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Home , African broadbill, African yellow warbler, Bushshrike, Chimanimani Mountains, Eastern Highlands, Helmetshrike

1 1 2 haroni-rusitu 2 3 3 4 junction 4 5 Clinging to the southern foot of the 5 6 , where the 6 7 HHighlandighland Haroni and Rusitu rivers meet to flow 7 8 8 into , are ’s last 9 fragments of lowland evergreen forest. A 9 10 birding Mecca, these small but luxuriant 10 11 forest patches harbour a list of regulars 11 12 that include Barred Cuckoo, Green 12 13 Coucal, Eastern Honeyguide, African 13 14 Broadbill, Pitta, Pel’s Fishing Owl, 14 15 LLow-downow-down Slender , Black-headed Apalis, 15 16 Flycatcher, Woodwards’ Batis and 16 17 Chestnut-fronted . Getting 17 18 BIRDING ZIMBABWE’S there requires some determination 18 19 though. The track, for it cannot be called 19 20 Text by Penn Lloyd a road over the last 20 kilometres, is har- 20 21 rowing at best, impassable at worst. A 21 22 4x4 is advisable, but certainly no guaran- 22 23 tee that you will make it there (or back 23 24 again!) should rain set in. 24 25 With the forests surrounded by 25 26 communal land, courtesy requires that 26 27 HHazyazy withwith thethe smokesmoke ofof countlesscountless wood-firedwood-fired hearths,hearths, you stop off at the local District 27 28 Administration or the police/military post 28 29 thethe lowlandslowlands ofof MozambiqueMozambique sprawlsprawl fromfrom thethe IndianIndian at Vhimba to announce your presence in 29 30 Ocean to the foot of an escarpment that runs a wavy the area. There are also no facilities, so if 30 31 Ocean to the foot of an escarpment that runs a wavy you decide to camp rough, introduce 31 32 coursecourse fromfrom thethe DrakensbergDrakensberg rangerange ofof SouthSouth AfricaAfrica toto yourself to the closest household and 32 33 enquire where you might do so. 33 34 thethe AhmarAhmar MountainsMountains ofof .Ethiopia. Here,Here, puncturedpunctured andand The people here are poor and live a 34 35 simple life. The lands they have cleared 35 36 separatedseparated fromfrom thethe highlandshighlands toto thethe northnorth andand southsouth of forest are highly fertile. A variety of 36 37 fruits, such as avocados, bananas, 37 38 byby thethe mightymighty ZambeziZambezi andand LimpopoLimpopo riverriver valleys,valleys, thethe papaws, mangoes and naartjies are sold 38 39 as cash crops to the Zimbabwe Farmer’s 39 40 EasternEastern HighlandsHighlands ofof ZimbabweZimbabwe riserise upup fromfrom 300300 metresmetres Union. Sweet potatoes, madumbe (yams) 40 41 and maize are the staples, with indige- 41 42 toto overover 22 500500 metres,metres, toto formform aa naturalnatural borderborder withwith nous sorghums and millets extensively 42 43 cultivated for home-brewing. As the pop- 43 44 itsits moremore prostrateprostrate neighbour.neighbour. AssociatedAssociated withwith thisthis ulation expands, so the pressure on the 44 45 remaining forest increases; the people 45 46 altitudinalaltitudinal rangerange isis aa diversitydiversity ofof habitats,habitats, fromfrom need the land to make a living. 46 47 The borders of the Haroni and Rusitu 47 48 lowlandlowland evergreenevergreen forestforest toto miombomiombo ((BrachystegiaBrachystegia)) Forest Reserves exist on paper only, and 48 49 most of the former has already fallen to 49 50 woodlandwoodland toto Afro-montaneAfro-montane evergreenevergreen forest,forest, andand finallyfinally a banana plantation. Until the locals 50 51 montane grassland. Each supports a unique community derive a more direct benefit from the for- 51 52 montane grassland. Each supports a unique community ests, the attrition will continue. A farmer 52 53 ofof birdsbirds allall packedpacked withinwithin aa relativelyrelatively smallsmall area,area, who invited me in to his humble home- 53 54 stead asked me which I most want- 54 55 makingmaking thethe EasternEastern HighlandsHighlands oneone ofof thethe subcontinent’ssubcontinent’s ed to see. I indicated the appearance and 55 56 proportions of the Silvery-cheeked 56 57 premierpremier birdingbirding regions.regions. Furthermore,Furthermore, thethe isolationisolation ofof A view over communal lands at the Hornbill. ‘The Gakamira!’ he exclaimed 57 58 Haroni-Rusitu junction. In the a little incredulously. His advice on how 58 59 thethe mountainsmountains meansmeans thatthat aa numbernumber ofof ,species, foundfound background are the Chimanimani to find it: ‘When you walk in the forest, 59 60 mountains, rising up from lowland look for the pips of my papaws on the 60 61 otherwiseotherwise onlyonly inin distantdistant SouthSouth AfricaAfrica oror EastEast ,Africa, sursur-- evergreen forest on the border ground. When you find them, look up 61 62 with Mozambique. into the tree and the Gakamira will be 62 vivevive herehere asas long-isolatedlong-isolated populations.populations. bronwynbronwyn lloydlloyd there’.  63  1 Let this take nothing away from the ing, the weedy tangle in and around the (‘the boiling place’) pool, where a power- 1 2 quality of the birding experience though. communal fields hosts a multitude of ful spring keeps cones of white sand in 2 3 Wander along the footpaths through the , such as Blue-spotted Dove, Broad- perpetual motion, I tramped through the 3 4 more accessible Rusitu forest into a fairy- tailed and African Yellow warblers, marshy grasslands of the Bundi plain and 4 5 land of butterflies and birds. The butter- Singing, Red-faced and Short-winged was lucky to flush a Great Snipe. Other 5 6 flies are simply stunning, bobbing up cisticolas, Golden Weaver, Fire-crowned birds to look out for here are the Yellow- 6 7 from the path in a kaleidoscope of Bishop, Nyasa Seedcracker, Golden- throated Longclaw, and an uncommon 7 8 colours and symmetries. The birds are a backed Pytilia, and Cabanis’ Bunting. summer visitor, the Blue Swallow. While 8 9 little more elusive, but no less dramatic. In the scattered trees and woodland walking beneath the towering peaks, scan 9 10 Aside from the specials already men- fragments, the Long-crested Eagle, the skies for the elusive Taita Falcon and 10 11 tioned, you should at least catch glimpses Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Lizard Scarce Swift; this is one of the few places 11 12 of forest regulars such as Delegorgue’s Buzzard, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Swallow- where these rare species can be seen. 12 13 Pigeon, Tambourine and Cinnamon tailed Bee-eater, African Golden Oriole, 13 14 doves, Livingstone’s Lourie, White-eared Mozambique Batis, Red-backed , Eland Sanctuary 14 15 Barbet and Golden-rumped Tinker Red-billed Helmetshrike and Purple- 15 16 Barbet, Scaly-throated Honey-guide, Little banded Sunbird may be found. Fringing Chimanimani village, the small 16 17 Spotted Woodpecker, Stripe-cheeked and Over the tricky-to-cross Haroni River a Eland Sanctuary reserve offers a peep at 17 18 Yellow-streaked , Gorgeous and magnificent tract of forest beckons. While what the highlands must have looked like 18 19 Black-fronted , and a bevy of deriving better protection as part of the 19 swynnerton’s robin peter steyn 20 20 21 outside . The Chipinge area also 21 22 boasts some impressive forests, including 22 23 • the Chirinda Forest at Mt Selinda (see 23 24 pages 60–63). 