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ISSN 2313-1799

SCOPUS

Journal of East African Ornithology

A publication of the
Bird Committee of the
East Africa Natural History Society

Edited by
Darcy Ogada
Graeme Backhurst

Volume 40(1), January 2020

BirdLife

Nature/iema

INTERNATIONAL

The East Africa Natural History Society

Scopus: Journal of East African Ornithology

40(1), January 2020

Eligi P. Kamario, Jasson R. John and Harishchandra B. Pratap.

Gonadosomatic Index infers the breeding season of the House Crow
Corvus splendens in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.1

Seth Inman and Claver Ntoyinkama. Recent survey of birds in Gishwati
Forest, Rwanda.7

Short communications

Philip C Stouffer. Birds of the College of African Wildlife Management,
Mweka, Tanzania.16

N.E. Baker and E.M. Baker!. The breeding of the Wooly-necked Stork Ciconia
episcopus in Tanzania.26

Douglas Gachucha, Naomi Nyaboke Moraa Benson, Hassan Abdiaziz,

Gabriel Benson and Donald A. Turner. Breeding of the Giant Kingfisher
Megaceryle maxima at Lake Naivasha, Kenya.28

N.E. Baker and E.M. Baker!. An active nest of the Karamoja Apalis Apalis
karamoja from Tanzania.31

Melissa Eager. Ashy Starling Lamprotornis unicolor a new host for Greater
Honey guide Indicator indicator .33

Donald A. Turner and Dale A. Zimmerman. Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Bycanistes brevis in Kenya.34

Treatment of online references.35

Scopus 40(1): 1-6, January 2020

Gonadosomatic index infers the
breeding season of the House Crow Corvus
splendens in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Eligi P. Kimario, Jasson R. John and Harishchandra B. Pratap

Summary

The House Crow Corvus splendens is native to the Indian subcontinent but also has a
broad invasive range which includes the coast of East Africa. House Crows (HC and
HCs throughout this paper) were introduced in Zanzibar in the 1890s from where
they later spread to mainland Tanzania. Their negative socioeconomic and ecological
impacts have necessitated the instigation of population control programmes using
avicides and trapping. Although knowledge on the reproductive biology of HCs, in
particular the breeding status, is important for successful control programmes, little
is known about it in Dar es Salaam. To establish the HC breeding status, a total of 83
female and 100 male birds were collected from August 2013 to July 2014 from traps
operated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism population control pro¬
gramme. All birds were euthanized, dissected, and sex determined by gonad exami¬
nation. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) was determined as the ratio of gonad weight
upon total body weight. The GSI, which is an index of gonad development relative to
the bird's sexual maturation, peaked from October to December suggesting that this
period is the main breeding season. The HC population control could be intensified
during the onset of gonad development when the demand for resources is high.

Keywords breeding season, gonadosomatic index. House Crow, Dar es Salaam

Introduction

The House Crow Corvus splendens is considered to be one of the most intelligent and
adaptable birds that exhibit complex social behaviour and is common around hu¬
man dwellings (Koul & Sahi 2013). It is native to the Indian subcontinent including
India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Tanka (Puttoo & Archer 2003; Jackson &
Cowburn 2011). House Crows (HCs) were introduced to Zanzibar Island (Tanzania)
in 1890s (Finn 1893, Vaughan 1930). The population of HCs grew and spread along
the East African coast (Cooper 1996, Jackson & Cowburn 2011). A more recent global
assessment of HC spread is provided in Ryall (2016). The HC is considered as an in¬
vasive pest especially in its non-native range as it competes with native birds such as
Pied Crow Corvus albus, Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis, and destroys nests of many local
birds. HCs are also known to peck out the eyes of newborn livestock (MNRT 2010).
They are shown to be carriers of enteric pathogens including Salmonella and Campy¬
lobacter, and birds infected by Influenza A virus subtype H5N1, which is a human
health hazard (Ryall & Meier 2008), have been found in the Far East. The presence
of HCs near airports is a potential threat for a bird strike with aeroplanes, especially
because of their erratic and unpredictable behaviour when roosting (Ryall & Meier

E.P. Kimario, J.R. John and H.P. Pratap

2008). Based on the ecological and socio-economic negative impacts, they have been
subjected to control programmes in many countries including Tanzania, South Afri¬
ca, Mauritius, Kenya, Yemen, and Singapore by trapping and poisoning using Starl-
icide DRC#1339 (Puttoo & Archer 2003, Ethekwini Municipality 2007, Ryall & Meier
2008, Suleiman & Taleb 2010). Although knowledge of the breeding cycle is essential
for a successful control programme of many invasive species (Dhami 2009), little is
known about the HC's breeding season. Understanding the onset of breeding periods
allows a control programme to interrupt a pest species' breeding cycle. The develop¬
ment of gonads, quantified using gonadosomatic index (GSI), provides the duration
of the breeding season (Williams 1967, Fox 2007). All other breeding behaviours such
as pairing, copulation and nesting are triggered by physiological changes in the avian
body, the onset of which can be studied by using gonad development indices. This
method gives a peak breeding season beyond what is usually observed in the field.
The objective of this study was to establish the breeding status of HC in Dar es Salaam
using GSI, as an increase in GSI signifies the breeding season for many vertebrates
(Williams 1967, Fox 2007).

Materials and methods

The study was conducted in Dar es Salaam city located (6°48'0'S, 39°17'0'E) on the
Tanzanian coast. The study sites, with two traps each, were operated by the Wildlife
Division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and located at both the
Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) (Ubungo ward) and Mbezi Kimara (MK) (Mbezi
ward), both located in Ubungo municipality, northwest of Dar es Salaam City (Fig. 1).
TBS is both a roosting and foraging site while MK is predominantly a foraging area
with ample food from slaughterhouse waste; the roosting sites are also in the same vi¬
cinity. Traps were baited with leftover foods and meat scraps and supplied with fresh
water. Birds were collected from one of the two traps at MK or TBS alternately every
week from August 2013 to July 2014 (note that this study was part of a larger ongoing
initiative to control House Crows in Tanzania). Birds were removed from the trap
before dawn to avoid deterring other crows. They were taken to the laboratory where
they were euthanized by chloroform before dissection. The specimens were dissected
using a procedure recommended by Friend and Franson (1999). All ethical guidelines
of the University of Dar es Salaam were adhered to during the study. To establish
sex, gonads were dissected and weighed separately on a digital balance (Mettler AE
100) to four decimal places. The GSI of adult males and females was used to measure
sexual maturity in relation to gonad development. The GSI for each month were cal¬
culated by dividing the total gonad weight by total body weight (Fox 2007). Kruskal
Wallis (K-W) test was used to compare sex specific GSI between months followed by
a Mann-Whitney pair wise comparison test. All tests were two-tailed and factors were
considered statistically significant at p< 0.05.

Gonadosomatic index infers breeding season of House Crow

Figure 1 . Map of Kinondoni Municipality showing trapping sites at Mbezi Kimara (MK) and
Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) in Dar es Salaam.

Results

During the 12 months study period, sex-specific GSI for each month of 83 females
and 100 males were calculated. The peak GSI for females was between October 2013
(GSI = 0.235) to December 2013 (GSI = 0.244) while for males it was between October
2013 (GSI = 0.149) to November 2013 (GSI = 0.125) (Fig. 2). These findings of high GSI
suggest that the period from October to December is the main breeding period.

E.P. Kimario, J.R. John and H.P. Pratap

Figure 2. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) for male and female House crows for a one-year cycle
from August 2013 to July 2014 in Dar es Salaam.

Over the period of one year, monthly female GSI varied and differed significantly
(KW=42.34, p < 0.001). The female mean GSI during the cold dry to short rainy season
(June-December) was high (GSI = 0.104), while it was significantly lower (GSI = 0.0083)
during the hot dry to long monsoon rainy season (January-May) (Mann-Whitney li-
test, 11=247, p< 0.001).

The monthly GSI for males differed significantly during the study period
(KW=29.21, p = 0.002). Likewise, the mean GSI for males during the cold dry to short
rainy season (June-December) was significantly higher (GSI = 0.057) compared to hot
dry to long rainy season (January-May, GSI = 0.009) (Mann-Whitney IT-test, l/=579,

p< 0.001).

Discussion

Animal breeding status can be followed using indices of reproductive development
that are directly correlated with cellular and physiological changes occurring con¬
currently in gonads (Williams 1967). In fish, for example, an increase in GSI suggests
spawning season and thereafter it decreases in spent fish (fish that have already
spawned) (Fox 2007). Similarly, in birds, indices of reproductive development in¬
crease during the breeding season (Williams 1967). The HC GSI for both, females and
males in this study differed significantly between different months indicating that
HC has a defined breeding season. The wider window of GSI for females as com¬
pared to males can be explained by the fact that upon single insemination the sperm
is stored in the oviduct tubes prior to egg laying. Thereafter, reproductive activities
such as ovulation and fertilization continue to take place even after several weeks of

Gonadosomatic index infers breeding season of House Crow 3

copulation or sperm insemination (Birkhead & Moller 1993). Therefore, copulation
ceases while females are still fertile and eggs will be fertilized throughout the breed¬
ing season creating a time lag, which is reflected in the sex-differentiated GSI.

During the short rainy season, the period from October to December 2013, HCs
had significantly higher GSI suggesting the main breeding season. This breeding
season inferred from GSI overlaps with that reported in Mombasa (Kenya) where
nesting activities peaked in November to December (Ryall 1990, Chongomwa 2011).
This is likely because of similar climatic conditions as both Mombasa and Dar es Sa¬
laam are located on the East African coast. The HCs breeding season in Eastern Af¬
rica, including Dar es Salaam, differs from that of its native range. In its native range
breeding mainly occurs from June to September during the dry cool season (Lamba
1963, Ali et al. 2007, Awais et al. 2015). Dry seasons are favourable for easy availability
of nesting materials such as dry sticks, twigs and tree branches, which are common
nesting materials (Behrouzi-Rad 2010).

