MALAWI & ZIMBABWE REP 13

1 BirdQuest Tour Report: Malawi & Zimbabwe 2013 www.birdquest-tours.com

We enjoyed exceptionally good views of the enormous Pel’s Fishing Owl in Liwonde National Park during our exciting travels through

Malawi. (Nik Borrow)

MALAWI & ZIMBABWE

23 NOVEMBER – 12 DECEMBER 2013

LEADER: NIK BORROW During this tour of two countries we visited extensive miombo woodlands, mopane forests, montane copses, rolling open moorlands, dense thickets and riverine marshes. We stayed in some extremely comfortable and well-appointed locations enjoying some excellent food and excellent birding. An incredible male Pennant-winged Nightjar was voted the top bird of the tour and in Zimbabwe the charming Swynnerton’s Robin claimed our hearts whilst high on the Nyika Plateau a male Scarlet-tufted Sunbird claimed third place. The enormous marmalade coloured Pel’s Fishing Owl posed for us nicely in the crown of a spreading fig tree. The unique Babbling Starling took some tracking down but we ended up with wonderful views of adults visiting their nesting tree. The Racket-tailed Roller completed a family for some and was typically elusive for a worryingly long period of time until a pair surrendered themselves at Vwaza Marsh. Southern Carmine


Bee-eaters also completed a family tick for some of our group. Unbelievably close views of Sousa’s Shrikes in the rapidly shrinking Dzalanyama Forest Reserve were a real treat as were the eyeball-to-eyeball looks at White-backed Night Herons in Liwonde National Park and a Buff-spotted Flufftail on Mount Thyolo. We scored well with the strange Boulder Chat, the exquisite White-winged Apalis and near-endemic Thyolo Alethe in Malawi whilst in Zimbabwe both local specialties Roberts’s Warbler and Chirinda Apalis showed well. Other avian treasures included Red-winged and Swainson’s Francolins, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Lilian’s Lovebird, Grey-headed Parrot, Livingstone’s and Schalow’s Turacos, Burchell’s Coucal, Usambara (split from either Rwenzori or Montane) Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Pale-billed Hornbill, Whyte’s Barbet, Moustached Tinkerbird, Miombo Pied and Brown-breasted Barbets, Pallid Honeyguide, Bennett’s, Speckle-throated and Stierling’s Woodpeckers, Malawi and Cape Batises, Olive Bushshrike, Fülleborn’s Boubou, Green-headed Oriole, Rufous-bellied and Miombo Tits, Black-browed, Stripe-cheeked, Olive-headed and Sharpe’s Greenbuls, Blue and Pearl-breasted Swallows, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Black-lored, Churring and Wailing Cisticolas, Yellow-throated, Chapin’s and Brown-headed Apalises, Green-backed Camaroptera, Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Brown Parisoma, Miombo Blue-eared and Meves’s Starlings, Orange Ground Thrush, White-chested Alethe, Sharpe’s and East Coast Akalats, Olive-flanked Ground Robin, Miombo Scrub Robin, Arnot’s Chat, Miombo Rock Thrush, Böhm’s Flycatcher, Anchieta’s and Shelley’s Sunbirds, Miombo, Ludwig’s and Forest Double-collared Sunbirds, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-weaver, Bertram’s and Southern Brown-throated Weavers, Montane Widowbird, Orange-winged Pytilia, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Lesser Seedcracker, Red-throated Twinspot, Locust Finch, Wood and Striped Pipits, Southern Citril, Reichard’s, Black-eared, and Yellow-browed Seedeaters and Cape Canary. Amongst a good crop of mammals we will remember the splendid observations of Roan and Sable Antelopes. A lengthy flight via Nairobi was followed by refreshingly smooth immigration and customs at Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. Our very professional outfitters warmly welcomed us and before we knew what was happening we were promptly dragged across a small dambo where we successfully encountered a pair of Locust Finches thus starting the tour with a bang. A flock of Orange-breasted Waxbills flew around us and both Yellow-throated and Rosy-throated Longclaws were flushed. A Grey-rumped Swallow was seen briefly and there were out-of-plumage Southern Red Bishops and Yellow-mantled Widowbirds around as well as Western Cattle Egret, Black-headed Heron, Shikra, Lilac-breasted Roller, European Bee-eater, Pied Crow, and Wire-tailed Swallows, Croaking and Short-winged Cisticolas, African Stonechat, African Pied Wagtail and Plain-backed Pipit.

We kicked off a good tour for raptors generally with views of Little Sparrowhawk (left) in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary and Ovambo

Sparrowhawk (right) in Dzalanyama Forest Reserve. (Nik Borrow) We then checked into our country lodge that was apparently also rumoured to be a favourite haunt of Madonna and after a late lunch visited the vine-smothered woods of a small local nature reserve where


impressive Schalow’s Turacos uttered their guttural cries from the tops of lightly leafed trees. The rains had not really started but the first flush of greenery was apparent keeping a colony full of Village Weavers busy at their nests along the river. Terrestrial Brownbuls skulked in the undergrowth as Hildebrandt’s Francolins scuttled away and a furtive male African Broadbill was found. A super Little Sparrowhawk posed for us, both Lesser and Scaly-throated Honeyguides were seen and we also obtained views of both Golden-tailed and Cardinal Woodpeckers. We marvelled at some impressively long-tailed African Paradise Flycatchers and splashes of colour were provided by Brown-hooded and Malachite Kingfishers, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Black-headed Oriole, White-browed Robin-chat, Collared, Olive and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Spectacled Weaver, Blue Waxbill and pretty Red-throated Twinspots. Other species encountered included Helmeted Guineafowl, Black-crowned Night Heron, Striated Heron, Reed Cormorant, Yellow-billed Kite, Green and Common Sandpipers, Red-eyed and Tambourine Doves, African Palm Swift, Speckled Mousebird, Pied Kingfisher, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Black-backed Puffback, Tropical Boubou, Fork-tailed Drongo, Dark-capped Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Icterine Warbler, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Garden Warbler, Violet-backed Starling, Kurrichane Thrush, Ashy Flycatcher and Mountain Wagtail. The day ended triumphantly with great scope views of a super White-backed Night Heron. The days begin early in Malawi for it was already light by five in the morning and we left our very comfortable lodge at an unsociable four o’clock in order to reach the attractive open woodlands of the famous Dzalanyama Forest Reserve by daybreak! However this timing set the pace of the tour and gradually we acclimatised to these early starts in order not to miss the most fruitful parts of the day. The vegetation in this reserve is dominated by miombo, a Swahili word for the genus of tree named Brachystegia. This distinctive habitat is only found in the southern central part of Africa and is home to a very distinctive avifauna. Recent rains had forced the dry branches into leaf and the striking fresh green leaves were also interspersed with those of rich red and orange reminiscent of temperate autumn colours. Thus walking through the woods was a very pleasant experience as we hunted out the miombo specialties during the next two days. The pleasure was only offset by the fact that the forest is currently being cut down both legally and illegally and large areas had been totally cleared since our previous visit three years ago.

Striped Pipit (left) and Sousa’s Shrike (right) were two of the very desirable species successfully seen well in Dzalanyama Forest

Reserve. (Nik Borrow) Soon after entering the forest we were fortunate to find a super Ovambo Sparrowhawk feeding on the ground and we watched this most desirable raptor for some time. Eastern Saw-wings showed off their white underwing coverts as they zipped to and fro and several Pearl-breasted Swallows were found. Stierling’s Wren-warblers uttered their endless mechanical tlip-tlip-tlip calls and some very good bird parties were encountered which typically would involve White-breasted and Black Cuckooshrikes, Green-capped Eremomela, Red-capped Crombec, Yellow-bellied and Southern Hyliotas, Spotted Creeper, Rufous-bellied


Tit, Violet-backed Starling, Yellow-throated Petronia and Black-eared Seedeaters but also on more than one occasion, one of the main targets of the visit, the restricted range and uncommon Stierling’s Woodpecker and it was with some relief that this target fell so easily. Groups of White-crested and Retz’s Helmetshrikes were watched and a few sunbirds were seen but numbers of individuals were very low perhaps due to the general lack of flowers. Although we saw Amethyst, Western Violet-backed and Miombo Double-collared Sunbirds well we struggled with the normally reliable Anchieta’s Sunbird with only one person lucky to get a view. A short climb on the lower slopes one of the forested kopjes produced the hoped for and somewhat strange Boulder Chat and we enjoyed prolonged views of this unique bird. Striped Pipits proved to be no problem, several Sousa’s Shrikes, handsome Miombo Scrub Robins and Miombo Rock Thrushes were seen well and other miombo specialists included Pale-billed Hornbill, Neddicky, Miombo Tit, Reichard’s Seedeater and Wood Pipit. At a dambo within the forest a secretive Red-chested Flufftail refused to be lured from its hiding place but as compensation we all had scope views of a wonderful Lesser Seedcracker. Nearby a perched Crowned Eagle posed for ‘walk-away’ views and other raptors included African Harrier Hawk, Palm-nut Vulture, Black-chested and Western Banded Snake Eagles, Wahlberg’s Eagle, African Hawk Eagle, Lizard, Steppe and Augur Buzzards, Black Sparrowhawk and Lanner Falcon. A Brown-backed Honeybird was a great find as this seems to be a very sparsely distributed species and just outside of the forest Grey-headed Parrots were very much in evidence in their feeding trees where we had some wonderful viewing opportunities. More widely distributed species seen during our explorations included Ring-necked Dove, Emerald-spotted and Blue-spotted Wood Doves, African Green Pigeon, Klaas’s, Black, Red-chested and Common Cuckoos, Common Swift, Broad-billed Roller, African Pygmy and Grey-headed Kingfishers, Little Bee-eater, Common Scimitarbill, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black-collared Barbet, Pallid and Greater Honeyguides, Green-backed Woodpecker, Chinspot Batis, Black-crowned Tchagra, Brubru, African Golden Oriole, White-necked Raven, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Red-winged Warbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Arrow-marked Babbler, African Yellow White-eye, Groundscraper Thrush, Familiar Chat, Southern Black, African Dusky and Ashy Flycatchers, Grey Tit-flycatcher, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Southern Masked and Red-headed Weavers, Red-billed Quelea, Black-winged Red Bishop, Red-collared Widowbird, African Firefinch, Common Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin, Pin-tailed and Broad-tailed Paradise Whydahs, Tree Pipit, Yellow-fronted and Brimstone Canaries and Cinnamon-breasted, Golden-breasted and Cabanis’s Buntings.

