2 DO ce x 4
Dryocichloides anomalus worm oe x x x x
Dryocichloides lowei x 4M
Dryocichloides montanus x
Modulatrix orostruthus x x x
Modulatrix stictigula PROT Kn iw xX x
Sheppardia sharpei iu x a Maw %
Swynnertonia swynnertoni x x
Apalis chariessa mm Dx x
Apalis moreaui x x
Bathmocercus winifredae “i oe
Orthotomus metopias Moo whboxkock x
Laniarius fuelleborni x Kio te x x
Malaconotus alius x
Anthreptes rubritorques x" K x
Nectarinia loveridgei x
Nectarinia moreaui x x
Nectarinia sp. nov. x
Ploceus olivaceiceps nicolli x Oe) oe
Total number of species ie 2ed4g1Ons8elSet509 142 cn 4A 6 7 4

Key to areas

1 Taita Hills. 2 Pare Mts. 3 Usambara Mts. 4 Nguru Mts. 5 Ukaguru Mts. 7 Uzungwe
Mts. 8 Southern Highlands, including Rungwe and Mdando Forest. 9 Mahenge.

10 Matengo Highlands, southern Tanzania and Njesi Plateau, northern Mozambique.
11 Northern Malawi. 12 Southern Malawi, and Namuli Mt and Chiperone Mt, Mozam-
bique. 13 Mountains south of the Zambezi.

116 Tabora Region birds

BIRD OBSERVATIONS FROM TABORA REGION, TANZANIA
R.K..Wad.ton

This paper summarizes the observations made between 1978 and 1981 when the
author was employed on soil survey over the whole of Tabora Region. These
observations are compared with those of Reynolds (1968) made between 1959 and
1966.

Many of Reynolds' records come from within 20 miles (32km) of Tabora town.
The widening of the recording area to cover the entire region, together with
the occurrence of a few new vagrants has meant the addition of a further 53
species to Reynolds" original list. These are given below with an estimation
of their status.

The two sets of observations make it possible to identify those species which
appear to have experienced an increase or decline in status in the vicinity of
Tabora town over the last 20 years. The main trends are summarized and discussed.

ADDITIONAL SPECIES RECORDED 1978-1981

The species listed below all relate to the author's personal observations. Two
species, Platalea leucorodia Eurasian Spoonbill and Lamprotornis purpureus
Purple Glossy Starling are apparently new records for Tanzania and written
descriptions have accordingly been submitted to the Ornithological Sub-Committee.

The order follows that given in Birds of East Africa (Britton 1980). For con-
venience in comparing with Reynolds' earlier list the Mackworth-Praed & Grant
numbers are given in parentheses. For the same reason the assesment of status
follows Reynolds (1968) but refers to the whole region rather than to his
recording area. The definitions are repeated below:

R+ Considered to be resident. Definite breeding records.

R Considered to be resident. Presumed, but not proved, to breed.

B Breeds, but uncertain whether resident throughout the year.

B? Probably breeds, but uncertain whether resident throughout the year.

BM Breeds, but absent for part of the year.

B?M Probably breeds, but absent for part of the year.

OB Breeds, but species uncommon in the area.

F Frequently seen, with no clear-cut seasonal peaks. Includes some species
which probably breed but for which there is insufficient evidence to
warrant this assumption.

M Passage migrants and non breeding visitors.

OM Migrants which appear to be uncommon.

(@) Occasional or accidental visitors.

?? Status not clear. Includes species that are seldom seen but are probably
resident breeding species.

18 (25) Phalacrocorax carbo Greater Cormorant R
56 (69) Platalea leucorodia Eurasian Spoonbill Oo
84 (161) Gypohierax angolensis Palm-nut Vulture fe)
92 (184) Circus aeruginosus Eurasian Marsh Harrier OM
94 (182) Circus pygarus Montague's Harrier M
101 (159) Terathopius ecaudatus Bateleur R
106 (174) Accipiter melanoleucus Great Sparrowhawk 2?
107 (170) Accipiter minullus Little Sparrowhawk R+
114 (138) Aquila nipalensis Steppe Eagle OM
115 (141) Aquila pomarina Lesser Spotted Eagle M
128 (143) Hieraaetus spilogaster African Hawk Eagle R

Scopus 5: 116-120, December 1981

iS

Tabora Region birds 117

130 (149) Lophaetus occipitalis Long-crested Eagle M
143 (134) Macheiramphus alcinus Bat Hawk R
LAR PELST) Falco ardosiaceus Grey Kestrel ??
199 (239) Gallinula chloropus Common Moorhen R
231 (267) Charadrius dubius Little Ringed Plover OM
368 (443) Poicephalus robustus Brown-necked Parrot ae
397 (404) Cuculus gularis African Cuckoo ??
419 (538) Glaucidium perlatum Pearl-spotted Owlet ??
444 (636) Apus apus Eurasian Swift

459 (566) Colius striatus Speckled Mousebird

475 (473) Halcyon senegalensis Woodland Kingfisher

499 (459) Coracias spatulata Racquet-tailed Roller

541 (583) Lybius melanocephalus Black-throated Barbet

558 (601) Trachyphonus erythrocephalus Red and Yellow Barbet
566 (608) Indicator minor Lesser Honeyguide

578 (622) Campethera abingoni Golden-tailed Woodpecker

594 (629) Thripias namaquus Bearded Woodpecker

612 (659) Mirafra africana Rufous-naped Lark

716 (1148) Nicator chloris Nicator

887 (936) Hippolais olivetorum Olive-tree Warbler

928 (792/5) Bradornis pallidus Pale Flycatcher

935 (799) Melaenornis pammelaina Southern Black Flycatcher
1004 (1125) Laniarius ferrugineus Tropical Boubou

1059 (1191) Lamprotornis purpureus Purple Glossy Starling

1082 (1274) Anthreptes longuemarei Violet-backed Sunbird

1084 (1274) Anthreptes orientalis Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird
1091 (1261) Nectarinia amethystina Amethyst Sunbird

1134 (1358) Amblyospiza albifrons Grosbeak Weaver

1144 (1366) Euplectes gierowii Black Bishop

1150 (1363) Euplectes orix Southern Red Bishop

1171 (1326) Ploceus jacksoni Golden-backed Weaver

1176 (1336) Ploceus nigricollis Black-necked Weaver

1189 (1342) Ploceus xanthops Holub's Golden Weaver

1208 (1307) Petronia pyrgita Yellow-throated Petronia

1214 (1443) Vidua fischeri Straw-tailed Whydah

1226 (1418) Estrilda astrild Waxbill

1229 (1417) Estrilda melanotis Yellow-bellied Waxbill

1263 (1433) Uraeginthus ianthinogaster Purple Grenadier

1264 (1402) Amadina fasciata Cut-throat

1269 (1383) Lonchura malabarica Silver-bill

1280 (1459) Serinus atrogularis Yellow-rumped Seed-eater

1293 (1450) Serinus sulphuratus Brimstone Canary

Ae)

VDDADWAAVAE

N
ne]

oO:
VDWDWOWDWDDE

J
Vv

a)
DAADDvAvADWDAWWW:

"J

In addition, the following species have been postively identified since 1966:

132 (180) Melierax metabates Dark Chanting Goshawk R
262 (298) Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe M
264 (300) Gallinago nigripennis African Snipe M
1020 (1099) Nilaus afer nigrotemporalis Brubru ae

CHANGES IN THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF SPECIES IN THE
VICINITY OF TABORA TOWN SINCE 1966

Species recorded around Tabora in 1978-81 were given the qualitative ranking
of status explained above. Species were said to have changed their status when
they differed from that given in Reynolds' list, except where a species changed

118 Tabora Region birds

from 'O' or '?' status to unrecorded, or the converse. As in Reynclds' original
work, the status refers to within 20 miles (32km) of Tabora town. [In this

non-quantitative approach, due allowance should be made for subjectivity in

ranking.

The following species may be said to have increased in frequency of

observation:
1959-1966 1978-1981

Phalacrocorax carbo Greater Cormorant no records R
Ardea goliath Goliath Heron O F
Anastomus lamelligerus Open-billed Stork oO F
Bostrychia hagedash Hadada Oo F
Dendrocygna viduata White-faced Whistling Duck ie) F
Netta erythrophthalma Southern Pochard O F
Nettapus auritus African Pygmy Goose F R
Circus ranivorus African Marsh Harrier M R
Polyboroides radiatus Harrier Hawk Oo M
Circaetus cinereus Brown Snake Eagle (@) OM
Accipiter minullus Little Sparrowhawk no records R+
Hieraaetus spilogaster African Hawk Eagle no records R
Lophaetus occipitalis Long-crested Eagle no records M
Macheiramphus alcinus Bat Hawk no records R
Falco ardosiaceus Grey Kestrel no records F
Gallinula chloropus Common Moorhen no records R
Fulica cristata Red-knobbed Coot O R
Vanellus crassirostris Long-toed Plover O R
Vanellus lugubris Senegal Plover M F
Apus apus Eurasian Swift no records M
Anthreptes longuemarei Violet-backed Sunbird no records F
Nectarinia amethystina Amethyst Sunbird no records F
Ambylospiza albifrons Grosbeak Weaver no records B?M
Estrilda astrild Waxbill no records R
Lonchura malabarica Silver-bill no records R
Serinus sulphuratus Brimstone Canary no records R

The following species may be said to have decreased in frequency of

observation:

1959-1966 1978-1981
Alopochen aegyptiacus Egyptian Goose F O
Buteo buteo Common Buzzard OM no records
Numenius arquata Curlew OM ‘no records
Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel OM no records
Tringa totanus Redshank OM no records
Calidris minuta Little Stint M no records
Limosa limosa Black-tailed Godwit OM no records
Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt 3 Oo
Rostratula benghalensis Painted Snipe F (@)
Glareola pratincola Common Pratincole F O
Oena capensis Namaqua Dove OB no records
Halcyon albiventris Brown-hooded Kingfisher R fe)
Halcyon leucocephala Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher R+ no records
Ispidina picta Pygmy Kingfisher R+ no records
Tockus deckeni Von der Decken's Hornbill F ??
Smithornis capensis African Broadbill B no records
Delichon urbica House Martin OM no records

a

a

Tabora Region birds 119

1959-1966 1978-1981

Luscinia luscinia Sprosser M no records
Oenanthe pileata Capped Wheatear B?M ??

Acrocephalus arundinaceus Great Reed Warbler M no records
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Sedge Warbler M no records
Camaroptera brachyura Grey-backed Camaroptera R+ no records
Sylvia atricapilla Blackcap OM no records
Sylvia borin Garden Warbler M no records
Sylvia communis Whitethroat OM no records
Motacilla flava Yellow Wagtail M no records
Lanius collaris Fiscal R no records
Malaconotus sulfureopectus Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrike R O

Creatophora cinerea Wattled Starling M fe)

Pseudonigrita arnaudi Grey-headed Social Weaver R+ no records
Passer eminibey Chestnut Sparrow M no records
Estrilda erythronotus Black-cheeked Waxbill R no records

DISCUSSION

Bearing in mind the non-quantitative nature of the data, a number of remarks
can be made. Of those species that have apparently increased in status, there
has been a general increase in the number of species favouring permanent marsh.
Of these, the Pygmy Goose, Common Moorhen and Red-knobbed Coot have apparently
become breeding residents. Most of these records come from Kazima Dam near
Tabora, which is no longer the town's main water supply and is comparatively
undisturbed. This dam is shallow and well vegetated, in contrast to the larger
Igombe Dam where the Greater Cormorant is recorded but few of the marshland
species are present.

The increase in the variety of birds of prey observed is striking. Some
Species are migratory whilst others are apparently breeding residents.

A few passerine species generally associated in the region with undisturbed
miombo woodland have recently been recorded close to Tabora, notably the
Violet-backed and Amethyst Sunbirds. The locations of these observations tends
to suggest that the regenerating miombo to the immediate east of the town is
responsible.

Finally, a species remarkable for its expansion is the Silver-bill, although
it is confined to areas with Acacia-dominated vegetation, particularly on
seasonally poorly drained sites. This is especially interesting in view of
the apparent contraction in range of a number of species with similar habitat
preferences. This is discussed below.

The principal feature of the list of species that have apparently declined
in status is the big reduction in the numbers and variety of Palaearctic
migrants, particularly mud-flat feeding waders, and warblers. Perhaps this may
be explained partly by habitat reductions as Kazima Dam gradually vegetates
and cover declines in Tabora with the destruction of gardens for shambas,
together with increased burning.

The reasons for the decline in kingfisher numbers are not known, but it is
interesting to note that all three species are on the edge of their range in
the region.

Several species commonly observed in the region in open Acacia-dominated
bushland have declined northwards. These are the Namaqua Dove, Silverbird,
Chestnut Sparrow, Grey-headed Social Weaver and Wattled Starling. These and
other apparently regional residents, the Mourning Dove, Fischer's Lovebird,
Red and Yellow Barbet, Grey Flycatcher, Karamoja Apalis, Straw-tailed Whydah,

120 Tabora Region birds

Purple Grenadier, Blue-capped Cordon-bleu and the Superb and Ashy Starlings,
are the main representatives of a species shift in bird populations, reflect-
ing the major vegetation change from miombo, in the relatively moist south
and west, to the dry bushland country of the northeast. Some of these species
reach as far south as Tabora, as once did five species recorded by Reynolds.
These are the Spotted Morning Thrush, Speckle-fronted Weaver and the Paradise
and Steel-blue Whydahs. It would be interesting to note any future changes

in the status of these species around Tabora.

REFERENCE

REYNOLDS, J.F. 1968. Notes on birds observed in the vicinity of Tabora, Tan-
zania with special reference to breeding data. Journal of the East Africa
Natural History Society and National Museum 157: 1-24.

R.K. Walton, 31 Watchester Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent CT1ll OEU, UK.
(Received 19 August 1981)

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Palaearctic migrants new to the North Sudan 121

PALAEARCTIC MIGRANTS NEW TO THE NORTH SUDAN
G. Nikolaus

During autumn ringing programmes in 1980 and 1981 at the Sudan Red Sea coast
around Suakin (19°05'N, 37°20’E) and Erkowit (18°45'N, 37°10'E), five species
of birds formerly unrecorded from the region were found. The species concerned
are the Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis, the River Warbler Locustella
fluviatilis, the Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum, the Cyprus Warbler
Sylvia melanothorax and the Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva. All but
the first are new to the North Sudan while the last two are also new to the
Afrotropical Region. A fuller account of these two ringing programmes will
be published later.

In the accounts which follow all weights are in grams and wing-lengths in
millimetres.

Acrocephalus griseldis Basra Reed Warbler
This species has been recorded previously from Juba, South Sudan (Nikolaus
1979) and Kampala, Uganda (Pearson 1972), so it was to be expected that some
birds would migrate from their breeding grounds in Iraq along the west side of
the Ethiopian highlands through the Sudan. The bulk of the population probably
passes through the Ethiopian rift valley, where the bird is common at the end
of August and in September (Ash 1978, pers. obs.)

In 1981 two birds were caught and ringed:

2 Sep 1981 in the mangroves south of Suakin (18°50'N, 37°25'E), weight 14,

wing 78, primaries unmoulted; adult.

16 Sep 1981 in a green garden in Suakin, weight 15, wing 81; ist year.
Other examples might have passed through from the middle to the end of August
when there were no ornithologists in the area.

Locustella fluviatilis River Warbler
Cave & Macdonald (1955) listed the River Warbler as an ‘expected' species while
in Uganda there is only one record (Britton 1980). In September 1981 four
examples were recorded:
7 Sep 1981 in the mangroves south of Suakin, weight 13.5, wing 77; ist year.
8 Sep 1981 Erkowit, in Acacia bushes along the Khor Amat (a seasonal river
with permanent springs, weight 12, wing 76, primaries worn; adult.
9 Sep 1981 another seen in the same locality at Erkowit, in tamarisk bushes
by D.J. Pearson (pers. comm.).
11 Sep 1981 in the mangroves south of Suakin, a very weak individual, weight
11.5, wing 74; ist year.
Adult birds passing through Ngulia, Kenya in November and December have a
number of the outer primaries renewed, and this must be done somewhere between
the Red Sea coast and southeastern Kenya (Pearson & Backhurst 1976).

Hippolais olivetorum Olive-tree Warbler
Cave & Macdonald (1955) and Moreau (1972) predicted that this species would
be recorded in the Sudan, since it breeds from Yugoslavia east to Asia Minor
and winters south of the Sudan. It is not reported from Uganda while in Kenya
it is restricted to the eastern part of the country on passage from late
September to mid December (Britton 1980). Urban & Brown (1971) record it as
"rare' from Eritrea and northeast Ethiopia. Jennings (1981) gives one sight
record from southern Arabia on the Red Sea while Etchécopar & Hiie (1967) note
two birds from Egypt, although Watson (1973) did not record it from Egypt nor
did Bundy (1976) from Libya.

There are now seven early autumn records for the Sudan, four of which are

Scopus 5: 121-124, December 1981

122 Palaearctic migrants new to the North Sudan

specimens, hitherto wrongly identified as Orphean Warblers Sylvia hortensis,
in the Khartoum Museum:

3 Aug 1981 2 seen in the Sunt Forest (Acacia), Khartoum by D.J. Pearson
(pers. comm.).

5 Aug 1981 1 seen by the author and D.J. Pearson in low coastal scrub near
the mangroves south of Suakin during a big fall of other Palae-
arctic migrants

10 Jly 1924 Specimen No. 2787, juvenile female, Atbara (17°41'N, 34°00’E),

wing 84.

28 Jly 1947 Specimen No. 6192, male, Wad Medani (14°24'N, 33°32'E), wing 85.

30 Aug 1942 Specimen No. 5294, male, as above, wing 84.

17 Sep 1941 Specimen No. 5143, male, as above, wing 87.
All these records support the idea that the Olive-tree Warbler enters Africa
through the North Sudan and Eritrea. After a stop-over in the Acacia bushland
around Kassala, Gedaref and Wad Medani the birds presumably pass along the
west side of the Ethiopian escarpment and through eastern Kenya. The bird
from Atbara in July might even indicate rare breeding in the Sudan.

Ficedula parva Red-breasted Flycatcher

This species migrates from Europe to wintering grounds in India and Pakistan.
During this NW-SE migration birds pass regularly through northeast Africa and
Saudi Arabia (Bundy 1976, Jennings 1981). It is not surprising therefore that
this bird should have now been found at the Red Sea Coast on passage. A single
example was grounded and caught at night during mist using strong lights (see
Pearson & Backhurst 1976, Nikolaus 1980) on the escarpment at Erkowit at 1000m
on 2 November 1980. This fact now suggests the possibility that the Red-breasted
Flycatcher may overfly NE Africa regularly on passage. Since this was the first
definite record (see below) for the Afrotropical Region, the bird was coll-
ected and is now in the Stuttgart Museum, West Germany. The data are: female,
weight 7.5, wing 68.

Sclater & Mackworth-Praed, in their list (1918) mention one sight
record for Bhar-el-Ghazal, South Sudan. Even though the species' occurrence
there is very unlikely (and has never been mentioned subsequently), it is
possible that it was a vagrant. Further, Moreau (1972) speculates that a few
Red-breasted Flycatchers might cross the Sahara to winter in west Africa.

Sylvia melanothorax Cyprus Warbler

The Cyprus Warbler is resident on the island of Cyprus and has been reported
exceptionally in winter from Lebanon and Israel; there is also a rejected
record of a male said to have been collected in February 1945 in western Saudi
Arabia (Jennings 1981).

In the late autumn of 1980 there were three records of this bird at the Red
Sea hills where it seemed to winter alongside Ménétries' Warbler Sylvia mys-
tacea, feeding together with them in low Acacia bushes. The Cyprus Warblers
were easily separated by their heavily spotted breast. They were very tame
and passed only a few metres away. One bird was collected and is now in the
Stuttgart Museum.

17 Nov 1980 ist year female, weight 9, wing 57 collected at Erkowit.

17/18 Nov 1980 at least one more bird seen in the same bushes after the
first bird had been collected

22 Nov 1980 an adult female seen at the foothills of Erkowit. It was similar
to the other two examples but had black ear-coverts, a light
breast with large black spots, the cap was greyish like the
back and the legs were reddish brown.

In addition to the five species dealt with above, three others are worth
mentioning.

= ee el

Palaearctic migrants new to the North Sudan 123

Porzana pusilla Baillon's Crake

There exist two old records of this species for the Sudan, but the bird is not
mentioned by Cave & Macdonald (1955). One is still mounted in the Khartoum
Museum (Bowen, No. 16, April 1921, male collected at Berber, 18°05'N, 34°00'E).
The second bird was caught by Madden in his house on 26 September 1925 (Madden
1930). Without comparative material I am ungble to determine the subspecies,
but it seems likely that both are Palaearctic birds (nominate race) rather
than of the poorly differentiated Afrotropical intermedia.

[Phoenicurus erythrogaster Gildenstadt's Redstart
This is not a definite record because, when I saw it at the Red Sea hills in
the 1980 autumn, I was not able to identify it properly. Since there is a
great possibility that it was P. erythrogaster, I think it is worth recording.
In the late evening of 8 and 9 October and then again of 2 and 3 November
1980, I saw, at two different places on the Erkowit escarpment, a large redstart
with a dark head with a dirty whitish crown, a large white wing speculum and a
reddish brown belly. The bird was very adept at hiding behind cliffs and
bushes, so that nearly always only the white speculum on a dark bird with a
reddish belly and rump could be seen. Both birds always stayed in their
Same territory. These records get some support from a recent field sighting
in northern Saudi Arabia (M.C. Jennings, in litt.).
Giildenstadt's Redstart is a resident of the mountains west and south of
the Caspian Sea (Dement'ev 1968). Up to now only altitudinal movements in
autumn and spring have been reported.

Sylvia nana nana Desert Warbler

This bird is well known to winter in the northern part of the Sudan. In late
autumn 1980 two examples were caught and ringed in the mangroves south of
Suakin (19 and 29 October with weights 7.5 and 7 and wings 57 and 56); another
was seen at Suakin on 9 November and a fourth individual in the Erkowit foot-
hills on 11 November. All four were identified as nominate race even though
they looked like two different species. The two November birds fitted well
with the published descriptions (Williamson 1968, Cave & Macdonald 1955,
Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1960, Svensson 1975); they were probably winter
visitors from Iran or east of the Caspian Sea.

The two October birds were caught soon after arrival from across the Red Sea,
in mangroves; however, the upper tail-coverts and the tail itself were bright
rufous; the central tail feathers had dark shafts, there was white on the
outermost tail feathers and the other outer tail feathers were tipped with
white giving the tail a Cisticola- or Rufous Bush Chat-like appearance. This
fits with the description given for the nominate race by Dement'ev (1968).
Similar birds have also been described by Kitson (1979) from Mongolia. Antony
Pettet (pers. comm.) also observed birds with rufous rump and tail at Suakin
in early autumn and remarked that they were different from the ‘normal’ nana
he knows as a regular winter visitor around Khartoum.

REFERENCES

ASH, J.S. 1978. A Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus griseldis in
Mozambique. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 98: 29-30.

BOWEN, W.W. 1926. Catalogue of Sudan birds. Part I. Khartoum: Sudan Govt.
BUNDY, G. 1976. The birds of Libya. London: BOU.

CAVE, F.O. & MACDONALD, J.D. 1955. Birds of the Sudan. Edinburgh: Oliver &
Boyd.

124 Palaearctic migrants new to the North Sudan

DEMENT'EV, G.P. (ed.) 1968. Birds of the Soviet Union. Vol. 6. Jeruselem:
Israel Program for Scientific Translations.

ETCHECOPAR, R.D. & HUE, F. 1967. The birds of North Africa. Edinburgh & London:
Oliver & Boyd.

JENNINGS, M.C. 1981. The birds of Saudi Arabia: a checklist. Cambridge.

KITSON, A.R. 1979. Identification of Isabelline Wheatear, Desert Warbler and
three Phylloscopus warblers. British Birds 72: 5-9.

MADDEN, J.F. 1930. Bird migration on the Red Sea Province. Sudan Notes and
Records 13: 123-135.

NIKOLAUS, G. 1979. The first record of the Basra Reed Warbler in the Sudan.
Scopus 3: 103-104.

1980. An experiment to attract migrating birds with car headlights
in the Chyulu Hills, Kenya. Scopus 4: 45-46.

PEARSON, D.J. 1972. Some migrant birds recorded from the Kampala area, Uganda.
EANHS Bulletin 1972: 27-29.

& BACKHURST, G.C. 1976. The southward migration of Palaearctic
birds over Ngulia, Kenya. Ibis 118: 78-105.

SCLATER, W.L. & MACKWORTH-PRAED, C.W. 1918. A list of the birds of the Anglo-
Egyptian Sudan. Zbis 1918: 416-476, 602-721.

SVENSSON, L. 1975. Identification guide to European passerines. Stockholm:
Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet.

URBAN, E.K. & BROWN, L.H. 1971. A checklist of the birds of Ethiopia. Addis
Ababa: Haile Seilassie I University Press.

WATSON, G.E. 1973. A serological and ectoparasite survey of migratory birds
in Northeast Africa. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.

WILLIAMSON, K. 1976. Identification for ringers, 3, the genus Sylvia. Tring:BTO.
G. Nikolaus, Feldweg 87, 219 Cuxhaven, West Germany.

(Received 17 November 1981)

p= ee

Short communications 125

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

A BREEDING RECORD OF WHITE PELICANS PELECANUS ONOCROTALUS IN TANZANIA On 23
August 1981 a breeding colony of White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus was
found at the extreme southern end of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania. The
colony was situated on two small islets of one or two hectares in extent,
separated by a few hundred metres of water. The islets rose to about 10m in
height and were composed of hard soil or soft rock. The number of birds present
was difficult to estimate as they were packed almost as closely as breeding
penguins, and only one side of the islets was observed, but it was probably
in the order of 10000 individuals excluding those away feeding. The incubating
birds occupied the higher part of the land.

