just a few obs from this past week or so in Dar.Black Heron. the flock roosting on Pangavini and feeding in the Jangwani-Kunduchi salt pans is at least 35 birds, quite good for Dar. Worn primaries on many birds, could they be breeding on Pangavini ? JD ? no regular movement between shore and island at the mo but not much time spent looking.Honey Buzzard, a single bird being mobbed by House Crows (inevitably) last week.Collared Sunbird, nest building on the Peninsular in a garden that has 2 crow traps, a very good sign. Also 2 Spectacled Weavers in the same garden.Osprey, a single bird over the Jangwani - Kunduchi salt pans on Sunday.Black Kite (no bins, not sure if black or yellow-billed) quite a rare bird in Dar these days.Black Cuckoo Shrike, a female on Sunday at Kunduchi.White-browed Robin Chat, singing from many gardens, quite remarkable that this and the Spotted Morning Thrush do so well.Blue-naped Mousebird. I suspect this Dar population is a result of escapees / releases from the bird trade. Often seen in the Kunduchi Salt Pans area.helps to keep one sane in this mad mad city............... NeilNeil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania. Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864. http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@ yahoogroups. com __._,_.___RECENT ACTIVITYVisit Your Group.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Dar birding past week oct09
Monday, October 26, 2009
White-headed Vulture and Kingani wetlands
White-headed Vulture/Kingani wetlands, Bagamoyo
Once stirred from my slumber there is no stopping me...
Forgot to tell you that I saw a White-headed Vulture in Mikumi two weeks ago, sitting on a nest high in a baobab close to Wanambogo Dam. This might be a big yawn to you bird fundis but just in case you're interested, I am letting you know...
On a more important matter, re. Fiona Reid's recent email about the desecration of the wetlands just beyond Bagamoyo, the area, as well as being an important bird habitat, is (or ought to be) of some historic importance. One of the two main trade/exploration routes between Bagamoyo and the Lakes passed through the area. Outbound caravans, once porters had been hired in Bagamoyo, would get them all out of town while they were still sober and set up camp three miles beyond the town, close to the Kingani as the Ruvu was (is?) known there. They camped in a place called Gonera's Shamba, after the Indian widow who owned it. Henry Morton Stanley, one of various explorers who stayed there, writes:
"On the north, just behind the house, winds a black quagmire, a sinuous hollow, which in its deepest parts always contains water — the muddy home of the brake-and-rush-loving “kiboko” or hippopotamus. Its banks, crowded with dwarf fan-palm, tall water-reeds, acacias, and tiger-grass, afford shelter to numerous aquatic birds, pelicans, &c".
Stanley also writes, after crossing the Kingani:
"At our approach fled in terror flocks of green pigeons, jays, ibis, turtledoves, golden pheasants, quails and moorhens, with crows and hawks, while now and then a solitary pelican winged its way to the distance".
He was obviously almost as good a birder as I am (I still use his bins, incidentally...)
Seriously, the area is important and if possible should be saved. Imagine bird walks in the footsteps of HM Stanley & Co... Bagamoyo (which as we know is pretty dear to the President's heart) is hoping to be classed as a World Heritage Site by the UN. It will probably only be seriously considered in conjunction with the trade/exploration routes I have just mentioned. And a prime birding habitat on its outskirts would surely help.
Graham
MIGRANTS AND UNUSUAL RESIDENT BIRDS DISTRIBUTION
Hi,
Sept 30th, 2009,I saw the Yellow wagtail on Kilimanjaro,Cave III camp 3,900 M ( 12,780 FT ). Oct 16th, 2009 saw the Broad billed roller in Usa river.
The Arrow marked bablers, Pearl spotted owlets and Magpie shrikes are getting deeper and depeer into Usa river town. Bushes and trees around homes in the west and next to Usa River Coffee plantation have been homes of these bird species. There must be factors to this.
Regards.
Kapanya.
Sept 30th, 2009,I saw the Yellow wagtail on Kilimanjaro,Cave III camp 3,900 M ( 12,780 FT ). Oct 16th, 2009 saw the Broad billed roller in Usa river.