Based on these findings, we recommend that HC population control activities es¬
pecially poisoning and trapping be intensified during the onset of gonad develop¬
ment (Fig. 2) when the demand for resources, food in particular, is high. Trapping
and poisoning during this period will be more effective because many HCs need to
feed more when preparing for breeding, thus increasing the risks of being trapped or
poisoned. Disruption of HCs' breeding will not only eradicate reproductively active
birds, but greatly lower recruitment rates and thus control the total population over
time.

Acknowledgements

The first author was sponsored by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Tanzania.
B. A. Nyundo and M. Kibaja provided advice on data analysis. The authors thank Darcy Ogada
and Luc Lens for advice and reviewing this manuscript.

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Ali, H., Hasan, S.A., Rana, S.A, Beg, M.A. & Hassan, M.M. 2007. Brood parasitism of Asian
Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea) on the House Crow (Coruus splendens) in Pothwar region of
Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences 44: 627-634.

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House Crow Coruus splendens at Hazara University, Garden Campus, Mansehra, Pakistan.
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Behrouzi-Rad, B. 2010. Population estimation and breeding biology of the House Crow Coruus
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fertile? Animal Behauiour 45(1): 105-118

Chongomwa, M.M. 2011. Mapping locations of nesting sites of the Indian House Crow in Mom¬
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Pathology 25: 381-386.

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tis ) and some implications for management of this invasive species, http://www.issg.org,
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Jackson, C. & Cowburn, C. 2011. Control of the alien pest: House Crow, a summary of the situ¬
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tural fields in Jammu (J and K), India. International Research Journal of Environmental Sciences
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Lamba, B.S. 1963. The identification of some common Indian birds. Journal of the Bombay Natural
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MNRT. 2010. A joint project of Central Government (Wildlife Division) and the three districts
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Eligi P. Kimario,

Wildlife Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, P.O. Box 1994, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Jasson R. John and Harishchandra B. Pratap*

Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35064, Dar

es Salaam, Tanzania

*Corresponding author: pratap@udsm.ac.tz

Scopus 40(1): 1-6, January 2020

Received 18 November 2019

Scopus 40(1): 7-15, January 2020

Recent Survey of Birds in Gishwati Forest,
Rwanda

Seth Inman and Claver Ntoyinkama

Summary

We conducted a general avian survey in and around the Gishwati Forest of Rwanda's
Gishwati-Mukura National Park between 6 June and 7 August 2019, using stationary
point counts and opportunistic observations along approximately 300 km of transects
and trails. Of the 155 bird species recorded, one is Critically Endangered (Hooded
Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus), two are Endangered (Gray Crowned-Crane Balearica
regulorum and Grauer's Swamp Warbler Bradypterus graueri), one is Vulnerable (Taw¬
ny Eagle Aquila rapax), and two are Near-Threatened (Mountain Buzzard Buteo ore-
ophilus and Lagden's Bushshrike Malaconotus lagdeni). We recorded three Afrotropical
migrants and 20 species endemic to the Albertine Rift (though two of these are only
recognized at the subspecies level). Within this avian community, 41 species are for¬
est specialists, 55 are forest generalists, and 25 are forest visitors.

Keywords conservation, Gishwati Forest, Gishawati-Mukura National Park, mon¬
tane forest birds, Rwanda

Introduction

Gishwati Forest (01°49'S, 29°22'E; 2050-2610 m), in northwest Rwanda, is a secondary
montane rainforest fragment that lies roughly between Volcanoes National Park to
the north and Nyungwe Forest National Park to the south. The forest that included
Gishwati in the early 1900s may have been as large as 100 000 ha, although this can¬
not be confirmed (REMA 2015). In 1984, the protected area that comprised Gishwati
was 21213 ha, but by 2015 it had suffered a 93% reduction in size to 1440 ha (REMA

2015) . The majority of forest clearance occurred before 2010. There is now 1570ha
of Gishwati Forest that are gazetted as part of the newly formed Gishwati-Mukura
National Park, declared in 2015, after having been a Forest Reserve since 1951 (REMA

2016) . Gishwati Forest Reserve was previously an Important Bird Area but was later
down-listed by BirdLife International after the area's vast habitat loss (Kanyamibwa
2001 ).

Vande weghe & Vande weghe (2011) recorded 190 resident species in this for¬
est during observations that were made before 1986 (G. Vande weghe, pers. comm.),
which provides the historical baseline for the Gishwati avifauna. This publication has
since been updated by Vande weghe (2018), which lists the total avifauna recorded in
Gishwati Forest, including migrants, as about 150. There have been other surveys of
the birds of Gishwati in the last two decades, though most have never been published
or were of short duration (see Nsabagasani & Nsengimana 2009, WCS unpub., Valle
unpub., Tuyisingize unpub., REMA unpub.).

°S. Inman and C. Ntoyinkama

Our goal was to conduct a survey of the current avifauna of Gishwati Forest, to
provide a much-needed contribution to our understanding of this forest under its
present state, as well as the distribution of some endemic, rare, and poorly-known
species. It is therefore not historically comprehensive. For example, there were 42
species documented in Vande weghe & Vande weghe (2011) that we did not find
during our survey. Some of these may have been missed in the field, but others were
likely extirpated by the profound habitat changes and fragmentation of this forest
in the 1980s and 1990s. This work was part of a larger project to measure changes in
species composition and to conduct a spatial analysis of the remnant avian diversity
as it relates to distance from the edge of the park boundaries.

Methods

Over the course of 40 field days, between 6 June and 7 August 2019, we conducted 180
point counts along approximately 300 km of transects and trails in Gishwati Forest, or
within 1 km of its boundary (Fig. 1). This represented over 400 h of direct and oppor¬
tunistic observations while walking between points. After giving birds 60 s to settle
after our arrival at each point, we documented every individual bird heard or seen for
10 min using binoculars and referencing Stevenson & Fanshawe (2002) as necessary.
Points were spaced at least 200 m apart. Over 86% of the points were surveyed more
than once, and 54% of the points were surveyed thrice. We allocated more effort to
the core area of relict forest than to the relatively newer and much more degraded
habitat to the east, which is a much narrower band of protected area where impacts of
edge effects would be more difficult to determine. Surveys were conducted between
06:00 (sunrise) and 12:30, and we delayed surveying during active rain, which rarely
occurred.

Figure 1. Map of Gishwati forest showing surveyed points and the official Park boundary.

Survey of birds in Gishwati Forest, Rwanda

Results

We detected a total of 155 species (Table 1), 20 of which are endemic to the Alber-
tine Rift (BirdLife International 2019a). Signs of breeding (immature birds or nest¬
ing behaviour) were found for 15 species, and three species were intra-African mi¬
grants. Four species are on the IUCN Red List, and 2 other species are considered
Near-Threatened (BirdLife International 2019b). According to the categorizations
established by Bennun et al. (1996), 41 were forest specialists, 55 were forest general¬
ists, and 25 were forest visitors, leaving 34 uncategorized species that typically were
non-forest species—or were species not included in Bennun et al. (1996). In Table 1
we include a very rudimentary proxy of abundance based on how many days a given
species was detected, which was of course biased by a given species' behaviour and
habitat, as well as our sampling distribution, and as such these values should be con¬
sidered a rough estimate.

Table 1. Bird species recorded in and around Gishwati Forest of Gishwati-Mukura National
Park. The list follows Clements et al. (2019). R = resident, AM = Afrotropical migrant; B = signs
of breeding recorded in this survey; ARE = Albertine Rift endemic; CR = Critically Endangered,
E = Endangered, V=Vulnerable, NT = Near-Threatened; Abundance categories: Once = l,
Rare < 5, Uncommon < 10, Common > 10, Frequent > 20, Abundant > 30.

Common Name

Species Name

Status

Abundance

Handsome Francolin

Pternistis nobilis

R, B, ARE

Common

Scaly Francolin

Pternistis squamatus

Once

Rameron Pigeon

Columba arquatrix

R, B

Uncommon

Dusky Turtle-Dove

Streptopelia lugens

Rare

Red-eyed Dove

Streptopelia semitorquata

Uncommon

Blue-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur afer

Once

Tambourine Dove

Turtur tympanistria

Rare

African Green-Pigeon

Treron calvus

Uncommon

Great Blue Turaco

Corythaeola cristata

Uncommon

Black-billed Turaco

Tauraco schuettii

Frequent

Rwenzori Turaco

Ruwenzorornis johnstoni johnstoni

R, ARE

Once

Blue-headed Coucal

Centropus monachus

Common

Blue Malkoha

Ceuthmochares aereus

Rare

Klaas’s Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx klaas

Rare

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

Uncommon

Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo

Cercococcyx montanus

Rare

Black Cuckoo

Cuculus clamosus

Uncommon

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

Abundant

Rwenzori Nightjar

Caprimulgus ruwenzorii

R, ARE subspecies

Rare

Square-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus fossii

Once

Little Swift

Apus affinis

Once

Red-chested Flufftail

Sarothrura rufa

Uncommon

Black Crake

Zapornia flavirostra

R, B

Rare

Gray Crowned-Crane

Balearica regulorum

R, E

Once

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Rare

Hadada Ibis

Bostrychia hagedash

Frequent

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

Once

Hooded Vulture

Necrosyrtes monachus

R, CE

Common

Tawny Eagle

Aquila rapax

R, V

Rare

S. Inman and C. Ntoyinkama

Common Name

Species Name

Status

Abundance

African Goshawk

Accipiter tachiro

Rare

Black Goshawk

Accipiter melanoleucus

Rare

Black Kite (Yellow-billed)