The colony was surrounded by knee-deep water, and my companion, Mr Glyn Lewis
of Arusha, only approached close enough to ascertain that eggs were present,
as we had no wish to disturb the birds. Numerous footprints of jackals Canis
sp. and Hyaenas Crocuta crocuta approached the water's edge, but fortunately
turned back at that point. The birds were probably feeding in Lake Manyara,
as the morning flight lines were in a southerly direction, and no birds were
seen attempting to fish Lake Natron.

J.S.S. Beesley, Box 634, Arusha, Tanzania
Scopus 5: 125, December 1981 Received 19 September 1981

OVERSUMMERING PINTAIL ANAS ACUTA IN NORTHERN TANZANIA The Pintail Anas acuta
is a regular migrant to northern Tanzania from November to April. However, in
August and October i980, a male was seen in the Arusha National Park and in
August 1981 three males were seen on 3rd and one on 30th, all birds frequent-
ing the same small area on Big Momela Lake. On 3 August I was accompanied by
Dr C.C.H. Elliott and it was noted that the birds were reluctant to fly; one
which did lacked a number of primaries.

J.S.S. Beesley, Box 634, Arusha, Tanzania
Scopus 5: 125, December 1981 Received 19 September 1981

RED-FOOTED FALCONS FALCO VESPERTINUS IN TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK On 20 March
1981 I was a passenger in a vehicle travelling through Tsavo West NP between
Maktau and Taveta. Just before sunset, west of Maktau, I noticed at least 5
small falcons perched on roadside bushes. These birds were readily identifiable
as female and immature F.vespertinus on the basis of their small size, rather
Slim appearance, the almost unmarked orange-buff underparts (adult females),
the deep buff underparts with dark streaks (immatures) and the pale heads with
rich buff crown, narrow dark moustachial stripe and dark colour below and
beyond the eye (all ages). A short distance further on I saw a group of
falcons flying over grassland near the road and closer observation revealed
that there were many small falcons in the area, flying across the road in a
general northerly direction. The light was by this time becoming poor, but I
was able to identify most of the 30 birds which passed close to where I stood.
Of these birds, at least 2 were Lesser Kestrels F. naumanni while at least 20
were F. vespertinus. Several of these were adult females with orange-buff
underparts and underwing coverts; the others were young birds, having paler
underparts with dark streaks, barred wings and tails, and the head pattern
already described. One adult male flew directly overhead at close range,
enabling me to see clearly its dark grey plumage with darker underwing coverts
and its rufous thighs and undertail coverts. At least one bird could have been
a subadult male but it was too far away to distinguish colours properly. As

126 Short communications

the light faded I saw other birds passing over but I was unable to stay to
examine them. The closest distance of observation was about 20m and all
observations were made using x10 binoculars. All young birds and adult females
identified had pale heads (with paler foreheads) and were thus separable from
both Hobby F. subbuteo and Eastern Red-footed Falcon F. amurensis on this
character as well as on underside colour and pattern. I am very familiar with
all the species mentioned, having seen them on many occasions in Zambia.

Most F. vespertinus appear to migrate to the west of East Africa (Britton
1980) and to winter in south-central and southwestern Africa (Moreau 1972).
Britton (1980) gives two records from Kenya, and two further records are
documented by Pearson (1981) and Lewis (1981), the former record being from
near Kamboyo in Tsavo West NP. The occurrence of at least 25 birds, possibly
a good many more, in Kenya is therefore noteworthy.

REFERENCES
LEWIS, A.D. 1981. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus at Nairobi. Scopus 5:57.

PEARSON, D.J. 1981. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus in Tsavo. Scopus 5:57.
P.B. Taylor, Box 25138, Nairobi
Scopus 5: 125-126, December 1981 Received 19 September 1981

ALTITUDE RECORD FOR RED-NECKED SPURFOWL FRANCOLINUS AFER On 10-11 June 1980

I saw several pairs of Red-necked Spurfowl Francolinus afer near Kawatera, 5km
northeast of Mbeya along the road to Chunya. The highest point of this road is
conveniently marked at 8050 feet (2450m). Britton (1980) gives the altitude
range for this species as sea-level to 1500m. My observations of several pairs
at 2450m is therefore a significant increase. The surrounding uplands are not
much higher although the bare peak of Mbeya Mt reaches 2834nm.

The genus Francolinus includes several highland species which usually replace
afer above 1500m. However, there are no records in Snow (1978) for other
species in this area and the range maps given in Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1957)
leave the area blank (although only just in some cases). The natural evergreen
forest and upland grassland have, in recent years, been replaced by stands of
Holarctic evergreens Pinus spp. and local cultivation (shambas). It seems
likely that any forest species have retreated to the remaining gallery forest
on the escarpment slopes. Francolinus afer would then be the only member of
the genus in a position to exploit the vacant habitat of cultivation and young
plantations. However, it may well have been at this altitude all along, compet-
ing with other Francolinus spp. (if any) at the forest edge.

I could not assign any of the birds to a particular race as this is border
country between nominate and F. a. cranchii.

N.E. Baker, Box 1599, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Scopus 5: 126, December 1981 Received 15 October 1981

FIRST EAST AFRICAN RECORD OF THE RED-NECKED STINT CALIDRIS RUFICOLLIS On 16
May 1981 C. Taylor and I visited the pans at Ngomeni Salt Works, which are
about 25km north of Malindi, Kenya coast. Some of the pans are disused and
are partly overgrown with low vegetation, with pools of rainwater and large
patches of mud. The area attracts good numbers of waders and on this occasion
there were flocks of Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea, Little Stints
C.minuta and Marsh Sandpipers Tringa stagnatilis with smaller numbers of
other species including a Sanderling C. alba in breeding plumage. On our
arrival at 10:30hrs the first birds we saw were a flock of about 25 C. minuta,
most in summer plumage, and our attention was immediately drawn to two birds
which stood out from the rest of the flock by virtue of their strikingly-

-

Short communications 127

coloured plumage and which we identified as C. ruficollis. We observed the
birds for about 45min in good light using x10 binoculars at distances down to
25m, and noted down the following field description.

Fractionally larger than the C.minuta and appeared bulkier in the body,

with larger more rounded heads and higher foreheads. Legs possibly slightly

shorter than those of minuta and the general impression was that they were
chunkier, more bulkily-built birds than minuta. The face, throat and upper
breast were clear plain brick red with no markings in one bird and a few
dark spots at the base of the red breast of the other. The brick-red colour
ended abruptly to give a pure white underside. In contrast, even the most
well-marked minuta were rather patchily-patterned on neck and breast, having
dark speckling and paler areas as well as extensive orange colouration: none
of them approached the uniform colouring of the ruficollis. Both ruficollis
had little trace of a pale superciliary stripe and we did not notice any
pale on the forehead of one bird, the other having a small pale patch there.

Crown and nape were similar in colour to the face but with darker streaking

on the crown and less streaking on the nape, which was also less patterned

than the back. The back pattern was similar to that of minuta, being dark
brown with orange-red feather edgings. The only noticeable difference was in
the upperwing coverts, which in ruficollis seemed greyer overall, contrast-
ing more with the back colour and having more white in them than minuta,
which was buffier in this area. However, these differences were not prominent
and it was not easy to pick out the ruficollis in rear view from a distance.

The bills of the ruficollis were straight, black and rather stouter than

those of minuta. The legs were black and the eyes dark.

In flight the white wing bar of ruficollis seemed more prominent than in
Minuta and the tail pattern showed more contrast between the pale outer
feathers and the dark inners. Flight action was similar in both species.

It was not possible to attribute any calls to the ruficollis as the whole

flock was noisy in flight. Calls were all variants of the pip, chip and

repeated notes of minuta. All the birds fed in shallow water and on mud and
the ruficollis mixed freely with the minuta flock. On at least two occasions
one of the ruficollis was aggressively approached by a minuta and was chased
for a short distance.
The birds were seen at the same locality on 17 May by P.L. and H.A. Britton,
who agree with our identification. Subsequent study of relevant literature
showed that the characters noted agree with those given for breeding-plumage
ruficollis, and the uniform brick-red colour of the head, neck and upper
breast is a diagnostic character of this species (J.C. Sinclair, in litt.).
We are therefore satisfied that our identification is correct, even though we
are not familiar with this species. On minor plumage details it is interesting
to note that Prater, Marchant & Vuorinen (1977) mention that the coverts of
ruficollis in breeding plumage are grey-brown, inners fringed white, while
those of minuta are brown with paler edges, and that both these authors and
Wallace (1980) state that the outer tail of ruficollis may be paler than that
of minuta. Wallace (op. cit.) also states that the wing bar of ruficollis
is "at least as prominent" as in minuta.

Calidris ruficollis breeds in northeastern Siberia and western Alaska and
winters south to Australasia (Slater 1970). In Africa it is regular in small
numbers on the Natal coast and there are three records from Cape Province and
one from Mozambique (J.C. Sinclair, in litt.). There is a recent record from
Somalia (J.S. Ash in litt. to G.C. Backhurst) and two from the Seychelles
(Feare & High 1977). There are no previous records from East Africa.

REFERENCES
FEARE, C.J. & HIGH, J. 1977. Migrant shorebirds in the Seychelles. Ibis 119:
323-338.

128 Short communications

PRATER, A.J., MARCHANT, J.H. & VUORINEN, J. 1977. Guide to the identification
and ageing of Holarctic waders. Tring: BTO.

SLATER, P. 1970. A field guide to Australian birds. Vol. 1. Rigby.

KS

WALLACE, D.I.M. 1980. Field identification of small species in the genus Calidris

In Sharrock, J.T.R. The frontiers of bird identification. London: Macmillan.

P.B. Taylor, Box 25138, Nairobi Received 19 September 1981
Scopus 5: 126-128, December 1981

TURTLE DOVE STREPTOPELIA TURTUR IN KENYA The Turtle Dove is a regular visitor
to northern Africa which also migrates across the Sahara to winter quarters in
the Sudan and Ethiopia (Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1957). On 3 January 1981 we
observed a Turtle Dove at Samburu Lodge, Kenya (0°40'N, 37°30'E). It was
rather tame and walked among the guests looking for scattered food. Knowing
the Turtle Dove from Europe and the Dusky Turtle Dove S. lugens from Kenya,
we were able to identify it as S. turtur. At the time we were unaware of its
rarity in Kenya and only made some rough field notes although we photographed
the bird in colour. An examination of the prints (which are lodged with the
Ornithological Sub Committee) reconfirmed the identification.

Because of the paleness of the plumage and the pronounced spots on the wings,
we feel that it probably belongs to the Egyptian race isabellina.

Samburu Lodge is about 110km southeast of the site of the first Kenya record

at Barsaloi (Horne & Short 1977). The second observation of a Turtle Dove in
northern Kenya indicates that it may not be such a rare visitor as one might
have expected. It may be that wintering Turtle Doves are often taken to be
Dusky Turtle Doves or that most observers, especially those from Europe, are
not aware of its rarity.

REFERENCE

HORNE, J.F.M. & SHORT, L.L. 1977. First record of the Turtle Dove Streptopelia
turtur in Kenya. Scopus i: 50.

Volker Haas, Max-Planck-Institut ftir Verhaltensphysiologie, Box 33, Nakuru,
Kenya, Ursula Haussler, LS Zoophysiologie Universitat Tiibingen, Auf der Morgen-
stelle 28, D-7400, Tlubingen, West Germany and Reimer Stick, Max-Planck-Institut
fiir Virusforschung, Spemannstrasse 35, D-7400, Tiibingen, West Germany

Scopus 5: 128, December 1981 Received 13 October 1981

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL OVERSEAS SUBSCRIBERS

Recent legislation in Kenya regarding foreign exchange procedure has made the
following announcement necessary, superSeding the announcement that appeared
in the last issue (Scopus 5: 84).

Overseas subscribers are advised that they must send their Scopus sub-
scriptions (or payments for Birds of East Africa and/or Checklist of the birds
of Kenya) in £sterling, US$ or the equivalent in any convertible currency. If
in the form of cheques, bank drafts etc., ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE DRAWN ON AN
OVERSEAS BANK. All payments in foreign currency, but drawn on Kenya banks,
can no longer be accepted, and, if received, will be returned. Similarly,
payments in Kenya shillings from overseas banks cannot be accepted, and these
too, if received, will be returned.

The practical reason for this is that Kenya banks now make a minimum charge
of 40 shillings (=US$4.00) for handling the payments mentioned above.

Continued from inside front cover

Any references cited should be listed at the end of the contribution following
the form used in this issue. Names of periodicals MUST be given in full and,

in the case of books, the town of publication and the publisher should be given.
A number of works, which are cited frequently, should not be listed under
"References'; the name(s) of the author(s) and date(s) of publication should

be given in the text in the normal way.

All contributions should be sent to Dr D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.

WORKS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE LISTED UNDER 'REFERENCES'
BACKHURST, G.C., BRITTON, P.L. & MANN, C.F. 1973. The less common Palaearctic

migrant birds of Kenya and Tanzania. Journal of the East Africa Natural Hist-
ory Society and National Museum 140: 1-38. = Backhurst et al. 1973.

* BENSON, C.W., BROOKE, R.K., DOWSETT, R.J. & IRWIN, M.P.S. 1971. The birds of
Zambia. London: Collins. = Benson et al. 1971.

BRITTON, P.L. (ed.) Birds of East Africa their habitat, status and distrib-
ution. Nairobi: EANHS. = Britton 1980.

BROWN, L.H. & BRITTON, P.L. 1980. The breeding seasons of East African birds.
Nairobi: EANHS. = Brown & Britton 1980.

HALL, B.P. & MOREAU, R.E. 1970. An atlas of speciation in African Passerine
birds. London: British Museum (Nat. Hist). = Hall & Moreau i970.

JACKSON, F.J. 1938. The birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate.
3 vols. London: Gurney & Jackson. = Jackson 1938.

MACKWORTH-PRAED, C.W. & GRANT, C.H.B. 1957 & 1960. African handbook of birds.
Series I, vols 1 & 2. Birds of eastern and north eastern Africa. 2nd Edition.
London: Longmans Green & Co. = Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1957 and/or 1960.

MOREAU, R.E. 1966. The bird faunas of Africa and its islands. London: Academic
Press. = Moreau 1966.

1972. The Palaearctic-African bird migration systems. London:
Academic Press. = Moreau 1972.

SNOW, D.W. (ed.) 1978. An atlas of speciation in African Non-Passerine birds.
London: British Museum (Nat. Hist.). = Snow 1978.

EAST AFRICAN BIRD REPORT

This forms the fifth issue of Scopus and each report covers one calendar year.
Records of Afrotropical Region (i.e. Ethiopian Region and Malagasy Sub-Region)
and Oceanic birds should be sent to D.A. Turner [tel. 48772], Box 48019,
Nairobi; records of Palaearctic Region birds to B.S. Meadows [tel. 48535],
Box 30521, Nairobi. Records should be sent in early in the new year to ensure
the speedy production of the Bird Report. Reports of rare birds may be phoned
through to any OS-C member.

BIRDS OF EAST AFRICA

Copies of this 270 page book are available from D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi
at the following post-paid prices. All cheques should be made out to 'Birds of
East Africa'. Those overseas MUST remit in Sterling, US$ or the equivalent in
a convertible currency; drafts in Kenya Shillings cannot be accepted.
By surface mail to East Africa or to anywhere in the world: Shs. 130/-,
£8.00 or US$17.00. Airmail, Africa: £11.50 or US$24.00. Airmail to Europe:
£12.00 or US$25.00. Airmail to the Americas, Australia and the Far East:
£13.50 or US$28.00.
The 40 page Check-list of the birds of Kenya is also available from D.A. Turner.
Post-paid: surface: East Africa Shs. 12.00, anywhere in the world £0.70 or US
$1.50. Airmail to anywhere in the world £1.00 or US$2.20.

| C6AMREF

CONTENTS

J.8. ASH. Bird-ringing results and ringed bird recoveries in Ethiopia. .

DALE B. HANMER. The food requirements of owls compared with those
of diurnal. raptors 2...) 5 6. =. = sl) & Seem ee eee ee

S.N. STUART and F.P. JENSEN. Further range extensions and other notable
records of forest birds Erom Lanzaniday i -n ese etc ccm ene

R.K. WALTON. Bird observations from Tabora Region, Tanzania .....

G. NIKOLAUS. Palaearctic migrants new to the North Sudan ........

Short communications

J.S.S. BEESLEY. A breeding record of White Pelicans
Pelecanus onocrotalus in Tanzania 2 2 ene eee

J.S.S. BEESLEY. Oversummering Pintail Anas acuta in
iaergielaverainl Abcimasigulel 5 5 56 0 G9 6 ooo ooo oo Gl

P.B. TAYLOR. Red-footed Falcons Falco vespertinus in
Tsavo) West National’ Paisk, 2s = 5) cicero Ecmmecietcinecl enema mnn

N.E. BAKER. Altitude record for Red-necked Spurfowl
iis Noleley Lek Glo kg Nee) AE) WIECO) EO) foo. Oo 6 6 6 oO 6 Oo 0 6

P.B. TAYLOR. First East African record of the Red-necked
Stint Calszdris LUEICOLIGS 25.9% 2 bie oe oe

VOLKER HAAS, URSULA HAUSSLER and REIMER STICK. Turtle Dove

Streptopelia €urtur im Kenyay . <= < seston ene
Notices
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ISSN 0250 4162

SCOPUS

EAST AFRICAN BIRD REPORT 1981

A quarterly ornithological publication
of the East Africa Natural History Society

Volume’5 (5):March: 1983:

SCOPUS

Scopus is published five times a year by the Ornithological Sub-Committee of
the East Africa Natural History Society. Subscriptions are payable to the OS-C
Hon. Treasurer (and Secretary), D.A. Turner [tel. 48772], Scopus a/c, Box 48019,
Nairobi, Kenya, at the following rates:

East African residents: KShs 75.00 (KShs 78.50 up-country)
Overseas, surface mail: Sterling £6.00, US$12.00 or equivalent in convertible
currency. Drafts in Kenya shillings cannot be accepted.
Overseas, air mail: Sterling £7.50, US$15.00 or equivalent in convertible
currency. Drafts in Kenya shillings cannot be accepted.

Overseas rates apply to all countries other than Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Those wishing to remit by bank transfer should do so to D.A. Turner, Scopus a/c,
No. 2852601, Barclay's Bank of Kenya Limited, Market Branch, Box 30018, Nairobi.

All material for Scopus, including papers, short communications, letters and
notices, should be sent in the first instance to the Chairman of the Ornithol-
ogical Sub-Committee, Dr D.J. Pearson [tel. 47041], Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi.

Other Sub-Committee members are as follows: G.C. Backhurst /tel. 891419], Editor
of Scopus and Ringing Organizer, Box 24702 Nairobi; J.S.S.Beesley, Box 634
Arusha, Tanzania; P.L. Britton (UK); Dr Margaret Carswell, Box 7051 Kampala,
Uganda; Dr K.M. Howell, Box 35064 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Dr A.D. Lewis, Dept.
of Geology, Box 30197 Nairobi; B.S. Meadows, [tel. 48535], Box 30521 Nairobi;
Dr D.E. Pomeroy, [tel. Kahawa 439], Box 43844 Nairobi; J.F.Reynolds (UK);
D.K. Richards, [tel. 501501], Box 30750 Nairobi; T. Stevenson, Lake Baringo
Club, Box 47557 Nairobi; P.B. Taylor, Nest Record Scheme Organizer, [tel.
Karen 2019], Box 25138 Nairobi.

NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Scopus welcomes original contributions in English on all aspects of the ornith-
Ology of eastern Africa. Contributions will be assessed by the Sub-Committee
and by independent referees. The material published in Scopus will be divided
into 'papers' and 'short communications', the latter will usually be less than
two pages in length. 'Papers' should be written in the third person (except in
the 'Acknowledgements' section); 'Short communications' may be written in the
first or third person. Authors of 'papers’ are entitled to five copies of their
contribution gratis. Extra copies, which will be supplied at cost, must be
ordered when the MS is submitted.

Contributions should be typed in 1% or double spacing on one side of the paper
only, with wide margins all round, and should be submitted in duplicate.
Exceptionally, clear hand-written MSS will be considered but these too should
be sent in duplicate. Both English and scientific names of birds should be
given when the species is first mentioned, thereafter only one should be used.
English and scientific names should be those of Birds of East Africa unless
the species does not occur in that work.

Tables, which should be numbered, should appear in the typescript, NOT grouped
on separate sheets at the end. Metric units should be used. If non-metric
units were used in the original observation or experiment, the approximate
metric equivalent should be given in brackets.

Illustrations should be on bristol board, good quality white paper or tracing
material, in line - i.e. black on white, and should not be larger than 19 x 23
cm. Lettering (in black) will be the responsibility of the author and should
be done neatly in Letraset (or similar), no larger than 14 point (3.9mm). Each
illustration should be numbered (Fig. 1, etc) and be provided with a legend
typed on a separate sheet of paper. Photographs will also be considered.

Continued inside back cover

Scopus 5 (5), March 1983

SCOPUS

MUS. COMP. ZOOL
_LIRRARY

XW

UNIVERSITY

GENERAL REVIEW

Observations in 1981 again came mainly from central and southern Kenya,
but there was increased recording from the Kenya coast, and continued
activity in the Dar es Salaam and Arusha areas and in the montane forests
of eastern Tanzania.

No fewer than six species were added to the East African avifauna during
the year. Two Red-necked Stints Calidris ruficollis in breeding plumage
were located on the Kenya coast in May, and Matsudaira's Storm Petrels
Oceanodroma matsudairae were identified off Mombasa during July and August.
A new species of sunbird was discovered in the Mwanihana forest, East
Uzungwa Mts, and Swynnerton's Forest Robin Swynnertonia swynnertoni (a new
race) was also found at the same locality, over 1000 km north of its
previously known range. Finally, the range of both the Long-billed Crombec
Sylvietta rufescens and the Red-capped Crombec Sylvietta ruficapilla was
extended into southwest Tanzania from neighbouring Zambia. Other notable
events included ‘rediscovery’ of both the Uluguru Bush Shrike Malaconotus
alius and the White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa in the Uluguru Mts (the
latter was also found in the Uzungwas), the second recorded occurrence of
the Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiata in Tanzania, an influx of
White-eyed Pochards Aythya nyroca in Central Kenya, the second Kenyan and
East African records of Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos and Turtle
Dove Streptopelia turtur, and a series of offshore records of Wilson's Storm
Petrel Oceanites oceanicus, a bird first definitely identified in East Africa
only in 1980.

In Kenya, the year was one of climatic contrasts. Dry, dusty conditions
in January and February were followed by an early onset to the 'long' rains.
Most areas received heavy storms in mid March, and April was generally very
wet. Lake levels rose somewhat, particularly at Naivasha where there was
extensive flooding and growth of sedge. With the Lower Tana valley flooded,
the Garsen heronry was active, and over 5000 pairs of nesting birds were
found there during June. The 'short' rains were light and patchy, and
delayed in most eastern areas until mid or late November. By the year's
end, most lake edges and other wetlands were drying rapidly. Early in the
year, the receding muddy shores of the rift valley lakes held good numbers
of waders. A January survey from Baringo to Magadi produced an estimate of
24000 migrant waders, somewhat higher than the count of January 1980.
Extensive areas of marsh left by the drying April-May floods produced
interesting assortments of water birds, and towards the end of the year
sites such as Naivasha held many hundreds of Common Snipe Gallinago
gallinago and Wood Sandpipers Tringa glareola. Many thousands of Palaearctic

Scopus 5: 129-130, March 1983

130 East African Bird Report 1981

duck were again recorded during January-February and again during December,
the principal sites involved being Lakes Solai and Naivasha and the
Kinangop.

Although the usual variety of migrant birds of prey was recorded, there
were few reports of impressive movements. Most interesting was the
occurrence of a large party of Red-footed Falcons Falco vespertinus near
the Taitas in March. As in other recent years with high rainfall, few
migrants remained around Nairobi or elsewhere in Kenya in mid and late
April. Some interesting falls were recorded early in the month, however,
with scores of Sprossers Luscinia luscinia, Whitethroats Sylvia communis
and Red-backed Shrikes Lanius collurio around Mtito Andei after wet nights
on lst and 7th and 300 shrikes (mostly Red-backed) at the Sabaki mouth on
5th. Southward passerine migration was noted as usual, and over 5000
birds were ringed at Ngulia on 15 misty nights between 20 November and
7 December.

There was encouraging response to requests for contributions to the
report. In particular, the number of records of Afrotropical birds
received was considerably increased. We hope that this was the result of
availability of Birds of East Africa and other guidelines on record
reporting published from time to time by the Sub-Committee. Notes on the
documentation of records of unusual interest are again given in the intro-
duction to the general species section of this report. It should be noted
that some substantiation and supporting details are required before the
Sub-Committee can consider acceptance of a record in the S(A) or S(B)
category, whether this is being submitted or mentioned for the first time
as a report item or in a Scopus note or paper.

D.J.Pearson, Chairman, Ornithological Sub-Committee, E.A.N.H.S.

East African Bird Report 1981 1341

SPECIES REPORT

Observers are invited to contribute records for this report from Kenya,
Tanzania and Uganda. These should be sent to the recorders listed inside
the front cover. Guidelines for the type of records required are given in
the Scopus Supplement of June 1982, copies of which are available free of
charge from D.A. Turner, Box 48019, Nairobi. The Society's Birds of East
Africa will also be found useful for determining the importance of records.