Dzalanyama Forest Reserve on our Malawi & Zimbabwe tour is the only destination we offer where we see the localised Stierling’s

Woodpecker (left). A large flock of Grey-headed Parrots was found feeding just outside of the forest. (Nik Borrow) These first two days certainly turned up a heap of amazing birds but it was time to move on and the following day we drove through mile after mile of cultivation, watching the early rising farmers busy preparing the fields even before dawn as they planted the first tobacco of the season. Leaving the lodge a female Pennant-winged Nightjar flew in front of one of the cars and along the way we noted large numbers of newly arrived


Amur Falcons circling over the city. The road carried us down along the Mozambique border and not for the first time during this tour we found ourselves divided between one country and another although here it was somewhat strange to see signs in English on one side of the road and in Portuguese on the other! At one stop whilst we saw Long-billed Crombec in Malawi, African Yellow Warbler, Singing Cisticola and a fine Bertram’s Weaver were all in Mozambique! Other species recorded during our journey included Barn and Lesser Striped Swallows, House Sparrow, Red-billed Firefinch and Southern Citril and we arrived at our destination of the Satemwa tea estate in good time for initial exploration. Virtually all of the forest on Thyolo Mountain has been cleared and the only surviving tiny patch survives in a far corner of the Satemwa tea estate. It was here that we came to search for some very endangered species and in particular the alethe that is named after the mountain. We had the afternoon and the following morning to track down our quarry and although we arrived in the late morning when bird activity was not expected to be great but one of the first species that we saw was a trio of stunning White-winged Apalis, perhaps Africa’s most beautiful warbler? Most of the afternoon was spent trying to get everyone on a Thyolo Alethe that was calling persistently. We tried various methods and our attentions were equally persistent so that by the end of the day everyone had enjoyed views of this localised species. There were of course other species to enjoy and during our stay we encountered striking Livingstone’s Turacos and wailing Trumpeter Hornbills. A bird party contained Square-tailed Drongo and wing-flicking Yellow-streaked Greenbuls and we also noted Olive-headed, Little and Placid Greenbuls. Colourful Black-fronted Bushshrike and Orange Ground Thrush were admired and we also had good views of dainty Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, a glittering African Emerald Cuckoo, tiny Green-backed Camaroptera and the retiring Green Twinspot. A Buff-spotted Flufftail was persuaded to show itself to most people, White-eared Barbets were nesting and a wonderful African Wood Owl was discovered at a day roost. Other species noted included Hamerkop, Long-crested Eagle, African Goshawk, Black Sparrowhawk, African Fish Eagle, Lemon Dove, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Common House Martin, Black-headed Apalis, Spotted Flycatcher, Variable Sunbird, Thick-billed and Dark-backed Weavers, Red-backed Mannikin and African Pipit. At the eleventh hour and literally just as we were leaving the area we also found a superb Green-headed Oriole. It was sad to leave Satemwa where the grandiose accommodation had brought a whole different meaning to ‘normal BirdQuest standard’ but we had mainly seen what we had come to see and we turned back northwards taking in a roadside Brown Snake Eagle before reaching Zomba where in some more hill forest patches we went in search of Malawi’s only endemic.

We found a glittering male African Emerald Cuckoo (left) and an African Wood Owl (right) at its day roost on Thyolo Mountain. The

endangered endemic Yellow-throated Apalis (centre) was found on the Zomba Plateau. (Nik Borrow) Most of the slopes at Zomba have been converted to rather birdless pine plantations, but here and there gullies with original montane forest remain and these are home to the recently split and immediately endangered Yellow-throated Apalis. Our quarry proved to be annoyingly elusive but during our quest we found hulking African Olive Pigeons and skulking Evergreen Forest Warblers. The charming Malawi Batis, pretty White-starred Robin and dainty White-tailed Crested Flycatcher all entertained and we were pleased to find Cape Robin-chat, Forest Double-collared Sunbird, Red-faced Crimsonwing and finally saw Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird as opposed to only hearing it. After some search the desired Yellow-throated Apalis finally


allowed some excellent views and as the day drew to a close there were both Scarce and African Black Swifts in the skies above our heads.

African Savanna Elephants and Hippos dominated the riverbanks as we cruised upstream into Liwonde National Park. (Nik Borrow)

Next we turned to the serene Shire River and Malawi’s famed Liwonde National Park. This year we travelled all the way by boat from Liwonde town to the very special Mvuu Wilderness Lodge thus allowing a marvellous wildlife extravaganza to pass us by as we journeyed upstream. We relaxed and sat back in our seats to watch a veritable frieze of wildlife pass us by. African Savanna Elephants and vast numbers of Hippos often decorated with Red-billed Oxpeckers dominated the riverbanks and there were also plenty of Common Impala, Ellipsen Waterbuck and Yellow Baboons to be seen. At times the floodplains were covered with waterbirds and these included Pink-backed Pelican, White-breasted Cormorant, Egyptian and Spur-winged Geese, Red-billed Teal, hundreds of White-faced and a few Fulvous Whistling Ducks. African Openbills were numerous and interspersed with Yellow-billed and Marabou Storks, African Sacred, Hadada and Glossy Ibises, African Spoonbill, Western Great, Intermediate and Little Egrets, Black, Striated, Squacco, Grey and ultimately the world’s largest; the Goliath Heron. Black Crakes ran along the shoreline, African Jacanas tripped across the lily pads and there were Lesser Swamp Warblers in the reeds. Waders included resident Black-winged Stilt, Water Thick-knee, African Wattled, Blacksmith, Spur-winged and Long-toed Lapwings and Collared Pratincoles alongside Palearctic migrants such as Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint and Ruff. Gull-billed and Whiskered Terns and Grey-headed Gull patrolled the river and we encountered a superb flock of about 350 African Skimmers resting on a sandbank. Our raptor list also grew with Western Osprey, Bateleur, Gabar Goshawk, Western and African Marsh Harriers and as we neared the camp a pair of Red-necked Falcon were spotted perched in a gigantic Borassus palm. Tucked into the riverbank was also a pair of White-backed Night Heron and we had eyeball-to-eyeball views! Surely Malawi is the place to see these amazing creatures. We were welcomed ashore and shown to our spacious rooms that overlooked an inlet of the main river and a walk in the grounds of the camp surrendered the much-wanted Böhm’s Bee-eater. That afternoon and the rest of the following day were spent exploring on foot, in open-top safari vehicles and boats the waterways, thickets and mopane woodlands that make up the park. A nice feature of the tour that we had little difficulty getting used to was a succession of sundowners and in Liwonde we enjoyed watching the sun set with a beer in hand in the company of churring Square-tailed Nightjars serenading us. In the early morning we stood and admired a huge marmalade-coloured Pel’s Fishing Owl that blinked down from the safety of the crown of a huge spreading fig tree. Nearby there was a Brown-breasted Barbet gorging itself on the fruit and the delightful Livingstone’s Flycatcher frequented the thickets around our camp where a Dickinson’s Kestrel also stood sentinel. In the woodlands White-browed Sparrow Weavers were nothing less than abundant and we had great views of the pretty little Lilian’s Lovebird and its dowdier, larger cousin the Brown-headed Parrot. Mammals included some stately Zambezi Kudu and a fine male Sable Antelope. Speckle-throated Woodpecker fell relatively easily, the strikingly pied Arnot’s Chat and well-marked Bearded Scrub Robin were easy to see and there were Meves’s Starlings and Collared Palm Thrushes all over the place. Out on the boat we found a few African Darter and both Greater Painted Snipe and African Snipe.


Splashes of colour were liberally provided by Woodland and Striped Kingfishers, Swallow-tailed and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, African Hoopoe, Crested Barbet, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Purple-banded and White-bellied Sunbirds, Southern Brown-throated and Lesser Masked Weavers and Green-winged Pytilia and other species recorded included Mourning Collared and Namaqua Doves, Grey Go-away-bird, Burchell’s Coucal, Jacobin Cuckoo, Mottled Swift, Crowned, Southern Red-billed and Southern Ground Hornbills, Bearded Woodpecker, Red-backed Shrike, Southern Black Tit, Sombre Greenbul, Mosque Swallow, Rattling Cisticola, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow and Long-tailed Paradise Whydah.

Böhm’s Bee-eaters (left) showed well at Mvuu Camp where we also had eyeball-to-eyeball views of White-backed Night Heron (right).

(Simon Cox left / Nik Borrow centre & right)

Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin (left Ian Lewis) and the attractive Collared Palm Thrush (centre) were seen easily around Mvuu

Wilderness Lodge and African Barred Owlet (right) allowed excellent views near Chintheche. (Nik Borrow) A pair of enormous Saddle-billed Storks was present to see us on our way as we left Mvuu, which was a place we were truly reluctant to leave. A stray Olive Bee-eater was noted during the return boat journey to Liwonde where we re-joined our vehicles and embarked on a long drive up to Chintheche on the shores of Lake Malawi for an overnight stop. This part of Malawi is densely populated and little new was seen on the journey although Red-faced Mousebird and Red-faced Cisticola were added to the list our travels best provided some insights into the African way of life. Most of the countryside had been transformed into farmland but we stopped at the remains of a once great wetland that has now suffered drainage, grazing and over fishing but after several consecutive years of poor rains, it was almost totally dry and not surprisingly at this time of year. A patch of woodland near our destination proved to be more productive and we were delighted to obtain excellent views of a fierce-looking African Barred Owlet in broad daylight. A Green Malkoha, some Eurasian Golden Orioles and Yellow-bellied Greenbul were seen whilst at our hotel we found nest-building Eastern Golden Weavers and a small flock of Orange-winged Pytilia to round the day off. The following early morning we paid a visit to one of the nearby blocks of lowland forest that is home to the


skulking East Coast Akalat although sadly the birds remained well hidden for most of the group for the entire couple of hours that we spent searching for them. There was little else new to see here but we heard Eastern Nicator and Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher before counting our losses and finally giving up. We continued on towards the Nyika Plateau but stopped short in an open patch of degraded miombo woodland where we have previously seen Babbling Starlings. Continuing a run of bad luck, the starlings were nowhere to be seen although we had great views of the localised Chestnut-backed Sparrow-weaver and some Whyte’s Barbets. Also noted here were Meyer’s Parrot, Narina Trogon, Pale and Collared Flycatchers and Jameson’s Firefinch. Entering the Nyika National Park. Red-necked Spurfowl and Hildebrandt’s Francolins scurried out of the roadsides and we enjoyed views of Black-winged Kite, Eurasian Hobby, Olive Woodpecker and Brown-headed Apalis but possibly the best sighting of all was the wonderful ‘iridescent’ cloud filled with unbelievable colours. We arrived at the extremely comfortable Chelinda Lodge in the heart of the park and settled into our spacious wooden chalets for a three nights stay in the cool mountain air.