Milvus migrans parasitus

Rare

Mountain Buzzard

Buteo oreophilus

R, NT

Uncommon

Augur Buzzard

Buteo augur

Common

Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl

Bubo lacteus

Rare

Red-chested Owlet

Glaucidium tephronotum

Rare

African Wood-Owl

Strix woodfordii

Rare

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

Rare

NarinaTrogon

Apaloderma narina

Rare

Bar-tailed Trogon

Apaloderma vittatum

Once

White-headed Woodhoopoe

Phoeniculus bollei

Common

Crowned Hornbill

Lophoceros alboterminatus

Uncommon

Gray-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Rare

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

Merops oreobates

Common

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus bilineatus

Common

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Rare

Scaly-throated Honeyguide

Indicator variegatus

Common

Elliot’s Woodpecker

Chloropicus elliotii

Rare

Cardinal Woodpecker

Chloropicus fuscescens

Rare

Bearded Woodpecker

Chloropicus namaquus

Once

Olive Woodpecker

Chloropicus griseocephalus

Common

Tullberg’s Woodpecker

Campethera tullbergi taeniolaema

Rare

Eurasian Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

Once

Rwenzori Batis

Batis diops

R, ARE

Abundant

Chinspot Batis

Batis molitor

Abundant

Northern Puffback

Dryoscopus gambensis

Abundant

Ludher’s Bushshrike

Laniarius luehderi

Rare

Tropical Boubou

Laniarius major

Common

Willard’s Sooty Boubou

Laniarius willardi

Once

Albertine Boubou

Laniarius holomelas

Abundant

Many-colored Bushshrike

Telophorus multicolor

Rare

Doherty’s Bushshrike

Telophorus dohertyi

Abundant

Lagden’s Bushshrike

Malaconotus lagdeni

R, NT

Rare

Gray Cuckooshrike

Coracina caesia

Common

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Rare

Mackinnon’s Shrike

Lanius mackinnoni

Common

Northern Fiscal

Lanius humeralis

Rare

African Golden Oriole

Oriolus auratus

AM, B

Rare

Black-tailed Oriole

Oriolus percivali

R, B

Abundant

African Paradise-Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Abundant

Pied Crow

Corvus albus

Common

White-necked Raven

Corvus albicollis

Common

Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Rare

Angola Swallow

Hirundo angolensis

Common

Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Uncommon

White-headed Sawwing

Psalidoprocne albiceps

Common

Black Sawwing

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Frequent

White-tailed Blue Flycatcher

Elminia albicauda

Rare

Survey of birds in Gishwati Forest, Rwanda

Common Name

Species Name

Status

Abundance

Stripe-breasted Tit

Melaniparus fasciiventer

R, ARE

Uncommon

Eastern Mountain-Greenbul

Arizelocichla nigriceps kikuyuensis

Frequent

Yellow-whiskered Greenbul

Eurillas latirostris

R, B

Abundant

Yellow-streaked Greenbul

Phyllastrephus flavostriatus

Frequent

Common Bulbul (Dark-capped)

Pycnonotus barbatus tricolor

Abundant

White-browed Crombec

Sylvietta leucophrys

Frequent

Grauer’s Warbler

Graueria vittata

R, ARE

Rare

Red-faced Woodland-Warbler

Phylloscopus laetus

R, ARE

Uncommon

African Yellow-Warbler

Iduna natalensis

Rare

Mountain Yellow-Warbler

Iduna similis

Frequent

African Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus baeticatus

Rare

Evergreen-Forest Warbler

Bradypterus lopezi

Frequent

Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler

Bradypterus cinnamomeus

Abundant

Grauer’s Swamp Warbler

Bradypterus graueri

R, ARE, E

Uncommon

Rwenzori Apalis

Oreolais ruwenzorii

R, ARE

Abundant

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura aschani

Uncommon

Black-throated Apalis

Apalis jacksoni

Abundant

Black-faced Apalis

Apalis personata

R, B, ARE

Abundant

Chestnut-throated Apalis

Apalis porphyrolaema

Frequent

Banded Prinia

Prinia bairdii

Frequent

Black-faced Rufous-Warbler

Bathmocercus rufus

R, B

Abundant

Gray-capped Warbler

Eminia lepida

Uncommon

Chubb’s Cisticola

Cisticola chubbi

Abundant

African Yellow White-eye

Zosterops senegalensis

Abundant

Rwenzori Hill Babbler

Sylvia atriceps

Abundant

Mountain llladopsis

llladopsis pyrrhoptera

Abundant

Gray-chested Babbler

Kakamega poliothorax

Frequent

Dusky-brown Flycatcher

Muscicapa adusta

Common

Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher

Melaenornis ardesiacus

R, ARE

Once

White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher

Melaenornis fischeri

R, B

Common

Archer’s Robin-Chat

Cossypha archeri

R, ARE

Abundant

Cape Robin-Chat

Cossypha caffra

Rare

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

Rare

Red-capped Robin-Chat

Cossypha natalensis

Rare

White-starred Robin

Pogonocichla stellata

R, B

Abundant

Red-throated Alethe

Chamaetylas poliophrys

R, ARE

Frequent

Equatorial Akalat

Sheppardia aequatorialis

Rare

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Common

Abyssinian Ground-Thrush

Geokichla piaggiae tanganjicae

R, ARE subspecies

Once

Abyssinian Thrush

Turdus abyssinicus

Common

Slender-billed Starling

Onychognathus tenuirostris

Common

Waller’s Starling

Onychognathus walleri

Uncommon

Sharpe’s Starling

Pholia sharpii

Rare

Stuhlmann’s Starling

Poeoptera stuhlmanni

Uncommon

Collared Sunbird

Hedydipna collaris

R, B

Frequent

Green-headed Sunbird

Cyanomitra verticalis

R, B

Common

Blue-headed Sunbird

Cyanomitra alinae

R, B, ARE

Frequent

Olive Sunbird

Cyanomitra olivacea

Common

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Once

S. Inman and C. Ntoyinkama

Common Name

Species Name

Status

Abundance

Purple-breasted Sunbird

Nectarinia purpureiventris

R, B, ARE

Common

Bronze Sunbird

Nectarinia kilimensis

Uncommon

Malachite Sunbird

Nectarinia famosa

Once

Stuhlmann’s Sunbird

Cinnyris stuhlmanni

R, ARE

Uncommon

Northern Double-collared Sunbird

Cinnyris reichenowi

Frequent

Regal Sunbird

Cinnyris regius

R, ARE

Frequent

Variable Sunbird

Cinnyris venustus

R, B

Common

Cape Wagtail

Motacilla capensis

Uncommon

Mountain Wagtail

Motacilla clara

Once

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Rare

African Pipit

Anthus cinnamomeus

Uncommon

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Rare

Western Citril

Crithagra frontalis

Rare

Streaky Seedeater

Crithagra striolata

Common

Thick-billed Seedeater

Crithagra burtoni

Uncommon

Yellow-crowned Canary

Serinus flavivertex

Uncommon

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

Rare

Bag lafecht Weaver

Ploceus baglafecht

Common

Strange Weaver

Ploceus alienus

R, B, ARE

Frequent

Holub’s Golden Weaver

Ploceus xanthops

Once

Brown-capped Weaver

Ploceus insignis

Once

Yellow-bellied Waxbill

Coccopygia quartinia

Uncommon

Dusky Crimsonwing

Cryptospiza jacksoni

R, ARE

Uncommon

Fawn-breasted Waxbill

Estrilda paludicola

Rare

Crimson-rumped Waxbill

Estrilda rhodopyga

Once

Common Waxbill

Estrilda astrild

Uncommon

Black-crowned Waxbill

Estrilda nonnula

Uncommon

Kandt’s Waxbill

Estrilda kandti

R, B

Common

Discussion

We are fairly confident that we detected a significant majority of the birds that were
present during our limited field season. It is possible that certain species were consist¬
ently silent or cryptic during our field season, which had aberrant rainfall. Anecdotal¬
ly, the rainy season appeared to be delayed for much of Rwanda in 2019; Shinehouse
Gishwati Research Station recorded only about 5680 mm of rain between 1 January
and 31 May 2019, compared to the previous 3-year average of 9050 mm (R. Chancellor
& A. Rundus, pers. comm.).

We identified ten species that had never previously been reported in Gishwati: Af¬
rican Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus, Crimson-rumped Waxbill Estrilda rhodopy-
ga, Yellow-fronted Canary Crithagra mozambica, Grauer's Swamp Warbler Bradypterus
graueri, Gray-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala, Many-colored Bushshrike Telo-
phorus multicolor , Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea, Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura
rufa, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl Bubo lacteus, and Willard's Sooty Boubou Laniarius willar-
di —CN saw this species briefly once, and G. Vande weghe may have seen it in 2017
(REMA unpub.), but efforts should be made to photograph the species in Gishwati
given its range restrictions in the Albertine Rift (see Voelker et al. 2010).