Each species is followed by one or more code letters which make clear the
reason for the inclusion of records:

S(A) or S(B) : SCARCE species for which all acceptable records

are published (see Scopus Supplement of June 1982)

R : Other species of special interest whose status in
East Africa requires clarification, and for which
all records are REQUESTED. Records in this
category may sometimes be published in summary or
reviewed after several years

E : Records showing an EXTENSION of range, or from
areas where the species is decidedly uncommon or
scarce

N : Records included for their NUMERICAL interest,
either of particularly large numbers or accurate
counts

D : Records of migrants where the DATES are of interest

M : Records of MISCELLANEOUS interest.

Also, all records will fall into one of the following categories:

a Those supported by a specimen, available for study

ii. Those supported by a detailed description and
possibly by parts of the bird, in cases where the
whole bird could not be retained

iS Those of a trapped bird, which is later released,
supported by a detailed description and measure-
ments and, if possible, photographs of the bird in
the hand

av. Sight records.

In the case of specimen records, the person submitting the record should
state where the specimen has been deposited.

For sight records of very scarce birds certain criteria should be met: for
species previously recorded less than five times in East Africa, or less than
ten times in sub-Saharan Africa, an attempt should be made to (a) photograph
the bird, if at all possible, and (b) obtain corroboration from at least one
other independent observer. A substantiating description of the bird should
be submitted and the reasons for discarding other similar species should be
given.

The sub-committee will consider sufficiently substantiated sight records of
very scarce birds from a single observer provided that his/her reliability can
be vouched for by at least two independent authorities.

Where necessary, descriptions and photographs will be sent to independent
referees for adjudication. It is the sub-committee's wish, and responsibility,
to ensure that all sight records published in these reports will stand the
most stringent scrutiny.

Scopus 5: 131-153, March 1983

132 East African Bird Report 1981

AFROTROPICAL AND OCEANIC SPECIES

PODICIPEDIDAE: Grebes

Podiceps nigricollis Black-necked Grebe R: 1 Mbarali rice scheme, Usangu,
S Tanzania, 10 Jul (NEB), 500+ Lake Ndutu, Serengeti NP (T) 10 Aug (NEB),
300+ Lake Bogoria 12 Aug (DEW), singles Thika OPs 16 Aug and 1 Nov (ADL,
RDM, DJP), 1 Timboroa 22 Aug (RDM, JB), 6 Elmenteita 29 Nov (DKR),
several Limuru 26 Dec (DKR).

Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Grebe N: 3000+ N shore Lake Naivasha 28 Feb-
1 Mar (BSM). M: 1 dead on beach Dar es Salaam 25 Oct (DCM).

PROCELLARIIDAE: Petrels and shearwaters :

Pachyptila sp. A single small sized oceanic, very light coloured but with
faint dark markings on wings and back, off Shimoni 25 Aug (MH, PH) -
almost certainly a prion species, the first record from East African waters.

Puffinus lherminieri Audubon's Shearwater S(B): 1 found dying on reef at
Malindi 13 Jan (LD); corpse seen by PLB and assigned to the race bailloni.

HYDROBATIDAE: Storm Petrels

Oceanites oceanicus Wilson's Storm Petrel S(B): Singles reported Malindi and
Mombasa waters Jun, Jul, Sep and Dec (CT, PBT, DAT). One or more groups of
4-5 birds off Kipini 19 May (Mr and Mrs A, Braguine per DAT). Full details
in Scopus 6: 13-14.

Oceanodroma leucorhoa Leach's Storm Petrel S(A): 1 off Mtwapa Creek 4 Oct
(CT, PBT) - included here as such birds probably not Palaearctic. See
Scopus 6: 14-15.

Oceanodroma matsudairae Matsudaira's Storm Petrel S(A): Single birds off
Mombasa 5 Jul and 22 Aug (PBT). See also Scopus 6: 15-16.
The first fully documented records from African coastal waters.

PELECANIDAE: Pelicans
Pelecanus onocrotalus White Pelican E: Recorded Ngomeni saltpans 7 and 21
June and 3 Oct (PBT) - uncommon at coast.

SULIDAE: Boobies
Sula dactylatra Masked Booby R: 1 off Mombasa 7 Nov (PBT).

PHALACROCORACIDAE: Cormorants
Phalacrocorax carbo Greater Cormorant N: Unusual coastal concentrations of
75-100 Ngomeni saltpans during Oct, decreasing thereafter (PBT).

FREGATIDAE: Frigatebirds

Fregata minor Greater Frigatebird S(A): Excluding the possibility of
frigatebirds unknown in the Indian Ocean, we must accept an all dark
bird seen at very close range at Watamu on 13 Aug (DEP) as being an
adult male of this species.

Fregata sp. Single birds reported off Shimoni in Feb, Sep and Oct (MH, PM);
all dark birds on 8 Sep and 9 Oct were probably adult male Fregata minor.

ARDEIDAE: Herons, Bitterns and Egrets

Ixobrychus minutus payesii Little Bittern R: 2 Homa Bay 16 Mar (ADL, DJP),
records from Lake Baringo Jun and Jul (TS), 1 Tana delta 9 Aug (DAT), and
2 Tatanda, SW Tanzania, 17 Dec (DCM).

Ixobrychus sturmii Dwarf Bittern R: 3-4 Tana delta 9 Aug (DAT), 1 Lake
Baringo 11 Aug (DEW), 1 Meru NP 18 Nov (DAT), singles Tatanda (T) Nov-Dec
(NEB, DCM), and 2 Lake Bilisa, 13 Dec (MACC, DJP).

Ardea goliath Goliath Heron N: 20 together on meadows Lake Bilisa, 28 Feb (DJP).

East African Bird Report 198l 133

Ardeola idae Madagascar Squacco Heron R: Recorded Kenya and Tanzania Apr-Nov
as follows: 2 Sabaki 17 Apr, small numbers Bamburi 29 Apr-5 Nov, 3 Dar es
Salaam 2 Jun, 3-4 Karen, Nairobi, Jul-early Aug, 3 Arusha NP (T) 17 Jul,

1 Lake Diluti, Arusha 8 Aug, 1 Lake Manyara (T) 12 Aug, 1 Mikumi NP (T)
23 Aug, 1 Tana delta 6 Aug, 15+ Thika OPs 16 Aug, 1 Nairobi NP 30 Aug,
1 Dar es Salaam 12 Nov (NEB, HAB, PLB, KMH, ADL, DJP, DKR, PBT, DAT).

Ardeola rufiventris Rufous-bellied Heron R: 100+ in swampy river Usengi flats
(Mbeya T) 21 Apr (JSSB).

Egretta alba Great White Heron N: 70+ together on meadow Lake Bilisa, 28 Feb
(DJP).

Egretta ardesiaca Black Heron R: Recorded inland as follows: 1 Naivasha 14
Feb, 1 Mwea rice scheme 21 Feb, 20 Lake Bilisa, 28 Feb, 2 Kajansi, Kampala
28 Feb-1l Mar (first for the area), 1 Amboseli NP 24 Mar, 11 Lake Magadi
5 Apr, 60+ Mbarali rice scheme, Usengi (Mbeya T) Apr, a few near Garsen
5 Aug, 4 near Lake Magadi 26 Sep, 1 Lake Baringo 9-18 Nov, 6 Lake
Shakababo 12 Dec, small numbers Lake Jipe throughout year (NEB, MEJG,

RDM, MJC, DJP, DKR, TS, DAT). At the coast: 20 Gazi 30 Mar and 9 31 Dec,
a few Sabaki Apr, 1 Bamburi 1-5 Sep, 2 Mida 20 Oct (HAB, PLB, MACC, RDM,
DJP, PBT, DAT). Local resident around Dar es Salaam in flocks 10-15 (NEB).

Egretta gularis African Reef Heron R: Single dark phase birds Bamburi 18 Apr
and Ngomeni saltpans 8 Nov (PBT), 2 dark phase birds Kilifi 24 Jan (HAB, PLB).

Gorsachius leuconotus White-backed Night Heron R: An adult in flooded road by
mangrove swamp at Kurasini, Dar es Salaam, 28 Mar (NEB).

CICONIIDAE: Storks
Anastomus lamelligerus Open-billed Stork N: Large flocks of 250+ Lake Jipe
22 Mar (DAT) and 850+ Mikumi NP (T) 17 Apr (NEB).

Ciconia abdimii Abdim's Stork N: Flocks included 1200 Aruba, Tsavo East NP
7 Jan (HAB, PLB), 8000- 10000 Mikumi NP (T) 8 Feb (NEB), 90 Homa Bay
16 Mar and 800 circling north near Muhoro Bay (S Nyanza) 16 Mar (ADL, DJP),
18 Sabaki 24 Mar (HAB, PLB) was large number for coast. D: Late birds
Nairobi NP 19 Apr and Magadi road 10 May (RDM). 2 Kakamega-Kisumu 18 Aug
(DEW). First arrivals Mara GR late Nov (DAT).

Ciconia episcopus Woolly-necked Stork E: Away from Tsavo and the coast, 3 Mara
GR 18 Mar (DAT) and 1 21 Aug (DEW). Commonly seen Nairobi NP during Aug
(many observers), singles Arusha NP (T) Feb and Oct (JSSB).

THRESKIORNITHIDAE: Ibises and Spoonbills ;
Bostrychia olivacea Green Ibis R: Several heard and one seen Irangi Forest

Station Mt Kenya 16 Aug (ADL, DJP). Heard near Mountain Lodge, Mt Kenya
26 Oct (DAT). Pair observed forest floor at 2300m Mt Kilimanjaro
(Marangu route) 29 Nov (JSSB).

ANATIDAE: Ducks and Geese
Dendrocygna bicolor Fulvous Whistling Duck N: Largest counts were 150 Dandora
14 Mar (DJP) and 80 Mwea rice scheme 21 Feb increasing to 300 25 Apr (RDM).

Dendrocygna viduata White-faced Whistling Duck N: Largest concentrations were
300+ Lake Shakababo 28 Feb (DJP), 200+ Thika OPs 1 Nov (RDM), 1000+ Tana
River bridge (Sagana road) 15 Nov (AEB, DJP), 300+ Sabaki Nov-Dec (HAB, PLB).

Netta erythrophthalma Southern Pochard N: Counts of 1200 Naivasha 15 Feb and
1700 28 Feb-1 Mar (BSM).

Nettapus auritus African Pygmy Goose R: 20+ Lake Shakababo 28 Feb and 10+ on
12 Dec (MACC, DJP). 5-6 Lake Jipe during Mar (DAT).

134 East African Bird Report 1981

Sarkidiornis melanotos Knob-billed Duck N: Largest count 290 Kaptagat,
Eldoret 31 Jan (ADL, DJP).

Thalassornis leuconotus White-backed Duck E: 6-7 Mabamba swamp, Kampala
11 Mar (MJC) - first for the area. N: 50+ Lake Jipe 22 Mar (DAT).

ACCIPITRIDAE: Birds of Prey

Gypohierax angolensis Palmnut Vulture E: 1 Ngare Sero Lodge, Arusha
20 Sep (SNS); other sightings close by at Usa River and Lake Diluti
could refer to same bird (JSSB).

Neophron percnopterus Egyptian Vulture E: 1 Mikumi NP (T) 15 Sep (SNS,
KMH, TAvdW, GWN).

Gypaetus barbatus Lammergeyer R: 1 15 km north of Arusha 4 Aug (SNS),
1 Hell's Gate gorge 11 Oct (DAT).

Circaetus fasciolatus Southern Banded Snake Eagle R: Away from the
Usambaras and the coastal strip, 1 recorded near Baomo, Tana River, 8
Aug (PBT), 1 Mwanihana Forest, Uzungwa Mts, 27 Jul (SNS, FPJ), 1 E
Uluguru foothills 18 Aug (FPJ).

Accipiter melanoleucus Great Sparrowhawk E: 1 Arusha 8 Oct (JSSB) - first
record for the area.

Accipiter ovampensis Ovampo Sparrowhawk R: Singles Kenya coast at Shimba
Hills 15 Mar (DKR), Sokoke 26 Jul (PBT) and Jadini forest 22 Aug (ADL,
DJP). From Tanzania at Mikumi NP 23 Aug (NEB) and Tatanda 11 Dec (DCM).

Accipiter minullus Little Sparrowhawk R: Recorded from Tengeru, Arusha
(Jan, Apr-May, Oct-Dec), Uzungwa Mts (T) (Jul), Saiwa Swamp, Kitale (Aug)
and Tatanda (T) (Dec) (JSSB, FPJ, DCM, SNS, DEW).

Accipiter rufiventris Rufous Sparrowhawk E: 1 Shume (T) juniper forest at
1900m 5 May (SNS) - first record for Usambaras.

Aquila verreauxi Verreaux's Eagle R: Recorded in Tanzania at Lolkisale and
the Gol Mts (JSSB).

Butastur rufipennis Grasshopper Buzzard R: 10 Aruba-Buchuma, Tsavo East NP
7 Jan, 6-7 Voi-Maungu-Kasigau 2L-25 Jan, 3 north of Garsen 28 Feb, 1
Saguta Marmar (S of Kisima) 6 Mar, 1 Shimba Hills 15 Mar (HAB, PLB, ADL,
DJP, DKR, DAT). At the end of year 1 Mariakani 11 Nov, 2 Isiolo 14 Nov,
1 Mtito Andei and 1 Maktau 22 Nov, 2 Tsavo East NP 8 Dec (RDM, DJP, PBT,
DAT).

Buteo tachardus Mountain Buzzard E: Recorded daily at 1800m Uzungwa Mts (T)
12-16 May (EOW).

Hieraaetus dubius Ayres' Hawk Eagle E: Singles Kenya coast at Bamburi 14 Feb
(PBT) and Mida creek 8 Jul (JM). Recorded in Tanzania from E and W
Usambaras (SNS); also from Arusha NP 5 May (SNS) and Uzungwa Mts foothills
8 May (SNS, FPJ).

Aviceda cuculoides Cuckoo Hawk R: 1 Uzungwa Mts foothills (T) 5 May, 1 Pemba
River, Kwale, 13 Jun, singles Bamburi 30 Jun and 5 Oct, 1 Malindi 12 Jul,
2 Lunga Lunga 23 Aug, 2 ads and 2 imms Mikumi NP (T), several records
Arusha area Aug-Oct, 1 near Amani (T) 1 Sep, 2 ads with juv Kipini 5 Aug,
1 Rukwa valley (T) 4 Dec (NEB, JSSB, HAB, PLB, MACC, FPJ, DCM, JM, SNS,
PBT, DAT, RMcV).

Chelictinia riocourii Swallow-tailed Kite R: Seen regularly near Mt Suswa on
Narok road throughout year (many observers).

East African Bird Report 1981 ’ 135

Macheiramphus alcinus Bat Hawk R: Records from Mombasa (Jan), Diani (Jul-
Aug), Taveta (Nov), Baringo (Jan), Homa Bay and Rongo in S Nyanza (Mar)
and Dar es Salaam (throughout year) (NEB, HAB, PLB, MACC, ADL, DJP, TS,
DAT).

FALCONIDAE: Falcons
Falco ardosiacus Grey Kestrel E: 1 Lake Baringo 22 Feb (TS).

Falco chicquera Red-necked Falcon E: Singles Baringo 2 Apr and 11 Oct (TS).
1 Lake Sundu, SW Tanzania, 16 Dec (NEB).

Falco cuvieri African Hobby R: Recorded at Nairobi NP (Apr), Malakisi, near
Bungoma (Jun), Kisii (Jul) and Kakamega (Oct)(SB, ADL, JM, DJP, DAT).
Resident throughout year Kisumu and Arusha area (JSSB, DAT).

PHASIANIDAE: Quails and Francolins
Coturnix chinensis Blue Quail R: Female flushed from tussocky grass near
Ramisi, south of Mombasa, 11 Oct (PBT).

NUMIDIDAE: Guineafowls
Acryllium vulturinum Vulturine Guineafowl E: Flock near Jangalo, SE of
Kondoa ‘n Masailand (T)(JSSB) - considerable extension of range.

RALLIT sE: Rails and Crakes
Crex egregia African Crake R: 1 Bamburi 12 Feb, then present there in good
numbers 5 May-26 Dec (PBT). 1 Ngomeni 21 Jun (PBT). 2 Mikumi NP 17 Apr(NEB).

Porphyrio alleni Allen's Gallinule R: 4-10 Bamburi on several dates Jan-Jun
(HAB, PLB). At Lake Baringo from 29 May, numbers increasing to 200+
throughout Jun-Oct, then decreasing to a few during Nov-Dec (TS).

Porphyrio porphyrio Purple Gallinule E: 1-3 Bamburi 17 Jan-9 Nov (CT, PBT) -
unusual at the coast.

Porzana marginalis Striped Crake R: Singles Bamburi 5 and 15 May, 3 Jun and
7 Jul (PBT).

Porzana pusilla Lesser Spotted Crake R: 1 Bamburi 3 Jun was the first record
for coastal East Africa (PBT).

Sarothrura elegans Buff-spotted Pygmy Crake R: 1 calling at dusk Mbisi forest
SW Tanzania, 1-3 Dec (DCM).

Sarothrura pulchra White-spotted Pygmy Crake R: Calling Kakamega forest 18-19
Jul (SB, JM, DAT).

Sarothrura rufa Red-chested Pygmy Crake R: Several records Tatanda and Rukwa
areas SW Tanzania 4-14 Dec (NEB, DCM).

Fulica cristata Red-knobbed Coot N: 3000 counted Lessos 31 Jan and 2600
Sergoit (N of Eldoret) 1 Feb (DJP).

HELIORNITHIDAE: Finfoots

Podica senegalensis African Finfoot R: 1 adult with 2 half-grown young Nairobi
NP 4 Aug (DEW). 1 Mara River below Lolgorien escarpment 20 Aug (DEW) -
first record for western Kenya;

JACANIDAE: Jacanas

Microparra capensis Lesser Jacana R: The bird recorded Bamburi Dec 1980
remained to 12 Feb (HAB, PLB). 2 Lessos 31 Jan (DJP), 1 Amboseli NP 24 Mar
(DAT), 5+ Lake Sundu, SW Tanzania, May (DCM), 30+ E and S shores Lake
Ngwasi (Mufindi, T) 26 Aug (NEB), 1-2 Lake Jipe 8 Nov (DAT), and 1 Arusha
NP (T) 26 Dec (JMC).

136 East African Bird Report 1981

ROSTRATULIDAE: Painted Snipes

Rostratula benghalensis Painted Snipe R: Small numbers Bamburi 26 Jan-19 Mar
and singles 27 Nov to end Dec (CT, PBT). 1-2 Ngomeni May-Jun (PBT). 1 Homa
Bay 16 Mar, a pair Mara GR 17 Mar, 2 Athi River 25 Apr and singles Lake
Baringo 17 Aug, 2 Oct and 15 Nov (ADL, DJP, TS, DAT). Singles Dar es
Salaam 3 Mar and 13 Apr and 5 there 6 Dec (NEB, KMH). 2 Kasanga (S end
Lake Tanganyika) 6 Jun and 1 Tatanda (T) 10 Dec (DCM). Singles caught at
night Ngulia 28 Nov and 6 Dec (GCB, DJP).

CHARADRIIDAE: Plovers
Vanellus crassirostris Long-toed Plover E: Up to 10 Lake Baringo Jan-Apr and
1 on 13 Dec (TS). 20+ Mbarali rice scheme, Usangu (Mbeya, T) 10 Jul (NEB).

Vanellus spinosus Spur-winged Plover E: 1 Diani beach 21 Feb (MACC).

RECURVIROSTRIDAE: Stilts and avocets
Recurvirostra avosetta N: Concentration of 1000+ Lake 01 Bolossat 2 Feb(DJP).

DROMADIDAE: Crab Plovers
Dromas ardeola Crab Plover N: Max. 420 Mida 18 Jan; other coastal counts
included 170 Diani 6 Mar and 23 Malindi 5 Jul (HAB, PLB).

GLAREOLIDAE: Coursers and Pratincoles

Rhinoptilus chalcopterus Violet-tipped Courser R: 1 at close range in car
headlights Kilifi-Gedi 1 Apr (RDM). 1 Rukwa Valley near Maji Moto, SW
Tanzania, 4 Dec (DCM).

Glareola ocularis Madagascar Pratincole D: First records, 2 Dar es Salaam
11 Apr (NEB) and 180 Sabaki 17 Apr (PLB). Last record, 1 Bamburi 4 Oct
(PBT). Generally smaller numbers than in previous years, with max. only
400 Ngomeni 17 May (PLB).

LARIDAE: Gulls and Terns
Larus hemprichii Sooty Gull N: Max. Sabaki 800 12 Jan (HAB, PLB). Max. Ras
Iwetine 1000+ 13 Dec (PBT).

Anous stolidus Common Noddy R: 1 off Mombasa 7 Nov (PBT).
Anous tenuirostris Lesser Noddy S(B): 2 off Mombasa 5 Dec (PBT).

Sterna albifrons Little Tern N: Counts at Sabaki included 1200 on 12 Jan,
1500 on 30 Jan and 600 on 15 Mar (HAB, PLB); 500-1000 seen Kilifi 20 Oct
(MACC, DJP). E: 1 Lake Baringo 9 Jan-14 Apr (TS).

Sterna anaethetus Bridled Tern R: Up to 10+ off Mombasa 22 Aug, 6 Spe, 4 Oct,
7 Nov and 5 Dec (PBT). 1 resting Galu beach, S Kenya coast, 3 Sep (MACC).

Sterna fuscata Sooty Tern R: 2 off Mombasa 6 Sep (PBT, RMcV), 1 exhausted
(later died) Diani beach 22 Oct (MACC), 1 corpse Ngomeni saltpans 9 Dec
(PBT).

Sterna bengalensis Lesser Crested Tern N: Counts included 150 Ras Iwetine
5 Jan, and at Sabaki 500 on 12 Jan, 600 on 23 Jan, 400 on 16 Mar and 120
on 5 Jul (HAB, PLB).

Sterna bergii Crested Tern N: 40 counted Sabaki 12 Jan, 60 on 30 Jan, 120 on
14 Jan, 110 on 15 Mar, 220 on 24 Mar and 25 on 5 Jul - all dark-backed race
velox (PLB). M: 1 of paler race thalassina Sabaki 23 Aug (DJP).

Sterna dougallii Roseate Tern N: 80 Sabaki (many in breeding dress) 5 Jul
(HAB, PLB).

East African Bird Report 1981 137

Sterna repressa White-cheeked Tern R: 5 Sabaki 23 Jan, 3 on 15 Mar, 1 on 5 Apr
and 5 on 5 Jul (HAB, PLB, RDM). Up to 5 Galu beach, S Kenya coast, 30 Marto
early May (MACC, DJP).

A few at Dar es Salaam 11 Apr and 8 Oct (NEB).

RYNCHOPIDAE: Skimmers

Rynchops flavirostris African Skimmer R: Several records of up to 50 Sabaki,
Jan-Apr and Jul (HAB, PLB, RDM, JM).
Inland, 15 Lake Jipe 11 Jul (PBT), 1 Nairobi NP 6 Feb (BSM), 1 Magadi 25 Jan
(DJP), 1 Lake Nakuru 27 Aug (JB, RDM) and 2 on 29 Oct (DAT). 1-3 Lake
Baringo 10-19 Aug and 2 from 11-15 Oct (TS).
1 Lake Diluti, Arusha, 30 Nov (JSSB).

PTEROCLIDAE: Sandgrouse
Pterocles lichtensteinii Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse R: Small numbers throughout
year at Lake Baringo (TS, DAT).

COLUMBIDAE: Pigeons and Doves
Aplopelia larvata Lemon Dove M: Recorded at 500m in W Usambaras 14 May and
300m in E Uluguru foothills 19 Jul - unusually low altitudes (SNS).

Columba delegorguei Bronze-naped Pigeon E: Found as low as 300m in E Uluguru
foothills in Jul (SNS, FPJ). Common Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts, Jan and
Sep (SNS, KMH, TAvdW).

Columba guinea Speckled Pigeon M: Appears to have increased considerably in
Nairobi industrial area over the past decade. 70 birds observed on one
building 13 Jan (BSM).

Streptopelia senegalensis Laughing Dove E: 2 on saltpans, Dar es Salaam 24 Jan
(NEB) - extremely rare in the area.

Turtur afer Blue-spotted Wood Dove E: 1 Pugu Hills near Dar es Salaam 23 May
(NEB) - formerly common in Dar area, but this is first record in recent years.

PSITTACIDAE: Parrots and Lovebirds
Agapornis pullaria Red-headed Lovebird R: A pair Malakisi near Rungoma 20 Jan
(NBM).

Poicephalus robustus Brown-necked Parrot R: Several in flight over Tatanda(T)
16 Dec (DCM).

MUSOPHAGIDAE: Turacos
Corythaixoides personata Bare-faced Go-away Bird E: 2 in Dar es Salaam garden
23 Oct-7 Nov (NEB) - first record from coastal East Africa.

Tauraco leucolophus White-crested Turaco E: 1 Nakuru NP 1 Jan (BSM).

CUCULIDAE: Cuckoos and Coucals

Cercococcyx montanus Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo R: 1 netted Pugu Hills near
Dar es Salaam 25 Jun (SNS); also seen there Dec (KMH) - first records for
Dar area.

Clamator glandarius Great Spotted Cuckoo.
Clamator jacobinus Black and White Cuckoo.
Clamator levaillantii Levaillant's Cuckoo.
Records for the above three species to be summarized later in a special report.

Cuculus clamosus Black Cuckoo R: Recorded Sokoke 15 Apr (HAB, PLB), Baringo 10
and 16 Aug (TS, DEW), and daily at Naivasha in Aug (DAT, DEW). Numerous
records E Kenya at Isiolo, Endau, Mtito Andei and Tsavo West NP during Nov-
Dec (DJP, DAT).

Calling Rukwa Valley and Tatanda areas, SW Tanzania, Sep-Dec (DCM).