24 25 Marondera • 25 26 Chimanimani 26 27 National Park 27 28 • 28 and Aberfoyle 29 ZIMBABWE Perched on a hill, the village of 29 30 • Chimanimani has a sweeping view east 30 31 to the craggy peaks of the Chimanimani 31 Bvumba 32 range. With a variety of comfortable 32 33 accommodation, from the Heaven bud- 33 34 get-backpackers’ hostel, to the Moriah or 34 35 Eland Sanctuary • Chimanimani Frog & Fern self-catering chalets, the 35 36 Nationl Park Chimanimani Hotel, and the up-market 36 37 • Muwenji Lodge, it serves as the perfect 37 Chipinge Haroni-Rusitu Junction 38 • springboard for excursions into the 38 39 national park. The park office is only 39 • Espungabera 40 Chirinda Forest • 14 kilometres from the village, but the 40 41 last seven kilometres are on a dreadful 41 MOZAMBIQUE african broadbill peter steyn 42 42 dirt road and take half an hour to negoti- OR 43 ate. From here, access to the mountains is before forestry blighted the landscape, 43 44 on foot along a network of hiking trails. with pristine Brachystegia/Uapaca wood- 44 45 flycatchers that Chimanimani National Park, its virgin The initial 400-metre ascent through land giving way to evergreen forest on 45 46 include Blue- status owes much to rumours of open Brachystegia/Uapaca woodland and the southern slopes. The magnificent 46 47 grey, Blue- unexploded mines. The border with forested gullies is steep and rocky. Bridal Veil waterfall is an idyllic spot to 47 48 mantled, Fan- Mozambique is a stone’s throw away, and Common birds to look out for while picnic. While the birding here is superb, 48 penn lloyd 49 tailed, White- a clearing I came across in the forest was catching your breath are several miom- Above Open miombo woodland on the rocky western slopes of the the sanctuary suffers from a lack 49 50 tailed and Wattle-eyed. As in any forest, once used as a forward base by Rhodesian bo specials, namely the Miombo Rock Chimanimani mountains. of footpaths. 50 51 the real action is in the bird parties, so helicopter-gunships during the civil war. Thrush, Miombo Grey and Rufous- 51 52 listen out for the noisy Square-tailed There is much to be explored and discov- bellied tits, Miombo Double-collared often with a rewarding view of Augur Cape Bunting. 52 53 Drongos that normally accompany them. ered here, including the multi-tiered Sunbird, and Mashona . Others Buzzards soaring over the undulating The large mountain hut, which has The Bvumba 53 54 And don’t overlook the high-pitched, Mukurupini waterfalls cascading out of include Shelley’s Francolin, Freckled Bundi River valley to the high peaks of incredible views over the Bundi plain, is a Just 15 kilometres from Mutare, the capi- 54 55 almost inaudible trilling of Green and the Chimanimani mountains. With the Nightjar, Grey and White-breasted cuck- the Mawenje range that forms the border great place for hikers to overnight. But tal of , rise the 55 56 Red-throated twinspots as they flit possibility of old ordnance in mind, you ooshrikes, Mocking Chat, Barratt’s with Mozambique. Rocky ridges and out- the ludicrous ‘discounted’ fee of Z$200 rounded granite domes of the Bvumba, 56 57 through the thick undergrowth. would be well advised to hire a local Warbler, Chirinda Apalis, Red-faced crops with Protea bushes and Philippia per person ensures that most opt to camp the Eastern Highlands’ most popular 57 58 The forest fringe is the place to scout guide who knows the footpaths. Crombec, Green-capped Eremomela, scrub harbour Gurney’s Sugarbird, au sauvage or to doss down in scattered birding destination. 58 59 for Yellow-spotted , Barratt’s and Taking the sting out of Haroni birding Roberts’ Prinia, White and Red-billed hel- Malachite and Bronze sunbirds, Streaky- caves, some of which adjoin the water- Humid air rising up from the warm 59 60 Red-winged warblers, Blue-throated are organized trips (on request) leaving metshrikes, and Yellow-bellied Sunbird. headed and Black-eared canaries, and falls and plunge-pools dotted along the Mozambican lowlands condenses around 60 61 Sunbird and Grey Waxbill. Unlike the from Heaven backpackers’ hostel in A two- to three-hour slog gets you to endemic subspecies of both sparkling Bundi River. this massif to produce the mubvumbi, 61 62 sterile monocultures of advanced farm- Chimanimani, or from Kiledo Lodge the crest of the Mutserotsero range,  (discovered as recently as 1965) and After pausing at the strange Mtseritseri Shona for ‘persistent drizzle’, after  62 63