The Arrow marked bablers, Pearl spotted owlets and Magpie shrikes are getting deeper and depeer into Usa river town. Bushes and trees around homes in the west and next to Usa River Coffee plantation have been homes of these bird species. There must be factors to this.
Regards.
Kapanya.
Willow warblers in Olasiti
Willow warblers October 18,19,20,21,22 over Olasiti.
Oct 22 Northen/European wheatear and Yellow wagtails at Kisongo 8 kms from Mark's house. Others ; Maricco sunbird,Gabar G A,Long T F,Spotted E O,Lanner F & Peregrine F
Enjoy!
Zenan
Oct 22 Northen/European wheatear and Yellow wagtails at Kisongo 8 kms from Mark's house. Others ; Maricco sunbird,Gabar G A,Long T F,Spotted E O,Lanner F & Peregrine F
Enjoy!
Zenan
Birds (and mammals) entering towns
It is not at all surprising to have birds (and mammals) entering towns. They are getting to realize that Homo sapiens does not seem to be going away, but is taking more of their territory. That being the case, they have come to the point where they decide they must share the habitat with Homo or perish. Here in the states we have Coyotes (about like a Jackal) moving back even into fair sized cities. Given a few years a reasonable sized suburban yard can yield a bird list of nearly 200 species including migrants, of course.
Nenda salama, Jerry
Nenda salama, Jerry
Very odd sunbird sp in Katavi
ODD INDEED
MIST NET, BLOOD SAMPLE !!!!!
CLIVE, MARTIN, COMMENTS PLEASE. AM IN DAR WITHOUT ANY BOOKS BUT SUSPECT THEY WOULD BE OF NO USE AT ALL !!!!
NEIL
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Adam Kennedy"
> Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 6:50 PM
Hi Neil et al.,
> >
> > This morning I came across a very strange sunbird by our bandas here
> > in Katavi. On first impression I thought it to be just another Marico
> > that occassionally comes through but then I saw two very yellow
> > pectoral tufts (although more obvious, and seem to be "chest flashes"
> > rather than tufts). Thinking it was just an odd plumage for a common
> > species, I collected my camera and took the attached images (plus lots
> > more). On closer inspection of the images, I hope you'll agree that it
> > really is quite odd and I can't seem to ID it from my field guide.
> >
> > To my eye, the bird was structurally similar to Marico and the photos
> > do suggest various attributes to this species, namely; blackish belly,
> > greenish-blue sheen to irridescent areas and on the chest a blue band
> > with a faint purple band emerging underneath. But even without the
> > yellow tufts, it still doesn't look quite right.
> >
> > I have considered that it may be a male Beautiful coming into breeding
> > plumage as that species does have a yellow flash on the sides of the
> > chest but this individual showed a short tail and no central streamers
> > so I'm inclined to rule this out. Also, the combination of blue/
> > purple breast band would discard this species, would it not?
> >
> > Has anyone encountered such a sunbird in his plumage before? Maybe
> > this bird is a hybrid (?), something like Marico/ Beautiful or
> > Marico/Variable?
> >
> > All suggestions welcome.
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Adam
> >
> Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
> Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.
> http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com
> Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
From Canada to East Africa and back
Franz, trust all is well, can you send me any pdf papers on this subject, we never did catch up on your team working in Tanzania.
Neil
----- Original Message -----
From: D & C L-L
To: tzbirdatlas@yahoo.co.uk
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 9:14 PM
Subject: From Canada to East Africa and back
Hi Neil,
The following may be of interest to the group. But should the article properly be titled "East African Northern Wheatear found in Iceland en route to Canada"?!!
Dave Leman (Greetings from all the Prince George, BC gang!)
Canadian Northern Wheatear Found in Iceland
Photo: David Hussell
29 September 2009 - The Northern Wheatear undertakes one of the most remarkable migrations of any songbird. It is the only songbird that breeds in North America and winters in Africa. Alaskan and Yukon breeders migrate roughly southwest to winter in east Africa. The eastern Arctic population, breeding from Ellesmere Island south to Labrador and in Greenland, migrates southeast, crossing the Atlantic to winter in western Africa south of the Sahara.
