On the search for of interest by Nwankwo Emmanuel C. Where and When

• Nigeria • Ghana • August 2015 Where I went to

•Nigeria • Abo Ebam • Obudu Plateau

•Ghana • Bomfobiri • Kakum • Cape Three Points • Kalakpa Nigeria Ghana Species of interest

• Pogoniulus biliniatus (Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird) • Pogoniulus subsulphureus (Yellow-throated Tinkerbird) • Pogoniulus atroflavus (Red-rumped Tinkerbird) • Smithornis capensis () • Smithornis sharpie (Grey-headed broadbill) • Smithornis rufolateralis (Rufous-sided broadbill)

What I did in the field

• Morphometric measurements

• Playback experiments

• Blood and Feather Samples What I measured

• Body Mass • Bill length • Bill depth • Will length • Tarsus length • Tail length • Blood samples • Feather samples • Acoustic samples My search method and equipment

• Mist netting • Song recordings • Marantz solid state recorder PMD661 • Microphone • GPS • Speakers and players What I found

• 2 Red-rumped Tinkerbird • 2 Green Hylia • 13 Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird • 1 Rufous-sided Broadbills • 112 recordings songs 2015-11-15 Experiences

• dashing unto the net and dashing out. • Birds carefully avoiding the nets (Obudu and Bomfobiri). • Very low response to playbacks in some areas (Bomfobiri). • Bees flying into the eyes and ears. • Eating foods you are not very sure of their hygiene status. • The fun of travelling. Why all these efforts

• To add to our investigation on the effect of species interaction on biodiversity and species distribution.

• The role of the Dahomy gap on distribution and speciation of Tinkerbirds.

• If not Dahomy, it could be River Niger or a combination of both. A story we must tell. Recommendations

• Obudu survey and places of the same characteristics should be during the months of their dry seasons when the birds are expected to be more active.

• Improved trapping skills for the Tinkerbirds at Bomfobiri.

• Never go to African Forest without insect repellents please! Acknowledgement

• Leventis Foundation

• Dr. Alexander Kirschel

• Ghana Wildlife Society

2015-11-15