56 ZIMBABWE’S EASTERN HIGHLANDS africa – birds & birding 1997 – volume 2, number 6 ZIMBABWE’S EASTERN HIGHLANDS 57 

 1 which it is named. African White-tailed threatened by forestry, the spread of inva- The Nyanga National Park, which 1 2 On the lower north- Flycatcher. Yellow- Systematic list of bird species sive alien trees, and general development, is not unlike a dull section of the 2 3 ern slopes, hidden in streaked Bulbuls clam- mentioned in this article their days here must be numbered. Drakensberg foothills, conserves an 3 4 high-rainfall miombo bered through the With a checklist of over 250 species, the expanse of montane grassland particularly 4 Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis Broad-tailed Warbler Schoenicola brevirostris 5 woodland, are the foliage, tapping at dry Bvumba area offers the best of highland important for Blue Swallows, and is one of 5 Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus Yellow-throated Warbler Seicercus ruficapillus 6 Inn on the Vumba leaves, pausing only birding in comfortable surrounds. the few localities where Scarce Swifts may 6 Southern Banded Snake Eagle C. fasciolatus Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica 7 and White Horse Inn. to perform their curi- be seen. Unfortunately, extensive areas are 7 Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis Chirinda Apalis A. chirindensis 8 The nearby self-cater- ous habit of flicking Honde Valley suffering rampant invasion by alien pine 8 Augur Buzzard Buteo augur Black-headed Apalis A. melanocephala 9 ing chalet at Cloud open one wing. and wattle trees from the green cancer of 9 Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus Red-faced Crombec Sylvietta whytii and Nyanga 10 Seven is surrounded Chirinda Apalises, forestry that surrounds the park. 10 Taita Falcon Falco fasciinucha Green-capped Eremomela Eremomela scotops 11 by 50 hectares of easily confusable with Should you fancy some forest birding A showcase of avian diversity, the 11 Dickinson’s Kestrel F. dickinsoni African Moustached Warbler Melocichla mentalis peter steyn 12 woodland networked starred robin the female of the off the beaten track, wend your way Eastern Highlands nonetheless face the all 12 Shelley’s Francolin Francolinus shelleyi Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans 13 with footpaths. In local subspecies of down the valley to the too familiar threats associated with devel- 13 Great Snipe Gallinago media Red-faced Cisticola C. erythrops 14 this lower altitude woodland, Barred Owl, Bar-throated Apalis (which lacks a bar on 14 Delegorgue’s Pigeon Columba delegorguei Short-winged Cisticola C. brachyptera 15 Whyte’s Barbet, Lesser and Sharp-billed the throat), hopped through the canopy 15 Blue-spotted Dove Turtur afer Red-winged Warbler Heliolais erythroptera 16 honeyguides, Little Spotted Woodpecker, with Yellow-throated Warblers and a 16 Tambourine Dove T. tympanistria Roberts’ Prinia Prinia robertsi 17 Miombo Grey, Rufous-bellied and Grey Black-fronted . A Scaly- 17 Cinnamon Dove Aplopelia larvata Blue-grey Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens 18 Penduline tits, Spotted Creeper, Miombo throated Honeyguide perched unobtru- 18 Livingstone’s Lourie Tauraco livingstonii