Survey of birds in Gishwati Forest, Rwanda

In contrast, we failed to find over 30 resident species previously reported during
the last twenty years. This could be due to birds' behaviour or movements that are
impossible to quantify, as well as to potential transcription or identification errors
by previous surveys. As our survey dates did not include the Palearctic migration,
we undoubtedly missed species that are frequent visitors to Gishwati at other times
of the year. Nevertheless, it is surprising that one species reported for the first time,
Grauer's Swamp Warbler, is both endangered and an Albertine Rift endemic, which
makes it a target species sought by expert birders and ornithologists alike (for some
history on this species in Rwanda, see Vande weghe 1983). We recorded four individ¬
uals by sight on two occasions and detected this species on five different days during
the course of our survey. All observations were in the swampy section of the park
where the Pfunda River flows out to the northwest (roughly 2050 masl), which is also
where Willard's Sooty Boubou was observed. Perhaps these few individuals are new
visitors to Gishwati Forest given habitat loss elsewhere; this swampy section should
be monitored more closely. Another Albertine Rift endemic with the same namesake,
Grauer's Warbler ( Graueria vittata), had only been reported twice previously, once in
1990 by Robert Dowsett (R. Dowsett, pers. comm.), and again in 2004 by WCS survey¬
ors (WCS unpub.); we heard it on four separate days. Similarly, our four observations
of Elliot's Woodpecker Chloropicus elliotii are only matched by the 2004 WCS survey
(unpub.), and our four observations of Liidher's Bushshrike Laniarius luehderi are only
matched by Dowsett's 1990 visit to Gishwati (pers. comm.), indicating that there may
be fluctuations in species presence, and more methodical visits to the Forest will be
valuable.

Conclusion

While we conducted our research at a time suitable to assess resident species of Gish¬
wati Forest, the brevity of our effort leaves other important times of the calendar year
unsurveyed. It is imperative to survey at all times to document passage migrants that
may use this habitat, as well as other seasonal visitors from elsewhere in Africa or
further afield. We encourage further study during the winter months of the northern
hemisphere, as well as more targeted and published ornithological surveys in Rwan¬
da. In particular, monitoring the arm of the Park that bends out to the east, known as
Nduruma and Kinyenkanda, would be worthwhile, as this includes both the highest
elevation of the protected area, as well as the narrowest band of the contiguous forest
cover. This region is being actively restored and reforested (World Bank 2019), and
therefore might come to host a different suite of bird species in the future. We believe
that reassessing the Gishwati Forest component of Gishwati-Mukura National Park
under the criteria for the newer IUCN Key Biodiversity Area system might be worth¬
while, given the number of endemic and Red-listed species found here. In addition
to the birds above, Gishwati Forest is also home to chimpanzees Pan troglodytes , En¬
dangered, golden monkeys Cercopithecus mitis kandti, Endangered, Great Fakes bush
vipers Athens nitschei , Albertine Rift endemic, and other species that display the con¬
servation utility of this protected area as an island of biodiversity in the middle of a
heavily human-altered landscape of cattle pasture and agriculture (REMA unpub.).

Acknowledgements

SI thanks the Tropical Resources Institute at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental
Studies and the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies for their financial support of his research

S. Inman and C. Ntoyinkama

project, without which SI could not have hired CN for his company and expertise in the forest.
SI wishes to emphasize the impossibility of conducting this research without CN's deep famil¬
iarity with forest bird species. The authors thank the reviewers, J. Hogg and G. Vande weghe,
as well as the editor, for deftly improving the original manuscript with their comments and
suggestions. Thierry Aimable and Jacques Albert from the Forest of Hope Association (FHA)
provided valuable logistical support at the Shinehouse Gishwati Research Station, which yield¬
ed unparalleled access to Gishwati Forest—thanks also to Dr Rebecca Chancellor and Dr Aaron
Rundus from West Chester University for sharing some of their rainfall data and a shapefile
of Gishwati boundaries by their student Amanda Johnston. Meghan Hills at the Yale School
of Forestry and Environmental Studies helped SI create the map of Gishwati Forest with sur¬
vey points included. SI is grateful to Dr Beth Kaplin and her dedicated team at the Center of
Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management of the University of Rwanda,
including her student Theodore Nshimiyumuremyi, who joined for a few days in the field as
an intern. Gratien Ndiramiye and Faida Emmanuel also helped us on a couple days in the for¬
est. Final thanks go to the Tourism and Conservation Department of the Rwanda Development
Board for allowing SI to carry out his academic research in the country, under research contract
060619.

References

Bennun, L., Dranzoa, C. & Pomeroy, D. 1996. The forest birds of Kenya and Uganda. Journal of
East African Natural History 85: 23-48.

BirdLife International. 2019a. Country profile: Rwanda. Downloaded from http://www.
birdlife.org/ datazone/country/rwanda.

BirdLife International. 2019b. Endemic Bird Areas factsheet: Albertine Rift mountains. Down¬
loaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/eba/factsheet/97.

Clements, J.F., Schulenberg, T.S., Iliff, M.J., Btt term an, S.M., Fredericks, T.A., Sullivan, B.L., &
Wood, C.L. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded
from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download .

Kanyamibwa, S. 2001. Rwanda pp. 703-710 in Fishpool, L. D. C. & Evans, M.I. (eds) Important
Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: Priority Sites for Conservation. Newbury and Cam¬
bridge, UK: Pisces Publications and BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series
No. 11).

Nsabagasani, C. & Nsengimana, S.J. 2009. Assessment of the current status of endemic bird
species to the Albertine Rift in Gishwati Forest Reserve, Rwanda. Report for ACNR, GAT,
and ARCOS. Downloaded from http://rw.chm-cbd.net/biodiversity/status-and-trends/
other-protected-areas / gishwati-f orest / gishwati-birds-report / download/ en/4 / gishwa-

ti-birds-report-acnr%20.pdf .

Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). 2015. Study to Establish a National List
of Threatened Terrestrial Ecosystems and Species in Need of Protection in Rwanda. Down¬
loaded from https: / / rema.gov.rw/ fileadmin/ templates /Documents / rema doc/Planing/
TES%20Report%20update.pdf .

Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). 2016. Official Gazette no. 05 of
01/02/2016: Law establishing the Gishwati-Mukura National Park. Downloaded from
https://rema.gov.rw/fileadmin/templates/Documents/rema doc/Laws%20updated/

Law establishing the Gishwati -Mukura National Park.pdf .

Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). 2018. Biodiversity Survey of Gishwa¬
ti-Mukura National Park. Unpublished.

Stevenson, T. & Fanshawe, J. 2002. Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and
Burundi. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Tuyisingize, D. 2017. Biological Surveys in the Gishwati-Mukura National Park, Rwanda: Case of Gish¬
wati forest. Unpublished.

Survey of birds in Gishwati Forest, Rwanda

Valle, S. 2010. Protected Areas vs. Multiple-Use Areas in 2 Afromontane rainforests: modelling the
trade-off. MSc. thesis, Exeter University. Unpublished.

Vande weghe, G.R. 2018. Birds of Rwanda: a checklist by Gael R. Vande weghe. Downloaded
from http://www.gael.world/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Birds-of-Rwanda-GYande-

weghe-2018.pdf.

Vande weghe, J.P. 1983. Sympatric occurrence of the White-winged Warbler Bradypterus carpalis
and Grauer's Rush Warbler Bradypterus graueri in Rwanda. Scopus 7: 85-88.

Vande weghe, J.P & Vande weghe, G.R. 2011. Birds in Rwanda: An Atlas and Handbook. Kigali:
Rwanda Development Board.

Voelker, G., Outlaw, R.K., Reddy, S., Tobler, M., Bates, J.M., Hackett, S.J., Kahindo, C., Marks,
B.D., Kerbis Peterhans, J.C., & Gnoske, T.P. 2010. A new species of boubou (Malaconotidae:
Laniarius) from the Albertine Rift. The Auk 127(3): 678-689.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). 2004. Draft of Biodiversity survey in Gishwati Forest , by
Nicolas Blondel. Unpublished.

World Bank. 2019. Landscape Approach to Forest Restoration and Conservation (LAFREC) Imple¬
mentation Status & Results Report. Downloaded from http: / / documents.worldbank.org/
curated/en/473991575415348715/pdf/Disclosable-Version-of-the-ISR-Landscape-Ap-

proach-to-Forest-Restoration-and-Conservation-LAFREC-P131464-Sequence-No-ll.pdf .

Seth Inman*

Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 195 Prospect St, New Haven, CT 06511
Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511
*Corresponding author: seth.inman@yale.edu

Claver Ntoyinkama

Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda Development Board

Scopus 40(1): 7-15, January 2020
Received 29 October 2019

Short communications

Birds of the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka,
Tanzania

The College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka (often simply 'Mweka College';
hereafter 'Mweka') has been an important institution for training wildlife and tour¬
ism professionals since the early 1960s. Many students get their first introduction to
formal ornithology at Mweka. The objective of this paper is to serve this constituency
with a description of the avifauna of the site. The list should also be useful to residents
of the area and the many ecotourists who visit Kilimanjaro via Mweka.

Mweka lies on the south slope of Mount Kilimanjaro at about 1400 m elevation
(3 0 14’S, 37 0 19’E, Fig. 1). The site receives about 1700mm of annual rainfall, and has
a mean temperature of 18.7° C (https: / /en.climate-data.org/africa/tanzania/kili-
manjaro / mweka-205889 / #temperature-graph j. The Mweka entrance to Kilimanjaro
National Park (KNP) is about 2.5 km north of campus at 1650 m elevation. Forest is
protected within KNP, and this montane forest once extended to Mweka. Presently,
forest patches persist mostly on steeper slopes. Fand use around the Mweka campus
includes an adjacent village to the north, small shambas (mixed agriculture with ba¬
nanas, coffee, maize, and vegetables), several larger maize fields and pastures, and
coffee agriculture. The largest stream in the area runs along the west border of cam¬
pus, eventually connecting to the Karanga River. A small swampy area east of cam¬
pus provided the only standing water within the study area in 2014-2015. In addition
to the main road from Moshi to KNP, a network of footpaths provides access beyond
campus.

