NORTHERN TANZANIA BIRDING & WILDLIFE IN THE SERENGETI, NGORONGORO CRATER & BEYOND

FEBRUARY 16–MARCH 4, 2020

Red-and-yellow Barbet (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

LEADERS: KEVIN ZIMMER & ANTHONY RAFAEL LIST COMPILED BY: KEVIN ZIMMER

VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM

NORTHERN TANZANIA

February 16–March 4, 2020

By Kevin Zimmer

Retz’s Helmetshrike, Ngare Sero, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

As has become the routine, the entire group arrived in Tanzania at least a day early to recover from the international flights and enjoy some relaxing birding on the lovely grounds of Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, an old estate converted to an intimate tourist lodge. Here, amidst the spectacular gardens and remnant forest bordering a lily-covered pond and trout stream, we gained an introduction to African birds, including several species that we would not see elsewhere on the trip. Noteworthy among our many prizes were a group of bizarre Retz’s Helmetshrikes, wildly duetting Rüppell’s Robin-Chats, and stunning views of Collared, Amethyst, and Olive sunbirds. More expected, but no less welcome, were such ‘regulars’ as Hamerkop, a trio of African Black Ducks, loads of bickering Little Grebes, Black Crake, unusually confiding Tambourine Doves, numbers of White-eared Barbets, Kenrick’s Starling, Brown-hooded and Giant kingfishers, prehistoric looking Silvery-cheeked Hornbills, dapper Mountain Wagtails, Black-backed Puffbacks, attractive male and female Black-throated Wattle-eyes, and actively nesting

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Taveta Golden-Weavers (a regional specialty with a highly restricted range) and Grosbeak Weavers. We topped it off with nice views of a pair of lovely African Wood- Owls and some extended studies of two special primates—Guereza Colobus and Blue (Syke’s) Monkey.

African Wood-Owl, Ngare Sero, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Our first “official” day on safari took us to nearby Arusha National Park, lying in the shadow of Mt. Meru. This park is small, but has many different habitats and offers a wonderful variety of birds and big game. In the lovely highland forest near the Fig Tree Arch, we were treated to an elegant pair of Bar-tailed Trogons, some vociferous but stunning Hartlaub’s Turacos (endemic to east Africa), Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Moustached Tinkerbird, Stripe-cheeked and Eastern Mountain greenbuls, Eurasian Blackcap, Gray Wagtail, and Thick-billed Seedeater, as well as a couple of very special species of small forest antelope, the impressively reddish Harvey’s Duiker, and the even smaller, and rarely seen, Suni. After an exceptionally rainy last five months (October– February), the water levels in the Momela Lakes were higher than I had ever seen them, leaving precious little exposed mud or shoreline habitat for shorebirds. But, happily, the salinity levels of the alkaline lakes did not appear to be adversely impacted, as evidenced by good concentrations of Lesser (1200+) and Greater (200+) flamingos, and 100+ Cape Teal. The circuits through the mosaic of lowland habitats (grassland, bush, woodland, and lake edge) were birdy as always, with a soaring juvenile Martial Eagle; Horus Swift; Pied Cuckoo; a lone Madagascar Bee-eater; some gorgeous White-fronted Bee-eaters; Spot-flanked and Brown-breasted barbets; Moustached Grass-Warbler; a pair of Black Cuckooshrikes; Long-billed Pipit; Pangani Longclaw; and many more, including great studies of six species (Red-faced, Trilling, Singing, Winding, Rattling, and Siffling) of cisticolas, which were destined to become a group favorite. Mammalian highlights

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Northern Tanzania, 2020 included some nice “Masai” Giraffes; troops of Olive Baboons; impressive Guereza Colobus monkeys; and loads of Bushbucks and Defassa (Common) Waterbucks, with a sprinkling of Common Warthogs, Common Zebras, and African Buffalo mixed in.

Lesser Flamingos, Arusha NP, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Guereza Colobus, Arusha NP, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

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Early the next morning we drove to the Kilimanjaro airport, where we caught our commercial flight to Mwanza (Tanzania’s second largest city), in the Lake Victoria region of western Tanzania. There, we met up with Vincent and Edson, our two excellent safari drivers, who would be with us for the remainder of the trip. After lunch in Mwanza, it was about a two-and-a-half-hour drive to our next lodge at Speke Bay, an attractive and intimate lodge nestled on the very shores of the vast inland sea that is Lake Victoria. After a short break to settle in to our rooms, we ventured forth on a late afternoon bird walk around the lodge grounds. Although late afternoon bird activity was somewhat slower than normal, we still found plenty to occupy our attention, from a cryptically plumaged day-roosting Square-tailed Nightjar, to incandescent Black-headed Gonoleks, Red-chested Sunbirds, Black-billed Barbets, and an unusually cooperative male Green-winged Pytilia. The resident Pearl-spotted Owlet appeared right on cue, although its presence failed to produce the usual hyper-aggressive swarm of smaller birds intent on driving it away. We did turn up an unusually confiding Red-chested Cuckoo, which posed for an extended period, and a lovely Gray-headed Kingfisher, which also sat nicely for scope-filling views. In addition to the Black-billed Barbets, our primary target of this walk was the Three-banded (Heuglin’s) Courser, a cryptically patterned, largely nocturnal shorebird that spends its days resting quietly in the shade, relying on the complexity of its plumage, combined with near total inactivity, to spare it from potential predators. But, on this afternoon, the coursers were nowhere to be found, nor were their crepuscular partners-in-crime, the Spotted Thick-knees, and both species would have to wait for at least another day.