138 East African Bird Report 1981

Cuculus gularis African Cuckoo R: Calling at Ndutu (Serengeti NP, T) 8 Jan
(JSSB), 1 Magadi road 5 Apr (DKR), 1 Baringo 22 Apr (TS), 1 Mikumi NP (T)
20 Apr (NEB), 1 near Arusha 19 Sep (JSSB), juv. at Naivasha 19 Sep (RDM),
calling at Tatanda (T) Sep-Dec (DCM).

Pachycoccyx audeberti Thick-billed Cuckoo R: 1 Tana river reserve 6 Aug (PBT).

Ceuthmochares aereus Yellowbill M: Many records coastal Kenya 1-23 Aug, then
only singles Nyali 2-29 Oct (PBT). Numerous and vocal Dar es Salaam and
Pugu forest Oct-Dec (KMH).

Centropus cupreicaudus Coppery-tailed Coucal M: Recorded Lake Sundu and
20km W of Tatanda, SW Tanzania, Dec (DCM)- first records for many years.

Centropus grillii Black Coucal R: A few Mikumi NP (T) 5 Feb and 18 Apr (NEB).
A few 20km W of Tatanda (T) 29-30 Dec (DCM).

Centropus senegalensis Senegal Coucal E: A pair Akala (Siaya) 5 Jan (ADL).

STRIGIDAE: Owls
Asio capensis African Marsh Owl E: 1 Bamburi 8-10 May (CT, PBT) - first
record from the coast.

Bubo poensis vossleri Nduk Eagle Owl R: 1 Ambangulul, W Usambaras (T), 24 Feb
(SNS, KMH), and recorded Amani (T) Mar and Aug (SNS).

Otus leucotis White-faced Scops Owl R: A pair Baringo 21 Feb-7 Apr, and a
single seen 24 Apr (TS). 1 near Jangalo, southeast of Kondoa (T) 3 May
(JSSB), and 1 calling Tatanda (T) 13 and 21 Nov (DCM).

Glaucidium capense Barred Owlet R: Recorded only from Sokoke.

CAPRIMULGIDAE: Nightjars

Caprimulgus clarus Slender-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus donaldsoni Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar

Caprimulgus fossii Gabon Nightjar

Caprimulgus tristigma Freckled Nightjar
Records for the above four REQUESTED species to be summarized later in a
special report.

Caprimulgus fraenatus Dusky Nightjar R: 1 dead on road near Narok 16 Mar (DJP,
ADL). 3 caught Ngulia 28 Nov-1 Dec (GCB, DJP).

Caprimulgus inornatus Plain Nightjar R: 8 caught Ngulia 20 Nov-5 Dec (GCB, DJP).

APODIDAE: Swifts and Spinetails
Apus berliozi Forbes-Watson's Swift S(B): A few over Sokoke forest 5 Dec (DAT).

Apus horus Horus Swift R: Large flocks over Mara GR 17-18 Mar (DAT). A few
Magadi road 29 Mar and 20 Dec (DKR), and a few Karura forest, Nairobi, 13 May
(FN).

Schoutedenapus myoptilus Scarce Swift R: 2 at base Mt Kasigau (Voi) 21 and 23
Jan (DAT), 15-20 Mountain Lodge, Mt Kenya foothills, 2 Mar and 26 Oct (DAT),
and 25 Malakisi, Mt Elgon foothills, 17 Jun (ADL, DJP).

Common over Shagayu and Shume forests, W Usambaras (T), early May (SNS,EOW).

Neafrapus boehmi Bohm's Spinetail E: Fairly common over forest in E Uluguru
foothills (T) 18-19 Jul (FPJ, SNS). A few Mikumi NP (T) Jul and Aug (NEB,
GWN, SNS).

7
—

East African Bird Report 1981 139

Telecanthura ussheri Mottle-throated Spinetail E: 1 Mountain Lodge, Mt Kenya
foothills 26 Oct (DAT). Small numbers over forest E Uluguru foothills (T)
Jul (FPJ, SNS).

COLIIDAE: Mousebirds
Colius leucocephalus White-headed Mousebird E: A few Maktau (Taveta) 7 Nov (DAT).

MEROPIDAE: Bee-eaters
Merops hirundineus R: Small flocks in SW Tanzania at Tatanda 24 Nov and Rukwa
Valley 6 Dec (DCM).

CORACIIDAE: Rollers
Coracias abyssinica Abyssinian Roller R: 1 Kisumu airport 3 Jan (ADL).

Eurystomus glaucurus Broad-billed Roller E: 1 Nairobi early May (FN). 4 over
Mau forest near Kericho 21 Jul (DAT).

CAPITONIDAE: Barbets and Tinkerbirds
Lybius minor Black-backed Barbet R: In southern Tanzania present throughout
year at Tatanda and 1 near Tunduma Dec (NEB).

Pogoniulus simplex Green Tinkerbird E: Common E Uluguru foothills (T) Jul
(SNS, FPJ).

Trachyphonus usambiro Usambiro Barbet E: 1 Muhoro Bay (S Nyanza) 17 Mar (ADL,
DJP).

INDICATORIDAE: Honeyguides
Indicator variegatus Scaly-throated Honeyguide E: 1 netted Pugu Hills (T)
23 May (NEB, EOW) was first record for Dar es Salaam area.

Prodotiscus insignis Cassin's Honeybird E: 1 Kericho 22 Jul (SB, JM, DAT).

PICIDAE: Woodpeckers and Wrynecks

Jynx ruficollis Red-throated Wryneck R: Several Bomet-Sotik area 16 Mar (ADL,
DJP), 1 Nakuru 25 Jul (MEJG), 1 Mt Elgon Lodge 13 Aug (DEW), 2 Mara GR
20 Aug (DEW), several records Nairobi area Aug (MEJG, JM), 1 near Eldoret
23 Aug (JB, RDM).

Picoides obsoletus Brown-backed Woodpecker R: 1 Maralal 5 Mar (ADL, DJP).
1 Ololua forest area Nairobi 27 Aug and 26 Oct (DKR).

EURYLAIMIDAE: Broadbills

Smithornis capensis African Broadbill R: 1 netted W Usambaras (T) at 1000m
15 Apr (SNS). Common up to 1500m Mwanihana forest W Uzungwa Mts (T) Jul
and mid Sep (SNS, KMH, TAvdW). Calling Pugu Hills forest near Dar es
Salaam 26 Sep, 17-18 Oct, 13 Nov and 6 Dec (KMH). Calling Kakamega forest
31 Oct (DAT).

ALAUDIDAE: Larks
Eremopterix leucotis Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark N: 100+ Aruba, Tsavo East NP,
24 Jan (DAT).

Mirafra africanoides Fawn-coloured Lark E: 1 Mara GR 18 Mar (DAT).

HIRUNDINIDAE: Swallows and martins

Hirundo atrocaerulea Blue Swallow R: Several around Mufindi (T) early Feb
(NEB).

Hirundo daurica Red-rumped Swallow N: 1000+ resting on open ground, Ngorongoro
crater (T) 9 Aug (NEB).

Hirundo dimidiata Pearl-breasted Swallow S(A): 2 Lake Sundu, SW Tanzania in
Sep (DCM). Although it frequently occurs in Zambia up to the Tanzanian
border, this is only the second report of this species within East Africa.

140 East African Bird Report 1981

Hirundo semirufa Rufous-chested Swallow E: 1 Tsavo East NP 14 Jul (PBT),
the first record east of the rift valley.

Psalidoprocne albiceps White-headed Rough-wing E: 1 with Black Rough-wings
P. pristoptera in Arusha NP (T) 17 Jul (NEB).

Riparia paludicola African Sand Martin E: 1 Bamburi 9 Oct (CT, PLB), the
first record from the coast.

CORVIDAE: Crows
Corvus albicollis White-necked Raven N: 40+ around Mombo (T) 26 Jul (NEB).

Corvus capensis Cape Rook E: 2 Dandora, near Nairobi, 29 Nov (BSM).

Corvus rhapidurus Fan-tailed Raven E: 4 Mwingi Market 15 Mar (RDM), 2 Meru
NP 25 Oct (DAT).

Corvus splendens Indian House Crow E: 13 flying north at a point 15kmN of
Kilifi on 15 "Mar (CHARS PLB):

REMIZIDAE: Penduline Tits
Remiz caroli African Penduline Tit E: Few Saiwa swamp 30 Oct (DAT).

Remiz musculus Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit E: 4 seen 20kmE of Embu 25 Apr
(RDM, JB). 3°Laiboro, 50kmN of Arusha, 31 Dec (GISSB)-

SALPORNITHIDAE: Spotted Creeper
Salpornis spilonota Spotted Creeper R: Common all year in miombo mixed bird
parties at Tatanda, SW Tanzania (DCM).

TIMALIIDAE: Babblers

Trichastoma rufipennis Pale-breasted Illadopsis E: Recorded three localities
W Usambaras (T) Apr-May (SNS), and common Kimboza, E Ulugurus (T) in Jul
(SNS, FPJ).
2 netted Pugu Hills (T) Jun were first records of race puguensis for many
years (SNS); also recorded there Sep-Dec (KMH, NEB).

Turdoides aylmeri Scaly Chatterer E: Resident in Salvadora thickets on W
side Lake Natron (T) (JSSB).

Turdoides hindei Hinde's Pied Babbler R: Party of 7 Masinga Dam (Embu)
24 Jan (BSM).

Turdoides plebejus Brown Babbler R: Party of 6 Akala (Siaya) 5 Jan (ADL),
and 1 Kitale 23 Aug (RDM, JB).

CAMPEPHAGIDAE: Cuckoo Shrikes

Campephega quiscalinaPurple-throated Cuckoo Shrike E: Pair Mt Elgon, N of
Malakisi, 13 Jun (ADL, DJP).
In Tanzania a pair Kimboza, E Uluguru foothills, 18 Jul, and also
recorded Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts, during Aug (FPJ). The first
records of the race muenzneri for many years.

Coracina pectoralis White-breasted Cuckoo Shrike R: Present all year in
miombo mixed bird parties at Tatanda, SW Tanzania (DCM).

PYCNONOTIDAE: Bulbuls
Andropadus gracilis Little Grey Greenbul R: No records away from Kakamega.

Phyllastrephus fischeri Fischer's Greenbul E: Fairly common E Uluguru foot-
hills in Jul (SNS, FPJ) and also recorded Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts
(T) in Aug (FPJ).

Phyllastrephus flavostriatus Yellow-streaked Greenbul E: Common Mwanihana
forest, Uzungwa Mts (T) Jan and Sep (SNS, TAvdW).

:

East African Bird Report 1981 141

Phyllastrephus strepitans Northern Brownbul E: Resident in Salvadora
thickets on W side Lake Natron (T) (JSSB).

TURDIDAE: Thrushes, Robins etc.
Alethe fuelleborni White-chested Alethe M: Common as low as 300min
Kimboza forest, E Uluguru foothills (T) in Jul (SNS, FPJ).

Cercomela familiaris Red-tailed Chat E: Recorded Lolgorien escarpment,
northern Mara GR, Jul-Aug (DAT).

Cercotrichas hartlaubi Brown-backed Scrub Robin R: Records from Sotik (Mar)
and Endebess (Aug) (ADL, DJP, DEW).

Cossypha heuglini White-browed Robin Chat M: 4 singing in remnant forest at
2300m at summit of Oldonyo Lolkisale (T) (JSSB).

Cossypha natalensis Red-capped Robin Chat D,E: Kenya coastal records from
25 Apr-10 Nov. Common and singing Kitovu forest, Taveta, 21-22 Mar (PBT).
1 near Endebess 13 Aug (DEW). 1 caught at night at Negulia 6 Dec was first
record from the Lodge (GCB, DJP).
In Tanzania, recorded W Usambaras Apr-May (SNS) and Lake Natron Oct and
Dec (JSSB).

Cossypha niveicapilla Snowy-headed Robin Chat E: Common in all forest patches
around Kericho in Jul (DAT, JM, SB).

Dryocichloides anomalus Olive-flanked Ground Robin M: Common and tame on
higher regions of Lupanga Mt, N Ulugurus (T) in Jul (SNS, FPJ).

Dryocichloides bocagei Bocage's Ground Robin S(A): Recorded Tatanda (T) in
Dec, the first East African record of the race chapini. See also Scopus 6
a0-aT

Dryocichloides lowei Iringa Ground Robin R: Fairly common Mufindi (T) in May
(SNS, EOW).

Modulatrix orostruthus Dappled Mountain Robin S(B): A new race sanjei
described from a bird collected at 1250min Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts
(T) on 4 Aug (FPJ). See also Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club
102: 95-99.

Modulatrix strictigula Spot-throat M: Abundant throughout the Uluguru forests
(T) down to 1250m in Jul (SNS, FPJ).

Monticola rufocinerea Little Rock Thrush R: Recorded from two sites Naivasha
(Jan and Oct-Dec), and from Colcheccio Lodge N of Baringo (Aug) (RDM, DAT,
DEW).

Myrmecocichla nigra Sooty Chat E: Pair on escarpment, Kericho-Kisumu road,
Nov (DAT).

Neocossyphus rufus Red-tailed Ant Thrush E: Recorded Pugu Hills (T) Jun, Oct
and Dec (SNS, KMH), the first records there for some years.

Oenanthe pileata Capped Wheatear E: 1 at Korr, Kaisut desert, 24 May (ADL).

Pogonocichla stellata White-starred Forest Robin M: In Tanzania, recorded
down to 500min W Usambaras in May, down to 300m in E Uluguru foothills
in Jul and down to 3-400m in E Usambaras in Sep (SNS).

Sheppardia gunningi East Coast Akalat R: Away from Sokoke, recorded in Pugu
hills (T), where frequently netted (NEB, KMH, EOW).

Sheppardia sharpei Sharpe's Akalat M: Recorded down to 600m Amani-Sigi
forest, E Usambaras (T) in Aug (SNS).

142 East African Bird Report 1981

Swynnertonia swynnertoni Swynnerton's Forest Robin S(A): A new race rodgersi
described from specimens collected in Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts (T)
Aug-Sep (FPJ, SNS, KMH, TAvdW). The first records of this species for
East Africa. See also Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 102:

Turdus fischeri Spotted Ground Thrush R: First recorded Sokoke 3 May (CT,
PBT).

Turdus gurneyi Orange Ground Thrush M: | at 2300mat Kaweteri (Mbeya, T)
Jun (NEB). As low as 450mAmani-Sigi forest, E Usambaras (T) Aug (SNS).

SYLVIIDAE: Warblers

Apalis chariessa White-winged Apalis S(B): In Tanzania, a few Mwanihana
forest, Uzungwa Mts, Jan and Sep (SNS, KMH); also a few Uluguru Mts,
above Morningside in Oct (DCM) and on E slopes Lupanga Mt in Jul (SNS,
FPJ).

Apalis melanocephala Black-headed Apalis E: Pair at 1020m Mt Kasigau,
19 Aug (DAT).

Apalis moreaui Long-billed Apalis E: A few pairs Monga, 8kmNW of Amani (T)
Apr (SNS).

Cisticola carruthersi Carruthers' Cisticola E: Common Homa Bay and Kendu
Bay Mar and Jul (ADL, DJP, DAT).

Cisticola lais Wailing Cisticola E: Two pairs Gol Mts, W of Lake Natron (T)
Oct (JSSB).

Eremomela scotops Green-capped Eremomela E: Small party Sokoke forest
17 Apr (PBT), and party of 5 some 20kmE of Embu 25 Apr (RDM, JB).

Hyliota australis Southern Hyliota R: Records of the race usambarae at
350m, Kihinhui-Sigi forest, E Usambara foothills (T) on 26 Mar, and
at 1000mDindira, W Usambaras (T) on 9 May (SNS). Recorded as usual
Kakamega.

Hyliota flavigaster Yellow-bellied Hyliota R: A pair in woodland, Kisumu-
Kericho 18 Aug, and 1 NW corner Mara GR 20 Aug (DEW).

Macrosphenus kretschmeri Kretschmer's Longbill E: Fairly common Mwanihana
forest, Uzungwa Mts (T), Jan and Sep (SNS, KMH, TAvdW).

Phylloscopus ruficapilla Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler M: Recorded as
low as 500min W Usambara foothills (T) during May (SNS).

Phylloscopus umbovirens Brown Woodland Warbler M: The endemic race
fuggelescouchmani fairly common at S end Uluguru range (T) around the
Lukwangule plateau at 2250-2400mduring Jul (SNS, FPJ).

Spiloptila rufifrons Red-fronted Warbler E: A few near Jangalo, SE of
Kondoa (T) 3 May (JSSB).

Sylvietta brachyura Northern Crombec E: A few to the SW of Lake Natron,
W of Ketumneini and N of Mondule (T) Aug (JSSB).

Sylvietta rufescens Long-billed Crombec S(A): Recorded near Tatanda, SW
Tanzania, 11 Dec (DCM, RS).
The first record from East Africa. See Scopus 6:36-37.

Sylvietta ruficapilla Red-capped Crombec S(A): Recorded near Tatanda, SW
Tanzania, 14 Dec (DCM, RS).
The first record from East Africa. See also Scopus 6:36-37.

East African Bird Report 1981 143

MUSCICAPIDAE: Flycatchers

Melaenornis pammelaina Southern Black Flycatcher E: Tanzanian range
extended to W Usambara with records two localities at 1000mduring Apr
and May (SNS).

Muscicapa caerulescens Ashy Flycatcher E: Pair Pugu hills 25 Jun was first
record for the area (SNS, NEB).

Muscicapa lendu Chapin's Flycatcher S(B): 1 Kakamega forest late Jun(DAZ).

Myioparus plumbeus Lead-coloured Flycatcher E: Recorded throughout the year
Baringo (TS).

Batis soror East Coast Batis M: Recorded up to at least 800min Uzungwa Mts
(T) during Jan and Sep (SNS).

Bias musicus Black and White Flycatcher R: In Uzungwas (T), seen at 700min
Mwanihana forest (Jul) and at 300mat Sanje (Sep) (SNS, KMH, TAvdW).
Several E Uluguru foothills (T) in Jul (SNS, FPJ).

Platysteira peltata Black-throated Wattle-eye E: Small parties on several
occasions Nyali, Mombasa (CT, PBT).
Recorded at 500m in Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts (T) Jul (SNS).

Erranornis albicauda White-tailed Blue Flycatcher R: 1 near Mufindi (T)
7 Feb (NEB).

Erythrocercus livingstonei Livingstone's Flycatcher E: Recorded Mwanihana
forest, Uzungwa Mts (T) Jul (FPJ), a considerable extension of known range.

Trochocercus albonotatus White-tailed Crested Flycatcher M: As low as 500m
in W Usambaras (T) in May (SNS).

MOTACILLIDAE: Wagtails, pipits and longclaws

Anthus sokokensis Sokoke Pipit R: Three sightings Sokoke forest mid Apr
(HAB, PLB). 2 Pugu hills 21 May and 1 seen 22 May (EOW), the first records
from Tanzania for over 40 years.

Macronyx aurantiigula Pangani Longclaw E: | Cottar's Camp, Mara GR, 3 Nov
(DAT), the first record for W Kenya.

MALACONOTIDAE: Bush Shrikes

Malaconotus alius Uluguru Bush Shrike S(B): An immature seen at 1650mon W
slopes Mt Lupanga, N Ulugurus (T), 2 Jul, and an adult seen and heard
nearby on 5 Jul. Others heard both E and W slopes Lupanga down to 1500m,
and at 2000mat Lukwangule plateau, S Ulugurus. Apparently widely distri-
buted in the Ulugurus, but at low density, and extremely elusive (SNS, FPJ).
First records of this species for almost 20 years.

Malaconotus blanchoti Grey-headed Bush Shrike E: | in Nairobi suburban
garden 21 May (FN).

Malaconotus multicolor Many-coloured Bush Shrike M: The race nigrifrons
recorded down to 500m in W Usambaras (T), and down to 300min E Ulugurus
(T) and in E Usambaras during May (SNS).

PRIONOPIDAE: Helmet Shrikes

Prionops scopifrons Chestnut-fronted Helmet Shrike M: Party of 10 Pugu hills
(T) 22 May (EOW) and others Oct-Dec (KMH). Small numbers E Uluguru foot-
hills (T) Jul (SNS, FPJ).

STURNIDAE: Starlings and oxpeckers

Cinnyricinclus femoralis Abbott's Starling R: 3 Castle Forest Station, Mt
Kenya 24 Apr (RDM, JB).
In Tanzania, several parties Mt Meru Oct-Dec (JSSB), and 1 at 2100m
below Mandara hut, Mt Kilimanjaro, 11 Aug (SNS).

144 East African Bird Report 1981

Cinnyricinclus sharpei Sharpe's Starling R: Recorded S slopes Mt Kenya
Apr (RDM, JB) and Nyahururu falls Oct (DAT). Party of 12+ Olulua forest
Nairobi, 27 Dec (DKR).

Cosmopsarus unicolor Ashy Starling E: 4 salt pans near Dar es Salaam
24 Oct (NEB), first record for the area.

Creatophora cinerea Wattled Starling E: 2 Dar es Salaam 10 Oct (NEB).

Lamprotornis purpureus Purple Glossy Starling R: Several Akala (Siaya)
3 Jan (ADL). Recorded Tabora 6 Jan (RKW), the first record for Tanzania.

Poeoptera kenricki Kenrick's Starling M:. Large flock Kimboza forest, at
only 300min E Uluguru foothills (T), 18 Jul (SNS). Also as low as
450mSigi valley, E Usambaras (T), Aug (SNS).

E: 7 Mufindi (T) 25 Aug (NEB), a new locality between the Njombe and
Uluguru populations. Also several at 1500m Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa
Mts (T) (SNS).

Speculipastor bicolor Magpie Starling R: Large flocks along coast from
Mombasa to the Tana river and inland to Voi during Aug-Oct (DAT, PBT);
also 5 Sabaki 5 Apr (RDM).

Spreo fischeri Fischer's Starling E: 1 Lembeni 55kmSSE of Moshi 22 Dec
(JSSB)

Spreo shelleyi Shelley's Starling R: 35-40 (adults and juveniles) Rukanga
near Mt Kasigau, 17 Aug (DAT).

NECTARINIIDAE: Sunbirds

Anthreptes neglectus Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird E: Recorded W Usambaras
(T) Apr-May and Uzungwas (T) Aug-Sep, both new localities.
M: As low as 300mE Uluguru foothills (T) in Jul (SNS, FPJ).

Anthreptes rectirostris Green Sunbird E: Male seen Kericho 18 Aug (DEW).

Anthreptes rubritorques Banded Green Sunbird M: As low as 750mat Magrotto,
E Usambaras (T), Apr (SNS).

Nectarinia habessirica Shining Sunbird R: Recorded Kapedo Feb, Jul, Oct and
Dec, and probably resident there (TS).

Nectarinia hunteri Hunter's Sunbird E: Male near Akala (Siaya) 5 Jan (ADL),
a surprising extension of range.

Nectarinia reichenowi Golden-winged Sunbird E: 1 Baringo 15-16 Apr (TS).

Nectarinia sp.nov. Rufous-winged Sunbird: New species to be described from
Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts (T), where it is reasonable common (FPJ,SNS).

Nectarinia tacazze Tacazze Sunbird E: 1 10kmNW of Nairobi 28 Jan (FN).

ZOSTEROPIDAE: White-eyes
Zosterops poliogastra Montane White-eye E: Small flock of the Taita Hills
race silvana at 1300mMt Kasigau 19 Aug (DAT).

PLOCEIDAE: Weavers etc;

Anomalospiza imberbis Parasitic Weaver R: A few records Siaya and South
Nyanza Jan and Mar (ADL). Many sightings Nairobi NP Mar-May, and last
record Nairobi area 1 Ruiru 24 Jun.

East African Bird Report 1981 145

Euplectes afer Yellow-crowned Bishop N: 250+ Mwea rice scheme Apr (RDM).
Common Lake Baringo Jun-Oct (TS).

Euplectes diadematus Fire-fronted Bishop E: Male in breeding plumage
Naivasha 26 Apr (DJP).

Euplectes orix Southern Red Bishop E: Male in breeding plumage Naivasha
26 Apr (DJP).

Ploceus aurantius Orange Weaver R: Male by lakeshore Kisumu 2 Nov (DAT).

Ploceus bicolor Dark-backed Weaver E: Common Mwanihana forest, Uzungwa Mts
(T), Jan and Sep (SNS, KMH, TAvdW).

Ploceus golandi Clarke's Weaver R: Small numbers recorded Sokoke forest
Aug (PBT) and early Nov (DAT).

Ploceus jacksoni Golden-backed Weaver E: 3-4 males in breeding plumage
Dar es Salaam 31 Jan (NEB).

Ploceus oliveiceps Olive-headed Golden Weaver R: Tanzania records of the
race nicolli (Usambara Weaver): pair Mazumbai, W Usambaras, 12 Apr (SNS);
1 at 1350mLupanga Mt, N Ulugurus, 14 Jul (SNS, FPJ); 3 Mwanihana forest
Uzungwa Mts, 17 Sep (SNS, TAvdW).

Ploceus superciliosus Compact Weaver R: | near Homa Bay 18 Mar (ADL, DJP),
and several Mumias Jun-Jul (ADL, JM, DJP, DAT).

Quelea cardinalis Cardinal Quelea E: 3 males of race rhodesiae Tsavo East NP
23 Apr (PLB).

Quelea erythrops Red-headed Quelea N: Flocks totalling 1000+ near Ramisi,
S Kenya coast, 26 Oxt (PBT).

Bubalornis niger Red-billed Buffalo Weaver E: 1 Dar es Salaam 2 Aug (NEB);
first record for the area.

Pseudonigrita arnaudi Grey-headed Social Weaver E: 2 Dar es Salaam 12 Apr
(NEB); first record for the area.