Churring Cisticola (left) is a localised species and to date is only available on our Malawi tour. Yellow-browed Seedeaters (right) are

also seen in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania but nowhere do they appear common. (Nik Borrow) During the next two days we spent our time exploring the pockets of evergreen forest, the open grasslands and the marshy gullies with their small dams. We woke to views over the open bracken-cloaked, rolling hills that cover vast expanses of this splendid reserve. A pre-breakfast walk took us through woodland and the marshy, vegetated gullies where impressive Montane Widowbirds with their spectacular tails drifting behind them were displaying. This area was home to Dusky Turtle Dove, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Bar-throated Apalis, Mountain Yellow Warbler, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Ludwig’s Double-collared Sunbird, Baglafecht Weaver, Yellow Bishop, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Yellow-crowned Canary and Yellow-browed Seedeater. We savoured our views of glittering elegant Blue Swallows with their long tail streamers skimming low over the grasses in the company of Angola Swallows and White-headed Saw-wings. A variety of cisticolas as usual either fascinated or repelled but we were pleased to find the restricted range Churring and Black-lored Cisticolas. Nearby a series of dams held Little Grebe, African Black and Yellow-billed Ducks and Red-knobbed Coot. After breakfast we set off to the Zambian side of the border and a little used track led us to a remote patch of forest that in particular was home to the sweet little Sharpe’s Akalat. Although everything was quiet as we entered the tangled woodland it wasn’t long before the akalats high-pitched song reached our ears and we had successfully tracked it down. Amazingly enough the next species to hop into view was an Olive-flanked Ground Robin that was singing a loud sweet song and this pristine forest was also home to White-chested Alethe but frustratingly this species was very elusive and never popped into view for very long. During this very productive morning we also obtained views of Sharpe’s Greenbul and Chapin’s Apalis before breaking for lunch.


The open grasslands with the invasive bracken and rocky outcrops offered good grazing for mammals such as majestic Eland, striking Zebra, Southern Reedbuck and the appealing Roan Antelope. Rufous-naped Larks were not uncommon and the dark montane form of Grassland Pipit (that has been involved in some misleading historical confusion with an apparently mythical species known as ‘Jackson’s Pipit’) was seen. Augur Buzzard and a few Pallid Harriers quartered these open spaces, the stately Denham’s Bustard was seen and the drive took us past some flowering proteas where Malachite and Bronzy Sunbirds were feeding. Presumably due to the lack of suitable flowers we had to search somewhat harder for the glorious Scarlet-tufted Sunbird but we finally tracked down a few birds and watched one particular male for some time aggressively holding territory. The sundowners tasted particularly delicious that evening and then out came the blankets to keep us warm and the spotlights to pierce the darkness and during a successful night drive we had excellent looks at Usambara Nightjar (a form variously split from Ruwenzori which in turn is split from Montane!) and Pennant-winged Nightjar as well as Side-striped Jackal, Common Quail, Spotted Eagle Owl and numerous Marsh Owls. The days ended with an excellent dinner around a snug and inviting wood fire in the dining room.

The stately Denham’s Bustard (left) impressed us on the Nyika Plateau. At night we had fine views of the race guttifer that has been treated as a race of Ruwenzori Nightjar or Montane Nightjar or even as a species in its own right known as Usambara Nightjar. (Nik

Borrow) The following day we tried to mop up a few bits and pieces and in a different forest patch we found Bar-tailed Trogon, Moustached Tinkerbird, Black-browed Greenbul, Fülleborn’s Black Boubou and Waller’s Starling. The grasslands yielded a family of Red-winged Francolins, some Wing-snapping and Wailing Cisticolas and a displaying male Black-bellied Bustard. A pair of Slender-billed Starlings were tracked down at a waterfall and we also enjoyed sightings of Martial Eagle, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Red-rumped Swallow, Banded Martin and what appeared to be a migrant Common Kestrel. It was time to leave the spacious heights of the Nyika plateau but paused on the way down to grab a pair of Brown Parisoma and a Trilling Cisticola before heading down to Vwaza Marsh where we had to concentrate on finding two birds in particular. We had not been able to find Böhm’s Flycatcher at Dzalanyama and we had a good chance of seeing it at Vwaza along with the striking Babbling Starling and so we headed straight to the most likely area. It was quiet to start with and the day was already getting hot but eventually a few faint calls reached our ears and alerted us to a bird party somewhere nearby and then suddenly the starlings were in our sight. It took a while to track them down so that everyone had good views but the birds were feeding young and so the task was ultimately made easier. Following hot on the heels of this success we then quickly had the flycatcher in our sight and spent some time watching a pair in the trees nearby the starlings. Flushed with success we went on to discover a pair of much-coveted Racket-tailed Rollers that stayed around long enough for scope views. We also found a tiny Grey Penduline Tit, Miombo Blue-eared Starling and some were fortunate enough to see a male Shelley’s Sunbird. As we ate our lunch in the heat of the day and thinking it was all over a Miombo Pied Barbet started calling and it wasn’t too long before we had the bird firmly in our sights thus making a marvellous final to our time in the far north of the country.


We scored well with our target birds at Vwaza Marsh and found Babbling Starlings (top left) bringing food to young and two pairs of

Böhm’s Flycatchers (top right).

Breaking a long drive, we spent the night in Mzuzu before heading back to Lilongwe but stopped en route in a patch of miombo on the Viphya Plateau. Here we encountered what was to be later voted the bird of the tour, a fantastic male Pennant-winged Nightjar with incredibly long pennants that allowed some marvellous close up and personal views. Another stop at a roadside dam gave us a Lesser Jacana and there were also Southern Pochard and Kittlitz’s and Three-banded Plovers. We arrived back at our lodge in good time and in order to get some rest for we were due to take a midnight flight back to Nairobi and on to Harare in Zimbabwe as the Malawi leg of the tour came to a successful climax.

Sightings of a male Pennant-winged Nightjar (bottom left) and a Lesser Jacana (bottom right) brought the Malawi section of the tour to a

triumphant close. (Nik Borrow) We arrived in Harare in the late morning and promptly boarded a bus that took us without delay down to the Vumba Mountains in the far east of Zimbabwe. On the way we were pleased to see large numbers of intra-African migrant Abdim’s Storks and a few Greater Striped Swallows and we arrived in the late afternoon. We had come to the Vumba Mountains on a quest to see the specialties of the Eastern Highlands but we woke to a dull misty day, which wasn’t entirely unexpected as “Bvumba” is the Shona name for “mist”! However by breakfast time things had only got worse as rain began to fall and continued throughout the morning. Sadly


we had only one full day to find our birds and we had little choice but to brave the mist and rain and carry on regardless! In the gloom we coaxed Roberts’s Warblers from their damp hiding places and glimpsed Barratt’s Warblers as they moved through the dense shrubbery. In the dark, damp understorey the absolutely gorgeous Swynnerton’s Robin managed to shine out and we watched a pair of Chirinda Apalis above our heads. Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeons were very vocal but we only managed to see grey shapes and that was exactly what an aptly named Grey Cuckooshrike appeared to be as well! However despite the odds, by lunchtime we thankfully had the main specials in a rather soggy bag! The early afternoon remained relatively dry and during a small window of opportunity we used our time trying to gain better views of some species and scoured the area for a few more ticks. The Botanical Gardens were productive allowing us some wonderful views of confiding Orange Ground Thrush, Olive Bush-shrike Stripe-cheeked Greenbul and the swynnertoni race of Olive Thrush were seen well along with Cape Batis and Cape Canary. The next day, the weather had improved a little but we were on the move again. A Pallid Honeyguide was seen before we had to depart and returned to Harare where some members of our group left us for international flights home. We still had a few hours of daylight to play with so we visited a small game park on the outskirts of the capital. With good weather returned to us we enjoyed a pleasant dry time birding the miombo, vlei and dam. Perhaps our most impressive finds were the glorious Purple-crested Turacos feasting on fruiting figs and a number of Amur Falcons drifting overhead. An African Cuckoo Hawk was a welcome addition and we also saw Swainson’s Francolin, Common Moorhen and Levaillant’s Cisticola. The final section of the tour was basically an attempt to see African Pitta on their breeding grounds and for a chance of this we travelled to a remote part of the Zambezi Valley near the Zambian border where the birds are regularly seen each rainy season. We journeyed northwest dropping down the escarpment into the valley and as we did so the temperatures rose and the landscape became more parched and arid. On the way we stopped to admire some Southern Carmine Bee-eaters and we arrived at the camp in the mid afternoon. We were met by the bad but somewhat expected news that the hoped for pittas had actually arrived two weeks previously but due to the inclement dry conditions had either gone into hiding or simply moved on. Nonetheless we had no choice but to search and hope for a miracle sighting of a stray bird or a downpour of rain before we left. Sadly we met with neither option and there was ultimately no sight or sound from the hoped for pitta. Instead we were offered a selection of consolation prizes. Böhm’s Spinetails fluttered over the thickets and Baobabs that sheltered flocks of nervous Crested Guineafowl. Colourful White-fronted Bee-eaters were popular and we enjoyed good looks at Bennett’s Woodpecker and Grey-headed Bushshrike. A lone White-backed Vulture sailed high overhead and Bat Hawk was seen daily. The camp turned out to be a good place for owls with a family of African Wood Owl in residence and both Barn Owl and the enormous Verreaux’s Eagle Owl nearby. All that remained was for us now was to retrace our steps to Harare and home. The trip had on the whole been an enormous success with some stunning views of some very localised species. Malawi had gone like a dream but in Zimbabwe we had been hampered by too much rain in the Vumba and too little in the Zambezi Valley but such is birding and our successes far outweighed our failures. For anyone interested in seeing all the birds of Africa a visit to this region is of course essential and our sightings of rarities such as the Babbling Starling, endemics such as Yellow-throated Apalis, specialties such as Boulder Chat and beauties such as Swynnerton’s Robin are to be treasured!


The delightful Livingstone’s Flycatcher allowed amazing views both in Liwonde National Park in Malawi and around Masoka Camp in

Zimbabwe. (Nik Borrow) SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE TOUR The species names and taxonomy used in the report mostly follows Gill, F & D Donsker (Eds). IOC World Bird Names. This list is updated several times annually and is available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol (H). Species which were only recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (LO). Species which were not personally recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (NL). Species marked with the diamond symbol (◊) are either endemic to the country or local region or considered ‘special’ birds for some other reason (e.g. it is only seen on one or two Birdquest tours; it is difficult to see across all or most of its range; the local form is endemic or restricted-range and may in future be treated as a full species). Conservation threat categories and information are taken from Threatened Birds of the World, BirdLife International’s magnificent book on the sad status of the rarest 10% of the world’s avifauna, and updates on the BirdLife website: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/home CR = Critically Endangered, E = Endangered, V = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened, DD = Data Deficient. BIRDS Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Crested Guineafowl Guttera pucherani Several flocks seen well at Masoka Camp, Zimbabwe. Coqui Francolin Peliperdix coqui (H) Heard only at Vwaza hills and Chimaliro Forest. See Note. Red-winged Francolin ◊ Scleroptila levaillantii A family group on the Nyika Plateau.


Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena Small numbers seen well at Masoka Camp, Zimbabwe. Hildebrandt's Francolin Pternistis hildebrandti Briefly at Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary and Nyika Plateau. See Note. Red-necked Spurfowl (R-n Francolin) Pternistis afer Seen by all on the Nyika Plateau. Swainson’s Spurfowl ◊ (S’s Francolin) Pternistis swainsonii Seen well in Haka Park. See Note. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix Flushed on the Nyika Plateau. White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata Most numerous in Liwonde National Park. Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Just 4 in Liwonde National Park. Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis Common in Liwonde National Park. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca Small numbers in Liwonde National Park. African Black Duck Anas sparsa A pair on the Nyika Plateau. Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata Particularly common on Kasungu Dam. Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha Particularly common on Kasungu Dam. Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma 30+ on Kasungu Dam and 1 in Haka Park. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 1 or 2 on the Nyika Plateau. Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis Small numbers in Liwonde National Park. African Openbill (A Open-billed Stork) Anastomus lamelligerus Common in Liwonde National Park. Abdim's Stork Ciconia abdimii Common in Zimbabwe. See Note. White Stork Ciconia ciconia 2 of these Palearctic migrants by the roadside during the journey to Masoka Camp. Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis At least 2 pairs in Liwonde National Park.

Perhaps Africa’s most impressive stork the enormous Saddle-billed was seen well in Liwonde NP. This is the female with the yellow eye. (Nik Borrow) Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer Small numbers in Liwonde National Park. See Note. African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Commonly seen in Liwonde National Park. See Note. Hadada Ibis (Hadeda I) Bostrychia hagedash Small numbers in Liwonde National Park and Masoka. See Note. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Small numbers in Liwonde National Park. African Spoonbill Platalea alba Small numbers in Liwonde National Park. White-backed Night Heron ◊ Gorsachius leuconotus Great views in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary and Liwonde NP. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Great views in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary and Liwonde NP. Striated Heron (Green-backed H) Butorides striata Small numbers in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary and Liwonde NP. Squacco Heron (Common S H) Ardeola ralloides Commonly seen in Liwonde National Park. See Note. Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Commonly encountered throughout the tour. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Small numbers in Liwonde National Park and 1 at Kasungu. Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala Commonly encountered throughout the tour.


Goliath Heron Ardea goliath Small numbers in Liwonde National Park. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Just 1 on the outskirts of Harare. Western Great Egret (G White E) Ardea [alba] alba Small numbers in Liwonde National Park and at Kasungu. Intermediate Egret (Yellow-billed E) Egretta intermedia Small numbers in Liwonde National Park and at Kasungu. Black Heron (B Egret) Egretta ardesiaca 1 in Liwonde National Park. Little Egret Egretta garzetta Small numbers in Liwonde National Park and at Kasungu. Hamerkop Scopus umbretta A small number of scattered sightings. Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens At least 5 in Liwonde National Park. Reed Cormorant (Long-tailed C) Microcarbo africanus Abundant in Liwonde National Park. White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus Common in Liwonde National Park. African Darter Anhinga rufa 2 in Liwonde National Park. Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus Small numbers of this Palearctic migrant in Liwonde National Park. Black-winged Kite (B-shouldered K) Elanus caeruleus Small numbers noted from Nyika Plateau onwards. African Harrier-hawk (Gymnogene) Polyboroides typus Small numbers in the south of Malawi. See Note. Palm-nut Vulture (Vulturine Fish Eagle) Gypohierax angolensis 3 scattered sightings. African Cuckoo-hawk Aviceda cuculoides 1 at Haka Park, Zimbabwe. White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (E) 1 juvenile seen flying high over Masoka. See Note. Black-chested Snake Eagle (B-breasted S E) Circaetus pectoralis A few sightings in both countries. Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus A few sightings in both countries. Western Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus cinerascens Seen in Dzalanyama FR and Liwonde NP. Heard at Masoka. Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus (NT) 2 sightings in Liwonde NP. See Note. Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus Up to 2 birds seen daily at Masoka. Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus Singletons at Dzalanyama, Liwonde and the Nyika Plateau.

This Crowned Eagle posed for us in Dzalanyama Forest Reserve. (Nik Borrow)

Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus Singletons on the Nyika Plateau and Chimaliro Forest Reserve. Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis 3 sightings during the tour. Wahlberg's Eagle Hieraaetus wahlbergi A few scattered sightings during the tour. See Note. African Hawk-Eagle Aquila spilogaster A pair in Dzalanyama and adults with young at Masoka. Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus Widespread sightings but nowhere common. Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar 4 widespread sightings. See Note. Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates 1 en route to Masoka. African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro Scattered sightings in Malawi. Shikra (Little Banded Goshawk) Accipiter badius 3 sightings during the tour.


Little Sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus 1 seen well in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary. Ovambo Sparrowhawk Accipiter ovampensis Wonderful looks at an adult and later a juvenile at Dzalanyama. Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk (R-chested S) Accipiter rufiventris Seen by some on the Nyika Plateau. Black Sparrowhawk (Great S) Accipiter melanoleucus 7 sightings in Malawi. Western Marsh Harrier (Eurasian M H) Circus aeruginosus A female of this Palearctic migrant in Liwonde NP. African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus Just 1 in Liwonde NP. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus 4 sightings of this Palearctic migrant on the Nyika Plateau. Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius Widespread sightings in small numbers in Malawi. African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer Most numerous in Liwonde NP. Steppe Buzzard Buteo [buteo] vulpinus Small numbers of this Palearctic migrant noted throughout the tour. Augur Buzzard Buteo augur 1 in Dzalanyama and 2 sightings on the Nyika Plateau. See Note. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Apparently a male of this Palearctic migrant on the Nyika Plateau on 3/12. Rock Kestrel Falco rupicolus Apparently a female on the Nyika Plateau and a male in Lilongwe. Dickinson's Kestrel ◊ Falco dickinsoni 3 in Liwonde NP. See Note.

Dickinson’s Kestrels were a popular addition to the list in Liwonde National Park. (Nik Borrow) Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera A pair showed well for us in Liwonde National Park. Amur Falcon Falco amurensis Good numbers were seen over Lilongwe and also Haka Park. Eurasian Hobby (European H) Falco subbuteo A few Palearctic migrants on the Nyika Plateau and at Masoka. Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus 3 birds at Dzalanyama. Denham's Bustard (Stanley’s B) Neotis denhami (NT) 7 individuals seen well on the Nyika Plateau. See Note. Black-bellied Bustard Lissotis melanogaster Terrific views of a displaying male on the Nyika Plateau. Buff-spotted Flufftail ◊ Sarothrura elegans Most people got views of 1 on Thyolo Mountain. Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura rufa (H) Refused to show for us in Dzalanyama Forest Reserve. Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra Amazingly numerous in Liwonde NP. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 6 seen in Haka Park. Red-knobbed Coot (Crested C) Fulica cristata Singletons on the Nyika Plateau and many on Kasungu Dam. Water Thick-knee (W Dikkop) Burhinus vermiculatus Small numbers along the river in Liwonde NP. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Small numbers along the river in Liwonde NP. Long-toed Lapwing (L-t Plover) Vanellus crassirostris Common along the river in Liwonde NP. Blacksmith Lapwing (B Plover) Vanellus armatus Small numbers along the river in Liwonde NP. Spur-winged Lapwing (S-w Plover) Vanellus spinosus Small numbers along the river in Liwonde NP. African Wattled Lapwing (A W Plover) Vanellus senegallus Seen in Liwonde NP and common in Haka Park. Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius 4 at Kasungu Dam. See Note. Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris 1 at Kasungu Dam. Greater Painted-Snipe Rostratula benghalensis A male along the river in Liwonde NP.


Lesser Jacana Microparra capensis 1 seen well on Kasungu Dam. African Jacana Actophilornis africanus Common along the river in Liwonde NP. African Snipe (Ethiopian S) Gallinago nigripennis 3 seen along the river in Liwonde NP. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Plenty of these Palearctic migrants along the river in Liwonde NP. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 1 of these Palearctic migrants in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Plenty of these Palearctic migrants along the river in Liwonde NP. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Widespread sightings of these Palearctic migrants in Malawi. Little Stint Calidris minuta Small numbers of these Palearctic migrants in Liwonde NP. Ruff Philomachus pugnax At least 40 of these Palearctic migrants in Liwonde NP. Collared Pratincole (Red-winged P) Glareola pratincola At least 15 in Liwonde NP. African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris A flock of about 350 impressed us along the river in Liwonde NP.

Just some of the flock of 350+ African Skimmers on the Shire River in Liwonde National Park. (Nik Borrow)

Grey-headed Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus At least 1 on the river in Liwonde NP. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus (NL) Ewan saw 1 of these Palearctic migrants on the river in Liwonde NP. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Large numbers on the river in Liwonde NP. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Some in breeding plumage on the river in Liwonde NP. Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove) Columba livia ‘Table’ birds only. African Olive Pigeon (Rameron P) Columba arquatrix Seen on the Zomba and Nyika Plateaus and on the Vumba. Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon (Delegorgue’s P) Columba delegorguei Shapes in the mist on the Vumba. Lemon Dove (Cinnamon D) Columba larvata Seen on the Zomba and Nyika Plateaus and on the Vumba. Dusky Turtle Dove (Pink-breasted T D) Streptopelia lugens A few pairs on the Nyika Plateau. Mourning Collared Dove (African M D) Streptopelia decipiens A few seen in Liwonde NP. Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata A common and widespread species. Ring-necked Dove (Cape Turtle D) Streptopelia capicola A very common and widespread species. Laughing Dove (Palm D) Spilopelia senegalensis (NL) Just seen on the journey to Liwonde. Emerald-spotted Wood Dove (Green-s D) Turtur chalcospilos Small numbers seen in the dry bush country. Blue-spotted Wood Dove Turtur afer Small numbers seen in moister habitats than the preceding species. Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria More often heard than seen but several good sightings. Namaqua Dove Oena capensis Small numbers in Liwonde NP and at Masoka. See Note. African Green Pigeon Treron calvus Seen at Dzalanyama and Liwonde NP. Lilian's Lovebird ◊ (Nyasa L) Agapornis lilianae Good numbers seen in Liwonde NP. See Note. Grey-headed Parrot ◊ Poicephalus [fuscicollis] suahelicus Excellent looks at Dzalanyama. Meyer's Parrot (Brown P) Poicephalus meyeri A few were seen in the Vwaza Marsh area. See Note. Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus Small numbers in Liwonde NP.


Livingstone's Turaco ◊ Tauraco livingstonii Easily seen on Thyolo Mountain, Zomba and Zimbabwe. See Note. Schalow's Turaco ◊ (S’s Lourie) Tauraco schalowi The more widespread turaco in Malawi. See Note. Purple-crested Turaco (P-c Lourie) Tauraco porphyreolophus Wonderful views in Haka Park. Grey Go-away-bird (G Lourie) Corythaixoides concolor Singletons in Liwonde NP, Haka Park and Masoka. Burchell's Coucal ◊ Centropus burchellii Seen easily in Liwonde NP. See Note. Black Coucal Centropus grillii (H) Heard in Haka Park. Green Malkoha Ceuthmochares australis 1 near Chintheche. Levaillant's Cuckoo (Striped Crested C) Clamator levaillantii 1 seen by some at Zomba. See Note. Jacobin Cuckoo (Black-and-white C) Clamator jacobinus Singletons in Liwonde NP. Diederik Cuckoo (Diederik/Didric C) Chrysococcyx caprius (H) Heard in the Vwaza area. Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas Seen in Dzalanyama and on Thyolo Mountain. See Note. African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus Glittering males seen on Thyolo Mountain. Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus 2 sightings in Dzalanyama. Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius Seen well in Dzalanyama. African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis (NL) 1 seen by some in Liwonde NP. Common Cuckoo (Eurasian/European C) Cuculus canorus Singletons in Dzalanyama and near Chintheche. Western Barn Owl Tyto alba 1 was seen in the late afternoon at Masoka. African Scops Owl Otus senegalensis (H) Heard only in Liwonde NP. Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus Easy to see on the Nyika Plateau at night. Verreaux's Eagle-Owl (Giant E O) Bubo lacteus 2 seen during daylight at Masoka. See Note.

