The Djoudj National Park is a major site for West African birds, and has the advantage of being easy to visit without security concerns. Since its creation in 1971, a succession of ornithologists have collected information on its birds. Two lists have been produced in the past, but the latest one dates from almost 30 years ago. The present work aims to update that and comment briefly on new records and some that seem to represent errors of identification. The present list comprises 362 convincingly identified species and subspecies, with their monthly presence. This update should help to identify data gaps, in particular regarding nesting species.
Given the international importance of the Djoudj National Park for waterbird conservation, an exhaustive count has been carried out there each January since 1989, January being the reference month for determining waterbird populations at the international scale. Additionally, monthly counts have been carried out in the park since 2013. Here we examine the patterns of monthly variation, and trends in the January counts, over the ten-year period 2013-2022. It highlights the importance of the site at the same period of the year (December-February) for Palaearctic and Afrotropical species. Three species (Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor, White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus) seem to be increasing over the ten-year study period while only the White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus seems to be decreasing, although this could simply be due to its variable distribution in January, the month when the fledglings begin to attain independence. The results reveal numerous problems in the monthly data, including over-estimation caused by various probable factors, such as lack of experience among observers or the difficulty of counting at certain sites. We identify such weaknesses that must be remedied in order to generate a longterm reliable database. We reiterate the need for continuing counts, particularly that each January given its 35-year series to date and its international framework. If the January level of effort cannot be employed in the other months, it seems preferable to limit the latter counts to priority species or sites with good accessibility.
Little Rush Warblers Bradypterus buboecala from Kano State (northern Nigeria) include individuals with or without throat streaks, and are close in colour tone to the unstreaked race chadensis of the Nigerian shore of Lake Chad. Earlier references to chadensis occurring in Chad were erroneous but a sound recording demonstrates that the species (race unknown) occurs in at least the south of the country. In the past, specimens from West Africa away from Lake Chad were attributed to the taxon centralis whose type locality is Rwanda, but whose different voice indicates that it is a separate species (Highland Rush Warbler B, centralis). The degree of throat streaking appears not to be a significant racial character in B. baboecala, but birds from more southern latitudes in West Africa are duller and browner than B. b. chadensis and may need a new subspecific name, unless this variation is clinal.
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk Accipiter ovampensis has long been considered a non-breeding wet-season trans-equatorial migrant to West Africa from breeding areas in southern Africa. It has been recorded frequently in The Gambia since the first certain sighting, of an adult with a fledged juvenile in June 1991, with accumulated records in all months of the year. We report an aborted nesting attempt in December 2000, and the first confirmed breeding of this species in The Gambia and West Africa, in the dry season of 2022. The Ovambo Sparrowhawk appears to be a locally resident breeder in the west of The Gambia.
The present study, carried out between July and October 2023 by means of direct observations complemented by the use of a drone, assessed the size and composition of mixed colonies of Ardeidae, Phalacrocoracidae and Ciconiidae at Ramsar sites 1017 and 1018, in southern Benin. Some 1975 breeding pairs of 12 different species were counted. Three colonies exceeded 400 pairs, with a total of c. 1361 pairs, while a mixed colony of three species numbered c. 226 pairs. Two colonies (of two species each) exceeded 100 pairs, with a third counting fewer than 100 pairs. The most important colonies were all in the bas-Mono basin in the west of the area studied. The results may be used to direct conservation action to the most important places for these species.
The waders present on the main beach of Katrack island were counted from September 2022 to May 2024, when the availability of a marine turtle monitoring team permitted. The Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica and Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus were the commonest species, with densities per km of shoreline seemingly related to the mud content of the substrate. The numbers of most species seemed to have declined since the most recent previous count, in 2007.
The Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus has declined across West Africa in recent years, such that this formerly common species is now classed as Critically Endangered. However, it remains locally common in the Casamance region of southern Senegal. Based on preliminary surveys (2010-2017) and systematic sampling (2018-2022), we estimated the size of the breeding population of Hooded Vultures in the three divisions of Casamance. We also report on a range of ecological, behavioural and reproductive features of the species in this region. Field methods included prior discussions with local communities, frequently resulting in their valuable contributions to the survey work. Hooded Vultures were not found to nest in mangrove, forest and savanna areas without villages, but preferred groups of tall trees, near villages, gallery forest and farmland, and in towns. In savannas, habitat change that favours the species has occurred since the year 2000. Nests were built in at least 19 tree species, with c. 70 % in Mango Mangifera indica or Kapok Ceiba pentandra. Pre-breeding display began in September-October, with some display also observed in March-April. Nest-building took place September-December. Retrospective calculation gave a mean laying date of 28 September, with fledging March-July (mean early May). The population breeding period, from first laying to last fledging, covered 281 days. Breeding occurred on average 26 days earlier in the eastern part of Casamance than the west, probably associated with the earlier onset of the dry season in the east. From a consistent clutch size of one, mean fledgling production was 0.88 per nest. Total population estimates were 7542-8004 breeding pairs in Casamance, with higher density in the west (Basse Casamance) than in the east.
Hunting, urbanisation and agricultural expansion constitute the greatest threats to waterbirds around Lake Nokoue. Here I analyse the distribution of the Sarothruridae, Rallidae and Jacanidae of the area, using data from 44 field visits from 15 January to 12 June 2022. Land-use data for 2005 and 2021 were used to analyse habitat change. One Sarothruridae (Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura rufa), six Rallidae (African Crake Crex egregia, Black Crake Zapornia flavirostra, Purple Gallinule Porphyrio porphyrio, Allen's Gallinule P. alleni, Moorhen Gallinula chloropus, Lesser Gallinule Paragallina angulata) and one Jacanidae (Lily-trotter Actophilornis africanus) were found at 769 observation points. In general, these species were gregariously and widely distributed and abundant north of L. Nokoue. The Black Crake and Lily-trotter were the most common and widely distributed, while the flufftail was the least recorded. The distribution of the birds around the lake was limited by the loss of marshlands (5854 ha) and mangroves (70 ha). The annual deforestation rate was much greater (1.6 %) than the rates of reforestation (0 %) and other natural habitat restoration (0.1%), despite the application of awareness-raising and replanting mechanisms. The situation calls for the introduction of a respected zonation plan.
We report the first records of Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus and Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii in Gambian territorial waters, and four observations of Sabine's Gull Xema sabini including the first for the country in 2004. A bird that was either Scopoli's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea or Cory's Shearwater C. borealis was observed, along with the first live Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus for the country, and a Brown Booby Sula leucogaster ringed on Boa Vista, Cape Verde Islands. Offshore sightings of Great Skua Catharacta skua and Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii are also reported. Excepting two land-based records for each of Sabine's Gull and Roseate Tern, all observations were made from fishing vessels sailing 10-20 nautical miles off the south Gambian coast, during 2019-2022. Recent geolocator studies provide information on the migratory movements in the east Atlantic of the three new additions plus Great Skua and Roseate Tern.
A study of the four water-regulated rice-growing lowlands of Nana, Petit Bouake, Zatta and Subiakro, in Yamoussoukro district, examined their waterbird diversity and how the birds used these sites from May 2021 to April 2022. In total 57 species of waterbird were identified in the four sites, with Subiakro supporting the most species and individuals. At least five Pectoral Sandpipers Calidris melanotos were observed during October to December 2021. The waterbirds preferentially used the four sites for feeding, mainly during the ploughing stage. Rice-fields were also used for resting, preening, bathing, hiding and breeding. Dikes and irrigation channels were used for preening, bathing and hiding. Breeding was observed at lakes, and in rice fields during growing and maturation of the rice. As the rice-growing lowlands of Yamoussoukro are home to a wide variety of waterbirds, which find favourable habitats for their various needs, a management strategy to make available a diversity of rice growth stages would favour this important bird community.
We report observations of six nesting attempts by Petit's Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga petiti at the Ngel-Nyaki Forest Reserve, eastern Nigeria, in 2019, plus information on five more attempts in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Nests of lichen, found in May-June with laying recorded up to 2 July, contained clutches of two pale bluish green eggs with variable splashes of purple at the broader end. Incubation, and feeding of the chicks, were recorded until the young nestlings disappeared. Nestlings disappeared from five nests at age 2-4 days and in all five cases the parents were observed carrying food items to nearby locations for up to seven more days. One further nest fledged young successfully.