Passer castanopterus Somali Sparrow R: Nesting pair at Korr, Kaisut desert,
N Kenya 23 May (ADL). A few pairs at Kapedo, where believed resident (TS).

Vidua fischeri Straw-tailed Wydah E: 2 males in breeding plumage Dar es
Salaam 12 Apr (NEB); first records for the area.

Vidua obtusa Broad-tailed Paradise Wydah R: Male in breeding plumage Tunduru
S Tanzania 3 Jun (NEB).

ESTRILDIDAE: Waxbills etc.
Clytospiza montieri Brown Twinspot E: 3 near Akala (Siaya) 5 Jan (ADL).

Estrilda perreini Lavender Waxbill M: 4 near Sanje, Uzungwa Mts (T) Sep(KMH).
Nigrita bicolor Chestnut-breasted Negro Finch E: 2 Kakamega 25 Aug (RDM).

Pyrenestes minor Lesser Seed-cracker S(B): | Kimboza forest, E Uluguru foot-
hills (T) 19 Jul (SNS).

Lonchura fringilloides Magpie Mannikin R: Few at 750mE Usambaras (T) in Apr
(SNS), the first records of this species in recent years.

Lonchura malabarica Silverbill E: Adult carrying nest material Dar es
Salaam 11 Feb (NEB), the first record for the area.

146 East African Bird Report 1981

FRINGILLIDAE: Buntings, canaries etc.
Serinus burtoni Thick-billed Seed-eater E: 1 Mufindi 14 May (EOW) was of the
distinctive race melanochrous.

Serinus reichardi Stripe-breasted Seed-eater R: Present all year in miombo
woodland around Tatanda, SW Tanzania (DCM).

PALAEARCTIC SPECIES

Ixobryuchus m. minutus Little Bittern R: Singles Bamburi 17-18 Jan (PBT), and
Dar es Salaam 3 Mar and 11 Dec (NEB). Up to 3 Baringo end Oct (TS).

Ciconia ciconia White Stork N: cl1500 Aruba Dam 7 Jan (PBT). c2500 moving NNW
Homa Bay 17 Mar (ADL, DJP).

Ciconia nigra Black Stork R: Singles Nairobi area Jan-Feb and Oct-Nov. 1 Meru
NP 25 Oct (DAT), 3 Thika 15 Nov (RDM), 1 Mara GR 28 Nov (DAT). Singles
Arusha NP 14 Nov (JSSB) and Lake Manyara 30 Dec (JMC).

Platalea leucorodia Eurasian Spoonbill S: A single bird Lake Nakuru Jan and
May (VH), and from 14 Oct-11 Nov (DKR, RS, DAT et al.).
Satisfactory details, including colour photographs, submitted.
There are only four previous Kenya records, all involving single birds.

Anas acuta Pintail N: c8000 Simini's Dam, Kinangop, 27 Jan (DJP).
D: Presumed oversummering birds as follows: 1 Limuru 10 May (DJP), 3 Arusha
NP 3 Aug and 1 there 30 Aug (JSSB, CCHE).
E: Other records from Tanzania and Uganda as follows: 8 Dar es Salaam 9 Jan
and 5 on 11 Feb (JMC, NEB); 11 Lake Sundu 16 Dec (NEB); nr Kampala
3 Kibimba 8 Nov and 3°Mabamba Swamp 15 Nov (MJC).

Anas crecca Teal S: Present Thika OPs Jan-Mar and Nov-Dec with max. counts
55 on 3 Jan, 60 on 24 Jan and 45 on 3 Feb (BSM, RDM, DJP et al.). Up to 8
Dandora OPs Jan-Mar and Nov-Dec (BSM, DJP et al.). 1-2 Naivasha Jan-early
Mar and 15 on 16 Dec; 10 Lake Nakuru 18 Jan (BS, DJP). 20+ Lake Solai Jan
and again late Nov-Dec (JS). 28 Sergoit, nr Eldoret 31 Jan (DJP, ADL).

1 Aruba 24 Jan (DAT).

Anas penelope Wigeon S: Singles Dandora OPs 2-4 Jan, Thika OPs 3 Jan and
Naivasha 28 Feb (BSM, DKR). 6 Lake Solai 19 Jan, 5+ Lessos 31 Jan,
2 Nyahururu Falls 2 Feb and c20 Kaptagat 1 Feb (DJP, ADL). 3 Amboseli
24-25 Mar (DAT).

Anas querquedula Garganey E: Recorded from south of 10°S as follows: 6 Lake
Sundu 16 Dec and 6 Lake Ngwasi, Mufindi (T) 20 Dec (DCM, NEB).

Anas clypeata Shoveler N: Large concentration of 5000+ Lake Solai 19 Dec (DJP).

Aythya ferina Northern Pochard S$: 2 males Ferguson's Gulf, Lake Turkana
10 Feb (FA). Satisfactory description received.
The fifth Kenya record and the first since 1977.

Aythya fuligula Tufted Duck S: 2 males Lanet-Ol Joro Orok, 2 Feb (ADL,DJP).

Aythya nyroca White-eyed Pochard S: 4 Dandora OPs 1 Jan (DJP); 2 there 2 Jan,
1 3-4 Jan and 1 9 Jan (BSM, ADL, DJP, DAT, DEGB, HAB, PLB). 1 Thika OPs
3 Jan and 1 4 Feb (BSM, ADL, DJP). 2 Naivasha 1 Mar (BSM).
The first records in East Africa since 1974 - see also Scopus 5:77-79.

Aguila heliaca Imperial Eagle S: A juvenile Lukenya 30 Dec (DJP).
Now recorded for six years running in Kenya.

East African Bird Report 1981 147

Aquila pomarina Lesser Spotted Eagle R: Singles Dandora | Jan, Nakuru | Jan,
Lanet 9 Jan, Gilgil 9 Jan, Njabini 27 Jan, 01 Bolossat 2 Feb, Naivasha
27 Jan and 15 Feb, Elmenteita 14 Feb and 23 Mar and Langata 7 Mar (BSM,
DJP, ADL, DKR). 3+ flying NW Homa Bay 17 Mar (ADL, DJP). 5 at roost nr
Mufindi, Tanzania, 7 Feb (NEB).
Singles Mwadui 8 Nov, Tatunda 13 Dec, and Naivasha 1 Nov and 26 Dec;
also 3 Isiolo 14 Nov and up to 3 Ngulia 19-29 Nov (DKR, DCM, RS, DJP, AEB).
Fewer records of southward passage birds than in other recent years.

Buteo buteo Steppe Buzzard N: c20 moving NNW Homa Bay 17 Mar (ADL, DJP) -
see also Scopus 5: 83-84.

Hieraaetus pennatus Booted Eagle R: All records received are given.
17 Kenya records of 1-2 birds up to 17 Mar and from 23 Oct, from central
highlands, the southeast and the coast (6 records 20 Jan-1 Mar, Mombasa-
Lake Shakababo) (many observers). Also 1 Homa Bay and another Kisii 17 Mar
(ADL, DJP).
There were more records in 1981 than all records documented by Backhurst
ee al. 1973.

Pernis apivorus Honey Buzzard R: Singles Eldama Ravine 9 Jan, Gede 23 Jan,
Homa Bay (moving NNW) 17 Mar, Tigoni 28 Mar, Mida 28 Mar, 29 Mar and
14 Apr, Diani 9 Apr and Tsavo E NP 23 Apr (BSM, HAB, PLB, ADL, DJP, MACC).
Also Nairobi 26 Oct, Voi 22 Nov and Dar es Salaam (moving S) 20 Nov (DJP,
RDM, NEB).

Pandion haliaetus Osprey D: | Lake Jipe 12 July (PBT).

Falco amurensis Eastern Red-footed Falcon S: Singles nr Mufindi (T) 5 & 7 Feb
(NEB). 2 Mtito Andei 11 Nov (DAT); 1 Meru NP 18 Nov (DAT); 1 Bamburi | Dec
(PBT) and | Konza (adult male) 28 Dec (DJP).

Falco concolor Sooty Falcon S$: Adults Bamburi 19 Mar (PBT, CT), Tsavo W NP
11 Nov (DAT) and Thika 15 Nov (JHB, RDM). A juvenile Ngulia 19 Nov (DJP).

Falco eleonorae Eleonora's Falcon S: 1 Lolkisale, SW of Arusha, 15 Jan
(JSSB) and 1 Karen 29 Nov (DKR).

Falco naumanni Lesser Kestrel N: Concentrations of cl70 Sarya Plains 2 Jan
(TMC); and c500 Chyulu Hills 20-24 Feb (BSM).

Falco peregrinus Peregrine R: presumed Palaearctic birds as follows:
Singles Dar es Salaam 9 Jan, Mida 18 Jan, Mombasa 11 Feb and Sabaki
30 Jan and 5 Apr (JMC, PLB, HAB, RDM, KC). A large pale bird seen at
close range Nakuru 18 Jan appeared to be Falco p.calidus (DJP).

Falco vespertinus Red-footed Falcon S: A party of 25+ nr Maktau 20 Mar (PBT)
- see also Scopus 5: 125.

The seventh record for East Africa, but the first involving more than
three birds.

Crex crex Corncrake R: | Bamburi 6 May (PBT). | Nairobi NP 7 Nov (RDM).
1 Tatanda 29 Nov and 1 20km W Tatanda 29 Dec (DCM).

Porzana porzana Spotted Crake R: 1 Athi River 19 April and 2 there 25 Apr
(DJP); 1 Bamburi 6 May (PBT).
1 20km W Tatanda 30 Dec (DCM).
The Bamburi record is the first from the Kenya coast.

148 East African Bird Report 198]

Haematopus ostralegus Oystercatcher R: Records of a single bird from three
localities Mombasa 17 Jan-25 Mar (CT, PBT, HAB, PLB) probably refer to one
individual.

1 Galu Beach 22 Feb and 30 Sep (MACC); 1 Mida 18 Jan (HAB, PLB).

3 Dar es Salaam 31 Jan and 2 there 21 Nov (NEB).

Charadrius alexandrinus Kentish Plover S: 1 Lake Elmenteita 14 Feb (DEGB,
DJP).

Charadrius dubius Little Ringed Plover R: Wintering records from over 20
sites, max; 30+ Lake Nakuru, late Dec (DJP).

Charadrius leschenaultii Great Sandplover E: INLAND: 1 Dandora OPs 13-14
Oct (DAT, DJP).

Charadrius mongolus Mongolian Sandplover E: INLAND: 2 Lake Naivasha 11 Oct
(DAT) and 1 Lake Baringo 1-8 Jan (DJP, TS).

Pluvialis dominicus Lesser Golden Plover S: 1 Dar es Salaam 8 Jan (JMC),
1 Malindi 23 Jan (HAB, PLB), 3 Lake Bilissa 28 Feb (PLB, MACC, DJP).
3 Aruba 11 Nov (DAT). 1 Ngare Nanyuki (T) 18 Nov (JSSB).

Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover E: INLAND: 2 Lake Baringo 5 Jan-8 Mar (ADL,
TS) and 1 15 Mar (TS). 1 Ferguson's Gulf 1-4 Oct (FA).

Numenius argquata Curlew E: INLAND: 2 Nakuru 18 Jan (DJP). Singles Nairobi NP
18 Jan (RDM), Ferguson's Gulf 10 Feb (FA), Lake Elmenteita 14 Feb (DEGB,
DJP) and Mwea rice scheme 21 Feb (RDM).

Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel E: INLAND: 1 Lake Natron (T) 24 Aug (JSSB).

Limosa lapponica Bar-tailed Godwit R: Several records up to 3 birds Mombasa
and S coast Kenya late Aug-Oct; also 2 Galu Beach 19 Feb (MACC) and 1 Gazi
31 Mar (MACC). Recorded Mida to 30 May and from 23 Aug (max, 8+ 20 Oct
and 11 18 Apr. MACC, MEJG. DJP, PBT).

3 Dar es Salaam 12 Dec (NEB).

Limosa limosa Black-tailed Godwit R: Several records of 1-2 birds S Kenyan
rift lakes to 20 Feb and from 15 Nov.

4 Lake Bilissa 28 Feb and 15 there 12 Dec (DJP, MACC). 3 Ngomeni salt pans
30 May and 1 there 7 June (HAB, PLB, CT, PBT).

4 Kibimba, nr Kampala 3 Nov (MJC).

The Kampala record is only the second for Uganda.

Tringa erythropus Spotted Redshank R: Wintering records from 21 localities,
max. 11 Magadi 25 Jan. (DEGB, DJP).

Tringa totanus Redshank R: Recorded Mida to 28 Mar and from 20 Nov, max.
7 Birds; 1 there 16 July. (PLB).
1 Lake Jipe 1! Mar (DKR).

Xenus cinereus Terek Sandpiper N: Counts at Mida tidal roost, 200+ 28 Feb
and 250-300 19 Oct (DJP).

90+ there 30 May (PBT) were presumably non-breeding first summer birds.

Gallinago media Great Snipe R: 1 Bamburi 4-5 Sep and up to 7 there 24 Nov-
18 Dec (PBT). 5 Lake Bilissa 13 Dec (MACC, DJP).

so ad

East African Bird Report 1981 149

Calidris alba Sanderling E: INLAND: Mabamba, nr Kampala 11 Mar (AS, MJC).

Calidris melanotos Pectoral Sandpiper S: | Bamburi 28 Sep (PBT).
The second record for Kenya and E Africa - see also Scopus 6: 21-22.

Calidris ruficollis Red-necked Stint S: 2 Ngomeni salt pans 16-17 May (PBT,
CT, HAB, PLB).
The first record for Kenya and E Africa - see also Scopus 5: 126-128.

Calidris temminckii Temminck's Stint R: Wintering records from 17 inland
Kenyan localities, max 13 Naivasha 2 Jan (DJP).

Limicola falcinellus Broad-billed Sandpiper S: Recorded Sabaki to 24 Mar
and from Nov, max. 25 (PLB, DAT). Also 2 Ngomeni salt pans 20 Oct and
1 Bamburi 19 Dec (PBT).

Phalaropus lobatus Red-necked Phalarope S: c20 Diani 2km offshore 22 Feb
(MACC) and c70 same locality 7 Mar (MACC, HAB, PLB).

4 Lake Nakuru 18 Jan (DJP), 1 there Oct (BSM, DAT et al.) and 4 on 15 Nov
(DKR). 2 Ferguson's Gulf 1-4 Oct (FA).

1 Momella Lakes, Arusha NP 11 Apr (JSSB).

Burhinus oedicnemus Stone Curlew R: Party of 5 sisal plantation nr Solai
19 Jan (DJP); 1 freshly dead on road Mogotio 27 Oct (DAT).

Pratincola nordmanni Black-winged Pratincole S: 6 together Lake Baringo
2 Apr (TS). Satisfactory details received.
The fourth Kenyan record and the second in spring.

Stercorarius pomarinus Pomarine Skua S: A pale sub-adult Diani 6 Mar (HAB,
PLB, MACC) and a pale sub-adult Sabaki 18 Jan-14 Feb (HAB, PLB).
The fifth and sixth records for Kenya, although these perhaps refer to
the same bird.

Larus argentatus Herring Gull R: Sabaki river mouth to 5 Apr with very high
numbers beginning of year,e.g.c240 12 Jan and c280 30 Jan (PLB). High
numbers again end of year (DJP). Recorded Malindi to 3 Apr (max. 60 | Mar)
and | there 5 July; also 2 Mombasa (HAB, PLB) 5 Jan. 1 Dar es Salaam
28 Nov (NEB).

Larus genei Slender-billed Gull S: 1 Mombasa 10 Oct (PBT, CT). 4 Ferguson's
Gulf 25 Nov (TS).
The Mombasa record is the first away trom Lake Turkana.

Larus ichthyaethus Great Black-headed Gull S: 2 immatures Sabdaki River mouth
12 Jan and 23 Jan (HAB, PLB).

Larus ridibundus Black-headed Gull E: | Gaba nr Kampala 15 Mar (MJC).
There are still few Uganda records.

Chlidonias leucopterus White-winged Black Tern E: 50 Sabaki river mouth
5 Apr (RDM, KC) is a notable record for the coast. N: 5000+ Kisumu OPs
23 Mar (BSM).

Sterna hirundo Common Tern R: Reported as common by several observers on the
coast from Lamu to Dar es Salaam, with a few records of oversummering.
3000+ recorded Kilifi 20 Oct (MACC, DJP).

150 East African Bird Report 1981

Sterna caspia Caspian Tern N: 60 counted Sabaki river mouth 23 Jan (HAB,
PLB).

Sterna sandvicensis Sandwich Tern S: 1 Mombasa 12 Dec (DEGB, PBT).
Singles Dar es Salaam 25 Jan and 23 Dec (NEB).

Streptopelia turtur Turtle Dove S: 1 Samburu Lodge 3 Jan (VH, UH, RS) -
see Scopus 5: 128.
The second record for Kenya and East Africa.

Cuculus poliocephalus Lesser Cuckoo R: 1 Sokoke 15 Apr (HAB, PLB) was the
only record received.

Caprimulgus europaeus Eurasian Nightjar R: 1 Dar es Salaam 2 Apr (NEB); aparty
in from the sea Diani | Apr and one dead there same day (MACC);
1 Ngulia 5 Apr (DJP) and 1 Sabaki dunes 5 Apr (RDM). Recorded as
usual at Ngulia in Nov.

Cercotrichas galactotes Rufous Bush Chat E: AWAY FROM E KENYA: Up to 6
Baringo 23-28 Nov, 2 there early Dec and 1 31 Dec (TS).

Irania gutturalis Irania E: 1 Keekorok, Mara GR 19 Mar (DAT).
Luscinia luscinia Sprosser E: | Rukwa Valley (T) 6 Dec (DCM, RS).
Oenanthe oenanthe Northern Wheatear D: 1 Kaisut desert 23 May (ADL).

Phoenicurus phoenicurus Redstart R: 1 Naivasha 18 Jan (RDM, PR); 5+ Maralal
in open cedar woodland 6-7 Mar (ADL, DJP); 1 Baringo 15 Mar (TS);
1 Ngulia 24 Nov (DJP).

Saxicola rubetra Whinchat E: Several records to Mar and from Oct in Nakuru/
Menengai/Solai area (JPD, DJP). Singles Baringo 8 Feb and 2 Apr (TS) and
1 Bamburi 4 Oct (PBT).
In Tanzania singles Mufindi 6 Feb and Tatanda 15 Dec (NEB).
The Bamburi record is the first for coastal E Africa.

Acrocephalus griseldis Basra Reed Warbler R: AWAY FROM NGULIA: At least 2
Bamburi 25 Jan (PBT). Recorded from 5 localities Tana flood plain north
to Buomo Feb, Mar and Dec (HAB, PLB, MACC, DJP).

Acrocephalus palustris Marsh Warbler E: 2-3 Kindaruma 21 Mar presumed
wintering (DJP). 2 Ngulia 5 Apr and several Mtito Andei 7 Apr (DJP).
Common Isiolo 14 Nov and one same day nr Archer's Post (AEB, DJP).
Recorded as usual central and SE Kenya Nov-Dec.

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Sedge Warbler E: Small numbers recorded wintering
Bamburi (PBT).

Hippolais languida Upcher's Warbler R: AWAY FROM TSAVO: Common Garsen 28 Feb
(DJP). Common Sultan Hamud-Amboseli 12 Mar and nr Namanga 13 Mar (ADL, DJP).
Common Mtito Andei first week Apr (DJP).

Hippolais olivetorum Olive-tree Warbler S: 2 Baringo 24 Feb and 16 Mar (TS).
3 Mtito Andei 7 Apr (DJP); 1 Isiolo 14 Nov and at least 2 W of Ololokwe
15 Nov (AEB, DJP). Recorded at Ngulia as usual Nov-mid Dec.
Baringo is a new wintering site.

Locustella fluviatilis River Warbler R: 1 ringed Ngulia 6 Apr (DJP); recorded
there as usual Nov-Dec.

East African Bird Report 1981 151

Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaff R: 1 singing Nyakiambi (Lanet 01 Joro Orok)
2 Feb (ADL, DJP). 2 Irangi forest, Mt Kenya 21 Feb (RDM).

Ficedula albicollis Collared Flycatcher R: A female Tatanda (T) in miombo wood-
land 12 Dec (DCM, RS).
A known wintering area, but few recent records.

Motacilla alba White Wagtail E: | Bamburi 14 Dec and 1-2 19-26 Dec (PBT).
N: Up to 30 Kariobangi SF Jan-Feb (last record 14 Mar) is most recorded
at that site (DEGB, DJP).

Lanius collurio Red-backed Shrike N: 250+ Sabaki river mouth area 5 Apr
(RDM, KC). E: Presumed wintering birds W Kenya recorded Ukwala 6 Jan
and Lake Kanyaboli 7 Jan (ADL).

Lanius isabellinus Red-tailed Shrike E: | Dar es Salaam 27 Dec (NEB).

Lanius minor Lesser Grey Shrike D: An autumn bird (lst year) Meru NP
26 Oct (DAT). N: c50 Sabaki river mouth 5 Apr (RDM, KC).

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS FOR PREVIOUS YEARS

PALAEARCTIC SPECIES 1978:
Limosa limosa Black-tailed Godwit R: 4 Nakuru 25 May (PBT).

Larus genei Slender-billed Gull S(A): 1 Nakuru 28 Feb (GB-S). This was the
third East African record and the first away from Lake Turkana.

1979: The following records were erroneously included in the 1978 report,
but related to January 1979:

Falco amurensis Eastern Red-footed Falcon R: 1 Tunduma (T) 9 Jan (PBT).
Tringa erythropus Spotted Redshank R: 2 Ngorongoro crater (T) 5 Jan (PRT).

Locustella fluviatilis River Warbler R: 1 in sub-song Lukosi River (T)
8 Jan (PBT).

1980:
Platelea leucorodia Eurasian Spoonbill S(8): 1 Nakuru 19 Nov (VB).

Falco amurensis Eastern Red-footed Falcon R: 25 Langata, Nairobi 18 Nov (ST).

"FIRST' AND 'LAST' DATES FOR SOME PALAEARCTIC MIGRANT LANDBIRDS

(central/eastern Kenya and northern Tanzania)

Species Last Date First Date

Cuculus canorus Be tee le ew a. ep we ee ME Me Bar Ineo
C.poliocephalus ae es ce ADE (SOO .. 6) nk he ay el ee ew)
Caprimulgus europaeus . .. 5 Apr Ngulia,Sabaki. . 23 Oct Baringo
Eg a se 5) es o's 6 le «4 ce! op spe oe Sep. Apusha...
Gs. es os a ts ee ss se el ep W Kilimanjaro (T)
Memerem@ fipearia . . . . . . LO May Nakuru... . fel To, Mae ey ee
ee OftGlus . . . . . . 12 Apr Nairobi .. . . 26 Sep Ramburi
Beenie gutturalis'. ~. . . 19 Mar Mara GR ‘ aah PIMA tate (ya
Geeeinia luscinia ..... / Apr Mtito Andei . . 30 Oct Neulia .
eee mesaritis.. . .'. 31 Mar Vol ... .. « 14 Nov Isiolo .

SS a eg ee EE EES Se ee Ee ee ee

152 East African Bird Report 1981

'"First' and ‘last' dates of Palaearctic migrant landbirds, cont.

Species Last Date First Date

a a a a oe ET

Oenanthe isabellina . . . o% e's ww ete OPA) PO & Rea Oere ikem
O. oenanthe aten fer We OY Ae ee SS or pat pee VPS ep Reset eso.

0... pleschanka «Js.» *. »y «i» 1. 2 Apy, Nagrand. 4 ow ape te ee ees
Saxicola rubetra: 4... ©: ss \av2 Apr Babies. «6S ee 4 Oct Bamburi
Acrocephalus arundinaceus . .26 Apr Naivasha .... 7 Dec Ngulia ..
A. griseldis’ © (ON Te RP RE ON a a I, ee eee oe
A. palustris ©. 2.2). 2) Ape’ Merto! Andee 2 4 Nov Kariobangi.
A. schoenobaenus .. .. . .16 May Bamburi ..... 28 Oct Athi River.
A. SCIFPACEUS ») + %&) «,2 &. + te Day Apr Karsobanear (2 ee. eee
Hippolais languida .. .. . 7 Apr Mtito Andei . .. .23 Nov Ngulia. .
BE. palizda Viv ss . » =» 26 Apr Natvasha 0. 7%, 12.0 /OORE-Dantioes =.

Locustella fluviatilis \ © .°G Apr Newlia’’ 1.) 4 e220 New ieee
Phylloscopus trochilus .. . 1 May Tsavo West NP . . .10 Oct Arusha

Sylvia atricapilla ,..«.« + «24 Mar Kariohbanei .... «+s. J,Nov Kariobanser.
S. borin «0 © we e's 6 « viOs Ape \Kartobauei 7.7... NOW Rae tense
S. commis . . .«. « + « « @914 Apr Bissel ... «/» sce aoe Cerner
S. nisoria .... +.» « « 3 Ape Kariobane: . 2348 Nov eee ee

Muscicapa striata «sas .« (ss 6 Ape: Newliaio. 256° 4.0. Ba eer ete ee
Anthus cervinus . .. . . . . 3 Apr Kariobangi .. . .10 Nov Kariobangi.
A. trivialis . 63) 2s 3. GS Ape Neukia” 352%) 03 1\3 42ers
Motacilla alba ... . . . .14 Mar Kariobangi .. . .10 Nov Kariobangi.
BM. “GEAETCAS we) oa ele) me a ts ae he eer ie em Den) erie os al te
M. baw. tars ~ es sis &:« «29 Apr: Kariobanei ., 6 3, .255en, Rarrepages.