Data presented here derive mainly from observations submitted to eBird (www,
ebird.org j, with about 80% of the observations during my residency at the college from
August 2014 to July 2015. Most observations were from unstructured walks within
< 1 km from campus. We also mist netted birds on campus several times throughout
the year. I compiled all observations through December 2019. These eBird data, in¬
cluding photographs and audio recordings, can be viewed at the eBird hotspot for
the College of African Wildlife Management (https: / /ebird.org/hotspot/F3028880 T
Two other bird lists from Mweka were also considered (Hassan et al. 1997, Wambura
2009), as were unpublished observations contributed by Norbert Cordeiro. Data from
a variety of sources are aggregated at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility
(GBIF; www.GBIF.org l and VertNet ( www.vertnet.orgJ , from which I gleaned addi¬
tional records. Stefan Ferger's contributions to GBIF were especially useful.

Short communications

Figure 1. The College of African Wildlife Management, in the village of Mweka, north of
Moshi, Tanzania. Protected forest at the border of Kilimanjaro National Park (KNP) appears
dark green. The road from Moshi to KNP passes through campus and enters KNP at the
Mweka Gate.

Codes in the list (Table 1) provide details for each species. Families, common names,
and scientific names follow the International Ornithological Community World Bird
Names 9.2 checklist (Gill & Donsker 2019). Taxonomy and family sequences have
changed considerably since publication of Stevenson & Fanshawe (2006), the most
important field guide for the region. Abundance, habitat, and sociality codes refer to
the range of habitats within about 1 km of campus. Abundant species (a) are likely to
be found on campus on most outings. Common species (c) can be found regularly,
but might occur in more specialized habitat or at a particular time of year. Uncommon
species (u) have multiple records, and may pass through in significant numbers, but
are not regularly found even in the appropriate habitat or season. Rare species (r)
have few records, probably representing mostly wanderers or migrants. Casual or
historical species (x) have only historical records or a single recent record in eBird. I
used summary resources to assign movement patterns and elevational affinities (e.g.,
Moreau & Sclater 1935, Moreau & Moreau 1939, Lamprey 1965, Britton 1980, Cord-
eiro 1994, Zimmerman et al. 1996, Dulle et ah 2016, Baker 2019). Elevational affinity

Short communications

indicates species that are at the high or low end of their elevational range at Mweka, based
mostly on distribution in the Kilimanjaro region. In general, species with lower affinities
do not occur in montane forest, and species with higher affinities are mostly found in
montane forest or other montane systems.

Across all data available, 202 species have been recorded at Mweka (Table 1). These
include 20 abundant resident species, 45 additional common species, and 67 uncommon
and rare species. The 70 casual or historical species (abundance code x) should be viewed
as tentative, as most of these have no documentation. The previous lists included some
obvious misidentifications that I removed, but there may be identification errors, especial¬
ly for difficult groups such as Cotumix spp. or Euplectes spp. in basic plumage. Regardless
of their veracity, species with abundance code x are probably not part of the regularly
occurring avifauna of Mweka.

Table 1. Birds recorded at the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, Tanzania. Plate
refers to the plate in Stevenson & Fanshawe (2006). Abundance codes: a = abundant; c = common;
u = uncommon; r = rare; x = casual or historical. Habitat codes: a = agriculture; c = campus; f=for¬
est; o = overhead; s=forest streams; w = standing water. Elevational affinities: h=higher eleva¬
tion; 1=lower elevation. Migration: a = Intra-African; pp = Palaearctic passage migrants; pw = Pa-
laearctic winter residents; Sociality: s = small single-species flocks; ss = large single-species flocks;
m=mixed-species flocks. See text for more details on classifications.

English name

Scientific name

Plate

Abundance

Habitat

Elevation

Migration

Sociality

Phasianidae

Scaly Francolin

Pternistis (Francolinus) squamatus

f,a

Hildebrandt’s Francolin

Pternistis (Francolinus) hildebrandti

Common Quail

Coturnix coturnix

Harlequin Quail

Coturnix delegorguei

Apodidae

Scarce Swift

Schoutedenapus myoptilus

109

s,m

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

109

Alpine Swift

Tachymarptis (Apus) melba

107

s,m

Mottled Swift

Tachymarptus (Apus) aequatorialis

107

s,ss,m

Common Swift

Apus apus

108

pp,pw

s,ss,m

Nyanza Swift

Apus niansae

108

s,ss,m

Little Swift

Apus affinis

107

ss,m

White-rumped Swift

Apus caffer

107

s,m

Musophagidae

Hartlaub’s Turaco

Tauraco hartlaubi

f,s

Otididae

Black-bellied Bustard

Lissotis (Eupodotis) melanogaster

Cuculidae

White-browed Coucal

Centropus superciliosus

f,c,a

Green Malkoha

Ceuthmochares australis

f,c,a

Levaillant’s Cuckoo

Clamator (Oxylophus) levaillantii

f,c

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

f.c

Klaas’s Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx klaas

f.c

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

f.c

Black Cuckoo

Cuculus clamosus

f.c

Short communications

English name

Scientific name

Abundance

Habitat

Elevation

Migration

Sociality

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

f,c

Columbidae

Speckled Pigeon

Columba guinea

African Olive Pigeon

Columba arquatrix

f,c,a

Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon

Columba delegorguei

Lemon Dove

Columba (Aplopelia) larvata

Red-eyed Dove

Streptopelia semitorquata

c,a

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

a,c

s,ss

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

f,c,a

Blue-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur afer

f,c,a

Tambourine Dove

Turtur tympanistria

f,c,a

African Green-Pigeon

Treron calvus

f,c

Rallidae

African Crake

Crex egregia

a,w

Black Crake

Amaurornis (Zapornia) flavirostra

w,a

Turnicidae

Common Buttonquail

Turnix sylvaticus

Ciconiidae

Abdim’s Stork

Ciconia abdimii

White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

pp,pw

Marabou Stork

Leptoptilos crumenifer

c,a

s,ss

Threskiornithidae

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

a,o

s,ss

Hadada Ibis

Bostrychia hagedash

a,c,f,s

Ardeidae

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

w,s

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

a,w

Scopidae

Hamerkop

Scopus umbretta

w,s

Accipitridae

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

a,f

Palm-nut Vulture

Gypohierax angolensis

f.S.0

Crowned Eagle

Stephanoaetus coronatus

f,o

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

a,f,c

Wahlberg’s Eagle

Hieraaetus (Aquila) wahlbergi

c,f

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila (Hieraaetus) spilogaster

a,f,o

Lizard Buzzard

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

c,a,f

African Goshawk

Accipiter tachiro

f,c,a

Little Sparrowhawk

Accipiter minullus

f,c

Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk

Accipiter rufiventris

f,c

Black Sparrowhawk

Accipiter melanoleucus

f,c

Black Kite

Milvus migrans

c,a,o

pw?

Common Buzzard

Buteo buteo

o,a,f

pp,pw

Mountain Buzzard

Buteo oreophilus

o,f

Augur Buzzard

Buteo augur

c,f,a

Short communications

English name

Scientific name

Abundance

Habitat

Elevation

Migration

Sociality

Tytonidae

Western Barn Owl

Tyto alba

c,a,f

Strigidae

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Bubo africanus

101

c,f,a

Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl

Bubo lacteus

101

c,f

African Wood Owl

Strix woodfordii

f,c

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

102

a,c

Coliidae

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

110

c,a

Upupidae

Eurasian Hoopoe

Upupa epops

120

pw?

Phoeniculidae

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

119

f,c

Bucorvidae

Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri

125

Bucerotidae

Crowned Hornbill

Lophoceros (Tockus) alboterminatus

122

c,f,a

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Bycanistes brevis

124

c,f

Coraciidae

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

118

a,c

pp,pw

Broad-billed Roller

Eurystomus glaucurus

117

a,c,f

Alcedinidae

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

111

c,f,a

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon albiventris

111

c,f,s,a

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

111

a,c

African Pygmy Kingfisher

Ispidina picta

113

a,f

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis (Alcedo) cristatus

113

s,w

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

111

s,w

Meropidae

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

114

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

Merops oreobates

114

f,c

Olive Bee-eater

Merops superciliosus

116

s,ss

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

116

pp,pw

Lybiidae

White-eared Barbet

Stactolaema leucotis

127

c,f

Moustached Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus leucomystax

127

f,c

Spot-flanked Barbet

Tricholaema lacrymosa

128

a,f,c

Brown-breasted Barbet

Lybius melanopterus

129

c,f

Indicatoridae

Green-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus zambesiae

134

c,f

Pallid Honeyguide

Indicator meliphilus

133

f,c

Scaly-throated Honeyguide

Indicator variegatus

132

f,c,a

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

132

c,a,f

Picidae

Nubian Woodpecker

Campethera nubica

136

a,c,f

Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Campethera abingoni

136

f,c

Bearded Woodpecker

Chloropicus (Dendropicos) namaquus

138

f,c

Short communications

English name

Scientific name

Plate

CL)

Habitat

-Q

LLI

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicus (Ch loro pi cos) fuscescens

137

c,a,f

Eastern Grey Woodpecker

Falconidae

Dendropicos spodocephalus

138

c,f,a

African Hobby

Falco cuvierii

f,c,a

Platysteiridae

Chinspot Batis

Batis molitor

209

c,f

Black-throated Wattle-eye

Malaconotidae

Platysteira peltata

211

c,f

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

238

f,c,a

Orange-breasted Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus (Malaconotus,
Teleophorus) sulfureopectus