A breeding female, banded by Dr. David Hussell at Iqaluit, Baffin Island, Nunavut, in July 2007 was found dead near Reykjavik, Iceland in mid-May 2009, presumably en route back to Baffin Island. This is the first North American-banded wheatear recovered anywhere, as well as the first banded songbird from North America found in Iceland. It would have been on at least its sixth Atlantic crossing when it died in Iceland.
The wheatear found in Iceland was one of 83 banded by Dr. Hussell in the course of his research in 2007 and 2008. This year, he and his team located 16 nests and at least two additional fledged broods during nearly eight weeks of fieldwork. They added 44 to the number of wheatears they have banded at Iqaluit, which at 127 is more than triple the total banded in Canada in the preceding 50 years!
Dr. Hussell is continuing his research on wheatears at Iqaluit with support from Bird Studies Canada, in collaboration with Dr. Ryan Norris, University of Guelph, and Dr Franz Bairlein, Avian Research Institute, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The objectives of this research are to learn more about the breeding of wheatears in Canada and their migrations to and from Africa.
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com
Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Eurasian Roller?
Hi Chris yes, an imm Eurasian Roller and an adult Holub's Golden Weaver, the pale eye combined with size, general facial colouration and lack of streaking diagnostic. These weavers build large untidy nests, usually solitary and usually over water. look forward to more pics. Neil ----- Original Message ----- From: <kisima@habari.
co.tz > To: <tzbirdatlas@yahoo.co. > Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2009 8:04 PM Subject: Eurasian Roller? > Dear Neil, > > We saw what we think is our first ever Eurasian Roller today. Can you > please confirm from > the pictures attached? And I also saw what I believe is out first ever > Holub's Golden > Weaver, building a nest above a pond. Unfortunately pics are again not > very good, but we > are buying a new camera for birding soon.... > > Have a good weekend, > > Chris > ------------uk --------- --------- --------- --------- -------- __._,_.___Attachment(s) from tanzaniabirdatlas
5 of 5 Photo(s)
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
.
__,_._,___
Destruction of wetlands and unidentified weaver in Tanzania [2 Attachments]
My name is Fiona Reid. I lived in Dar es Salaam for 11 years and was a teacher at the International School. My husband Graham and I are both zoologists, have lived in Africa for 26 years and have been keen birders during this time. I worked voluntarily for some time with the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania and I co- authored a book called the Birds of Dar es Salaam. This email is to draw attention to the ongoing destruction of a large wetland area west of Bagamoyo in Tanzania and its associated diverse birdlife. In addition, there is a potential new species of Golden Weaver under threat.
A few years ago I was asked to look at the Saadani game reserve, north of Dar es Salaam with a view to making a list of the birds for a book on Saadani. This meant driving regularly up and down the 64 km of dirt road between Bagamoyo and Msata. The wetland habitat and its associated bird diversity on the road between Bagamoyo and the Ruvu river was quite spectacular. There were many birds such as herons, egrets, harriers and other birds of prey, terns, Black Coucals, kingfishers, beeeaters, weavers, widowbirds and bishops amongst others. We regularly saw a small golden weaver in the thick scrub near water and although we observed it often, we were unable to identify it, despite checking all the references on weavers. We also saw a few African Golden Weavers whose rufous-orange head, pale red eye and longer bill which seemed less black and glossy were distinctively different. Before long we were convinced that we had found a new species of bird..which we called the "Ruvu Weaver". However, despite informing a few people and trying to capture it on film, we never confirmed this as we had a poor camera. In addition a few thought it looked like African Golden Weaver from our poor photos so we gave up! We left Tanzania for Kenya 2 years ago and have not been back to the area since.