This enormous Verreaux’s Eagle-owl was one of two individuals disturbed during daylight hours at Masoka. (Nik Borrow) Pel's Fishing Owl ◊ Scotopelia peli No adjective can do this superb owl justice. Seen well in Liwonde NP. See Note. African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii Seen well on Thyolo Mountain and again at Masoka where they had young. African Barred Owlet Glaucidium capense Super during the day views near Chintheche. Marsh Owl Asio capensis At least 10 seen at night on the Nyika Plateau. Usambara Nightjar ◊ Caprimulgus [ruwenzorii] guttifer Excellent views at night on the Nyika Plateau. Square-tailed Nightjar (Mozambique/Gabon N) Caprimulgus fossii Seen at night in Liwonde NP. Pennant-winged Nightjar Macrodipteryx vexillarius The male in full breeding dress at Chimaliro was fantastic. Scarce Swift ◊ Schoutedenapus myoptilus A few were seen over Zomba. Böhm's Spinetail (Bat-like S) Neafrapus boehmi Easy to see in the Masoka region. See Note. African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus Common and widespread sightings throughout the tour. Mottled Swift Tachymarptis aequatorialis 1 was seen flying over Liwonde NP. Common Swift (European S) Apus apus Some large numbers of this Palearctic migrant were noted in Malawi.


African Black Swift Apus barbatus A few were seen over Zomba. Little Swift Apus affinis Common and widespread sightings throughout the tour. White-rumped Swift Apus caffer Widespread sightings of small numbers throughout the tour. Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus Widespread sightings of small numbers in Malawi. Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus 2 brief fly-by sightings for some en route to Chintheche. Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina Males were seen in the Vwaza area and at Masoka. See Note. Bar-tailed Trogon Apaloderma vittatum Great looks at a male on the Nyika Plateau. Racket-tailed Roller ◊ Coracias spatulatus This much-wanted bird finally showed well for us in Vwaza Marsh.

The Racket-tailed Roller is perhaps the trickiest of all the African Rollers to see. (Nik Borrow) Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus Widespread sightings throughout the tour. European Roller Coracias garrulus (NT) 1 of these Palearctic migrants was seen near Mutare. Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Grey-headed Kingfisher (Chestnut-bellied K) Halcyon leucocephala A few seen at Dzalanyama. Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris Small numbers noted throughout the tour. Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti Sightings in Liwonde NP and at Haka Park. Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis Small numbers in Liwonde NP. African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta A few were seen at Dzalanyama. Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristatus Easy to see along the river in Liwonde NP. Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima A few seen along the river in Liwonde NP. Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Common and very easy to see along the river in Liwonde NP. Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus 3 were seen in Liwonde NP. Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus Small numbers noted at widespread localities during the tour. White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides Easy to see at Masoka. Böhm's Bee-eater ◊ Merops boehmi This localised bee-eater was easy to see in Liwonde NP. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus Good numbers were seen along the river in Liwonde NP. Olive Bee-eater Merops superciliosus 1 lingering migrant was seen along the river in Liwonde NP on 29/11. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Good numbers of this Palearctic migrant at widespread localities. Southern Carmine Bee-eater ◊ Merops nubicoides Great looks en route to Masoka. African Hoopoe Upupa africana 4 were seen in Liwonde NP. Green Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus Small numbers noted at widespread localities during the tour. Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas Small numbers noted at widespread localities during the tour. Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus Small numbers noted at widespread localities during the tour. Pale-billed Hornbill ◊ Tockus pallidirostris Seen well at Dzalanyama and Chimaliro Forest Reserves.


African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus Easiest to see at Masoka. Southern Red-billed Hornbill Tockus rufirostris Commonly seen in Liwonde NP and at Masoka. Trumpeter Hornbill Bycanistes bucinator Easy to see but sounds more like a wailing baby than a trumpet! Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri (V) 1 in Liwonde NP and 4 at Masoka. White-eared Barbet Stactolaema leucotis Seen well at Thyolo, Zomba and in the Vumba mountains. Whyte's Barbet ◊ Stactolaema whytii Seen well at Vwaza and again in the Vumba mountains. See Note. Moustached Tinkerbird ◊ (M Green T) Pogoniulus leucomystax Seen well on the Nyika Plateau. Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (Golden-r T) Pogoniulus bilineatus Seen well at Zomba and heard elsewhere. Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus Seen well in Dzalanyama. Miombo Pied Barbet ◊ Tricholaema frontata This elusive species showed well at Vwaza Marsh GR.

The views of the elusive Miombo Pied Barbet at Vwaza Marsh could not have been bettered. (Nik Borrow) Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus Seen well at Dzalanyama and Masoka. Brown-breasted Barbet ◊ Lybius melanopterus Great views in Liwonde NP. Crested Barbet (Levaillant’s B) Trachyphonus vaillantii Widespread sightings of this ‘clown’ of a barbet. Brown-backed Honeybird ◊ (Wahlberg’s H) Prodotiscus regulus A wonderful sighting at Dzalanyama. Pallid Honeyguide ◊ (Eastern L H) Indicator meliphilus Sightings at Dzalanyama and in the Vumba Mountains. Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor Sightings obtained at Lilongwe, Dzalanyama and Thyolo Mountain. Scaly-throated Honeyguide Indicator variegatus Seen in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary and at Dzalanyama. Greater Honeyguide (Black-throated H) Indicator indicator Singletons at Dzalanyama and Vwaza Marsh. Bennett's Woodpecker ◊ Campethera bennettii We finally caught up with this one at Masoka. See Note. Speckle-throated Woodpecker ◊ (Reichenow’s W) Campethera scriptoricauda Seen well in Liwonde NP. Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni Seen well at Dzalanyama and Masoka. Green-backed Woodpecker (Little Spotted W) Campethera cailliautii Seen well Dzalanyama. Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens Most widespread sightings were in Malawi. Stierling's Woodpecker ◊ Dendropicos stierlingi (NT) Great views of this localised bird at Dzalanyama. See Note. Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicos namaquus 1 in Liwonde NP. Olive Woodpecker Dendropicos griseocephalus 1 seen well on the Nyika Plateau. African Broadbill Smithornis capensis Sightings in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary, Thyolo and Chintheche. Malawi Batis ◊ Batis [capensis] dimorpha Seen well at Zomba and on the Nyika Plateau. Cape Batis ◊ Batis capensis Seen well in the Vumba Mountains. Chinspot Batis Batis molitor Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Black-throated Wattle-eye Platysteira peltata Seen in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary, Thyolo and Liwonde NP. White-crested Helmetshrike (W H-s) Prionops plumatus Widespread sightings throughout the tour.


Retz's Helmetshrike (Red-billed H-s) Prionops retzii Seen well at Dzalanyama and Masoka. See Note. Grey-headed Bushshrike Malaconotus blanchoti Great looks at Masoka. Black-fronted Bushshrike Chlorophoneus nigrifrons A male showed well on Thyolo Mountain. Olive Bushshrike ◊ Chlorophoneus olivaceus Great views in the Vumba Mountains. Orange-breasted Bushshrike (Sulphur-b B-s) Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus Widespread sightings. Four-coloured Bushshrike Telophorus quadricolor (H) Heard only in the Vumba Mountains. Brown-crowned Tchagra (B-headed/Three-streaked T) Tchagra australis A few widespread sightings. Black-crowned Tchagra (B-headed T) Tchagra senegalus A few widespread sightings. Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla A commonly encountered and widespread bird. Fülleborn's Boubou ◊ (F’s Black B) Laniarius fuelleborni Seen well on the Nyika Plateau. See Note. Tropical Boubou Laniarius major Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Brubru Nilaus afer Seen well at Dzalanyama Forest Reserve. Grey Cuckooshrike Coracina caesia 1 in the mist in the Vumba Mountains. White-breasted Cuckooshrike Coracina pectoralis A member of miombo bird parties. Black Cuckooshrike Campephaga flava Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Sousa's Shrike ◊ Lanius souzae Excellent views at Dzalanyama Forest Reserve. See Note. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio Palearctic migrants noted in Liwonde NP and at Masoka. Northern Fiscal Lanius humeralis Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus This Palearctic migrant was seen near Chintheche and at Masoka. African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus Widespread sightings in Malawi. Green-headed Oriole ◊ Oriolus chlorocephalus Now a rare bird in Malawi we saw 1 as we left Thyolo Mountain.

We enjoyed excellent views of Green-headed Oriole now a very rare bird in Malawi. (Simon Cox) Black-headed Oriole (Eastern B-h O) Oriolus larvatus Widespread sightings in Malawi. Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigii Seen on Thyolo and Vumba Mountains. Fork-tailed Drongo (Common D) Dicrurus adsimilis A commonly encountered and widespread bird. Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus cyanomelas (H) Heard near Chintheche. African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Pied Crow Corvus albus A commonly encountered and widespread bird. White-necked Raven (W-naped R) Corvus albicollis A commonly encountered and widespread bird. White-tailed Blue Flycatcher Elminia albicauda Sightings at Dzalanyama, Nyika and Vumba. White-tailed Crested Flycatcher Elminia albonotata Seen well on Thyolo, Nyika Plateau and Vumba Mountain. Southern Black Tit Parus niger Seen well at Dzalanyama, Vwaza and Haka Park. Rufous-bellied Tit ◊ Parus rufiventris Excellent views at Dzalanyama and Vwaza area. Miombo Tit ◊ (Northern Grey T) Parus griseiventris Brief views for some at Dzalanyama. Grey Penduline Tit (African P T) Anthoscopus caroli Seen well at Vwaza Marsh and Chimaliro Forest. Eastern Nicator (White-throated N, Yellow-spotted N) Nicator gularis Views for some at Masoka. Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana The endemic race nyikae was seen well on the Nyika Plateau. Flappet Lark Mirafra rufocinnamomea (H) Heard early in the morning at Dzalanyama. Dark-capped Bulbul (Black-eyed B) Pycnonotus tricolor A commonly encountered and widespread bird.