Lanius €O11lUrio...« » .« . & 614 Apr Bissell (S's. £0e £26 Gee Berm ge
L. isabellinus .... . .. 7 Apr Mtito Andei ... . 8 Nov Mwingi Mkt.
IP . minor . . . . . _ . >. . . 1 May Konza . . s 2 . . . . . . . . . . . .

English names of birds listed above but not mentioned in the Species Report:
Cuculus canorus Eurasian Cuckoo, Merops apiaster Eurasian Bee-eater,Delichon
urbica House Martin, Riparia riparia Sand Martin, Oriolus oriolus Golden

Oriole, Monticola saxatilis Rock Thrush, Oenanthe isabellina Isabelline
Wheatear, O. pleschanka Pied Wheatear, Acrocephalus arundinaceus Great Reed
Warbler, A. scirpaceus Reed Warbler, Hippolais pallida Olivaceous Warbler,
Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler, Silvia atricapilla Blackcap, S. borin
Garden Warbler, S. communis Whitethroat, S. nisoria Barred Warbler,

Muscipapa striata Spotted Flycatcher, Anthus cervinus Red-throated Pipit,

A. trivialis Tree Pipit, Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail, M. flava Yellow Wagtail.

LIST OF OBSERVERS

F. Alexander H.A.Britton
D.E.G.Backhurst P.L.Britton
G.C.Backhurst J.Burrell
N.E.Baker A.E.Butterworth
J.S.S.Beesley M.J.Carswell
G.Berg-Schlosser K.Chapman

S. Blaber J.M.Clark

East African Bird Report 1981

.C.Coverdale
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D.J.Pearson
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R.J.Stjernstedt
S.N.Stuart
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154 ‘ East African Bird Report 1981

E.A.N.H.S. NEST RECORD SCHEME: 1981
P.B. Taylor

The Nest Record Scheme continued to flourish in 1981, with about 50 contri-
butors submitting cards. Most records have again been from Kenya, and there
have unfortunately been no cards from Uganda. However, Tanzania has been
well-represented, with contributions both from regular observers and also
from a new participant, David Moyer, whose numerous and detailed records
from the southern part of the country are an extremely valuable addition.
From Kenya, a welcome contribution is that of Mrs M. Candy, who has
supplied details of her observations of breeding turacos for the period
1976 - 1981. Observations have been submitted for a number of rarely-
recorded species as well as for some with no previous East African breeding
records: all these are commented upon in the species list.

The organizer has received a good number of requests for information held
in the card collection, both for individual research projects and papers and
in connection with The Birds of Africa. As a result of these requests, it
has become clear that there is a need for a more detailed summary of breeding
data than has been provided in previous years. The format of the 1981 report
is therefore changed, and instead of giving only months of actual or computed
egg-laying, an attempt has been made to summarize the most important details
for each species. The available data on clutch sizes, numbers and ages of
young, hatching/fledging dates etc. have been included, together with any
further details of particular interest. All records received have been
included, except indefinite records (e.g. building, adult on nest, adult
carrying food) involving species which are commonly reported. Observers'
names have been included only for records of especial interest and/or rarity.

The inclusion of extra data has necessitated the free use of abbreviations,
and a full list of these is appended. In giving the stage of development of
young birds it is sometimes necessary to rely on a very brief description
such as ‘fledgling’ or ‘juvenile’; in this report the former is taken to
refer to a fully-fledged young bird which has left the nest and is capable
of flight but which is still dependent on its parents for food, and the
latter is assumed to refer to a fully-grown and free-flying young bird which
is capable of fending for itself but which may still accompany its parents
and be fed by them.

Abbreviations used are as follows:

C = clutch D = District

d = day(s) GR = Game Reserve
FG = fully-grown L = Lake

J = juvenile NP = National Park
N = nestling R = river

Y = young V = valley

All localities are in Kenya, unless followed by (T), which signifies Tanzania.
Co-ordinates are given where no locality name is applicable. Dates are given
as day/month for 1981 records; pre-1981 records have the year added. Where
only the month is known, this is given as the month name.

Records are listed by locality. Individual records are separated by commas,
and localities by semi-colons. Where several records are for the same date,
or where clutches/young of the same size or age are given for several dates,
the details are linked by ampersands (&). More than one record with the same
details for the same day is given as a multiple e.g. 3xC2 = three nests each
with 2 eggs. Where a nest contains both eggs and young, details are given
as follows: N2+Cl = a nest with 2 nestlings and | egg. Approximate numbers

are prefixed by 'c'.

Scopus 5: 154-164, March 1983

East African Bird Report 1981 155

The following observers contributed records for 198]: H.Adan, R.G.Allan,
G.C.Backhurst, N.E.Baker, J.S.S.Beesley, L.Bennun, S.M.Boulton, D.Brass,

P.L & H.A.Britton, R.S.Brown, F.N.Bruce-Miller, W.F.Bruce-Miller, M.Candy,
M.E.Cattermole, G.R.Cunningham-van Someren, P.Davey, J.D.Ligon,

J.Fanshawe, N.Gichuki, C.Gilbert, M.E.J.Gore, I.W.Hardy, V., L.& J.Hartley,
B.Harvard, M.Heath, K.M.Howell, G.Lewis, Y.Malcolm-Coe, R.Mennell,

R.D.Moore, D.Moyer, C.Muringo, F.Ng'weno, D.E.Pomeroy, B.V.Purcell,
I.Redmond, S.Sassoon, D.Schmidl, L.Schwab, D.Sheppard, T.Sheppard,
T.Stevenson, P.B. & C.A.Taylor, M.M.Thacher, D.Trump, R.F.Tyers, P.A.Wootton.

Struthio camelus Ostrich: Samburu GR incubating 1/8 & 15/9; Nairobi NP cl5
small Y 22/11.

Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Grebe: Mombasa Y3 less than 1 week old 14/5,
2x¥3 very small 10/8; Nairobi Y3 small 21/6, Y2 small 6/10; Arusha (T)
Y4 small 14/11.

Pelecanus onocrotalus White Pelican: L Natron (T) c 10000 birds on 2 islands,
eggs present 23/8.

Phalacrocorax carbo Greater Cormorant: L Naivasha 74 nests, many with well-
grown Y 18/9.

Ardea goliath Goliath Heron: L Naivasha N3 & 2xN2 & NI+C2 & C4 22/6, 6 nests
with Y of various sizes (max. 2 per nest) 9/7.

Ardea melanocephala Black-headed Heron: L Solai 41 occupied nests most with Y,
also incubating 13/8; Usa R near Arusha (T) 70-80 nests each with Y2-3
%-grown 21/11.

Leptoptilos crumeniferus Marabou: Hunter's Lodge (Kiboko) Y2 downy with
first feathers 12/9.

Bostrychia hagedash Hadada: Nairobi C3 9/8.

Dendrocygna viduata White-faced Whistling Duck: Nairobi NP YI10 clO d old 23/6;
Mombasa Y9 & Y10 very small 1/7, Y11 small 10/7.

Alopochen aegyptiacus Egyptian Goose: Nairobi NP Y 1 week old 31/1; Nanyuki
Y8 downy 9/5; L Naivasha Y9 cl week old 7/6; Tsavo East NP Y3 %-grown 25/6,
Y4 small 8/12.

Anas capensis Cape Wigeon: Arusha NP (T) Y5 3-4 d old & Y8 4-5 d old 30/8.
Anas erythrorhynchos Red-billed Teal: Nairobi NP Y6 small 1/6.
Aquila rapax Tawny Eagle: Nakuru NP NI-2 small 25/7.

Aquila wahlkergi Wahlberg's Eagle: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) Cl 27/9 & 17/10, NI
2 weeks old 19/11, Nl 3 weeks old 29/11 & 11/12.

Buteo augur Augur Buzzard: Nairobi-Naivasha Rd Y2 small 19/7.

Hieraaetus dubius Ayres' Hawk Eagle: Eagle Hill (Embu D) NI partly-feathered
1/10.

Melierax metabates Dark Chanting Goshawk: L Baringo feeding Y in nest 28/3.

Polemaetus bellicosus Martial Eagle: Masai Mara GR NI downy with first
feathers 19/7.

Milvus migrans Black Kite: Kiambu N2 first flew 20/3; 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T)
C2 21/9 & 19/11.

156 East African Bird Report 1981

Aviceda cuculoides Cuckoo Hawk: Nairobi incubating 22/3 then Nl dead below
nest 22/4 and remaining N fledged by 24/5 (T.Sheppard).
Only one previously-documented breeding record for EA. This species
is probably resident in the Nairobi area.

Falco biarmicus Lanner Falcon: L Baringo Nl 2/12/80.
Falco rupicoloides White-eyed Kestrel: Suswa C3 17/7.

Falco tinnunculus Kestrel: L Baringo N3 fully-grown 13/6; near Ketumbeine Mt
(T) adults feeding Y in nest 24/8; Arusha NP (T) adults feeding Y 18/11.

Coturnix delegorguei Harlequin Quail: Tsavo East NP Y4 one-third grown 1/6.
Francolinus afer Red-necked Spurfowl: Rukwa V (T) Y7 cl week old 5/12.
Francolinus coqui Coqui Francolin: Nakuru NP Y6 small 27/8.

Francolinus leucoscepus Yellow-necked Spurfowl: Samburu GR Y8 downy 15/9.

Francolinus sephaena Crested Francolin: Ngulia Y4 one-third grown 13/6;
Smaburu GR many Y (most just-flying) with parents 1/8.

Guttera pucherani Kenya Crested Guineafowl: Diani Forest Y4 %-grown 10/1.

Numida meleagris Helmeted Guineafowl: Masai Mara GR Y2 12/4, many flying Y
19/7; Magadi Road Y3 non-flying 26/6; Amboseli NP J14 12/9; Ngulia 2xyY5
4%-grown 13/6.

Turnix sylvatica Button Quail: Tsavo East NP 2xY¥3 2-3 d old 1/6.

Balearica pavonina Crowned Crane: Amboseli NP J2 large 20/4, 2xY2 4-grown
12/9; Masai Mara GR Jl flying 19/7; Nairobi NP Y2 2/8, Y2 two-thirds grown
12/9; Samburu GR Jl flying 15/9; Lewa Downs Y2 almost FG 17/9.

Gallinula chloropus Common Moorhen: Nairobi Y5 recently-hatched 29/1, Y3
small downy 26/8.

Limnocorax flavirostra Black Crake: L Baringo Y5 4-5 d old 3/6.
Porphyrio porphyrio Purple Gallinule: Nairobi J2 FG and independent 2/9.

Rallus caerulescens African Water Rail: L Naivasha Y5 small 13/8 (R.D.Moore).
Only one previous EA breeding record, also from Naivasha, in 1979.

Fulica cristata Red-knobbed Coot: Nairobi Yl 4-grown 2/9.

Actophilornis africanus Jacana: Amboseli NP Y4 downy 13/5; Mombasa Y2 downy
31/5, Y2 one-third grown 23/6, Yl small 30/9.

Charadrius pecuarius Kittlitz's Sandplover: L Baringo Yl 2-3 d old 13/12/80;
L Jipe Yl %-grown 12/7, Cl 3/11; Amboseli NP Y2 newly-hatched 14/5 & 15/5,
¥2 3-4 d old 15/5, Y2 cl10 d old 15/5: Natrobt NP G2 & CS 27/123 Arusha ne
(T) YI 243d cold: 18/ Mik.

Vanellus armatus Blacksmith Plover: Amboseli NP C3 & C4 13/5, Y3 almost-
fledged 15/5, C2 15/5, €3.21/113- Nakuru NP-Y2 small 25/73

Vanellus coronatus Crowned Plover: Amboseli NP J2 8/12/80, Y2 almost-
fledged 15/5; Laikipia C3 14/1; Lewa Downs Yl newly-hatched 17/9; Nairobi
NP Y3 small 22/11; Mikumi NP (T) C2 31/10.

Vanellus melanopterus Black-winged Plover: Ngare Nanyuki, Mt Meru (T)
G3 16/742

East African Bird Report 1981 157

Vanellus senegallus Wattled Plover: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C3 16/9 & 15/11,
C2 18/9 & 24/9.

Vanellus spinosus Spur-winged Plover: Sabaki R mouth C2 & C3 5/4; Ngomeni
Y3 %-grown 30/5; Amboseli NP Y3 recently-hatched 21/11.

Vanellus tectus Black-headed Plover: Tsavo West NP Y3 recently-hatched 17/10.

Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt: Ngomeni Y] dependent 17/5, C3 7/6,
Y3 4-grown & Yl two-thirds grown 7/6.

Rhinoptilus cinctus Heuglin's Courser: L Baringo C2 22/9.

Sterna dougallii Roseate Tern: Kisite Island, breeding activity noted in
July, possibly also in August.

Pterocles exustus Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse: Magadi 2xC3 27/9, C2 29/11.

Aplopelia larvata Lemon Dove: Tengeru, Arusha (T) JI about 5-7 d out of
nest 29/9.

Streptopelia capicola Ring-necked Dove: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C2 7/1/80 &
9/5 & 20/5, 2xC2 29/5, C2 12/6 & 22/8 & 5/9, N2 one-third grown 5/9,
2xC2 12/9, N2 %-grown 13/9, C2 14/9 & 15/9 & 16/9 & 17/9, N2 almost-fledged
16/9, 3xC2 18/9, N2 3 d old 19/9, N2 almost-fledged 21/9, N2 %-grown 7/11.

Streptopelia semitorquata Red-eyed Dove: Nairobi C3 10/1, incubating C2 late
Feb, incubating 27/4, Nl partly-fledged 13/5, J2 almost FG 10/7, Y2 small
gare. 6.91'S, 31.30°E (T) C2 15/5 & 12/9 & 15/9 & 21/9.

Streptopelia senegalensis Laughing Dove: Samburu GR N2 downy with first
feathers 3/8, C2 15/9; Nairobi Cl 25/11.

Turtur chalcospilos Emerald-spotted Wood Dove: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C2 15/5,
N2 fully-fledged 20/9.

Treron australis Green Pigeon: Kiambu | broken egg 10/11/80; Nairobi C2
hatched 27/6/78; 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) Cl 16/6/80.

Corythaeola cristata Great Blue Turaco: Kaimosi incubating from 8/11/76 but
nest failed, incubating from 22/11/76 but nest failed, Fl 5/4/77, N2 downy
30/9/77, incubating from 31/1/79 but nest failed, N3 25/12/79, F2 30/11/79,
incubating 17/12/79 but nest failed, incubating from 21/12/79 but nest
failed, NI large 31/1/80, Nl hatched 20-21/9/80, N2 9/11/80, incubating
from 13/11/80 but nest failed, F2 6/4.

Musophaga rossae Ross's Turaco: Kaimosi incubating for 18 days but nest
failed 14/10/76, incubating from 27/11/76 but nest failed, N2 downy 11/1/77,
N2 hatched 1-2/12/77, N2 hatched 27/2/79, incubating from 29/10/79 but nest
failed, C2 13/18/80 & 5/11/80, N2 hatched 13/4.

Tauraco hartlaubi Hartlaub's Turaco: Nairobi building (2 nests) April, Fl
24/6 and same pair incubating again 9/8.

Chrysococcyx caprius Didric Cuckoo: Nairobi Fl fed by Ploceus baglafecht
16/2, Cl+C2 Ploceus cucullatus April; L Baringo J] fed by Anaplectes
rubriceps 10/6.

Chrysococcyx cupreus Emerald Cuckoo: Nairobi Fl fed by Pycnonotus barbatus 17/3.

Chrysococcyx klaas Klaas's Cuckoo: Nairobi J] fed by Nectarina venusta 11/8, Nl
in Nectarina venusta nest (no date), Nl in Nectarina mediocris nest 1/12
(P.Wootton).

The Nectarina mediocris record is the first for this host in EA.

=

158 East African Bird Report 1981

Clamator glandarius Great Spotted Cuckoo: Naivasha N2 well-feathered in
Spreo superbus nest 18/6, Fl just-flying 5/7.

Clamator jacobinus Black and White Cuckoo: L Baringo Jl fed by Turdoides
rubiginosus 8/6; Olorgesailie Jl fed by Pycnonotus barbatus 6/6.

Cuculus clamosus Black Cuckoo: L Naivasha Fl fed by Laniarius ferrugineus
6/6 (G.C.Backhurst).

The first good dated record for EA.

Cuculus gularis African Cuckoo: L Naivasha Jl large 19/9 (R.D.Moore).
No breeding records for EA.

Cuculus solitarius Red-chested Cuckoo: Nairobi Fl fed by Cossypha caffra 14/5.
Bubo africanus Spotted Eagle Owl: L Baringo N3 almost FG 8/8.

Otus scops Scops Owl: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C4 25/8 (D.Moyer).
The first EA breeding record.

Caprimulgus pectoralis Fiery-necked Nightjar: 8.31'S, 31.30°E (T) C2 25/8,
N2 3 d old 12/5, G2. 16/95.

Caprimulgus tristigma Freckled Nightjar: 8.31'S, 31.30°'E (T) C2 18/9.

Macrodipteryx vexillarius Pennant-winged Nightjar: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T)
Cl 12/9, C2 15/9 & 16/9 & 21/9 & 3/10 & 4/10, 2xC2 17/9 & 19/9 & 21/10,
4xC2 18/9 (all D.Moyer).

These are the first recent EA breeding records.
Apus niansae Nyanza Swift: Mt Elgon building 19/8.

Colius striatus Speckled Mousebird: Nairobi F3 left nest 9/7, F4 21/7, C3
10/9; 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) N3 1 week old 25/10.

Apaloderma narina Narina's Trogon: Rukwa V (T) Yl probably 1-2 weeks out of
nest 5/12.

Halcyon leucocephala Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) N4
almost-fledged 30/10/80.

Ispidina picta Pygmy Kingfisher: L Baringo Y newly-fledged 9/6.

Merops oreobates Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater: Aberdares feeding Y Jan;
Nairobi feeding Y 14/1 & 25/6, 3 birds excavating single nest burrow 11/4.

Merops pusillus Little Bee-eater: 8.31'S, 31.30°E (T) C4 18/9.
Coracias caudata Lilac-breasted Roller: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C3 16/9;

Upupa epops Hoopoe: L Baringo N2 almost ready to leave nest 11/8; Nairobi
Fl 6/10; 6.31"S,, 3¥.30°E (7) G6 7/9/80,, 6335/9

Phoeniculus bollei White-headed Wood Hoopoe: Mt Kenya F2 7/6.

Bycanistes bucinator Trumpeter Hornbill: Kitovu Forest male passing food
into nesting hole 1/11 (T.Stevenson).
No detailed EA breeding records.

Tockus erythrorhynchus Red-billed Hornbill: L Baringo Fl 3/8.

Tockus hemprichii Hemprich's Hornbill: L Baringo Js fed by parents 6-28/7
(T.Stevenson).
No detailed EA breeding records.

East African Bird Report 1981 159

Tockus nasutus Grey Hornbill: L Naivasha occupied hole 20/8.

Bucorvus cafer Ground Hornbill: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) Nl %-grown 5/12, Nl
3 weeks old 30/12.

Buccanodon leucotis White-eared Barbet: Tengeru, Arusha (T) feeding Y 11/10.

Lybius diadematus Red-fronted Barbet: L Baringo adult feeding newly-fledged
eM8/1 «

Lybius leucocephalus White-headed Barbet: Kiambu NI left nest 16/3 but second
N flew only on 10/4, N3 fledged 21/7 and N2 from same nest flying by 29/10;
Nairobi Fl 23/8.

Pogoniulus bilineatus Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird: Nairobi Jl 6/8.

Trachyphonus erythrocephalus Red and Yellow Barbet: Mt Meru (T) adults
feeding Y 18/11.

Trachyphonus vaillantii Levaillant's Barbet: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) N2 almost-
fledged 19/12 (D.Moyer).
Only one previous EA breeding record.

Indicator indicator Black-throated Honeyguide: Naivasha Fl fed by Lamprotornis
chalybaeus 3/7.

Prodotiscus zambesiae Eastern Honeybird: Nairobi JI fed by Zosterops
poliogastra 30/12 (L.Bennun).

Dendropicos fuscescens Cardinal Woodpecker: Ngong Hills Js fed by adults 5/7.
Calandrella cinerea Red-capped Lark: Nairobi J3 4/2.

Mirafra africana Rufous-naped Lark: Emali C3 24/12.

Hirundo abyssinica Striped Swallow: Kiambu F2 left nest 12/5, feeding Ns 2/7.

Hirundo fuligula African Rock Martin: Molo incubating 11/7; 8.31'S, 31.30'E
(T) N2+Cl 16/9.

Hirundo senegalensis Mosque Swallow: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C2 28/2.

Hirundo smithii Wire-tailed Swallow: Bungoma incubating 16/2; Kwale N3 very
young 21/2; Nairobi F5 (presumably 2 broods) 6/5.

Psalidoprocne pristoptera Black Rough-wing: Mt Elgon 10-12 pairs nesting in
cave - eggshells seen 1/8.

Dicrurus adsimilis Drongo: Mida Creek N2 & NI almost-fledged 7/6; 8.31'S,31.30'E
ree 13/9 6 17/9.

Oriolus larvatus African Golden Oriole: L Naivasha incubating 18/4.
Oriolus percivali Montane Oriole: Kieni building 1/2.

Corvus albus Pied Crow: Dar es Salaam (T) Fl 20/11.

Corvus splendens Indian House Crow: Mombasa NI 4-grown 13/11.

Parus albiventris White-bellied Tit: Nairobi Fl 14/1, feeding Ns 20/9.
Turdoides melanops Black-lored Babbler: L Naivasha F4 13/8.

Turdoides squamulatus Scaly Babbler: Watamu Fl free-flying 2/4 (R.D.Moore).
Campephaga flava Black Cuckoo Shrike: Nairobi Fl 11/2 & 1/7.

:

160 East African Bird Report 1981

Andropadus gracilirostris Slender-billed Greenbul: Nairobi Fl fed by adult
29/11 (F.Ng'weno).
No detailed EA breeding records.

Andropadus latirostris Yellow-whiskered Greenbul: Mbisi Forest (T) Jl 3/12.
Andropadus milanjensis Stripe-cheeked Greenbul: Arusha NP (TI) building 15/11.

Pycnonotus barbatus Common Bulbul: Nairobi F2 13/2 & 27/2, 2xFl 6/3, Fl 19/3
& 29/3 & March, F2 26/4; Kiambu Fl left nest 9/4, Fl 12/6 & 29/10; Mombasa
Fl 25/8 & 5/10; Mt Kenya Fl 16/9; 8.31'S,31.30°E (T) C2 18/9.

Cercomela scotocerca Brown-tailed Rock Chat: L Baringo J3 14/5, F2 1/6, adult
taking food to nest in cliff-face crevice 10/8 (all T.Stevenson).
Very few EA breeding records.

Cercomela sordida Alpine Chat: Mt Kenya N3 4/10.

Cercotrichas leucophrys White-browed Scrub Robin: L Baringo N2 16/6, C2 17/7;
L Natron (T) N3 3-4 d old 16/1, Fl 10/12.

Cercotrichas quadrivirgata Eastern Bearded Scrub kobin: Watamu F3 5/4.

Cossypha caffra Robin Chat: Nairobi Fl 25/6, Ns 16/10; Kiambu C2 15/4, Nl
small 21/5, Fl left nest 2/11, Jl Nov.

Cossypha heuglini White-browed Robin Chat: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C3 5/9.

Cossypha semirufa Rippell's Robin Chat: Nairobi Fl 30/5; Kiambu Fl left nest
29/4; Tengeru, Arusha (T) C2 7/4.

Turdus abyssinicus Northern Olive Thrush: Nairobi Fl 26/4 & 4/6; Kiambu F2
18/3, Fl 16/4, F2 21/7.

Turdus litsipsirupa Ground-scraper Thrush: 8.31'S, 31.30°E (T) F2 16/9.
Acrocephalus gracilirostris Lesser Swamp Warbler: L Naivasha incubating 18/4.

Apalis cinerea Grey Apalis: Nairobi Cl 82/6, incubating 14/10; Limuru F2
March.

Apalis flavida Yellow-breasted Apalis: Nairobi Fl! 2/8.
Cisticola brachyptera Siffling Cisticola: 8.31'S, 31.30°E (T) C3 6/1.
Cisticola chubbi Chubb's Cisticola: Mbisi Forest (T) C3 12/1.

Cisticola cinereola Ashy Cisticola: Tsavo West NP F2 just-flying 12/7 (P.B.
& C.A.Taylor).

Only two previous EA breeding records.

Cisticola galactotes Winding Cisticola: Nairobi C3 10/12/80, F2 22/5; Mombasa
C4 14/4 & 12/6 & 26/7, C2 5/6, Cl 1/7.

Cisticola hunteri Hunter's Cisticola: Kiambu Fl 8/4 & 10/6.

Cisticola lais Wailing Cisticola: 8.31'S, 31.30"E (T) F2 c4d out of nest 9/12
(D.Moyer)

Cisticola nana Tiny Cisticola: Same (T) 3 families of adults and recently-
fledged Y 22/12.

Cisticola robusta Stout Cisticola: Nairobi F5 29/1 (2 broods?).
Eminia lepida Grey-capped Warbler: Kiambu Fl left nest 20/11.

East African Bird Report 1981 161

Eremomela icteropygialis Yellow-bellied Eremomela: L Magadi C2 8/1.

Prinia subflava Tawny-flanked Prinia: Mombasa C3 3/12; 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T)
C2 3/9.

Sylvietta whytii Red-faced Crombec: Nairobi C2 29/20/80 & 9/9; Moshi (T)
Ns 19/9.

Bradornis microrhynchus Grey Flycatcher: L Baringo N3 22/4; 8.31'S,31.30'E
(T) F2 14/12 (D.Moyer).
The Tanzania record represents a range extension for this species.

