North-West Zambia
22 November to 7 December 1997
Information on certain species
I have included here the initial responses I received from Pete Leonard and Carl Beel on my request to them for information on birds that I had not previously seen - this is NOT a list of species seen or of those occurring - only those I wanted to see at the time.
I was only inquiring after species that I had not previously seen - there are many more that I had seen in Uganda which occur in the area and so would be new to any southern African birder. Needless to say, buy the Atlas when it is published, and all will be revealed! In the list below, species in red are still lifers to me (after this and subsequent trips).
Pete responded: "I shall give:
1. habitat
2. rough area
3. your chance of seeing it.
You'll appreciate that you chances for vagrants and rare migrants (as marked) are very slim."
Carl’s comments are in italics.
White-throated Francolin Francolinus albogularis
west of Zambezi in western Zambezi District; dry plain; fair if you go to right place. Only found in western Zambezi District. Occurs on large dry open plains. A good place to try could be Minyanya Plain (not indicated on maps), c35-40 km after crossing the Zambezi at Chavuma. Although the vegetation on these plains is very low, birds may be difficult to find. Best chances probably are early in the morning when they call (sounds very much like Coqui Francolin). Camp on the plain.
Little Crake Porzana parva
unconfirmed vagrant. Not on the Zambian list.
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
very rare migrant. Vagrant.
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
very rare migrant. Vagrant.
Forbes's Plover Charadrius forbesi
large wet rocks; Zambezi rapids, northern Mwinilunga; fair. Occurs on expanses of bare rock at the Zambezi Rapids in northern Mwinilunga District. The Zambezi Rapids are about 5 km from Kalene Hill.
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
very rare vagrant. Vagrant.
Afep Pigeon Columba unicincta
mushitu (moist evergreen forest) canopy and sky; northern Mwinilunga; good. Present throughout forests in northern Mwinilunga. Most easily seen in flight, with some luck and perseverance good views can be obtained while perched.
Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx olivinus
mushitu and mavunda (dry evergreen forest - 'Cryptosepalum'); Mwinilunga; fair if heard. Forests in Mwinilunga District. Easily detected when calling but extremely difficult to see.
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus
very rare vagrant. Vagrant.
White-bellied Kingfisher Corythornis leucogaster
mushitu not necessarily near water; northern Mwinilunga; poor (only 2 good records). Known in forest near Salujinga in northernmost Mwinilunga District. Has been caught in nets but no reliable field observations as yet.
Shining-blue Kingfisher Alcedo quadribrachys
well forested streams; NW Province; fair at Southern Kashiji River where I saw it last year. Sparse on forested river. A good locality is the South Kasiji, where the road from Zambezi to Chinyama Litapi crosses the South Kasiji. Most easily found in the morning.
Anchieta's Barbet Stactolaema anchietae
miombo and sometimes forest canopy; widespread north of c14 degrees; just need patience and luck - probably common but unobtrusive. Found throughout North Western Province in well developed miombo and forest. Not easily located because not noisy.
White-chested Tinkerbird Pogoniulus makawai
mavunda; southern Mwinilunga; give it a go please, though still only known from type specimen and some people think it a freak aberration. May not exist.
Lemon-rumped Tinkerbird (Golden-rumped Tinkerbird) Pogoniulus bilineatus - (subspecies mfumbiri)
is common in most forests.
Chaplin's Barbet Lybius chaplini
sycamore fig trees; Choma/Blue Lagoon/Chisamba; good at right place. Not in North Western Province. This could be another reason to go to Blue Lagoon NP. Occurs in large fig trees. Sometimes reacts well to tapes.
Angola Lark Mirafra angolensis
plains; northern Mwinilunga and Zambezi Ds; good. Common on plains in northern Mwinilunga, e.g. on Chitunta Plain, or in the game farm at Hillwood Farm.
Red-throated Cliff Swallow Hirundo rufigula
bridges and bush fires; NW Province; fair - seem to be thin on ground this year and I've not found birds at several regular sites. Used to occur on every bridge between the Copperbelt and Mwinilunga. Last year only on Mutanda Bridge, c30 km past Solwezi. Migrating flocks could be seen in November anywhere in Mwinilunga District.
Black-and-Rufous Swallow Hirundo nigrorufa
plains; northern Mwinilunga; good. Common over large plains in Mwinilunga District, e.g. Chitunta Plain.
Angola Swallow Hirundo angolensis
plains/bridges; could turn up anywhere in north, Chitunta Plain best bet, but rare; poor. Very rare on Copperbelt and in northern Mwinilunga District. No recent observations in either locality.
Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus
very rare vagrant. Vagrant
Grimwood's Longclaw Macronyx grimwoodi
wet plains; northern Mwinilunga - especially Chitunta Plain; very good at Chitunta Plain. Common on Chitunta Plain, right at the bridge.
Purple-throated Cuckoo-Shrike Campephaga quiscalina
mushitu & mavunda; northern Zambia; good. Locally common in forest, e.g. on the Copperbelt. Also found in Mwinilunga District.
Black-collared Bulbul Neolestes torquatus
scrub & secondary growth; northern Mwinilunga; fairly good, especially Hillwood. Locally common, e.g. near game farm at Hillwood Farm
Bocage's Akalat Sheppardia bocagei
mushitu; northern Zambia; good if heard. Common in forest in northern Zambia, except in northern Mwinilunga where replaced by next species.