In Kenya we have been able to get fantastic views of both Golden Palm Weavers and African Golden Weavers, often together and this added to our conviction that this "Ruvu Weaver " was different. Last weekend we came back to Dar for a business trip and thus went to find our weaver again. This time we had a better camera and hoped to solve the problem...however we were quite prepared for it to be a weird African Golden Weaver!
Like most of Africa the area was experiencing a severe drought. Many people had also moved in to farm the wetlands and a great deal of burning was going on, right up to the edge of the Ruvu River. Standing water was being removed by generator powered pumps in several places. In addition, the road was much busier and there was a brisk business of bicycles ferrying charcoal towards Bagamoyo. See attached photos of wetland destruction.
We were glad to see that the road was being improved but very worried when we saw that almost all the sites, in which we had seen the weaver, had been destroyed. The wet areas along the side of the road which once held good numbers of weavers, warblers, bishops and widowbirds had been bulldozed of all vegetation and drained into pits. On the entire road through about 10 km of wetlands, we found nothing but cleared land, new irrigation schemes and all natural vegetation had been cleared or burnt.
Finally, in a small area of permanent water we found a few of the weavers. Although the bulldozers were in the process of clearing all the vegetation and pushing the soil into the water (see photos below) there were also many wetland birds there: Pygmy Geese, Darters, Black Crakes, Squacco Herons and Pratincoles amongst others.
The weavers were in some burnt out scrub. It being so dry, they were not breeding so we saw no signs of nest building and they were scattered and difficult to photograph so we did not end up with good photo (again!). However, we observed them well and think that they do not belong to the normal range of African Golden Weaver and seem to share characteristics of these and the Golden Palm Weaver which has recently been struck off the Tanzanian list.
For those wanting to take a further look into this weaver, I have constructed a table of differences and attached it to this email, but the most obvious features are that the male has a very dark, almost black eye in all light conditions when seen with binoculars (Swarovski 8X30). (When a photo is blown up to high magnification the iris appears very dark red). There is a small area of bright orange on the fore crown and on the chin / throat but not on the face. The bill is more conical and very shiny black. The female has a dark eye and a bi-coloured bill. The nest is attached to a few stems of vegetation and can be above water or in scrub nearby.
Comments on this are most welcome. For instance does anyone know if Environmental Impact Assessments are carried out on road projects in East Africa and if wetlands are supposed to be protected during construction? Please send this email on to anyone you think might help in preserving the remains of this wetland and its birdlife. In addition, if you have photographs to add to help in the identification of this bird, I would be most grateful.
Many thanks
Fiona Reid
Scarce Swifts
Hi MalcolmTypically we have far smaller flocks than this, not sure I've ever seen many more than 50 off Meru or Kili and that's in ideal conditions feeding around a storm build up or after rain. Less than 30 would be the norm and often slightly less than this. Same applies for flocks off the Udzungwas, only a single record over the edge of Mikumi NP, our best watched site in the Eastern Arc.This going out to our group to ask for comments.Louis, Trev, ever any large flocks ? ever any suspected breeding activity ? these birds ngumu to get close to. Usually just vocalisations as they click overhead. Trev, pole sana hope you OK.cheersNeil----- Original Message -----From: malcolmSent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 10:17 AMSubject: RE: [AfricanBirding] FW: House Sparrows, White-necked Ravens and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters in RusumoHi all
I just found an old entry in my notes from 12 June 08 Uwinka, Nyungwe Forest Rwanda where I had a flock of 100's (7-800) of what I think were Scarce Swifts. They were very high up and seemed to be reacting (moving through) to a low-pressure cloud system coming in. Among them I did manage to id 6 Mottled Spinetails which were not on the Park list. Anyone else seen this kind of congregations with Scarce Swifts in the area (tropical highland forest)?
Cheers all
Malcolm Wilson
.
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania. Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864. http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@ yahoogroups. com __._,_.___******************* 11,500+ Photos of African birds - view and contribute your own! www.africanbirdclub.org Info on birding in every African country www.africanbirdclub.org/countries Need advice on books and CDs? www.africanbirdclub.org Enter the ABC/Birding Africa identification challenge http://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/challenge.html.