238

c,a,f

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra australis

237

a,c

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

236

c,a,f

Tropical Boubou

Vangidae

Laniarius major

234

c,a,f

White-crested Helmetshrike

Prionops plumatus

240

c,a

Campephagidae

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

154

c,a,f

Laniidae

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

233

pp,pw

Lesser Grey Shrike

Lanius minor

232

Northern Fiscal

Oriolidae

Lanius humeralis

231

c,a

African Golden Oriole

Oriolus auratus

244

f,c

Black-headed Oriole

Monarchidae

Oriolus larvatus

243

f,c

African Paradise Flycatcher

Corvidae

Terpsiphone viridis

212

c,f,a

Pied Crow

Corvus albus

242

c,a,f

White-necked Raven

Corvus albicollis

242

f.C.0

Pycnonotidae

Dark-capped Bulbul

Pycnonotus tricolor

156

c,a,f

s,m

Mountain Greenbul

Arizelocichla (Andropadus) nigriceps

156

f,s

Stripe-faced Greenbul

Arizelocichla striifacies

157

f,s

Little Greenbul

Eurillas (Andropadus) virens

156

f,s

Cabanis’s Greenbul

Phyllastrephus cabanisi

159

f,s

s,m

Hirundinidae

Black Saw-wing

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

148

c,f,a

Banded Martin

Riparia cincta

145

a,o

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

147

c,a,o

pw,pp

ss,m

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

147

c,a,o

Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne (Hirundo) fuligula

145

c,f,a,o

Common House Martin

Delichon urbicum

145

pp,pw

s,ss,m

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis (Hirundo) abyssinica

146

c,a

Mosque Swallow

Cecropis (Hirundo) senegalensis

146

Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis (Hirundo) daurica

146

c,a

Short communications

£=

English name

Scientific name

£=

"co

-Q

LLI

Phylloscopidae

Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilus

184

c,f,a

pw,pp

Brown Woodland Warbler

Phylloscopus umbrovirens

185

f,c,a

Acrocephalidae

Marsh Warbler

Acrocephalus palustris

179

c,a,w

Mountain Yellow Warbler

Iduna (Chloroptera) similis

178

c,f

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Locustellidae

Iduna (Hippolais) pallida

182

c,a

River Warbler

Locustella fluviatilis

180

pw,pp

Evergreen Forest Warbler

Cisticolidae

Bradypterus lopezi

181

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

198

c,a,f

Yellow-breasted Apalis

Apalis flavida

200

c,f,a

Black-headed Apalis

Apalis melanocephala

201

f,c

Green-backed Camaroptera

Leiothrichidae

Camaroptera brachyura

199

c,a,f

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

216

a,c,f

Sylviidae

African Hill Babbler

Sylvia (Pseudoalcippe) abyssinica

215

f,s

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

183

c,a,f

pw,pp

m,s

Garden Warbler

Sylvia borin

183

c,a,f

pw,pp

m,s

Common Whitethroat

Sylvia communis

183

c,a,f

pw,pp

m,s

Zosteropidae

Pale White-eye

Zosterops flavi lateralis

220

c,f,a

Broad-ringed White-eye

Sturnidae

Zosterops eurycricotus

220

c,f,a

s,m

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

249

c,f

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

246

c,f

Waller’s Starling

Onychognathus walleri

246

c,f

Kenrick’s Starling

Turdidae

Poeoptera kenricki

245

c,f

s,m

Abyssinian Thrush

Muscicapidae

Turdus abyssinicus

168

f,c

White-browed Scrub-Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

176

a,c

White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher

Melaenornis fischeri

204

c,f,

Southern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

204

c,f

Pale Flycatcher

Melaenornis (Bradornis, Agricola)
pallidus

206

a,c,f

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

206

c,a,f

pw,pp

Ashy Flycatcher

Muscicapa (Fraseria) caerulescens

206

f,c,s

African Dusky Flycatcher

Muscicapa adusta

207

c,f,a

Cape Robin-Chat

Cossypha caffra

166

f,c,a

RiippeN’s Robin-Chat

Cossypha semirufa

166

f,c,a

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

166

c,a

White-starred Robin

Pogonocichla stellata

163

Spotted Palm Thrush

Cichladusa guttata

177

c,a

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

175

a,c

pw,pp

Short communications

English name

Scientific name

Abundance

Habitat

Elevation

Migration

Sociality

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

173

Nectariniidae

Collared Sunbird

Hedydipna collaris

229

c,a,f

Olive Sunbird

Cyanomitra olivacea

226

c,f

Amethyst Sunbird

Chalcomitra (Nectarina) amethystina

225

c,f,a

Bronzy Sunbird

Nectarinia kilimensis

221

c,f,a

Malachite Sunbird

Nectarinia famosa

222

c,a,f

Eastern Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris mediocris

223

c,f,a

Beautiful Sunbird

Cinnyris pulchellus

228

c,f,a

Variable Sunbird

Cinnyris venustus

229

c,a,f

Passeridae

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

251

Kenya Sparrow

Passer rufocinctus

251

c,a

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus

252

c,a

Ploceidae

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons

257

w,a

Bag lafecht Weaver

Ploceus baglafecht

257

c,f,a

Spectacled Weaver

Ploceus ocularis

256

c,f,a

Village Weaver

Ploceus cucullatus

255

c,a,o

Chestnut Weaver

Ploceus rubiginosus

257

Red-headed Weaver

Anaplectes rubriceps

263

c,f,a

Red-billed Quelea

Quelea quelea

263

Southern Red Bishop

Euplectes orix

268

a,o

Yellow Bishop

Euplectes capensis

267

a,c

White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

267

a,c,w

s,m

Estrildidae

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

275

c,a

African Firefinch

Lagonosticta rubricata

275

c,a,f

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

Uraeginthus bengalus

274

a,c

Yellow-bellied Waxbill

Coccopygia (Estrilda) quartinia

276

a,c

s,m

Common Waxbill

Estrilda astrild

276

a,c,w

s,ss,m

Bronze Mannikin

Lonchura (Spermestes) cucullata

279

c,a

ss,m

Black-and-white Mannikin

Lonchura (Spermestes) bicolor

279

c,a,f

ss,m

Viduidae

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

281

a,c

s,m

Pin-tailed Whydah

Vidua macroura

280

a,c

s,m

Motacillidae

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

149

pw,pp

Mountain Wagtail

Motacilla clara

149

s,f

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

149

c,a,s

Tree Pipit

Anthus trivialis

153

pp,pw

Fringillidae

Southern Citril

Crithagra (Serinus) hyposticta

283

a,c

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra (Serinus) mozambica

282

a,c

Thick-billed Seedeater

Crithagra (Serinus) burtoni

282

a,c,f

Emberizidae

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

286

Short communications

Campus was the most frequently used habitat, indicated for 101 species (exclud¬
ing abundance code x). Forest and agricultural areas were used by many species,
often in combination with campus habitat. The limited aquatic habitat was important
for multiple species, with streams and the riparian corridor providing key habitat for
forest species such as Hartlaub's Turaco Tauraco hartlaubi, African Hill Babbler Sylvia
abyssinica , and multiple greenbuls. The overhead habitat category included species
found well above even the tallest trees, often in transit. As expected, these species
included mostly swifts, swallows, raptors, and migrating bee-eaters.

Elevational affinities were meaningful for 53 species, again excluding species
with abundance code x. Mweka hosted more species from higher elevation (32), than
from lower elevation (21). The species at the lower end of their elevational distribu¬
tion were mostly birds associated with montane forest (26 of 32 with habitat code f).
Some of the most common resident species at Mweka, including Hartlaub's Turaco,
RiippelTs Robin-Chat Cossypha semirufa, African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta,
White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher Meleaornis fischeri, Kenrick's Starling Poeoptera kenricki,
and Bronzy Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis, do not occur much lower on Kilimanjaro.
Species nearing their upper elevational limits at Mweka also included forest species,
such as Diederik Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius, African Emerald Cuckoo C. cupreus,
and Little Greenbul Emilias virens, as well as species using agricultural habitats.

Mweka's avifauna includes a mix of resident and migratory species. About 22 spe¬
cies are Palaearctic migrants, including mostly passerines. Four of these are common
species at Mweka during the northern winter (Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus,
Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, Garden Warbler S. borin, and Common White-
throat S. communis). Most Palaearctic migrants are probably also passage migrants
through Mweka, although only Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor and Marsh Warbler
Acrocephalus palustris have a winter distribution entirely south of northern Tanzania.

Intra-African migrants include 15 species, mostly non-passerines. Conspicuous
large-scale patterns are only evident for seven species, including two that come to our
region in their non-breeding season (AbdinTs Stork Ciconia abdimii, African Golden
Oriole Oriolus auratus), and five that come to the area to breed (Levaillant's Cuckoo
Clamator levaillantii, Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus, African Crake Crex egregia, Olive
Bee-eater Merops superciliosus, and Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus). Seven
species are reported to include individuals or populations that migrate, but their sta¬
tus at Mweka is not clear (migration status a?). Other species make local movements
that sometimes bring them to Mweka (e.g. Chestnut Weaver Ploceus rubiginosus and
Red-billed Quelea Quelea cjuelea). With more data some of these patterns may become
predictable, such as movements down the mountain in the cold months of June-Au¬
gust or use of ploughed fields in the rainy season.

Although the avifauna of Kilimanjaro has been well described (e.g. Moreau &
Sclater 1935, Moreau & Moreau 1939), the focus has been on the montane avifau¬
na, mostly at higher elevation, rather than making a more complete assessment at a
site below the extensive protected forests of KNP. With the emerging importance of
climate change as a driver of distribution shifts up tropical mountains (Freeman &
Freeman 2014; Dulle et al. 2016), even semi-quantitative information like this list from
Mweka may be useful for designing more comprehensive studies or providing future
ornithologists with a point of comparison.