Grey-winged Robin-Chat Cossypha polioptera
mushitu; northern Mwinilunga; good if heard. See above
Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush Neocossyphus fraseri
mushitu; northern Mwinilunga; good if heard. Common in forests in northern Mwinilunga. Has a very loud and distinctive call. Found e.g. on the game farm at Hillwood.
Bamboo Warbler Bradypterus alfredi
forest undergrowth; northern Mwinilunga; fair if heard - extreme skulker. Rare, but probably widespread in northern Mwinilunga. Hopeless unless calling.
Salvadori's Eremomela Eremomela salvadorii
woodland; west NW Province; good - although I saw what I suppose were these a few days ago and they look and sound just like icteropygialis to me. Split in Birds of Africa V. Don't know much about this one. Probably rare in western Mwinilunga and Zambezi Districts.
Black-collared Eremomela Eremomela atricollis
miombo; northern Zambia; good. Common in miombo. Often with bird parties.
Red-capped Crombec Sylvietta ruficapilla
miombo canopy; all Zambia; good. Common in miombo. Often with bird parties.
Laura's Warbler Phylloscopus laurae
mushitu canopy; northern Zambia; good. Common in forest, e.g. game farm at Hillwood Farm.
Yellow-bellied Hyliota Hyliota flavigaster
miombo; everywhere; good. Common in miombo, often alongside Southern Hyliota.
Dambo (Black-tailed) Cisticola Cisticola dambo
wet plains; northern Mwinilunga; good. Common on plain in northern Mwinilunga District, e.g. Chitunta Plain, game farm at Hillwood.
Stout Cisticola Cisticola robustus
wet plains; northern Mwinilunga; fair (in northern Province it is common). Long grass on wet plain in Mwinilunga District.
Slender-tailed (Pearson's) Cisticola Cisticola melanurus
miombo canopy?; northern Mwinilunga??; no records from Zambia, but worth looking for I suppose, very poorly known. Not on Zambian list.
Whistling Cisticola Cisticola lateralis
scrub/bracken briar etc; northern Mwinilunga; good. Fairly common in northern Mwinilunga. Found e.g. at Hillwood.
Cassin's Grey Flycatcher Muscicapa cassini
forested streams; northern Mwinilunga (Zambezi Rapids); fair. Always low over water or on rocks in the water. Found e.g. at Zambezi Rapids, upstream of the rapids.
Sooty Flycatcher Muscicapa infuscata
mushitu; extreme northern Mwinilunga; poor. Found in forest tops in northernmost Mwinilunga, e.g. along Jimbe River near Salujinga.
Margaret's Batis Batis margaritae
mushitu, mavunda; NW Province; good in Mavunda. Occurs in Mavunda forest (dry evergreen forest) in Kabompo District. Locally also in wet evergreen forest. Good spot is Mayau, c90 km south of Mwinilunga towards Kabompo.
White-tailed Blue Flycatcher Elminia albicauda
miombo; northern Zambia; fair, patchy. In miombo. Joins bird parties. Strangely localized.
Spotted Thrush Babbler Ptyrticus turdinus
mushitu undergrowth; extreme northern Mwinilunga; good if heard. Forest near Salujinga.
White-winged Black Tit Parus leucomelas
woodland; everywhere; good. Throughout Zambia in fairly open areas, e.g. edge of dambo.
Red-and-Blue Sunbird Anthreptes anchietae
miombo; northern Zambia; rare where you're going, common Northern Province. Northern Province. Few records elsewhere.
Bates's Sunbird Cinnyris batesi
mushitu canopy; northern Mwinilunga; good. Common in forest in northern Mwinilunga, e.g. at Hillwood.
Bannerman's Sunbird Cyanomitra bannermani
mushitu interior; northern Mwinilunga; good. Same as Bates's Sunbird.
Orange-tufted Sunbird Cinnyris bouvieri
mushitu; Mwinilunga; poor, only 3 records. Few records.
Souza's Shrike Lanius souzae
miombo; northern Zambia; good with patience & luck. Throughout Zambia in miombo. Most active in the morning. Does not perch conspicuously.
Perrin's Bush-Shrike Malaconotus viridis
mavunda; southern Mwinilunga; good. Common in dry evergreen forest in Kabompo District, cf. Margaret's Batis.
Sharp-tailed Starling Lamprotornis acuticaudus
woodland; NW Province; good. Throughout miombo woodland in Copperbelt and North Western Province.
Chestnut-mantled Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser rufoscapulatus
miombo; northern Zambia; fair, patchy. In good miombo woodland on Copperbelt and in North Western Province.
Bocage's Weaver Ploceus temporalis
bushes over water; Chitunta/Luakela confluence; good. On plains in northern Mwinilunga District, e.g. at Chitunta Plain (near confluence with Luakela River).
Bar-winged Weaver Ploceus angolensis
miombo and mavunda; northern Zambia; fair. In miombo woodland with lot of Usnea, e.g. woodland north of Mwinilunga on road to Chitunta Plain and Hillwood Farm.
Red-headed Quelea Quelea erythrops
wet grassland; widespread migrant after good rain; depends on weather. November is too early, a migrant.
Pied Mannikin Lonchura fringilloides
various especially bamboo; widespread but highly erratic; poor. Needs bamboo.
Locust Finch Ortygospiza locustella
dambos, wet plains; northern Zambia; good. Common on wet plains, e.g. at Hillwood Farm.
Black-faced Canary Serinus capistratus
forest edge; northern Zambia; fair. Near forest on Copperbelt and in North Western Province.
As can be seen from the above, Pete and Carl provided invaluable assistance, and please assist them by sending them all your Zambian records - and buy the Zambian Bird Atlas when it is published.