Fan-tailed Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus 19 , African Moustached and sively on a looping liana, while Collared 19 Barred Cuckoo Cercococcyx montanus Vanga Flycatcher Bias musicus 20 Red-winged warblers, Striped, Tree and and Olive sunbirds twittered around a 20 Green Coucal Ceuthmochares aereus Mozambique Batis Batis soror 21 Wood , Western Violet-backed flowering shrub. An Orange Ground 21 Barred Owl Glaucidium capense Woodwards’ Batis B. fratrum 22 Sunbird, East African Swee and Cabanis’ Thrush rustled the leaf-litter to one side, 22 Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli Wattle-eyed Flycatcher Platysteira peltata 23 Bunting may be seen. and a party of Roberts’ Prinias chattered 23 Freckled Nightjar Caprimulgus tristigma Blue-mantled Flycatcher Trochocercus cyanomelas 24 The moister slopes higher up are noisily further off. After two hours of 24 Scarce Swift Schoutedenapus myoptilus African White-tailed Flycatcher T. albonotatus 25 cloaked in montane forest. The idyllic pausing and peering hopefully into the 25 Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina Long-tailed Wagtail Motacilla clara 26 Bvumba Botanical Gardens, where you gloomy undergrowth, I thought 26 Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus Striped Anthus lineiventris 27 are likely to be welcomed by a troop of Swynnerton’s Robin would remain true 27 Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes brevis Tree Pipit A. trivialis 28 samango monkeys gambolling on the to form. But then, with a soft ‘prrup’ of 28 White-eared Barbet Stactolaema leucotis Wood Pipit A. nyassae 29 lawns, is the place to go if camping. its wings, it appeared before us, a dumpy, 29 Whyte’s Barbet S. whytii Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus 30 Alternative forest-edge accommodation olive-grey shadow hopping busily about 30 Golden-rumped Tinker Barbet Pogoniulus bilineatus Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio 31 includes self-catering chalets at Culem- and flicking away leaves in search of 31 Scaly-throated Honeyguide Indicator variegatus Bomakierie zeylonus restrictus 32 burg and Seldomseen, the more up-mar- insects. A confiding little bird, it paid no 32 Lesser Honeyguide I. minor T. quadricolor 33 ket Eden Lodge, and for those with deep attention to us, offering only fleeting 33 Eastern Honeyguide I. meliphilus Black-fronted Bushshrike T. nigrifrons 34 pockets, the world-renowned Leopard glimpses of its orange belly and distinc- 34 Sharp-billed Honeyguide Prodotiscus regulus White Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus 35 Rock Hotel. Everywhere, paths plunge tive white collar. 35 Little Spotted Woodpecker Campethera cailliautii Red-billed Helmetshrike P. retzii 36 into the gloomy interior of forest patches The Bunga Forest is a good spot for 36 African Broadbill capensis Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike P. scopifrons 37 that are unusually rich in birds. Delegorgue’s Pigeon, Narina Trogon, 37 Angola Pitta Pitta angolensis Gurney’s Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi 38 Born in the Bvumba, Peter Mwad- Starred Robin and, in grassy clearings, 38 Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa 39 ziwana has worked at Seldomseen for the twinspots and Red-faced Crimsonwing. 