Black-browed Greenbul ◊ (Southern Mountain G) Arizelocichla fusciceps Seen well on the Nyika Plateau. Stripe-cheeked Greenbul ◊ (S-c Bulbul) Arizelocichla milanjensis Seen well in the Vumba Mountains. Olive-headed Greenbul ◊ Arizelocichla olivaceiceps Seen well on Thyolo Mountain and at Zomba. Little Greenbul (L Green Bulbul) Eurillas virens Seen well on Thyolo Mountain and at Zomba. Sombre Greenbul (S Bulbul, Zanzibar S G) Andropadus importunus 1 seen in Liwonde NP. Yellow-bellied Greenbul Chlorocichla flaviventris Widespread sightings but easiest to see at Masoka. Terrestrial Brownbul (T Bulbul) Phyllastrephus terrestris Easy to see at Lilongwe, Liwonde and Masoka.

Terrestrial Brownbuls love foraging in the dry leaf litter. (Nik Borrow)

Placid Greenbul Phyllastrephus placidus Seen well on at Thyolo and Zomba. Yellow-streaked Greenbul Phyllastrephus flavostriatus A wing-flicking greenbul at Thyolo and the Vumba. Sharpe's Greenbul ◊ Phyllastrephus alfredi Great views on the Nyika Plateau on the Zambian side! See Note. White-headed Saw-wing Psalidoprocne albiceps Small numbers on the Nyika Plateau. Eastern Saw-wing Psalidoprocne [pristoptera] orientalis Common in the south of Malawi and in the Vumba. Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga Near Lilongwe airport and Dzalanyama. Sand Martin (Bank Swallow) Riparia riparia (NL) A couple of these Palearctic migrants in Liwonde NP. Banded Martin Riparia cincta A few were seen on the Nyika Plateau. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Good numbers of this Palearctic migrant throughout. Angola Swallow Hirundo angolensis Small numbers seen on the Nyika Plateau. Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii Widespread sightings through Malawi. Blue Swallow ◊ Hirundo atrocaerulea (V) This beautiful swallow was in breeding plumage on the Nyika Plateau. Pearl-breasted Swallow ◊ Hirundo dimidiata Small numbers were noted at Dzalanyama. Rock Martin (African R M) Ptyonoprogne fuligula Singletons seen to and from the Nyika. Common House Martin Delichon urbicum Just a few widespread sightings of this Palearctic migrant. Greater Striped Swallow Cecropis cucullata Several seen en route to the Vumba Mountains. Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica Widespread sightings mainly in Malawi. Red-breasted Swallow (Rufous-chested S) Cecropis semirufa A few sightings in Zimbabwe. Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis Most sightings were in Malawi. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica A small number were seen on the Nyika Plateau. Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens Just a few widespread sightings. Red-capped Crombec Sylvietta ruficapilla Great looks were obtained at Dzalanyama. Livingstone's Flycatcher ◊ Erythrocercus livingstonei Seen very well in Liwonde NP and at Masoka. Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla Sightings on Thyolo Mountain and in the Vumba. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Widespread sightings of this Palearctic migrant in Zimbabwe.


Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris A few were seen along the river in Liwonde NP. African Yellow Warbler (Dark-capped Y W) Iduna natalensis 3 widespread sightings in Malawi. Mountain Yellow Warbler Iduna similis 1 seen well on the Nyika Plateau. Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina This Palearctic migrant was seen in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary. Cinnamon Bracken Warbler Bradypterus cinnamomeus Excellent views on the Nyika Plateau. Evergreen Forest Warbler Bradypterus [lopezi] mariae Good looks at Zomba. Barratt's Warbler Bradypterus barratti Just glimpses in the Vumba Mountains. See Note. Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops Often heard our only sighting was en route to Chintheche. Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans Seen in Mozambique as we headed south! Trilling Cisticola Cisticola woosnami 1 on the Nyika Plateau. Black-lored Cisticola ◊ Cisticola nigriloris Seen well on the Nyika Plateau. Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chiniana Seen in Liwonde NP and Haka Park. Churring Cisticola ◊ Cisticola njombe Easy to see on the Nyika Plateau. Wailing Cisticola ◊ Cisticola lais Easy to see on the Nyika Plateau. Levaillant’s Cisticola (Tinkling C) Cisticola tinniens Seen well at Haka Park. Croaking Cisticola Cisticola natalensis Seen well near Liwonde airport. Short-winged Cisticola (Siffling C) Cisticola brachypterus Seen near Liwonde airport. Neddicky (Piping Cisticola) Cisticola fulvicapilla Several sightings at Dzalanyama and Vwaza Marsh. Zitting Cisticola (Fan-tailed C) Cisticola juncidis (H) Heard at Mzuzu. Wing-snapping Cisticola (Ayres’s C) Cisticola ayresii Great looks on the Nyika Plateau. Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Roberts's Warbler ◊ (R’s Prinia, Briar W) Oreophilais robertsi Seen easily in the Vumba Mountains. Red-winged Warbler Heliolais erythropterus Seen at Dzalanyama. Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica Seen on the Nyika Plateau and again in the Vumba Mountains. Yellow-throated Apalis ◊ Apalis flavigularis (E) Just 1 seen at Zomba. See Note. Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida Widespread sightings during the tour. White-winged Apalis ◊ Apalis chariessa (V) 3 of these beautiful warblers were seen well on Thyolo Mountain. Black-headed Apalis Apalis melanocephala Seen on Thyolo Mountain and at Zomba. Chirinda Apalis ◊ Apalis chirindensis Just 1 pair was seen in the Vumba Mountains. Chapin's Apalis ◊ Apalis chapini Excellent views of the race strausae on the Nyika Plateau. See Note. Brown-headed Apalis ◊ Apalis alticola 1 seen on the Nyika Plateau. Green-backed Camaroptera ◊ Camaroptera brachyura Seen on Thyolo Mountain and also Liwonde NP.

A Green-backed Camaroptera with a fairly extensive grey crown in Liwonde National Park. (Simon Cox) Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata Seen well at Lilongwe, Dzalanyama and Zimbabwe. Stierling's Wren-warbler ◊ Calamonastes stierlingi Seen well at Dzalanyama and Chimaliro. Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis 1 was seen at Dzalanyama. Green-capped Eremomela Eremomela scotops Easy to see at Dzalanyama and Vwaza Marsh.


Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardineii Easy to see at Dzalanyama and in Zimbabwe. Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Widespread sightings of this Palearctic migrant in Malawi. Brown Parisoma ◊ Sylvia lugens A pair was seen well on the Nyika Plateau. African Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis Widespread sightings in Malawi. Yellow-bellied Hyliota (Y-breasted H) Hyliota flavigaster Small numbers at Dzalanyama. Southern Hyliota (Mashona H) Hyliota australis Seen well at Dzalanyama and Chimaliro. African Spotted Creeper Salpornis salvadori Good numbers were seen well at Dzalanyama. Greater Blue-eared Starling (G B-e Glossy S) Lamprotornis chalybaeus Most numerous in Liwonde NP. Miombo Blue-eared Starling ◊ (Southern Lesser B-e S) Lamprotornis elisabeth Best views were at Vwaza Marsh. Meves's Starling ◊ Lamprotornis mevesii Common and easy to see in Liwonde NP and Zimbabwe. See Note. Violet-backed Starling (Plum-coloured/Amethyst S) Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Common in Malawi.

The male Violet-backed Starling is a stunning celebration of iridescent colour. (Nik Borrow) Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio Singletons in the Nyika area. Slender-billed Starling (S-b Red-winged S) Onychognathus tenuirostris A pair on the Nyika Plateau. Waller's Starling (W’s Red-winged S) Onychognathus walleri A pair on the Nyika Plateau. See Note. Babbling Starling ◊ (White-winged B S) Neocichla gutturalis Great views of 2 pairs in Vwaza Marsh GR. Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus Small numbers seen in Liwonde NP. Orange Ground Thrush ◊ Geokichla gurneyi Great views on Thyolo and Vumba Mountains. Groundscraper Thrush Psophocichla litsitsirupa 1 at Dzalanyama. Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Olive Thrush (Southern O T) Turdus olivaceus A few seen in the Vumba Mountains. White-chested Alethe ◊ (W-breasted A) Pseudalethe fuelleborni 2 sightings on the Nyika Plateau in both countries. Thyolo Alethe ◊ Pseudalethe choloensis (E) Hard work but everyone managed views on Thyolo Mountain. See Note. White-starred Robin (S R) Pogonocichla stellata This pretty bird seen well at Zomba, Nyika and Vumba. Swynnerton's Robin ◊ Swynnertonia swynnertoni (V) This gorgeous little bird showed well in the Vumba. See Note. Sharpe's Akalat ◊ Sheppardia sharpei Excellent views on the Zambian side of the Nyika Plateau. East Coast Akalat ◊ (Gunning’s Robin) Sheppardia gunningi (NT) Glimpses for a few near Chintheche. Olive-flanked Ground Robin ◊ Cossypha anomala Excellent views on the Zambian side of the Nyika Plateau. Cape Robin-chat (C R) Cossypha caffra Seen well on the Nyika and Vumba Mountains. White-browed Robin-chat (Heuglin’s R) Cossypha heuglini Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Red-capped Robin-chat (Natal R) Cossypha natalensis Seen well in the Vwaza area. Collared Palm Thrush Cichladusa arquata Easily seen in Liwonde NP. Miombo Scrub Robin ◊ Erythropygia barbata Seen well at Dzalanyama, Vwaza Marsh and Chimaliro.


Bearded Scrub Robin (Eastern B R) Erythropygia quadrivirgata Great looks in Liwonde NP and at Masoka. African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Most numerous on the Nyika Plateau. Familiar Chat (Red-tailed C) Oenanthe familiaris A few at widespread localities in Malawi. Arnot's Chat ◊ Pentholaea arnotti Great looks in Liwonde NP and the Vwaza area. See Note. Boulder Chat ◊ Pinarornis plumosus Excellent views at Dzalanyama. Miombo Rock Thrush ◊ Monticola angolensis Several seen well at Dzalanyama.

Miombo Rock Thrush at Dzalanyama. (Simon Cox)

White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher Dioptrornis fischeri Just 1 was seen on the Nyika Plateau. Southern Black Flycatcher Melaenornis pammelaina Most numerous at Dzalanyama. Pale Flycatcher (Mouse-coloured/Pallid F) Bradornis pallidus Just 1 in the Vwaza area. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Widespread sightings of this Palearctic migrant in Malawi. Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens Easy to see in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary and Dzalanyama. African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta Seen well at Dzalanyama, Nyika Plateau and Vumba Mountains. Böhm's Flycatcher ◊ Muscicapa boehmi Excellent views of this localised flycatcher at Vwaza Marsh. Grey Tit-flycatcher (Fan-tailed/Lead-coloured F) Myioparus plumbeus Seen well at Dzalanyama. Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis Several of these Palearctic migrants were seen well in the Vwaza area. Anchieta's Sunbird ◊ Anthreptes anchietae (NL) Unexpectedly poor showing. Dave saw 1 at Dzalanyama. See Note. Western Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes longuemarei A few seen at Dzalanyama. Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris Widespread sightings in Malawi. Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea Seen well in southern Malawi and the Vumba Mountains. Amethyst Sunbird (African Black S) Chalcomitra amethystina Scattered sightings throughout the tour. Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis Small numbers at Dzalanyama and Liwonde NP. Bronzy Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis Singletons on Thyolo Mountain, Nyika Plateau and Vumba Mountains. Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa Small numbers on the Nyika Plateau. Scarlet-tufted Sunbird ◊ (S-t Malachite S) Nectarinia johnstoni 2 males and a female seen well on the Nyika. Miombo Double-collared Sunbird ◊ Cinnyris manoensis A few seen at Dzalanyama. Ludwig's Double-collared Sunbird ◊ Cinnyris ludovicensis Small numbers seen well on the Nyika Plateau. Forest Double-collared Sunbird ◊ Cinnyris fuelleborni Several seen at Zomba. Shelley's Sunbird ◊ Cinnyris shelleyi A male seen briefly by some at Vwaza Marsh. See Note. Purple-banded Sunbird (Little P-b S) Cinnyris bifasciatus Small numbers seen in Liwonde NP. White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala Small numbers seen in Liwonde NP. Variable Sunbird (Yellow-bellied S) Cinnyris venustus Widespread sightings in Malawi. White-browed Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser mahali Abundant in Liwonde NP.