__,_._,___
Mahale
Hi Neil,
Back from a short stint in Mahale. Not much time for birding, as I was in Management Mode ('where are my binocs?') but a great show of Euro Hobbies hawking dragonflies each evening around dusk. It looked as though they were using the bright sky / lake to backlight the dragonflies in flight.
Flocks of Euro bee-eaters most days flying overhead.
Red-capped Robin-chat mimicking Crowned eagle from inside a dense bush; then mimicking emerald cuckoo, almost without a pause.
Ross's Turaco heard several times calling behind camp.
Oh, and chimps…
Cheers
Richard
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Furadan - see video
http://stopwildlifepoisoning.wildlifedirect.org/2009/10/14/purple-killer-the-slide-show/
Stein Nilsen
Straumsveien 2081
N-9106 Straumsbukta
Norway
www.tromsofoto.net
www.tanzaniabirdatlas.com
Stein Nilsen
Straumsveien 2081
N-9106 Straumsbukta
Norway
www.tromsofoto.net
www.tanzaniabirdatlas.com
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Most wanted: Baillon's Crake (Porzana pusilla]
African-Palearctic migration project update:ÂRequest for records on the wintering distribution of the Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla
Â
Dear Stein Nilsen,
Â
we want to quickly inform you about the progress of our research project “A database of Western Palearctic birds migrating within Africa to guide conservation decisions� and then ask you to help with data for a new target species.
Â
1.) Many of you have already contributed much information to this ongoing research project, and to show you that your efforts have been worthwhile, below is a list of publications that this project has so far produced (with several more in the pipeline). Your contributions have also been acknowledged in these publications, most of which are available for download at www.bruno-walther.de
Â
2.) We are now launching a new research project focusing on the ecology of the Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla launched by the German Ornithological Station “Hiddensee� (see Background below). The study intends to investigate the distribution of the Baillon’s Crake in the African, Middle Eastern and Maccaronesian region to get a broader picture about potential wintering and breeding sites of this species. We would like to ask you kindly to
Â
� report any record of the Baillon’s Crake you have knowledge about
â—� please use our attac hed questionnaire, but in case you prefer to just send us your records by email, please do so (nam.seifert@gmail.com; bawalther2009@gmail.com)
â—� please remember the most important data are habitat, date and locality (preferably with geographic coordinates), with additional information (e.g. number of individuals, sex, age, etc.) also welcome
Â
3.) In addition, we continue to collect any other information or data on Palearctic migrants in Africa, with special emphasis on threatened species (see list attached).
Â
< class="Text" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-.35pt;margin-bottom:1.0pt; margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify;line-height:130%;mso-hyphenate:none; tab-stops:1.0cm 2.0cm 3.0cm 4.0cm 5.0cm 6.0cm 7.0cm 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt 368.5pt 396.85pt 425.2pt 453.55pt 473.6pt">Any information will be of great help!Thanks a lot in advance!
Â
With our best wishes,
Nina and Bruno
Â--------------------------------------------------
Nina Seifert
PhD StudentÂ
Ornithological Institute "Hiddensee"
University of Greifswald
Soldmannstrasse 23
D-17489 Greifswald
Â
Dr. Bruno Walther
Assistant Professor
Science Department
American University of Paris
31, Avenue Bosquet
75007 Paris, France
www.bruno-walther.de
-------------------------------------------------
Background InformationÂ
Request for records of the Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla
The Baillon’ Crake Porzana pusilla is a rare gruiform species with breeding populations widely spread both in the Palaearctic, the Palaeotropics and Australis. It is subdivided into 4-7 races with the distribution of the Western Palaearctic P. p. intermedia spanning from Spain to Hungary. Furthermore, several breeding records exist for the Northern Maghreb, Egypt and Jordan.
Birds occurring in Southern and Ethiopian Africa were formerly considered to belong to the autonomous race P. p. obscura, but are nowadays subsumed with European breeders under P. p. intermedia.