Short communications

Acknowledgements

Fieldwork was permitted by COSTECH (TWRI/TST/65/VOL.VII/85/139). It is a great pleas¬
ure to thank all my friends at the College of African Wildlife Management for their hospital¬
ity and support. Mr Reginald Mwaya, Mr Edward Msyani, and especially Ms Phebe Kisare
coordinated my stay and took excellent care of me and my family. Billy Munisi and Hamadi
Dulle helped me learn the birds. I was accompanied by dozens of Mweka students as I went
birding around campus. I especially thank my three most stalwart companions, Hermogeny
Mussa, Sophie Augustino, and Ramadhani Saidi, who participated in many of the sightings
reported here. Thanks also to Moshi birding friends Benjee Cascio, Donyo Gabriel, Ana Grau,
and Willem van Zwetselaar, and to Neil Baker, Nobby Cordeiro, and the network of Tanzanian
birders. Financial support was generously provided by the US Fulbright Foundation Program
during a sabbatical from Louisiana State University, with additional support from the National
Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, Mclntire Stennis projects
#94098 and #94327. Finally, my family brought great joy and enthusiasm to our time at Mweka.
Thank you, Kellen Gilbert, Paul Stouffer, and William Stouffer. The manuscript was approved
by the Director of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center as manuscript number
2019-241-34213.

References

Baker, N.E. 2019. Tanzania Birdatlas. http:/ /tanzaniabirdatlas.net/start.htm and http:/ /tan-
zaniabirds.net/map.htm . Accessed 10 December 2019.

Britton, P.L. 1980. Birds of East Africa. Nairobi: East Africa Natural Flistory Society.

Cordeiro, N. 1994. Forest birds on Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Scopus 17: 65-112.

Dulle, Fl.I., Ferger, S.W., Cordeiro, N.J., Howell, K.M., Schleuning, M., Bohning-Gaese, K. &
Hof, C. 2016. Changes in abundances of forest understorey birds on Africa's highest moun¬
tain suggest subtle effects of climate change. Diversity and Distributions 22: 288-299.
Freeman, B.G. & Freeman, A.M.C. 2014. Rapid upslope shifts in New Guinean birds illustrate
strong distributional responses of tropical montane species to global warming. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences 111: 4490-4494.

Gill, F. & Donsker, D. (Eds). 2019. IOC World Bird List (v9.2). doi: 10.14344/IOC.ML.9.2.

Hassan, S.N., Mwaya, R.T. & Kironge, H.M. 1997. A checklist of birds common on Mweka Col¬
lege campus. Unpublished manuscript.

Lamprey, H. 1965. Birds of the forest and alpine zones of Kilimanjaro. Tanganyika Notes and
Records 64: 69-76.

Moreau, R. & Moreau, W. 1939. A supplementary contribution to the ornithology of Kilimanja¬
ro. Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines 33:1-15.

Moreau, R. & Sclater, W. 1935. A contribution to the ornithology of Kilimanjaro and Mount
Meru. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 105: 843-890.

Stevenson, T. & Fanshawe J. 2006. The Birds of East Africa. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Wambura, J. 2009. An ecological survey of the birds of the Mweka Wildlife College Campus at
Kibosho, Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation 79: 8-20.

Zimmerman, D.A., Turner, D.A. & Pearson, D.J. 1996. Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Princ¬
eton: Princeton University Press.

Philip C Stouffer

College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, Tanzania

School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University and LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, USA. Email: pstouffer@LSU.edu

Scopus 40(1): 16-25, January 2020
Received 18 September 2019

Short communications

The breeding of the Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus in
Tanzania

This species occurs in all months with no obvious seasonality (Table 1) suggesting
that, for the most part, it can be considered resident, although individual birds in
border areas presumably wander to neighbouring countries to some extent. Nesting
in Tanzania is not mentioned in Brown & Britton (1980) and Dowsett & Dowsett-Fe-
maire (1993) could not trace any breeding records. Harvey (1972) suspected that this
species was nesting close to Dar es Salaam, but was unable to prove breeding, al¬
though he watched them displaying in
early December. Elliott (1973) reports
this species nesting on 15 August 1948 in
a baobab on the north bank of the Ruvu
River southwest of Bagamoyo. This con¬
stitutes the first breeding record for Tan¬
zania and had been overlooked by later
authors. More recently, Jiri Haureljuk
(pers. comm.) located a nest on 2 Sep¬
tember 2016 in mangroves to the north
of Saadani National Park close to Kijongo
Bay Beach Resort (Fig. 1). On 24 January
2017 he found a further three storks in the
same mangroves along the Msangasi Riv¬
er. There is a more or less resident flock of
20 to 30 birds in this general area.

On 22 September 2016 we found an active nest in a totally unexpected locality and
situation. This nest was built on top of a small (but old) tree growing out of a cliff
face in hilly miombo woodland north of Songea (1017m, co-ordinates available from
author), a long way from any significant wetland habitat or any other records of this
species (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. Woolly-necked Stork
nest on a tree growing out of
a cliff face north of Songea,

Tanzania (photo: Neil Baker).

Short communications

Presence Breeding season

January

119

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Table 1. Seasonality of records in the Tanzanian
Bird Atlas. Although there are few nest records
it appears that this species breeds towards the
end of the dry season and into the short rains.
The majority of records are coastal in Climatic
Zone D8. The Songea record is in Climatic Zone
C7 in Brown & Britton (1980).

There are 905 records on the Tanzania Atlas database with occupancy in 120 Atlas
squares (34%). Although there are records in every month for only four Atlas squares.
Whilst never common, flocks of up to 50 birds have been reported.

Acknowledgement

We thank Jiri Haureljuk for records from the mangroves of the Msangasi River.

References

Brown, L.H. & Britton, P.L. 1980. The breeding seasons of East African birds. Nairobi: East Africa
Natural History Society.

Dowsett, R.J. & Dowsett-Lemaire, F. 1993. A contribution to the distribution and taxonomy of Afro-
tropical and Malagasy birds. Liege: Tauraco Press.

Elliott, H.F.I. 1973. Letters to the Editor: Breeding of Woolly-necked Stork. EANHS Bulletin
1974: 7.

Harvey, W.G. 1972. Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus near Dar-es-Salaam. EANHS Bulletin
1972:169.

N.E. Baker & E.M. Bakerf

P.O. Box 396, Iringa, Tanzania. Email: tzbirdatlas@yahoo.co.uk

Scopus 40(1): 26-27, January 2020
Received 6 July 2019

Short communications

Breeding of the Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima at Lake
Naivasha, Kenya

Lake Naivasha, once described as the Jewel in the Crown of all the East African lakes,
has in recent decades been subjected to a series of devastating human pressures, not
least the establishment of a vast horticulture and agriculture industry along its shore¬
lines, but also the ever-increasing inflows of nutrients from siltation, sewage and oth¬
er effluents emanating from a lakeside human population now approaching a million
people (Turner 2016). In addition, years of illegal fishing practices by hundreds of
licensed and unlicensed fishermen, coupled with a series of alien crayfish 'invasions'
that have almost totally eliminated the underwater flora of the lake, have all directly
contributed to the steady decline of all waterfowl populations over the past twenty
years (Turner 2016, Rift Valley Waterbird Counts 1997-2019).

However, one bird, the Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima, has steadily increased
its numbers at the lake from around 2 or 3 pairs in the early 1960s (N. Carnelly pers.
comm.) to an estimate today of around 50-60 individuals (Madindou et al. 2019). This
population feeds almost entirely on an abundance of the introduced Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio, but also on the large numbers of tilapia that are available in the lake
today following the regular 'stocking of fingerlings' by the Fisheries Department.

While the Giant Kingfisher is typically found on highland rivers, streams and
lakes above 1500 m (Zimmerman et al. 1996), particularly those in close proximity to
trout farms, its presence at Take Naivasha is of particular interest because there are
few if any suitable hole nesting sites around the entire lakeshore. The breeding of a
pair from July through to late September 2019 therefore offered an ideal opportunity
to study in detail their activities during both the incubation and fledging periods.
Here we document this unusual record and share some details of the nesting site and
breeding behaviour that we observed.

In recent years, large numbers of cattle, sheep and goats have overgrazed extensive
areas of bush and grassland around the lake, and with the loss of the lake's all-import-
ant papyrus belt have directly contributed to the high levels of silt and other nutrients
entering the lake, also to the alarming levels of soil erosion taking place throughout
the district (Turner 2010). As a result, the emergence of many eroded gullies, gorges
and ravines now offer ideal sites for many hole-nesting birds such as White-fronted
Bee-eater Merops bullockoides, Rufous-crowned Roller Coracias naevius and Anteater
Chat Myrmecocichla aethiops (D. Gachucha, pers. obs.).

On or around 20 July 2019 a pair of Giant Kingfishers was observed daily flying
inland from the lake, and on 26 July were observed at a nest hole in an eroded gully
some 1.5km from the lakeshore (Fig. 1). Incubation was clearly in progress because
the incubating bird was observed being fed by its mate. Daily observations from then
on confirmed that incubation was being undertaken by both sexes for 24 h at a time,
with changeover taking place between 06:30 and 07:00 each morning for the entire
incubation period. The nest hole (16.5 cm x 27cm) was high in a vertical sandy bank
4 m from the floor of the gully and 1 m from the top. The nest tunnel itself was 1.9 m
in length.

Short communications

Figure 1. Adult close to nest hole with large tilapia for young (photo: Gabriel Benson).