Chestnut-backed Sparrow-weaver ◊ (C-mantled S-w) Plocepasser rufoscapulatus Seen well in the Vwaza area.

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-weaver is a localised Miombo specialist species. (Nik Borrow) House Sparrow (Introduced) Passer domesticus Often seen in towns and villages. Northern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus A couple seen during our return to Lilongwe. Southern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer diffusus Good numbers were seen in Liwonde NP. Yellow-throated Petronia Gymnoris superciliaris A common Miombo species. Thick-billed Weaver (Grosbeak W) Amblyospiza albifrons Small numbers seen at Dzalanyama and the Vumba. Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht Just 1 on the Nyika Plateau. Bertram's Weaver ◊ (Bertrand’s W) Ploceus bertrandi A male – actually in Mozambique! See Note. Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis Widespread sightings in small numbers throughout the tour. Eastern Golden Weaver (Yellow/African G W) Ploceus subaureus Nesting at Chintheche. Holub's Golden Weaver (G W) Ploceus xanthops Scattered sightings during the tour. See Note. Southern Brown-throated Weaver ◊ Ploceus xanthopterus Easy to see in Liwonde NP. Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius Small numbers in Liwonde NP and the Vwaza area. Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus Seen well at Dzalanyama and in Zimbabwe. Village Weaver (Spotted-backed W) Ploceus cucullatus Busy breeding in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary. Dark-backed Weaver (Forest W) Ploceus bicolor 2 on Thyolo Mountain and another in the Vumba Mountains. Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps Seen in Miombo in Malawi. Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea Seen at Dzalanyama, Liwonde NP and Masoka. Black-winged Red Bishop (B-w B, Fire-crowned B) Euplectes hordeaceus Non-breeding plumages only in Malawi. Southern Red Bishop (Red B) Euplectes orix Seen by the airport on the first day. Yellow Bishop (Yellow-rumped Whydah) Euplectes capensis Sightings on the Nyika and in Haka Park. Yellow-mantled Widowbird Euplectes macroura Seen by the airport on the first day and in Haka Park. Montane Widowbird ◊ Euplectes psammacromius Breeding plumaged birds on the Nyika Plateau. Red-collared Widowbird* (R-c/R-naped Whydah) Euplectes ardens Most numerous in Zimbabwe. Orange-winged Pytilia ◊ (Golden-backed P) Pytilia afra A small flock of 6 at Chintheche. Green-winged Pytilia (Melba Finch) Pytilia melba Easiest to see in Liwonde NP and at Masoka. Green Twinspot (G-backed T) Mandingoa nitidula A super view on Thyolo Mountain. Red-faced Crimsonwing ◊ Cryptospiza reichenovii Several secretive birds seen at Zomba. Lesser Seedcracker ◊ (Nyasa S) Pyrenestes minor An excellent sighting of 1 at Dzalanyama. Red-throated Twinspot ◊ (Peter’s T) Hypargos niveoguttatus First seen well in Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary. Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala Most numerous in Liwonde NP. African Firefinch (Blue-billed F) Lagonosticta rubricata Scattered sightings during the tour.


Jameson's Firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia Seen in the Vwaza area. See Note. Blue Waxbill (Southern Cordon-bleu) Uraeginthus angolensis Widespread sightings throughout the tour. Yellow-bellied Waxbill (East African Swee) Coccopygia quartinia A few on the Nyika Plateau. Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild Scattered sightings in Malawi. Orange-breasted Waxbill (Zebra W) Amandava subflava Seen by the airport on the first day and in Haka Park. Locust Finch ◊ Paludipasser locustella A pair seen well but only in flight by the airport on the first day. Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata Commonly seen in Malawi. Red-backed Mannikin (Rufous-b/Brown-b M) Lonchura nigriceps Small numbers at Thyolo and In the Vumba. Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura Scattered sightings during the tour. Long-tailed Paradise Whydah (Eastern P W) Vidua paradisaea 1 in non-breeding plumage in Liwonde NP. Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah Vidua obtusa A small flock in non-breeding plumage at Dzalanyama. Blue-headed Wagtail (Western Yellow W) Motacilla [flava] flava Not subspecifically identified in Liwonde NP. Mountain Wagtail (Long-tailed W) Motacilla clara Singletons at Lilongwe, Dzalanyama and the Vumba Mountains. African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp Commonly encountered during the tour. Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus First seen by the airport on the first day. Rosy-throated Longclaw (R-throated/ P-t L) Macronyx ameliae A good sighting by the airport on the first day. African Pipit (Grassveld, Grassland P) Anthus cinnamomeus Most numerous on the Nyika Plateau. Wood Pipit ◊ (Woodland P) Anthus nyassae Seen at Dzalanyama and on the Nyika Plateau. Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys First seen by the airport on the first day. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis This Palearctic migrant was seen at Dzalanyama and on the Nyika Plateau. Striped Pipit ◊ Anthus lineiventris Great views at Dzalanyama. Southern Citril ◊ Crithagra hyposticta Excellent views at Thyolo and Zomba. Yellow-fronted Canary (Y-eyed C) Crithagra mozambica Commonly encountered during the tour. Brimstone Canary (Bully C) Crithagra sulphurata Seen well at Dzalanyama. Reichard's Seedeater ◊ (Stripe-breasted Canary) Crithagra reichardi Several seen well at Dzalanyama. See Note. Black-eared Seedeater ◊ Crithagra mennelli Easy to see at Dzalanyama. Yellow-browed Seedeater ◊ Crithagra whytii Good views of a pair on the Nyika Plateau. Cape Canary ◊ Serinus canicollis Seen in the Botanical Gardens in the Vumba Mountains. Yellow-crowned Canary Serinus flavivertex Small numbers on the Nyika Plateau. Cinnamon-breasted Bunting (C-b Rock B) Emberiza tahapisi Scattered sightings in Malawi. Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris Several seen at Dzalanyama. Cabanis's Bunting Emberiza cabanisi Several seen at Dzalanyama and Vwaza. See Note.

Hippopotamus were exceptionally common along the Shire River in Liwonde National Park. (Nik Borrow)


MAMMALS Yellow Baboon Papio cynocephalus Commonly encountered in Malawi. Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus Commonly encountered in Zimbabwe. Vervet Monkey (Vervet) Cercopithecus pygerythrus Seen in Malawi and Zimbabwe. Sykes’s Monkey (White-throated M) Cercopithecus albogularis Seen on Thyolo, Zomba and the Vumba. Greater Galago (Thick-tailed Bushbaby) Otolemur crassicaudatus 1 at night in Liwonde NP. Wahlberg’s Epauletted Fruit Bat Epomophorus wahlbergi (LO) Outside Nik’s room in Liwonde NP. Short-snouted Elephant Shrew Elephantulus brachyrhynchus (LO) 1 for Nik at Vwaza Marsh. Four-toed Elephant Shrew (Four-toed Sengi) Petrodromus tetradactylus 1 at night in Liwonde NP. African Savanna Hare Lepus victoriae Widespread sightings in Malawi. Smith’s Bush Squirrel (South African Tree Squirrel) Paraxerus cepapi Widespread sightings. Mutable Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus mutabilis Several seen on Thyolo Mountain. Side-striped Jackal Canis adustus Singletons on the Nyika Plateau. Slender Mongoose (Common S M) Herpestes sanguinea Several sightings. White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia allicauda 1 at night in Liwonde NP. Meller’s Mongoose Rhynchogale melleri (NL) 1 for some in Liwonde NP. Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta (H) Heard in Lilongwe and on the Nyika Plateau. Rusty-spotted Genet (Large-spotted Genet) Genetta maculata 4 at night in Liwonde NP. African Savanna Elephant Loxodonta africana Common in Liwonde NP, 1 on the Nyika and more at Masoka. Common Zebra (Plains/Crawshay’s Zebra) Equus quagga Seen well on the Nyika Plateau. Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius Abundant in Liwonde NP. Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus Common in Liwonde NP and seen at Masoka. Cape Buffalo (African B) Syncerus caffer A herd of about 25 in Liwonde NP. Cape Bushbuck Tragelaphus sylvaticus Seen in Liwonde NP, on the Nyika Plateau and more at Masoka. Zambezi Kudu Tragelaphus zambesiensis Seen well Liwonde NP. Eland Taurotragus oryx Good numbers on the Nyika Plateau. Bush Duiker (Grey D, Common D) Sylvicapra grimmia Several timid animals on the Nyika Plateau. Harvey’s Duiker (Red Duiker) Cephalophus harveyi 1 on the Nyika Plateau. Sharpe’s Grysbok Raphicerus sharpei 2 sightings at Masoka. Zambian Klipspringer Oreotragus centralis 4 on the Nyika Plateau. Zambian Reedbuck Redunca occidentalis Some in Liwonde NP but more common on the Nyika Plateau Ellipsen Waterbuck (Common W) Kobus ellipsiprymnus Abundant in Liwonde NP and small numbers at Masoka. Impala (Common I) Aepyceros melampus Abundant in Liwonde NP. Roan Antelope (Roan) Hippotragus equinus Good numbers on the Nyika Plateau. Sable Antelope (Southern S A) Hippotragus niger 1 male in Liwonde NP.