Little is known either about status or ecology of the smallest of the Porzana-species owing to the bird’s reclusive behaviour and sporadic occurrence. In fact, the Baillon’s Crake is regarded as the least known among the breeding birds in the Western Palaearctic. Likewise, very few data exist for the other regions of its distribution.
Having possibly been a rather common inhabitant of floodplains and river deltas in the 19th century, the Western Palaearctic population nowadays is estimated to comprise only a few hundred or thousand breeding pairs. As a species confined to vegetation at the edge of shallow waters, the Baillon’s Crake may have suffered a tremendous loss of breeding habitats in the last 100 years.
A comparable decline of suitable biotopes can be a ssumed for its African and Middle Eastern habitats due to intensification of agriculture and drainage of wetlands.
Accordingly, the Baillon’s Crake is listed in several national Red Lists and was included into the “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species� in the year 2004. However, due to the lack of comprehensive data its status still needs to be verified.
The European P. p. intermedia is considered a migrant leaving its breeding sites in late August/September and October, respectively. Its wintering area is assumed to be situated partly in the southern Mediterranean area. Furthermore, records in deserts of Morocco, Algeria and Lybia and in Senegambia indicated trans-Saharan migration and potential wintering sites in the Sahel.
Â
In January 2009, a large population of Baillon’s Crakes was discovered in NW-Senegal. The high fraction of juvenile birds indicated that most of the BC must have bred recently in the area.
This evokes the hypothesis that the distribution of African Baillon’s Crakes must extend as far as Western Africa, were birds occur in relatively high numbers. So far, breeding Baillon’s Crakes in sub-Saharan Africa were only recorded further East in Ethiopia, Uganda, central Kenya to Angola, South Africa and Madagascar.
The present results suggest that the species is more widespread throughout African wetlands than previously assumed.
Nevertheless, a mixing of African individuals with wintering European Baillon’s Crakes in “transition zones� south of the Sahara might be possible.
In order to make the picture of the distribution of the Baillon’s Crake more complete, we would like to ask you to report to us any record of the species you have knowledge about.Â
---------
> From: Stein Ø. Nilsen [stein@tromsofoto.net]
> Sent: 2009-10-13 11:32:18 CEST
> To: stenills@online.no
> Subject: [Fwd: Most wanted: Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla]
>
> ---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
> Subject: Most wanted: Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla
> From: "Nina Seifert" <nam.seifert@googlemail.com>
> Date: Thu, October 8, 2009 10:12
> To: stein@tromsofoto.net
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> > African-Palearctic migration project update:
> > Request for records on the wintering distribution of the Baillonâ??s
> > Crake Porzana pusilla
> >
> >
> > Dear Stein Nilsen,
> >
> > we want to quickly inform you about the progress of our research
> > project â??A database of Western Palearctic birds migrating within
> > Africa to guide conservation decisionsâ?? and then ask you to help
> > with data for a new target species.
> >
> > 1.) Many of you have already contributed much information to this
> > ongoing research project, and to show you that your efforts have
> > been worthwhile, below is a list of publications that this project
> > has so far produced (with several more in the pipeline). Your
> > contributions have also been acknowledged in these publications,
> > most of which are available for download at www.bruno-walther.de
> >
> > 2.) We are now launching a new research project focusing on the
> > ecology of the Baillonâ??s Crake Porzana pusilla launched by the
> > German Ornithological Station â??Hiddenseeâ?? (see Background
> > below). The study intends to investigate the distribution of the
> > Baillonâ??s Crake in the African, Middle Eastern and Maccaronesian
> > region to get a broader picture about potential wintering and
> > breeding sites of this species. We would like to ask you kindly to
> >
> > â?? report any record of the Baillonâ??s Crake you have knowledge
> > about
> > â?? please use our attached questionnaire, but in case you prefer to
> > just send us your records by email, please do so
> > (nam.seifert@gmail.com; bawalther2009@gmail.com)
> > â?? please remember the most important data are habitat, date and
> > locality (preferably with geographic coordinates), with additional
> > information (e.g. number of individuals, sex, age, etc.) also welcome
> >
> > 3.) In addition, we continue to collect any other information or
> > data on Palearctic migrants in Africa, with special emphasis on
> > threatened species (see list attached).