39 Eastern Saw-wing Swallow Psalidoprocne orientalis Bronze Sunbird N. kilimensis 40 past 20 years and knows the forest birds On the forest fringes and in gardens, 40 White-breasted Coracina pectoralis Purple-banded Sunbird N. bifasciata 41 intimately. A guided look out for White- 41 Grey Cuckooshrike C. caesia Miombo Double-collared Sunbird N. manoensis 42 walk with him is worth eared Barbet and 42 Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigii Yellow-bellied Sunbird N. venusta 43 anyone’s time, particu- Golden-rumped Tinker 43 African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus Olive Sunbird N. olivacea 44 larly if you are having Barbet, Heuglin’s Robin, 44 Miombo Grey Tit Parus griseiventris Collared Sunbird Anthreptes collaris 45 trouble finding the Bronze, Malachite and 45 Rufous-bellied Tit P. rufiventris Blue-throated Sunbird A. reichenowi 46 ever-elusive wynner- Yellow-bellied sunbirds, 46 Grey Penduline Tit Anthoscopus caroli Western Violet-backed Sunbird A. longuemarei peter steyn 47 ton’s Robin. A quiet and the Gorgeous 47 Spotted Creeper Salpornis spilonotus Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops 48 and gentle man, he will Bushshrike. Above Roberts’ Prinia, an Eastern Highlands ‘special’. 48 Yellow-streaked Bulbul Phyllastrephus flavostriatus Fire-crowned Bishop Euplectes hordeaceus 49 lead you on a slow and A favoured hang-out 49 Slender Bulbul P. debilis Golden-backed Pytilia Pytilia afra 50 stealthy stroll through of the raucous Silvery- Aberfoyle Tea Estate, whose club oper- opment and a burgeoning population. 50 Stripe-cheeked Bulbul Andropadus milanjensis Green Twinspot Mandingoa nitidula 51 his neck of the woods. cheeked Hornbills is ates as a small and rustic hotel. Here, The persistence of many species in habi- 51 Yellow-spotted Nicator Nicator gularis Red-faced Crimsonwing Cryptospiza reichenovii 52 As we entered the for- the forest bordering the rolling hills of neatly clipped tea-bushes tats that were never very extensive, and 52 Orange Ground Thrush Zoothera gurneyi Nyasa Seedcracker Pyrenestes minor 53 est, Cinnamon and magnificent 19-hole give way to luxuriant montane forest on are now much fragmented, will depend 53 Miombo Rock Thrush Monticola angolensis Red-throated Twinspot Hypargos niveoguttatus 54 Tambourine doves Leopard Rock golf- the eastern slopes of the Nyanga moun- on the extent to which ecotourism can 54 Mocking Chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris Grey Waxbill Estrilda perreini 55 exploded from the course. These huge, tains. Paths more often frequented by realize an alternative income from the 55 Heuglin’s Robin Cossypha heuglini East African Swee E. quartinia 56 undergrowth as dark, eye-catching birds are bushpigs follow rushing mountain land they occupy. With its diversity of 56 Starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata Streaky-headed Canary Serinus gularis habitats, natural wonders, large bushveld 57 flashing shapes, flutter- spotted creeper peter steyn nowhere common, as streams where Long-tailed Wagtails bob 57 Swynnerton’s Robin Swynnertonia swynnertoni Black-eared Canary S. mennelli 58 ing to rest somewhere they range about in on glistening rocks. A local oddity is wilderness areas and healthy wildlife pop- 58 Mashona Hyliota Hyliota australis Cabanis’s Bunting Emberiza cabanisi 59 unseen. A Blue-spotted Dove hooted search of fruiting trees. Vestiges of mon- Zimbabwe’s only Palm-nut Vulture, ulations, Zimbabwe has immense poten- 59 African Yellow Warbler natalensis Cape Bunting E. capensis smithersii 60 mournfully some distance away. Soon we tane grassland are home to breeding Blue which has appeared each evening for tial as a tourist destination. The Eastern 60 Barratt’s Warbler Bradypterus barratti 61 found ourselves in the midst of a bird Swallows in summer. With this habitat the past three years to roost in a grove Highlands are an important component 61 of that diversity and allure.  62 party, heralded by the restlessly flitting under no formal protection and  of tall eucalypts. 62 63

58 ZIMBABWE’S EASTERN HIGHLANDS africa – birds & birding 1997 – volume 2, number 6 ZIMBABWE’S EASTERN HIGHLANDS 59