Bradornis pallidus Pale Flycatcher: Ngong Hills F3 11/1; Nairobi NP F4 14/4;
Ngomeni N2 almost-flying 17/5.

Melaenornis chocolatina White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher: Nairobi J] 4/12/80,
Fl 4/3 & 29/3 & 25/11, F4 19/3; Kiambu F2 19/4 & 20/4, Fl 5/5 & 17/10 &
21/10; Mbisi Forest (T) J2 2-3 weeks cut of nest 2/12.

Muscicapa adusta Dusky Flycatcher: Nairobi Fl 28/2 & 29/11; Mtanga (T)
Ns 4-grown 31/11.

Batis mixta Forest Batis: Sokoke Forest oviduct egg 3/5.

Batis molitor Chin-spot Batis: Nairobi Fs 11/2, Fl 11/5; Naivasha incubating
10/7; Kiambu Fl 13/11; Seronera (T) Ns 7/2.

Platysteira peltata Black-throated Wattle-eye: Morningside, Ulugurus (T)
incubating or brooding small Y 30/10.

Terpsiphone viridis Paradise Flycatcher: Nairobi F2 3/2, Fs 15/2, F3 left
nest 14/5, N2 28/5 (1 left nest 4/6), incubating 24/9.

Anthus leucophrys Plain-backed Pipit: 8.31'S, 31.30°E (T) C3 8/12
(D.Moyer).
Few breeding records; none from this part of Tanzania.

Anthus melindae Malindi Pipit: Ngomeni N3 c3 d old 17/5.

Macronyx ameliae Rosy-breasted Longclaw: Nairobi NP J3 with adult 7/6.

Macronyx fuelleborni Fiilleborn's Longclaw: 8.31'S, 31.30'E (T) C3 23/12/80 &
8/11 & 16/12 (D.Moyer).
Only three previous EA breeding records.

Motacilla aguimp African Pied Wagtail: L Nakuru Fl 9/3; L Naivasha building
11/7; Nairobi F2 17/7; L Magadi Ns 29/11; 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C2 25/9.

Tmetothylacus tenellus Golden Pipit: Nr Moshi (T) Fs 28/11; Same (T) F2
22/12 (J.S.S.Beesley).
Few EA breeding records.

Dryoscopus cubla Black-backed Puffback: Nairobi building 17/11, Fl 16/12.
Nilaus afer Brubru: L Baringo Fl 16/7.

Tchagra australis Brown-headed Tchagra: Arusha (T) N2 almost ready to leave
nest 14/12.

Lanius cabanisi Long-tailed Fiscal: Mombasa Fl just out of nest 8/l1.

162 East African Bird Report 1981

Lanius collaris Fiscal: Nairobi F2 left nest 22/3 & 9/4, Fl 22/6, Fs Aug;
Kiambu C3 1P/12, incubating from 17/5, Fl 7/6 & 11/11; 8.31'S,31.30'E (T)
C3 5/1 & 8/1, N2 4-grown 28/4, C2 12/9, C3 13/9, N2 %-grown 15/9, N3 almost-
fledged 3/10, N3 2 d old 8/11, C3 15/11, N3 almost-fledged 17/11, C3 20/11
& 23/11, N2 2 d old 24/11, N2 2 weeks old 14/12.

Prionops plumata Helmet Shrike: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) N3 just-fledged 17/9.

Cosmopsarus regius Golden-breasted Starling: Tsavo area occupied nest hole
5.

Lamprotornis chalybaeus Blue-eared Glossy Starling: Kiambu J2 7/5.

Onychognathus tenuirostris Slender-billed Chestnut-winged Starling: Mt Elgon
N2 with first feathers L8/8, F2 left nest 11/9.

Speculipastor bicolor Magpie Starling: 01 Donyo Sabachi C5 22/5; Huri Hills
adults entering 3 nest-holes with food 11/6, colony with at least 5 active
nests (adults feeding Ns) 11/6 (R.G.Allan).

The first EA breeding records.
Spreo hildebrandti Hildebrandt's Starling: Nairobi adults feeding Ns 6/5.

Spreo superbus Superb Starling: Nairobi Fl 6/5; Kiambu F2 left nest 15/3 &
21/11; L Naivasha Fl 19/9; Samburu GR Fl 17/9.

Anthreptes collaris Collared Sunbird: Nairobi incubating 22/9 and Y hatched
by 6/10.

Nectarina bifasciata Little Purple-banded Sunbird: Mombasa NI 20/9.

Nectarina cuprea Copper Sunbird: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C2 laid 5/3-6/3, Y2
4-grown 17/5.

Nectarina kilimensis Bronze Sunbird: Kaimosi N3 hatched 3/6/79; Nairobi Nl
fledged 14/4; Kiambu NI hatched 7/5 & 9/5, incubating from 19/6, incubating
until c6/7, Nl hatched 21/9 & 21/10.

Nectarina mediocris Eastern Double-collared Sunbird: Nairobi N2 11/10.
Nectarina olivacea Olive Sunbird: Diani N2 large 29/5.

Nectarina pulchella Beautiful Sunbird: L Baringo many pairs building late
March (start of rains).

Nectarina senegalensis Scarlet-chested Sunbird: Nairobi C2 9/11/80;
8.31'S,31.30'E (T) Fl left nest 16/10.

Nectarina venusta Variable Sunbird: Nairobi N3 14/7, Ns hatched 16/10, N2
14/11.

Zosterops abyssinica Abyssinian White-eye: Nairobi Fl 25/5.
Zosterops poliogastra Montane White-eye: Nairobi Fl 1/3 & 4/3.

Amblyospiza albifrons Grosbeak Weaver: Nairobi C2 8/6, Fl 24/6; Usa R (T)
2xN3 almost naked 29/1, N3 half-feathered 29/1, N2 almost-fledged 29/1.

Anaplectes rubriceps Red-headed Weaver: Magadi building 10/5.

Anomalospiza imberbis Parasitic Weaver: near Sigor, West Pokot Nl almost
fledged in nest of Cisticola sp; (probably Cisticola chiniana) 4/8 (R.S.
Brown).

Euplectes albonotatus White-winged Widowbird: Nairobi C2 15/5.

East African Bird Report 1981 163

Euplectes ardens Red-naped Widowbird: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C4 21/4.
Euplectes macrourus Yellow-mantled Widowbird: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C2 25/4.
Euplectes nigroventris Zanzibar Red Bishop: Gazi Cl 5/4.

Ploceus baglafecht Baglafecht Weaver: Nairobi Fl just-flying 19/3, Fl 25/5
& 28/5, F2 just-flying 14/6, J2 2/8, Fl 30/8, N2 large 22/9, Ns 3/10, Fl
25/11 & 7/12, Kiambu Fl just-flying 2/3 & 4/3.

Ploceus bojeri Golden Palm Weaver: Mombasa NI 1 week old 22/1.

Ploceus cucullatus Black-headed Weaver: Nairobi building from 3/2 (30+ nests
19/2) and Fs seen from 16/3, C2 mid-April, Fl 16/5; Tsavo East NP NI clO d
old 23/5.

Ploceus intermedius Masked Weaver: Magadi Rd c50 & cl5 active nests 8/4, 6
active nesting colonies 30-40 nests each 8/4, 28+ active colonies 27/4.

Ploceus ocularis Spectacled Weaver: Nairobi Fl 2/8.
Ploceus rubiginosus Chestnut Weaver: Magadi Rd cl00 active nests 27/4.

Ploceus spekei Speke's Weaver: Magadi Rd building c50 nests 8/4; Kiambu
oh, 12/5.

Ploceus subaureus Golden Weaver: Hunter's Lodge (Kiboko) cl0 active nests 6/4;
Bagamoyo (T) cl00 active nests 31/10; Ruvu (T) 10 nests 30/11; Dar es
Salaam (T) building 9 nests 20/12; Mkalamo (T) 40 completed nests 26/12.

Ploceus velatus Vitelline Masked Weaver: Mwea 3 active nests 26/4.

Ploceus xanthops Holub's Golden Weaver: Nairobi Fl 12/7, F2 Nov; Kiambu
Seer es 6.31°S.31.30°E (T) C2 13/9, Cl 21/9, N2 very young 21/9, N2
2 weeks old 11/12;

Quelea cardinalis Cardinal Quelea: Nairobi C2 8/6; Magadi Rd 2xC2 & C3 17/5,
20 nests mostly C2 with a few Cl and C3 and a few just-hatched Ns 17/5.

Quelea erythrops Red-headed Quelea: Kilosa (T) 9 colonies in tall swamp grass
in 1 metre water 22/4 (J.S.S.Beesley).
The first reported breeding in EA.

Quelea quelea Red-billed Quelea: Magadi Rd 2xCl & 19xC2 & 29xC3 & 4xC4 26/6.

Plocepasser donaldsoni Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow Weaver: Lorian Swamp
building 8/8.

Plocepasser mahali White-browed Sparrow Weaver: Samburu building 13/8;
Muhoroni cl0 pairs nesting 26/8.

Plocepasser superciliosus Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver: Kongolai building 23/8.

Pseudonigrita arnaudi Grey-headed Social Weaver: Nairobi NP clO active nests
18/10.

Passer eminibey Chestnut Sparrow: Magadi Rd 3 pairs in old nests of Ploceus
intermedius 17/5.

Passer griseus Grey-headed Sparrow: Nairobi F1l 13/3 & 14/6; Kiambu J2 22/2 &
See tie.) &.3)'S,31.30'E (T)°N3 2d old 20/7/80.

Passer motitensis Rufous Sparrow: Nairobi F2 28/6; Kiambu F2 14/3, J2 22/4.

164 East African Bird Report 1981

Estrilda astrild Waxbill: Nairobi C3 12/7/80; Kiambu Cl 21/5; Mombasa
C4 14/11.

Lagonosticta rubricata African Firefinch: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) N4& almost
naked 27/5.

Lagonosticta senegala Red-billed Firefinch: Nairobi C5 25/11/80, Nl 19/6, F2
23/8; L Baringo nest in house on shelf between books and jars - access
through open window May; Dar es Salaam (T) NI 22/10.

Ortygospiza atricollis Quailfinch: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C5 4/5.

Uraeginthus bengalus Red-cheeked Cordon bleu: Mombasa C5 29/4 & 20/6, C4
27/9 & 2/10 & 15/11, C5 in old nest of Ploceus bojeri 28/9, C2 in recently-
built flimsy nest of Ploceus bojeri 27/11; 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C4 28/5.

Lonchura cucullata Bronze Mannikin: Nairobi F5 4/1, F4-5 4/2, F6 14/7; Dar
es Salaam (T) Nl (out of nest) 29/10.

Lonchura malabarica Silverbill: Magadi Rd cN3 in old nest of Ploceus
intermedius 26/6.

Emberiza flaviventris Golden-breasted Bunting: Nairobi N2 14/6.

Emberiza tahapisi Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C3 13/6.
Serinus atrogularis Yellow-rumped Seedeater: Nairobi Fl 5/8.

Serinus citrinelloides African Citril: Kiambu J] 19/4.

Serinus dorsostriatus White-bellied Canary: near Arusha (T) building 11/1.

Serinus mozambicus Yellow-fronted Canary: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C1+Nl 3/3, N3
1 d old 17/9.

Serinus striolatus Streaky Seedeater: Nairobi Fl 12/3 & 19/6 & 6/9 & 26/12;
Limuru Fl 25/2; Kiambu N2 19/1.

Serinus sulphuratus Brimstone Canary: 8.31'S,31.30'E (T) C3 29/4, N2 %-grown
13/9.

ORNITHOLOGICAL PROJECTS IN EAST AFRICA, 1981

The following list includes all projects known to the committee, which (a)
involved active field-work during 1981, and (b) were expected to culminate
in publication in recognised journals. For professional workers, only their
major projects are listed.

Andersson, M. University of Géteborg, Sweden. Breeding biology and mate
selection in Long-tailed Widowbirds; Kinangop plateau, Kenya.

Backhurst, G.C. Nairobi (a) East African ringing scheme (b) (with Pearson,
D.J) Migration studies at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, Kenya.

+Candy, M. Kaimosi, Kakamega, Kenya. Breeding biology of Turacos.
Carswell, M. Kampala, Uganda. Avifauna of the Kampala area.

Cunningham-van Someren, G.R. National Museums of Kenya. (a) Taxonomic studies
of montane birds from Kenya and Sudan (b) Conservation status of birds in
Kenya for Red Data book (c) (with Angwin, D) 10 km* bird distribution studies.

Dittami, J.P. Max-Planck-Institut, Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya. Behavioural and
physiological studies of stonechats, starlings and other passerines.

East African Bird Report 1981 165

Elliott, C.C.H. FAO/UNDP Quelea bird control project, Arusha, Tanzania.
Biology and management of quelea populations.

Emlen, S.T. see P. Wrege.

+Gichuki, N. Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya and University of Nairobi.
Grain-eating birds on small-scale farms in Machakos District.

Hass, V. Max-Planck-Institut, Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya. Social behaviour of
Anteater Chats.

+Kasoma, P. Makerere University, Uganda. General biology of Black-headed
Weavers, Kampala.

Leisler, B; Max-Planck-Institut, Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya. Ecology of wintering
Wheatears.

+Ligon, J.D. & S.H. University of New Mexico, USA. Social behaviour of Green
Wood Hoopoes, Naivasha, Kenya.

Meadows, B.S. Nairobi. East African wildfowl counts.

°Muringo, C. National Museums of Kenya and University of Nairobi. General
biology of Speke's Weavers, Nairobi.

Oelke, H. Géttingen, W. Germany. Birds of native and exotic forests, western
Kenya.

Pearson, D.J. University of Nairobi. Status, seasonality and distribution of
Palaearctic migrants in southern and eastern Kenya.

Pomeroy, D.E. Kenyatta University College, Nairobi. (a) Distribution and
abundance of birds in semi-arid areas, mainly in southern and eastern
Kenya. (b) (with Lewis, A.D.) Bird atlas of Kenya.

Reyer, H.E. Max-Planck-Institut, Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya. Behaviour of Pied
Kingfishers, Nakuru and Homa Bay, Lake Victoria.

+Skorupa, J.P. University of California, Davis, USA. Avifauna of Kibale forest
Uganda, especially eagles.

Short, L.L. & Horne, J.F.M. American Museum of Natural History. Taxonomy and
general biology of Woodpeckers and Barbets, particularly vocalisations, in
Kenya.

Sonnenschein, Edith. Max-Planck-Institut, Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya. Ecology of
wintering Wheatears.

Stevenson, T. Baringo, Kenya. Birds of the Lake Baringo area.
Stuart, S. University of Cambridge, England. Montane avifauna of Tanzania.

+Sumba, S.J.A. Uganda Institute of Ecology, Rwenzori NP. Biology of Fish
Eagles.

Taylor, P.B. Nairobi. East African Nest Record Scheme.

Wrege, P. Cornell University, USA. Social behaviour of White-fronted Bee-
eaters, Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya: in association with S.T. Emlen.

Zack, S. University of New Mexico, USA. Behaviour and ecology of Fiscal and
Long-tailed Fiscal Shrikes, Naivasha, Kenya.

Project begun in 1981.
+ Field-work completed in 1981.

166 East African Bird Report 1981

RINGING AND MIGRATION AT NGULIA, TSAVO,
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER, 1981

G.C. Backhurst’ & DoJ. (Pearson

Previous reports on the end of year migration at Ngulia have appeared in
quarterly issues of Scopus. The transfer of the present account to the
East African Bird Report issue seems appropriate at this stage in the study.

The Lodge was manned for only 18 nights during late 1981, and catching
attempted on 15 of these. 5454 Palaearctic birds were ringed, however, all
during the 'small-moon' period 20 November to 7 December, when misty
conditions occurred on most nights. The Whitethroat! was the dominant
Species up to 28 November, but was supplanted thereafter by the Marsh
Warbler. Sprossers were caught in good numbers throughout the period,

1153 being ringed in all. Work in earlier years has shown that late
November/early December is the peak of the River Warbler passage. Concen-
trated catching at this time in 1981 produced a total of 320 for this

Species, the second highest ever. Numbers of most other Ngulia specialities
were low: the Eurasian Nightjar, Rufous Bush Chat, Basra Reed Warbler, Olive-
tree Warbler and Barred Warbler were all caught in well below average numbers.
Only the Willow Warbler and Upcher's Warbler were above average. The only
unusual Palaearctic caught was a Redstart on 24 November, the second for
Ngulia.

There were two retraps from previous seasons. A Marsh Warbler first ringed
at night on 24 November 1979 was caught, again at night, on 21 November 1981;
this was presumably an example of a bird attracted down whilst migrating
across Ngulia at about the same date in two different years. A Whitethroat

originally caught in the bush on 5° April 1981 was recaught there on 5 December.

A first year Sprosser ringed at night on 25 November was controlled by a
ringer while breeding in extreme southeast Finland on 10 June 1982; the two
previous recoveries of this species were both in the Middle East on northward
passage.

Two species were added to the list of Afrotropical birds caught at the
Lodge at night. Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis were netted on
28 November and 6 December, and an immature Red-capped Robin Chat Cossypha
natalensis was also caught on 6 December.

Palaearctic birds ringed are given in Table l.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the management of Ngulia Safari Lodge for affording us every assis-
tance, and the warden of Tsavo National Park (West) for permission to ring
birds in the Park. For help during ringing we are most grateful to D.E.G.
Backhurst, J.Dirks, A.M.Forbes-Watson, F.& D.Lagerberg, T.C.H.& D.Mathews,
D.K.& V.Richards, T.Stevenson and D.A.Turner. GCB wishes to thank the Frank
M.Chapman Memorial Fund for financial assistance.

'Scientific names of Palaearctic species are given in Table 1

Scopus 5: 166-167, March 1983,

East African Bird Report 1981 167

TABLE 1

Numbers of Palaearctic night migrants ringed at Ngulia Safari Lodge
between October and February in the years 1969-1982

1981/2 Total 1969-
Species Total zx 1982
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus 10 44 213
Eurasian Roller Coracias garrulus 9 352 34
Eurasian Swallow Hirundo rustica 10 80 122
Sand Martin Riparia riparia 1 - 6
Rufous Bush Chat Cercotrichas galactotes 41 56 708
Irania Irania gutturalis 102 88 1158
Sprosser Luscinia luscinia 1153 105 11 161
Nightingale L.megarhynchos 34 78 427
Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis 5 54 90

Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina 2
Northern Wheatear O.oenanthe 3
Pied Wheatear O.pleschanka 1 28 33
Redstart Pheonicurus phoenicurus 1
1

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus 36 26
Basra Reed Warbler A.griseldis 32 68 459
Marsh Warbler A.palustris 1752 93 18 809
Sedge Warbler A.schoenobaenus 3 55 62
Reed Warbler A.scirpaceus 4 65 60
Upcher's Warbler Hippolais languida 39 172 246
Olive-tree Warbler H.olivetorum 11 é0 262
Olivaceous Warbler H.pallida 15 47 306
River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis 320 157 2179
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 190 195 1072
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 1 20 4

Garden Warbler S.borin 6 4 389
Whitethroat S.commnis 1579 93 16 990
Barred Warbler S.nisoria 27 58 448
Spotted Flycatcher Muscipapa striata a4 51 581
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis 1 53 18
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio 42 56 727
Red-tailed Shrike L.isabellinus 28 46 58_
Species 31 44
Total 5454 95 37 390

*The autumn 1981 total expressed as a percentage of the 1972/81 mean for each
species. Totals of species ringed in previous seasons but not in autumn 1981
are as follows: Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus 3, Eleonora's Falcon Falco
eleonorae 1, Corncrake Crex crex 6, Spotted Crake Porzana porzana 1,
Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 2, Lesser Cuckoo C. poliocephalus 1, Scops
Owl Otus scops 1, Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus 11, Whinchat Saxicola

rubetra 2, Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina 1, Savi's Warbler Locustella
luscinioides 1, Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix 1, Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flava 3, hybrid Red-backed/Red-tailed Shrike 7.

168 East African Bird Report 1981

NEW SUBSCRIBERS (1981) AND CHANGES OF ADDRESS*

*Alden, P. 103 Bartlett Ave, Arlington, Massachusetts 02174, USA.
Arhem, Dr P. Karolinska Inst., Nobel Institute for Neurophysiology,
Box 60 400 S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden.

*Aspinwall, D. P.O. Box 50653, Lusaka, Zambia.

Bennun, L. P.O. Box 21149, Nairobi, Kenya.

Blaber, Dr S. Dept of Zoology, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg,
Natal 3200, South Africa.
*Braund, R. 44 Kempshott Rd, Horsham, Sussex RH12 2BY, England.
**Britton, H.& P.L. All Souls & St Gabriels School, P.O. Box 235, Charters
Towers, Qld 4820, Australia.
Candy, Mrs M.S. Kaimosi Tea Estates, P.O. Box 1, Kaimosi, Kenya.
**Cape, J.A.D. 7 The Esplanade, Cabooltwre, Queensland 4510, Australia.

*Cheeseman, D.T. 20800 Kittredge Rd, Saratoga, California 95070, USA.

Demmers, L.A. P.O. Box 47074, Nairobi, Kenya.

Dittami, Dr J.P. P.O. Box 33, Nakuru, Kenya.

Doig, Mrs C. P.O. Box 730, Nakuru, Kenya.

**Dowsett, R.J. c/o Viphya Pulpwood Project, P.O. Chikangawa, Mzimba, Malawi.

*Dunlop, W. 1 Hughenden Terrace, Glasgow GI2 9XR, Scotland, UK.

Fanshawe, U.H. Welltown Manor, Boscastle, Cornwall PL35 ODY, England.
**Fuggles-Couchman, R. Post House, High Street, Broughton, Stockbridge,
Hampshire S020 8AA, England.

*Gerhart, Dr J.D. Ford Foundation, P.O. Box 2344, Garden City, Cairo, Egypt.
**Gore, M.E.J. British High Commission, P.O. Box 48543, Nairobi, Kenya.
**Haas, Dr V. Zollstockweg 35, D-7118 Kunzelsan, West Germany.

**Hamel, Prof P.J. General Delivery, Masset, Queen Charlotte Islands, British
Columbia VOT 1M0O, Canada.
*Hartley, N. 51 Leighton Rd, Wingrave, Bucks, England.
Hasselquist, D. Jagmastarebacken 2A, S-597 OO Atvidaberg, Sweden.
Hedlund, Kjell-Olof, Uppsala Univ, Dept of Zoology, Section of Zoomorphology,
Box 561, S-751 22 Uppsala, Sweden.
*Huels, T.R. Dept of Ecology and Evol. Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson,
Arizona 85721, USA.
Jakobsen, Mrs J. P.O. Box 161, Nanyuki, Kenya.
*Jensen, Henning, Tolstojs Alle 26, DK-2860 Saeborg, Denmark.
Johnston, A. P.O. Box 7296, Arusha, Tanzania.
Kingston, Dr T.J. c/o Agricultural Research Centre, Wollongbar, N.S.W. 2480,
Australia.
Koitie, Mrs D.F. P.O. Box 46108, Nairobi, Kenya.
Lamprey, Dr H.F. P.O. Box 21472, Nairobi, Kenya.

*Larsson, L. Videgardsvagen 72, S-445 O00 Surte, Sweden.

Lock, Dr J.M. 10 01d School Lane, Milton, Cambridge CB4 4BS, England.

**Mann, C.F. c/o M.M.P.S., Begawan Sultan/Sekolah Sains, Jalan Muara, Bandar

Seri Begawan, State of Brunei.

**Meadows, B.S. c/o Weston, 78 Woodberry Way, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, England.

Merz, Mrs A. P.O. Box 24897, Nairobi, Kenya.

*Miskell, J. C.A.R.E., c/o U.N.H.C.R., P.O. Box 2925, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Mohamed H. Barre, P.O. Box 30470, Nairobi, Kenya
**Moore, R.D. c/o Swandene, The Mount, Highclere, Newbury, Berkshire, England.

Moyer, D. P.O. Box 77, Sumbawanga, Tanzania.

Osborn, P. P.O. Box 44286, Nairobi, Kenya.

Pettersson, C.G. Svetsarvagen 19, 5tr. S-175 73 Jarfalla, Sweden.

*Pettet, Prof A. 23 Cole Park Rd, Twickenham, Greater London TWl] 1HP, England.

Rasmussen, S. Henssel, Mollevej 6, Flong, DK-2640 Hedehusene, Denmark.
**Reynolds, J.F. 35 Foxcroft Drive, Rastrick, Brighouse, West Yorks HD6 6PQ, UK.
*Rutherford, W.J.F. 49 Rydal Rd, Harrogate, North Yorks HG1] 4SD, England.

East African Bird Report 1981 169

Sayer, P.D. P.O. Box 14660, Nairobi, Kenya.
*Schwab, Dr L. 963 Stewartstown Rd, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, USA.
Sinclair, Mrs M. P.O. Box 30158, Nairobi, Kenya.
**Skinner, Prof N.J. 60 Gunton Drive, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 4QB, England.
*Smalley, Dr M.E. Dept of Zoology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197,
Nairobi, Kenya. .
Smallshire, D. 25 Caspian Way, Wheaton Aston, Stafford ST19 9PR, England.
*Smith, D.W. Lychgate, 37 Kewhurst Ave, Cooden, Sussex, England.
*Stevenson, T. Lake Baringo Club, c/o Block Hotels, P.O. Box 47557, Nairobi.
*Stjernstedt, R. P.O. Box 91, Siavonga, Zambia.
**Stuart, S.N. Dept of Applied Biology, Pembroke St, Cambridge CB2 3DX, England.
**Taylor, P.B. P.O. Box 25138, Nairobi, Kenya.
*Thiede, Dr W. Ander Rohne 184, D-5000 Kéln 40, West Germany.
Thomsett, S. c/o Wilderness Trails, Private Bag, Isiolo, Kenya.
Tucker, E.H. P.O. Box 90462, Mombasa, Kenya.
*Unger, U. Vastes Gata 23, S-421 53 Vastra Frolunda, Sweden.
Vanderstichelen, G. Embassy of Belgium, P.O. Box 30461, Nairobi, Kenya
Vincent, C. 212 Armstrong North, Ballarat, Victoria 3350, Australia.
*Wallace, Scott, 1088 El Solyo Ave, Campbell, California 95008, USA.
*Walton, R.K. 30 Fields Court, Warwick CV34 4HP, England.
**Widstrand, S. Doppingvagen 6, C.2 tr, S-222 35 Lund, Sweden.
Wilkinson, Dr R. Dept of Biological Sciences, Bayero University, P.M.B.3011,
Kano, Nigeria.