Roan Antelope on the Nyika Plateau. (Nik Borrow)


NOTES TO THE SYSTEMATIC LIST Coqui Francolin Peliperdix coqui The name is presumably an onomatopoeic reference to the call. However a certain Mr Coqui was a well-known character on the eastern frontier of Cape Colony in the early 1800’s. Hildebrandt's Francolin Pternistis hildebrandti Johann Maria Hildebrandt (1847-81) was a German linguist and collector working in East Africa. Swainson’s Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii William Swainson (1789-1855) was an English naturalist and artist and was responsible for the idea of arranging specimens in drawers rather than stands in the scientific collections. Andrew Smith named the francolin after him in 1836. Abdim’s Stork Ciconia abdimii Bey El-Arnaut Abdim (1780-1827) was a Turkish governor of Dongola in Sudan who was of great help to Rüppell during his northeast African expedition. Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer The name is early 19th century French derived from the Arabic murabit or holy man, the stork being regarded as holy. African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus This species was revered and even mummified by the ancient Egyptians as the incarnation of Thoth, the god of wisdom and knowledge. He was also the moon god and therefore only a ‘moon-coloured’ ibis was good enough although sometimes the ibis mummies were fakes containing bones and remains of other assorted animals. Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash The name is an onomatopoeic rendering of the call and has been spelt in a number of different ways. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides The name ‘squacco’ is derived from a purely local Italian name. In the absence of a native name, Willughby noted c. 1672 “Ardea quam Sguacco vocant in Vallibus dictis Malalbergi”; this he had from the Renaissance encyclopaedist Ulisse Androvandi (‘Ornithologia’ 1599-1603). Ray (‘The Ornithology of Francis Willughby’ Translated into English, and enlarged by J. Ray, 1678) translated it as “the Heron which they call Sguacco in the Valleys of Malalbergo”. Hill (‘A General Natural History’ 1748-52) erroneously spelt the name ‘squacco’. Latham (‘General Synopsis of Birds’ 1781-5) took over this misspelling and added ‘Heron’. The original name ‘sguacco’ supposedly imitates the husky call. African Harrier-hawk (Gymnogene) Polyboroides typus Also known as Gymnogene meaning bare-cheeked. White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus BirdLife International has now classified this declining species as ‘Endangered’. However it is still the most widespread and common vulture in Africa, occurring from Senegal, Gambia and Mali in the west, throughout the Sahel region to Ethiopia and Somalia in the east, through East Africa into Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa in the south. Its global population has been estimated at 270,000 individuals. Consistent with other vulture species it has declined by over 90% in West Africa. The species has also declined in Sudan and Kenya, but is apparently more stable in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and across southern Africa where an estimated 40,000 individuals remain. The primary threat at least in East Africa is poisoning particularly from the highly toxic pesticide carbofuran. Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus The name means ‘juggler’ in French and refers to the balancing mode of flight employed by this distinctive and spectacular birds! The Bateleur is also the magician or ‘wand-user’ of the Tarot Cards. Wahlberg’s Eagle Hieraaetus wahlbergi The species, described by Sundevall in 1851, is named after Johan August Wahlberg (1810-1856) a Swedish collector specialising in southern African species. A wounded elephant at Lake Ngami in Bechuanaland unfortunately killed him! Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar In this case the word Gabar is derived from two French words garde (guard) and barré (barred). Augur Buzzard Buteo augur This handsome bird occurs in two colour phases. The Augur was a priest or official of ancient Rome who performed the taking of the auspices and interpreted the will of the Gods by studying the flight of birds. Surely one of the first ornithologists!


Dickinson’s Kestrel Falco dickinsoni Dr. John Dickinson (1832-63) was an English physician and missionary with Livingstone but died in Malawi of blackwater fever. He collected the type specimen of the kestrel himself. From Chibasa on the Shire River in Malawi and it was described by Sclater in 1864. Denham’s Bustard Neotis denhami Dixon Denham FRS (1786-1828) was an English lieutenant colonel in the army and explorer of Africa and was a colleague of Hugh Clapperton on his travels. He ultimately was made Governor-General of Sierra Leone where he died of fever. Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius Friedrich Heinrich von Kittlitz (1799-1874) was a Prussian ornithologist and artist and a close friend of Rüppell. He is best known for discoveries he made during a round the world voyage. Temminck had described the plover but Kittlitz illustrated them. Namaqua Dove Oena capensis Namaqualand is part of southern Namibia and coastal southwest South Africa. Lilian’s Lovebird Agapornis lilianae Lilian Sclater (1870 – 1957) was a British naturalist and traveller in Nyasaland at the end of the19th century. Meyer’s Parrot Poicephalus meyeri Dr Bernhard Meyer (1767-1836) was a German physician interested in ornithology. It is not now known what his link with the parrot was. Livingstone’s Turaco Tauraco livingstonii This turaco was collected by Charles Livingstone and named for his brother Dr David Livingstone (1813-1873), Scottish missionary to tropical Africa, anti-slaver, explorer and author. The 23 species of turacos, go-away birds and plantain-eaters form a truly remarkable family, restricted to sub-Saharan Africa. The feathers of turacos possess two copper pigments, red turacin and green turacoverdin that are unique in the avian world and are responsible for producing the bright red and green colours in their plumage. Contrary to popular belief these pigments are only soluble in alkali and not water. Schalow’s Turaco Tauraco schalowi Hermann Schalow (1852–1925) was a German banker and amateur ornithologist. He was author of a work on turacos “Die Musophagidae” that was published in 1886. He worked with Reichenow who named a turaco after him in 1891. Burchell’s Coucal Centropus burchellii William John Burchell (1781-1863) was an English explorer-naturalist who collected in South Africa. Levaillant’s Cuckoo Clamator levaillantii François Levaillant (1753 -1824), a great French taxidermist, collector and ornithologist who had a specialist interest in the birds of southern Africa. Levaillant’s reputation is somewhat marred as he was proved to be something of a ‘stringer’ inventing not only new species but even the journeys on which he claimed to have found them! Klaas’s Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas Named by François Levaillant (1753 -1824), who is said to have named this bird after his Khoikhoi (Hottentot) manservant whose wife, Narina (the name he dedicated to a most beautiful trogon), also just happened to be Levaillant’s mistress! Verreaux’s Eagle-owl Bubo lacteus The Verreaux family was a French father and three sons who owned ‘Maison Verreaux’ the largest ever known ‘Natural History Emporium’. Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli Hendrik Severinus Pel (1818-76) was a Dutch amateur naturalist and Governor of the Gold Coast. Bonaparte described the owl in 1850. Böhm’s Spinetail Neafrapus boehmi Dr. Richard Böhm was a German zoologist who worked in Tanzania and Zaire in the late 1800’s until he died of malaria. Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina The species was described by Stephens in 1815 and was supposedly named after Levaillant’s beautiful Khoikhoi (Hottentot) mistress! The story has it that Klaas was her husband!


Whyte’s Barbet Stactolaema whytii Alexander Whyte (1834-1905) was a British naturalist who collected in what is now Malawi. The race in Zimbabwe is sowerbyi that forms part of a distinctive group known collectively as Sowerby’s Barbet, which has been treated as a separate species. This form differs from Whyte’s in that the various races show more yellow on the forehead. J. W. Sowerby was a trooper in the British South African Mounted Police. He collected the form described as sowerbyi near Fort Chiquaqua, Mashonaland in 1897. Bennett’s Woodpecker Campethera bennettii Edward Turner Bennett (1797-1836) was a British naturalist instrumental in the founding of the Zoological Society of London. Andrew Smith named the woodpecker after him in 1836. Stierling’s Woodpecker Dendropicos stierlingi Dr. N. Stierling was a German naturalist who collected birds in Malawi and Tanzania. Retz’s Helmetshrike Prionops retzii Anders Jahan Retzius (1742-1821) was a Swedish naturalist. It is lost in history as to whether the shrike was named after him or one of his sons. Fülleborn’s Black Boubou Laniarius fuelleborni Dr Friederich Fülleborn (1866-1933) was a German physician and expert on tropical diseases who worked in Tanzania. Sousa’s Shrike Lanius souzae José Augusto de Sousa (1837-89) was the Portuguese Director of Ornithology at the Museum of Lisbon. Despite writing numerous articles on African birds, he never actually visited the continent. His name is often spelt incorrectly as Souza. Sharpe’s Greenbul Phyllastrephus alfredi Richard Bowdler Sharpe (1847-1909) was an English ornithologist and curator of the British Museum bird collection. He conceived the idea of the British Ornithologists’ Club. Barratt’s Warbler Bradypterus barratti F. A. Barratt (c. 1847-1875 collected the warbler in the Transvaal in 1875 and sent it to the British Museum where it was described by Sharpe. Yellow-throated Apalis Apalis flavigularis Endemic to southeast Malawi and adjacent Mozambique, the species is classified as ‘Endangered’ by BirdLife International, with an estimated population of 4,408 birds and decreasing. The main threat comes from the rapid and severe forest clearance that is continuing in Malawi. Chapin’s Apalis Apalis chapini Dr James Paul Chapin (1889-1964), was an American ornithologist who was joint leader of the Lang-Chapin biological expedition into the Belgian Congo and the renowned author of Birds of the Belgian Congo. He will perhaps remain most famous for discovering and describing the holy grail of African birders, the Congo Peacock Afropavo congensis. Meves’s Starling Lamprotornis mevesii Friederich Wilhelm Meves (1814-91) was a German ornithologist working in Sweden. Waller’s Starling Onychognathus walleri Gerald Waller was an English naturalist collecting in East Africa in the late 1800’s. Thyolo Alethe Pseudalethe choloensis The species is classified as ‘Endangered’ by BirdLife International, with an estimated population of no more than 10,000 birds and decreasing. The forest on Mount Thyolo seems now to have been totally cleared except for one small patch inside the Satemwa Tea Estate and severe threats come from the rapid deforestation of its remaining habitat. Swynnerton’s Robin Swynnertonia swynnertoni Charles Francis Massy Swynnerton (1877-1938) was an entomologist working in Tanganyika between 1919 and 1929. Arnot’s Chat Thamnolaea arnotti David Arnot (1822-94) was a renowned and ‘unscrupulous’ South African attorney with an interest in natural history. Henry Baker Tristram described the bird in 1869 but he misspelt the name as Arnott. Anchieta’s Sunbird Anthreptes anchietae José de Anchieta (who died in 1897) was a Portuguese naturalist collecting particularly in Angola and Mozambique. Shelley’s Sunbird Cinnyris shelleyi George Ernest Shelley (1840-1910) was an English ornithologist related to the famous poet and an authority on sunbirds. He travelled in Africa and had a specialist interest in the continent.


Bertram's Weaver (Bertrand’s W) Ploceus bertrandi Bertram Lutley Sclater (1866-1897) who was a captain in the British army serving in Uganda and explored and mapped Nyasaland, now Malawi. Holub’s Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops Emil Holub (1847-1902) was a Czech naturalist who travelled in Africa finally succumbing to an attack of Malaria that he had caught there. Jameson’s Firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia James Sligo Jameson (1856-1888) was an Irish naturalist explorer. In Africa, he collected in South Africa and the Belgian Congo where he died whilst with Stanley on a mission to ‘rescue’ Emin Pasha. Reichard’s Seedeater Crithagra reichardi Paul Reichard (1845-1938) was a German geographer and engineer who collected in East Africa between 1880-84. Cabanis’s Bunting Emberiza cabanisi Jean Louis Cabanis (1816-1906) was a German ornithologist working at the Berlin Museum.

Nyika Plateau. (Nik Borrow)

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MALAWI & ZIMBABWE REP 13