First indications of hatching were around 12-13 August when both adults were
observed taking small earthworms Limnodrilus sp. and fish into the nest tunnel. Later,
the size of fish taken to the young ranged from 4 to 9 cm in length, and largely con¬
sisted of tilapia fingerlings that were readily available along the lakeshore. The first
young bird (an almost fully fledged female) left the nest hole early on 22 September
(some 40 days after hatching) and immediately accompanied the adult female all the
way to the lakeshore; a few hours later it returned with the female to the nest, but it
stayed outside while the female was inside with the other two young. The two re¬
mained together for the remainder of that day at or near the lakeshore.

Meanwhile, the second and third chick (a male and a second female) left the nest
hole two days later (24 September) and all three continued to be fed by the parent
birds for at least 7-10 days afterwards.

Brown & Britton (1980) had no breeding data from any of the Rift Valley lakes,
and while this may be the first East African record of a Giant Kingfisher breeding so
far from water, a similar case was documented in South Africa back in the early 1930s
(Johnson 1932).

A few days after these observations, an additional family of four Giant Kingfishers
was observed nearby, a clear indication that the Lake Naivasha population of Giant
Kingfishers continues to increase.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Nigel Carnelley for his encouragement and logistical support
throughout the duration of this study.

References

Brown, L.H. & Britton, P.L. 1980. The Breeding Seasons of East African birds. Nairobi: East Africa
Natural History Society.

Johnson, K.C. 1932. Nesting of the Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima. Ostrich 3(1): 24-25.

Short communications

Madindou, L, Mungai, P., Ng'weno, F., Gachero, P., Gichohi, E., Cheshire, D., Ikimet, T., Jackson,
C. & Kirao, L. 2019. Results of the January 2019 Waterbird Counts in Kenya covering the
Rift Valley, Nairobi, Central and Coastal Wetlands. Research Reports of the Centre for Biodiver¬
sity. National Museums of Kenya: Ornithology No 85.

Turner, D.A. 2010. Lake Naivasha: an ecosystem dying for management. Swara 33(2): 34-37.

Turner, D.A. 2016. Lake Naivasha. From a jewel in Kenya's Rift Valley to a degraded ecosys¬
tem. Swara 40(4): 50-54.

Zimmerman, D.A., Turner, D.A. & Pearson, D.J. 1996. Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania. Lon¬
don: A&C Black.

Douglas Gachucha

Lake Naivasha Nature Club, P.O. Box 79, Naivasha 20117, Kenya. Email: tchagra2@gmail.com

Naomi Nyaboke Moraa Benson

Lake Naivasha Nature Club, P.O. Box 2040, Naivasha 20117, Kenya. Email: moraanaomi795@gmail.
com

Hassan Abdiaziz

Lake Naivasha Nature Club, P.O. Box 106, Naivasha 20117, Kenya. Email: hassanabdiaziz57@gmail.
com

Gabriel Benson

Lake Naivasha Nature Club, P.O. Box 2040, Naivasha 20117, Kenya. Email: bensongabriel281@gmail.
com

Donald A.Turner

P.O. Box 1651, Naivasha 20117, Kenya. Email: don@originsafaris.info

Scopus 40(1): 28-30, January 2020
Received 13 October 2019

Short communications

An active nest of the Karamoja Apalis Apalis karamoja from
Tanzania

In the evening of 20 August 2004, we were camped on the edge of the Wembere
floodplain 2 km east of the main highway that crosses the floodplain (1052 m, contact
author for coordinates). The habitat is sparse Acacia drepanolobium thicket on black
cotton soil with large swathes of open grassland grazed by cattle belonging to the
local Wanyaturu people. The following morning we located four pairs of Karamoja
Apalis exhibiting both display and song. Following an individual bird EMB located
an active nest close to camp (Fig. 1). On examination, there were two eggs, but these
were not removed to photograph them due to the fragile nature of the nest and our
reluctance to unduly disturb the birds.

The nest was about 2.5 m above the ground in a medium-sized Acacia drepanolo¬
bium and was quite easy to see once found (Fig 2). It was domed and made entirely
from a fine plant material that we did not identify and reassembled that of a Pen-
duline Tit Anthoscopus sp., with a small side entrance hole rather than the open cup
nest of a Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida, the only other apalis nest with which
we were familiar.

Figure 1. Nest of Karamoja Apalis Apalis karamoja built into the twigs and thorns
of an Acacia drepanolobium tree (photo N.E. Baker).

Short communications

Figure 2. The nest was built into the tree pictured. The open habitat is shown,
and the person gives scale to the tree (photo N.E. Baker).

On 23 July 2016 we found another nest, but again did not wish to disturb it during
the known breeding season (contact author for coordinates). At less than 2m above
the ground, it was placed lower in the Acacia drepanolobium than the earlier nest, but
otherwise appeared identical.

A nest from the Ugandan population in Opige & Skeen (2011) appears identical to
those found on the Wembere Steppe.

References

Opige, M. & Skeen, R.Q. 2011. A survey of the Karamoja Apalis Apalis karamojae and a first
nest record in Iriiri Eastern Uganda. Unpublished report to the African Bird Club https:/ /
www.africanbirdclub.org/sites/default/files/Uganda Karamoja Apalis 2011 O.pdf .

N.E. Baker & E.M. Bakerf

P.O. Box 396, Iringa, Tanzania. Email: tzbirdatlas@yahoo. co.uk

Scopus 40(1): 31-32, January 2020
Received 6 August 2019

Short communications

Ashy Starling Lamprotornis unicolor a new host for Greater
Honeyguide Indicator indicator

Magambua (5°09 , S / 35°18'E at 1300 m) is a small rural community on the road
east-southeast of Singida, 15 km northwest of Kwa Mtoro, and 20 km due west of
Swaga Swaga Game Reserve, Tanzania. The natural habitat is dominated by baobabs
Adansonia digitate and Acacia tortilis, although miombo woodland dominates Swaga
Swaga Game Reserve and the escarpments closer to Singida.

In April of 2013, my husband Jon and I observed a pair of Ashy Starlings Lampro¬
tornis unicolor that were active in a nearby tree hole about 1.5 m from the ground in the
main trunk of a miombo tree Brachystegia sp. They were obviously feeding young. We
could clearly hear chirping from within the nest hole while standing a metre away.
On April 24, I succeeded in photographing the young. Imagine my surprise when
I realized that the single chick was not an Ashy Starling. At first I thought it was a
Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius, but it was later confirmed to be a Greater
Honeyguide Indicator indicator by Neil Baker and Adam Scott Kennedy, by the dis¬
tinctive shape of the nostrils. About a month later, I photographed a juvenile Greater
Honeyguide in a nearby tree, possibly the same one raised by the Ashy Starlings.

Juvenile Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator in an Ashy Starling nest (photo: Melissa
Eager).

Melissa Eager

P.O. Box 295, Dodoma, Tanzania. Email: Melissa.eager@aimint.org

Scopus 40(1): 33, January 2020
Received 6 August 2019

Short communications

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes brevis in Kenya

The range of the Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes brevis is almost entirely east of
the Rift Valley from the Ndotos and the Mathews Range, south through the Mt Kenya
and Aberdare highlands to Thika, Nairobi, Kibwezi, Ol Donyo Orok (Namanga Hill),
the Chyulus, and Taita-Taveta District, including the Taita Hills forests. It also occurs
in coastal forests from the Arabuko-Sokoke and Gede forest reserves south to the
Shimba Hills, Mrima Hill, and Shimoni forests. Meanwhile, wanderers from north¬
ern Tanzania appear seasonally in the Nguruman and Loliondo forests astride the
Kenya-Tanzania border. It occurs alongside Trumpeter Hornbill Bycanistes bucinator
in some inland areas and most coastal forests south of Malindi including the Arabu¬
ko-Sokoke Forest Reserve.

The lack of Kenya breeding records is due, at least in part, to paucity of suitable
nesting sites, and it should be pointed out that all references to an October 1965 breed¬
ing record from Molo are unfortunate, as the record itself (Start & Start 1978) actually
referred to the breeding of a pair of Black-and-white Casqued Hornbills Bycanistes
subcylindricus that were resident on the Start property at that time. DAZ frequently
visited the Start family at Molo during the 1960s, and he obtained several photo¬
graphs of the hornbills there until the forest was destroyed in the 1970s.

While there have been a few breeding attempts in the Nairobi suburbs, to date
none has been successful, and the only confirmed breeding record in Kenya would
appear to be that documented by Guarnieri et al. (2018) from Nyeri District in central
Kenya.

References

Guarnieri, D.P., Wanjohi, M., Carter, S., Mugambi, B. & Bradley, J. 2018. A breeding record of
the Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes brevis in central Kenya. Scopus 38(2): 23-24.

Start, J., & Start, H. 1978. Nesting record of the Silvery-cheeked Hornbill. EANHS Bulletin
1978:125-127.

Donald A. Turner

P.O. Box 1651, Naivasha 20117, Kenya

Dale A. Zimmerman

1011 West Florence Street, Silver City, New Mexico 88061, USA

Scopus 40(1): 34, January 2020
Received 13 October 2019

Editor's Note

Treatment of online references

Use of online-only references should be minimized: scientific publications
with a DOI are acceptable, but other online-only references, including Xeno-
canto recordings, should be used to support statements only when there is no
peer-reviewed, printed or other permanently available alternative. Online-
only bird records will usually be treated as not constituting acceptable
evidence of occurrence, unless the record can be convincingly validated,
including evidence of identification and location. All on-line references will
be placed in Appendices immediately following the list of normal references.
Please refer to this paper for guidance on citation format.

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Stuart, S.N., Jensen, F.P., Brogger-Jensen,
S. & Miller, R.l. 1993. The zoogeography
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Urban, E.K., Fry, C.H. & Keith, S. (eds) 1986.
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BirdLife International 2013. Species
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