New Institutional Subscribers (1981)

Serials Library, Louisiana State Univ, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
Dept of Zoology, Makerere Univ, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.

Zambia Ornithological Society, P.O. Box 3944, Lusaka, Zambia.

New Exchanges (1981)
The Living Bird
Okologie der Végel
Sandgrouse

Wildlife Review

** = Latest known address.

170 East African Bird Report 1981

INDEX OF AUTHORS

Ash, J.S. Desert Wheatears Oenanthe deserti in Ethiopia and Somalia... 35
Breeding of the Spur-winged Goose Plectopterus gambensis in
Ethiopia 0 Sow tye el Se Mer ate te ie tae Seinen ies Vier ane rel ae nn 52
Ayres' Hawk Eagle Hieraaetus dubius in Ethiopia and Somalia. . 54
Spring passage of Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus and other waders
Off the coast of Somalia’ ls 2 Cae let te) etce, fare Sree ee if)
Bird-ringing results and ringed bird recoveries in Ethiopia. . 85
& Karani, A.A. Roseate and Sooty Terns Sterna dougallii and

fuscata breeding on islets in ‘Southern’ Somalia’ >... eases a sees 22
& Miskell, J.E. The Dunlin Calidris alpina in Ethiopia and

SOMALIA sw a ee eee ee ale ee er eh ler it gs nn ea ee 32
Basra Reed Warblers Acrocephalus griseldis

overwintering in Somalia’ 2 os RTO bie ee ae ta ba eee ae eS 81

& Pomeroy, D.E. Mapping schemes in the Afrotropical region .. 36

Backhurst, G.C. & Pearson, D.J. Ringing and migration at Ngulia, Tsavo,
November ,1980 —qianuarny.,LOS1:. is: dehwento’ ow: yegphe may fee We een oe 28
Baker, N.E. Altitude record for the Red-necked Spurfowl Francolinus afer 126

Beesley, J.S.S. A breeding record of White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus

BM | TAR ZAWT A oi heig its fof hee messes Year Me wh adioinats, Joey ar yay tte Meee ail adi hci i
Oversummering Pintail Anas acuta in northern Tanzania . . 125

Britton, P.L. Notes on the Andersen collection and other specimens from
Tanzania housed in some West German museums ......-. «+++. « - 14
Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus in Kenya .... 31

Carter, C. & Robinson, G.P. The occurrence of both Red-throated and
White-fronted Bee-eaters in the Virunga Park, eastern Zaire ...... 80

Collias, N.E. & Collias, E.C. Survival and intercolony movements of White-
browed Sparrow Weavers Plocepasser mahali.". 22. @) cl. sees oe on een es 61

Fry, C.H. The residential status of the Madagascar Bee-eater Merops
superciliosus im AECICas oi 6. ie sievolis | oh ee ei oh eee eo tee ee ae 41
Fuggles-Couchman, N.R. Some notes on the Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus

solitarius,,in: Tanzanla: o« si6. sitedin Jolie? e_eipa we ee a tee ee 58
Haas, V. & Haussler, U. Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur in Kenya .... 128
Hanmer, D.B. The food requirements of owls compared with those of

diurnal’ raptors . .6 2) 3). ele ee ee Se a, ee ee ee cet em rere ee

Lewis, A.D. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus in Nairobi ....... 57
A record of the Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis
from, NaiTobs 6 6 soi ny, wy. wy ey mma ml eal doh neta en eee Cae 60
The past and present status and distribution of the Grey-
crested Helmet Shrike. Prionops poliolopha. 42) 5 sg )e) «) <slinnlsnuiey =) eee 66
The Somali Sparrow Passer castanopterus: a breeding record

for East ALVICd: sa) 6) jaya Mawieny ee m, euaiebi neh igus alae sie eh ee 83
& Pearson, D.J. Stork and raptor migration in South Nyanza,
KRemya: a «is ca 6m he) lye pie gah oh Set Mae Re cn Et Se ee 51
Raptor and stork migration at Namanga,
southern Kenya os xo) indie ety ed Cll el ooh Vous ae, ig ea) de es) i ee 83

Masterson, A.N.B. Notes from the Rwenzori Mountains, including a
description of the nest and eggs of Archer's Ground Robin Dryocichloides
arCcherd ‘2 se OP ee a ae Baa hela tee to eee tate et fot Die arent) at aoe oe 33
Meadows, B.S. & Pearson, D.J. White-eyed Pochards Aythya nyroca in
central Kenya during early 1981) f) 0c is) Sales ee) eee ees ee eee V7

East African Bird Report 1981

Moore, R.D. Long-tailed Skuas Stercorarius longicaudus at the Kenya coast
Nikolaus, G. Palaearctic migrants new to the North Sudan ........

Pearson, D.J. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus in Tsavo .......
The identity of two Ficedula flycatchers recently

re ete sits wis « « 6 Ss mieke Sontaus €)e so « 6 «
Spring falls of Palaearctic passerines at Mtito Andei,
eee so De ES) RE oo On ee en oe ere oe’ Pe Pee eme er
Short, L.L. & Horne, J.F.M. Vocal and other behaviour of Stierling's
ie (eMerirIGes StICTITNG] . . « = « e « ss © » e's 6 s « © 2 @
Sinclair, J.C. Pintado Petrel Daption capense in Kenya .........
Skorupa, J.P. A breeding record for Cassin's Hawk Eagle Hieraaetus
ee ee Sle sa sta eh ee ae ee sm 3 et ee
Stuart, S.N. An explanation for the disjunct distributions of Modulatrix
Reeeruenus and Apalis (or Orthotomis) moreaui .. +... ss «#++-e«ee

, Howell, K.M., van der Willigen, T.A. & Geertsema, A.A. Some
additions to the forest avifauna of the Uzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. .

& Jensen, F.P. Further range extensions and other notable
Pee eeDOrest baras from Tanzania . . . 9s. .« ss". ss 8 6's « 6 « @

Taylor, P.B. A second Zambian record of the Little Ringed Plover
ii ee Oe eRe os 5 6 ie dwwnd oa Oe fal J @aptlar del be Ge
Red-footed Falcons Falco vespertinus in Tsavo West National
I oe Rah cireWic Tela ok kw Rm ce ay let Lap tenl [e BED La el alrsrew te
First East African record of the Red-necked Stint Calidris
ee. a Oe fa a Ws) < e es oe a pertéeey eve ner Ale Oe lees lk ue
Thomsett, S. Some observations on the Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus ..
Turner, D.A. The East African Distributional Mapping Scheme .......

Walton, R.K. Bird observations from Tabora Region, Tanzania .......

171

121

172 East African Bird Report 1981

INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES

Only Scopus 5, numbers 1 to 4 are indexed; references to birds in the East
African Bird Report 1981 are not included as they are to be found in
systematic/alphabetical order within the report.

Accipiter melanoleucus 116 Aquila sp.30,83
minullus 107,113,116,118 chrysaetos 104
nisus 104 heliaca 83
ovampensis 15,107,113 nipalensis 28,51,83,84,116
rufiventris 15,107 pomarina 28,51,84,116
tachiro 86,113 rapax 51,84,103,104
Acrocephalus arundinaceus 29,82,87,100,119 wahlbergi 51,54,104
baeticatus 30,81 Ardea cinerea 91
gracilirostris 81,82 goliath 118
griseldis 18,28,29,81,82,87,91,98,100,121 Ardeola ralloides 89,91,92
palustris 29,80,81,87 rufiventris 15
schoenobaenus 29,80,81,87,119 Arenaria interpres 74,87
scirpaceus 29,87,98,100 Asio flammeus 87
stentoreus 82,87 Aviceda cuculoides 15,108,113
Actitis hypoleucos 86,99 Aythya fuligula 79
Agapornis fischeri 119 nyroca 77-79
Alethe choloensis 115
fuelleborni 18,109,114,115 Bathmocercus winifredae 110,115
Alopochen aegyptiacus 86,118 Batis mixta 114
Amadina fasciata 117 soror 49,114
Amblyospiza albifrons 117,118 Bias musicus 111,114
Anas acuta 86,125 Bleda syndactyla 18
clypeata 86 Bostrychia hagadash 118
querquedula 86 Bradornis microrhynchus 119
Anastomus lamelligerus 51,118 pallidus 117
Andropadus masukuensis 109,114 Bradypterus baboecala 34
milanjensis 109,114,115 barratti 18,34,114
virens 49,114 cinnamomeus 34
Anous stolidus 22,79 sylvaticus 34
tenuirostris 22 Bubo lacteus 102-104,109
Anthreptes collaris 115 poensis 115
longuemarei 19,20,117,118 virginianus 104
neglectus 19,20,112,114,115 Buccanodon leucotis 48,114
orientalis 117,119 olivaceum 48,49,108,114,115
rubritorques 20,112,115 Burhinus capensis 15
Anthus cervinus 88 Buteo augur 86
trivialis 29,88,100 buteo 51,56,86,91,95,118
Apalis alticola 49 tachardus 33,48,113
binotata 18 Butorides striatus 30
chariessa 48,49,106,110,114,115 Bycanistes brevis 114
karamojae 119 bucinator 108,114
melanocephala 49,114
moreaui 1-3,115 Calidris alba 74,126
porphyrolaema 49 alpina 32-33,86
thoracica 2 . ferruginea 86,89,91,96,126
Apaloderma narina 16 minuta 86,91,96,99,101,118,126-7
vittatum 16,48,114 ruficollis 126,127
Aplopelia larvata 108,113 temminckii 86,99

Apus apus 16,87,117,118

East African Bird Report 1981

Camaroptera brachyura 3,49,110,114,119
Campephaga flava 30,114
quiscalina 109,114
Campethera abingoni 5,114,117
bennettii 5

nivosa 17

Caprimulgus europaeus 16,28, 29,87
Cercococcyx montanus 16,114
Cercotrichas galactotes 28,29,87
Certhia sp.60

Ceryle rudis 87,90,91,97
Charadrius alexandrinus 86,99
asiaticus 74,86

dubius 57,86,99,117
hiaticula 74,86

mongolus 86
Chlidonias leucopterus 87
Chloropeta natalensis 18
Chrysococcyx cupreus 16,108
klass 114
Cichladusa guttata 120
Ciconia abdimii 51,92

cicona 51,83,89,92-95

nigra 91,92,95
Circaetus cinereus 118
fasciolatus 107,113

gallicus 101
Circus aeruginosus 86,116
macrourus 86

pygarus 86,116

ranivorus 15,118
Cisticola galactotes 81

nana 18
Clamator jacobinus 30
levaillantii 16
Colius striatus 117

Columba arquatrix 113
delegorguei 48,108,113
Coracias garrulus 28,29
naevia 17

spatulata 117
Coracina caesia 49,109,114
pectoralis 6

Corvinella melanoleuca 19
Corvus albicollis 34,114
fuficollis 23

Corythaixoides leucogaster 55
Cossypha caffra 18

natalensis 109,114

Coturnix coturnix 86
delegorguei 30

Creatophora cinerea 88,99,119
Crex crex 29,86

egregia 15

Cryptospiza reichenovii 115

Cuculus canorus 16,29,87
galaris 16,117
poliocephalis 16,29
solitarius 16,29,58,87

Daption capense 77
Delichon urbica 118
Denrocygna viduata 118

173

Dendropicos fuscescens 5-13,114

namaquus 5-13
pyrrhogaster 12
stierlingi 5-13,17,50
xantholophus 12
Dicrurus adsimilis 6
ludwigii 49,114
Dromas ardeola 73,74
Dryocichloides anomalus 115
archeri 33,34
lowei 18,46,115
montanus 115
Dryoscopus cubla 115
gambensis 88

Emberiza cabanisi 20
hortulana 88

Erythrocercus holochlorus 111

livingstonei 111,114
Estriida astrild 117,118
erythronotus 119
melanotis 117
Euplectes gierowii 117
orix, 117

Falco amurensis 15, 28,56,57,126

ardosiaceus 117,118
biarmicus 56

cherrug 56

chicquera 86,96

concolor 28,84

eleonorae 28,29,56
fasciinucha 15

naumanni 57,125
peregrinus 15,86
subbuteo 28,51,56,57,126
vespertinus 57,125,126
Ficedula albicollis 59,60
hypoleuca 59,60

parva 121,122
Francolinus afer 126
Fulica cristata 118,119

174

Gallinago gallinago 86,117
nigripennis 117
media 15,86
Gallinula angulata 15
choropus 117,118,119
Gelochelidon nilotica 79,87
Glareola pratincola 118
Glaucidium capense 16
perlatum 117
Guttera pucherani 48,113
Gypohierax angolensis 113,116

Haematopus ostralegus 74
Halcyon albivertris 118
leucocephala 87,90,91,97,118
senegalensis 117
Haliaeetus vocifer 104
Hieraaetus africanus 52-53
dubius 54-55,104,107,113
pennatus 51,54,55
spilogaster 54,116,118
Himantopus himantopus 118
Hippolais icterina 29,87
languida 29,30,81,88
olivetorum 28,29,81,117,121
pallida 29,88,100
Hirundo rustica 29,87,91,98
Hydrobates pelagicus 31
Hyliota australis 110
Hypochera chalybeata 88

Indicator ?meliphilus 17
minor 6,117

variegatus 80,109,114

Irania gutturalis 29,87
Ispidina picta 17,108,114,118
Ipophilus 13

Ixobrychus minutus 14,28,29,86

sturmii 14,30

Jynx ruficollis 17
torquilla 87,90,98,99

Lagonosticta rhodopareia 20
Lamprotornis chalybaeus 88
corruscus 111
purpureus 116,117
Laniarius ferrugineus 115,117
fuelleborni 115
Lanius collaris 119
collurio 29,88
collurio x isabellinus 29
isabellinus 29,88,100
minor 28
nubicus 88,91,99,100
senator 88

East African Bird Report 1981

Larus fuscus 77,91,97
hemprichii 77
ridibundus 87
Limicola falcinellus 86
Limosa limosa 87,118
Locustella fluviatialis 28,29,80,88,121
luscinioides 29,88,100
naevia 88
Lonchura bicolor 115
fringilloides 20
malabarica 117,118,119
Lophaetus occipitalis 117,118
Luscinia luscinia 29,80,81,87,99,119
megarhynchos 28,29,82,87,90,91,98-100
Svecica 87
Lybius melanocephalus 117

Macheiramphus alcinus 56,117,118
Macrosphenus kretschmeri 49,114
Malaconotus alius 14,19,107,111,115
multicolor 111,115
quadricolor 19
sulfureopectus 119
Mandingoa nitidula 20
Melaenornis pammelaina 117
Melierax metabates 15,117
Merops alternans 41,43
apiaster 43,44,87
bullockoides 17,80
bulocki 80
nubicus 17
persicus 41,44,87
superciliosus 41-44
Mesopicos griseocephalus 114
Milvus migrans 51,56,86,91,96
Mirafra africana 117
albicauda 17
Modulatrix orostruthus 1,2,3,106,
109,114,115
stictigula 1-3,18,110,115
Monticola saxatilis 29,87
solitarius 87
Motacilla alba 28,88,100
cinerea 88
clara 115
flava 29,88,91,99,100,119
Muscipapa adusta 111,114
caerulescens 111,114
gambagae 30
striata 28,29,88
Myioparus plumbeus 111,114

Neafrapus boehmi 108
Nectarina amethystina 117,118,119
johnstoni 34

loveridgei 112,115

East African Bird Report 1981

Nectarina manoensis 20
moreaui 115
sp.nov. 106,112,115
olivacea 115
tacazze 88
venusta 20
veroxii 20
Neophron percnopterus 95
Netta erythrophthalma 78,79,118
Nettapus auritus 118,119
Nicator chloris 18,117
Nilaus afer 117
Numenius arquata 73,74,118
phaeopus 71-76,118

Oceanites oceanicus 31
Oceanodroma leucorhoa 31
Oena capensis 118,119
Oenanthe deserti 35,36
hispanica 87

isabellina 29,87

oenanthe 29,87

pileata 119

pleschanka 29,87,100
Onychognathus tenuirostris 34
walleri 19,112,115
Oriolus brachyrhynchus 14,17
chlorocephalus 48,114,115
oriolus 29,87,91,98
Orthotomus metopias 2,3,115
Otus asio 104

leucotis 102-104

scops 29,86,87

Pachycoccyx audeberti 16
Passer castanopterus 83
eminibey 119
griseus 88
Pelecanus onocrotalus 85,86,81,125
Pernis apivorus 51
Petronia pyrgita 117
Phalacrocorax carbo 116,118,119
Philetairus socius 63
Philomachus pugnax 87,90,91,96,99
Pheoniconaias minor 91,95,112
Pheonicopterus ruber 86,91,95
Pheoniculus purpureus 108,114
Phoenicurus erythrogaster 123
phoenicurus 29,87,100
Phyllastrephus fischeri 109,114
flavostriatus 49,109,114
orostruthus 1
placidus 1,2,109,114
scandens 18

Phylloscopus collybita 88
ruficapilla 49,110,114
sibilatrix 29,88
trochilus 29,88
umbrovirens 34,110

Picoides sp.13
nuttallii 9
obsoletus 13
scalaris 9

Pitta angolensis 17

Platalea leucorodia 116

Platysteira peltata 111

Plectopterus gambensis 52

Plocepasser mahali 61-63

Ploceus baglafecht 88
bicolor 49,115
jacksoni 117
nigricollis 117
olivaceiceps 106,109,112,115
taeniopterus 88
weynsi 20
xanthops 117

Pluvialis dominica 15
squatarola 73,74,86

Pluvianus aegyptius 87,90,91,96

Poeoptera kenricki 112,115
stuhlmanni 19

Pogoniulus bilineatus 48,114
leucomystax 48,109
simplex 17,48,109

Pogonocichla stellata 110,114

Poicephalus robustus 108,117

Polyboroides radiatus 118

Porzana porzana 29,86
pusilla 123

Prionops plumata 66-69
poliolopha 66-69,88,89

Prodotiscus regulus 17

Psalidoprocne pristoptera 114

Pseudonigrita arnaudi 63,119

Pterocles quadricinctus 87

Puffinus pacificus 79

Pycnonotus barbatus 87,114

Pyrenestes minor 20,112

Quelea quelea 20,82,85
Rhinoptilus chalcopterus 15
Rhynchops flavirostris 16
Riparia riparia 29,87,91,98
Rostratula benghalensis 118

Salpornis spilonota 6

176

Sarothrura affinis 34
Saxicola rubetra 29,87

torquata 87
Schoenicola platyura 18
Schoutedenapus myoptilus 34,108
Serinus atrogularis 117

burtoni 112

citrinelloides 21

striolatus 34,112

sulphuratus 117,118
Sheppardia sharpei 18,110,114,115
Smithornis capensis 48,114,118
Speculipastor bicolor 19
Sporopipes frontalis 120

Spreo superbus 120

Stephanoaetus coronatus 53,104,107,113
Stercorarius longicaudus 79
Sterna albifrons 22

anaethetus 22,24

bengalensis 22

bergii 22,24

caspia 91,97

cinerea 99

dougallii 22-26,79

fuscata 22-26

repressa 22

Stizorhina fraseri 18
Streptopelia decipiens 87,119
lugens 87,128

semitorquata 60

turtur 87,90,91,97,128

Strix nebulosa 103

Sylvia atricapilla 29,88,91,98,100,119
borin 29,88,100,119

communis 28,29,80,81,88,100,119
curruca 88,100

hortensis 88

melanothorax 121,122

mystacea 88,99,100,122

nana 123

nisoria 29,88,100

Swynnertonia swynnertonia 106,110,114,
115

Tauraco livingstonei 113
Telecanthura ussheri 108
Terathopius ecaudatus 116
Terpsiphone virdis 114

Thripias sp.12

namaquus 117

Tmetothylacus tenellus 30
Tockus alboterminatus 114

deckeni 118 f ee

East African Bird Report 19g]

Trachyphonus erythrocephalus 117,119

Trichastoma fulvescens 17
rufipennis 2,18

Tringa glareola 86,99
nebularia 74,86
ochropus 86
stagnatilis 86,126
totanus 86,96,118

Trochocercus albonotatus 111,114
cyanomelas 111,115
nigromitratus 19

Turdus abyssinicus 87,114
gurneyi 2,49,110,114
litsipsirupa 87

philomelos 87

Turnix sylvatica 30

Turtur tympamistria 113

Upupa epops 86,87,91,97,99,114
Uraeginthus cyanocephalus 120
ianthinogaster 117,120

Vanellus crassirostris 118
lububris 118

spinosus 86

Vidua fischeri 117,119
hypocherina 120
paradisaea 120

Xenus cinereus 74,86,89,91,96

Zosterops senegalensis 115

Index prepared by D.K.Richards.

Continued from inside front cover

Any references cited should be listed at the end of the contribution following
the form used in this issue. Names of periodicals MUST be given in full and,

in the case of books, the town of publication and the publisher should be given.
A number of works, which are cited frequently, should not be listed under
"References'; the name(s) of the author(s) and date(s) of publication should

be given in the text in the normal way.

All contributions should be sent to Dr D.J. Pearson, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Nairobi, Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.

WORKS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE LISTED UNDER 'REFERENCES'

BACKHURST, G.C., BRITTON, P.L. & MANN, C.F. 1973. The less common Palaearctic
migrant birds of Kenya and Tanzania. Journal of the East Africa Natural Hist-
ory Society and National Museum 140: 1-38. = Backhurst et al. 1973.

BENSON, C.W., BROOKE, R.K., DOWSETT, R.J. & IRWIN, M.P.S. 1971. The birds of
Zambia. London: Collins. = Benson et al. 1971.

BRITTON, P.L. (ed.) Birds of East Africa their habitat, status and distrib-
ution. Nairobi: EANHS. = Britton 1980.

BROWN, L.H. & BRITTON, P.L. 1980. The breeding seasons of East African birds.
Nairobi: EANHS. = Brown & Britton 1980.

BROWN, L.H., URBAN, E.K. & NEWMAN, K. 1982. The birds of Africa. Vol. 1.
London: Academic Press. = Brown et al. 1982.

HALL, B.P. & MOREAU, R.E. 1970. An atlas of speciation in African Passerine
birds. London: British Museum (Nat. Hist). = Hall & Moreau 1970.

JACKSON, F.J. 1938. The birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate.
3 vols. London: Gurney & Jackson. = Jackson 1938.

MACKWORTH-PRAED, C.W. & GRANT, C.H.B. 1957 & 1960. African handbook of birds.
Series I, vols 1 & 2. Birds of eastern and north eastern Africa. 2nd Edition.
London: Longmans Green & Co. = Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1957 and/or 1960.

MOREAU, R.E. 1966. The bird faunas of Africa and its islands. London: Academic
Press. = Moreau 1966.

1972. The Palaearctic-African bird migration systems. London:
Academic Press. = Moreau 1972.

SNOW, D.W. (ed.) 1978. An atlas of speciation in African Non-Passerine biras.
London: British Museum (Nat. Hist.). = Snow 1978.

EAST AFRICAN BIRD REPORT

This forms the fifth issue of Scopus and each report covers one calendar vear
Records of Afrotropical Region (i.e. Ethiopian Region and Malagasy Sub-Resgicn
aa Oceanse bards should be sent to D.A. Turner [tei. 38772], Box 4t8cl19,
Nairobi; records of Palaearctic Region birds to D.J. Pearson [te2. 47041],
Box 30197, Nairobi. Records should be sent in early in the new year to ensure
the speedy production of the Bird Report. Reports of rare birds may be phoned

through to any OS-C member.
BIRDS OF EAST AFATCA
Copies of this 270 page book are available from the EANHS, Box 44486, Nairobi
at the following post-paid prices. All cheques should be made out to the
E.A.N.H.S. Those overseas MUST remit in Sterling, US$ or the equivalent in
a convertible currency; drafts in Kenya Shillings cannot be accepted.
By surface mail to East Africa or to anywhere in the world: Shs. 130/-,
£8.00 or US$17.00. Airmail, Africa: £11.50 or US$24.00. Airmail to Europe:
£12.00 or US$25.00. Airmail to the Americas, Australia and the Far East:
£13.50 or US$28.00.
The 40 page Check-list of the birds of Kenya is available from D.A. Turner.
Post-paid: surface: East Africa Shs. 12.00, anywhere in the world £0.70 or US
$1.50. Airmail to anywhere in the world £1.00 or US$2.20.

| C6AMREF

CONTENTS

General (REVWiew <6 “se en Si is, ee) rel ist et te ep tele ecole emer ere
Species, REPORE .) « 5 0s iey, sw Se eeuyes tS 6 ote) ee ee eo ees
Additions and corrections for previous years .........

'First' and 'last' dates for some Palaearctic migrant landbirds
HatSit OL, ODSCEMEIES sey eo) deh ces cet ol ce) ou uney eyo) eee tr eee ee
BOA.N-H.S. Nest Record (Scheme: AGSt 2.7% 2 filer = ee oe
OrnTthollegical~proyects; in Hast Africa, 1984 eee. 1s) eee
Ringing and migration at Ngulia, Tsavo, November-December, 1981
New subscribers (1981) and changes of address ........
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