> >
> > Any information will be of great help!
> > Thanks a lot in advance!
> >
> > With our best wishes,
> > Nina and Bruno
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Nina Seifert
> > PhD Student
> > Ornithological Institute "Hiddensee"
> > University of Greifswald
> > Soldmannstrasse 23
> > D-17489 Greifswald
> > nam.seifert@gmail.com
> >
> > Dr. Bruno Walther
> > Assistant Professor
> > Science Department
> > American University of Paris
> > 31, Avenue Bosquet
> > 75007 Paris, France
> > bawalther2009@gmail.com
> > www.bruno-walther.de
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> > Background Information
> > Request for records of the Baillonâ??s Crake Porzana pusilla
> >
> >
> > The Baillonâ?? Crake Porzana pusilla is a rare gruiform species with
> > breeding populations widely spread both in the Palaearctic, the
> > Palaeotropics and Australis. It is subdivided into 4-7 races with
> > the distribution of the Western Palaearctic P. p. intermedia
> > spanning from Spain to Hungary. Furthermore, several breeding
> > records exist for the Northern Maghreb, Egypt and Jordan.
> > Birds occurring in Southern and Ethiopian Africa were formerly
> > considered to belong to the autonomous race P. p. obscura, but are
> > nowadays subsumed with European breeders under P. p. intermedia.
> >
> > Little is known either about status or ecology of the smallest of
> > the Porzana-species owing to the birdâ??s reclusive behaviour and
> > sporadic occurrence. In fact, the Baillonâ??s Crake is regarded as
> > the least known among the breeding birds in the Western
> > Palaearctic. Likewise, very few data exist for the other regions of
> > its distribution.
> >
> > Having possibly been a rather common inhabitant of floodplains and
> > river deltas in the 19th century, the Western Palaearctic
> > population nowadays is estimated to comprise only a few hundred or
> > thousand breeding pairs. As a species confined to vegetation at the
> > edge of shallow waters, the Baillonâ??s Crake may have suffered a
> > tremendous loss of breeding habitats in the last 100 years.
> > A comparable decline of suitable biotopes can be assumed for its
> > African and Middle Eastern habitats due to intensification of
> > agriculture and drainage of wetlands.
> > Accordingly, the Baillonâ??s Crake is listed in several national Red
> > Lists and was included into the â??IUCN Red List of Threatened
> > Speciesâ?? in the year 2004. However, due to the lack of
> > comprehensive data its status still needs to be verified.
> >
> > The European P. p. intermedia is considered a migrant leaving its
> > breeding sites in late August/September and October, respectively.
> > Its wintering area is assumed to be situated partly in the southern
> > Mediterranean area. Furthermore, records in deserts of Morocco,
> > Algeria and Lybia and in Senegambia indicated trans-Saharan
> > migration and potential wintering sites in the Sahel.
> >
> > In January 2009, a large population of Baillonâ??s Crakes was
> > discovered in NW-Senegal. The high fraction of juvenile birds
> > indicated that most of the BC must have bred recently in the area.
> > This evokes the hypothesis that the distribution of African
> > Baillonâ??s Crakes must extend as far as Western Africa, were birds
> > occur in relatively high numbers. So far, breeding Baillonâ??s
> > Crakes in sub-Saharan Africa were only recorded further East in
> > Ethiopia, Uganda, central Kenya to Angola, South Africa and
> > Madagascar.
> > The present results suggest that the species is more widespread
> > throughout African wetlands than previously assumed.
> > Nevertheless, a mixing of African individuals with wintering
> > European Baillonâ??s Crakes in â??transition zonesâ?? south of the
> > Sahara might be possible.
> >
> > In order to make the picture of the distribution of the Baillonâ??s
> > Crake more complete, we would like to ask you to report to us any
> > record of the species you have knowledge about.
> >
> >
> 
> >
> >
> > ---------
> 
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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