Black-headed Gonolek, Speke Bay, Feb 2019 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Northern Tanzania, 2020 The next day we picked up right where we left off, spending most of the morning birding on foot around the lodge, a venture highlighted by four species of kingfishers, ranging from the abundant and impossible-to-miss Pied Kingfishers (We saw over 200 at this one spot!), to the diminutive and retiring but drop-dead-gorgeous Malachite and African Pygmy kingfishers. Weavers were also well-represented, including Slender-billed, Northern Brown-throated, Village, Golden-backed (Jackson’s), and Black-headed (Yellow-backed), many of which were well into nest-building and courtship activities. Sunbirds (Scarlet-chested and Red-chested) and Black-headed Gonoleks were again conspicuous; a pair of Dideric Cuckoos proved hyper-responsive; Blue-naped Mousebirds and D’Arnaud’s Barbets (of the distinctive “Usambiro” type) showed nicely; and two fierce little Pearl-spotted Owlets succeeded in attracting the usual ‘mob scene’ of little passerines (among them, Buff-bellied Warbler, Swamp Flycatcher, Blue-capped Cordonbleu, Green-winged Pytilia, and Silverbird) when they responded to playback. Least expected of our many finds was a perched and very handsome Red-necked Falcon, followed an hour later by a perched adult Palm-nut Vulture (Only the 2nd time I’ve recorded the species at Speke Bay, after having first photographed an immature bird here on our 2019 tour.) Anthony located the resident pair of massive Verreaux’s Eagle-Owls on their daytime roost, and followed that up with a nice spot of a cryptic quartet of Three- banded Coursers (our missed target from the previous afternoon), which, as usual, opted to “freeze” in place, allowing us superb studies. The reed beds and papyrus fringing the lake were largely inaccessible to us this year due to the higher-than-normal water levels, so, we ended up getting completely “skunked” on the usual assortment of reed-loving Acrocephalus warblers, and the Blue-headed Coucals (here at the extreme eastern limit of their range), although heard several times, could not be coaxed out of the papyrus and into view.

After lunch, we checked out and made the short drive to the western entrance gate to Serengeti National Park. While Vincent and Edson handled the inevitable paperwork at the entrance gate, the rest of us managed to secure exceptional studies of a Greater Honeyguide. Documents in hand, we then set off on our long transect of the western corridor of the Serengeti. Given that at this early juncture in the tour nearly everything was new, frequent stops were inevitable. Most noteworthy was finding a rare Karamoja Apalis, a gnatcatcher-like bird known primarily from a restricted range in northern Uganda, but here part of a highly localized and isolated population. The apalis was preceded by an exceptionally confiding pair of Wattled Lapwings and followed by a couple of locally uncommon Eastern Plantain-eaters. I was particularly happy to get the plantain-eaters, because our usual “go-to spot” for finding them was inaccessible due to muddy road conditions.

In fact, the unusually prolonged and heavy rains of the previous five months had transformed the landscape of the entire Western Corridor from its normal late-February condition. Gone was the usual road dust, replaced by mud and numerous puddles, with a couple of dicey spots requiring off-track circumnavigation by our Land Cruisers. The Grumeti River, typically (in this season) a nearly stagnant ribbon of fetid water choked with throngs of Hippopotami and Nile Crocodiles, was, instead, a raging torrent of white- water. The grasslands were tall and lush, making for unusually verdant vistas, but

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 Northern Tanzania, 2020 simultaneously providing an abundance of concealing cover for terrestrial birds and felines, increasing, almost exponentially, the degree of difficulty of spotting any of these from our moving vehicles. None of these factors could explain the apparent dearth of raptors, shrikes, and rollers, numbers of which were a far cry from what I was conditioned to seeing on this drive through the western Serengeti. To be sure, there were still lots of birds to be seen, particularly lustrous purple Rüppell’s Starlings and their shorter-tailed but more rainbow-hued cousins, the Superb Starlings, as well as goodly numbers of White-headed and Red-billed buffalo-weavers, Gray-headed Social-Weavers, and Rufous-tailed Weavers. The drive also yielded our first views of two of the iconic birds of the African savannas, in Common Ostrich and the bizarre Southern Ground- Hornbill, as well as such rain-stimulated breeders as Black Coucal, Fan-tailed Widowbird, and Pin-tailed and Steel-blue whydahs, males of which were all decked-out in full nuptial plumage. Large herbivorous mammals were less abundant than normal, no doubt because the tall grasses were both less palatable and nutritious than newer vegetative growth in areas that had only recently experienced the onset of the rainy season. Nonetheless, we were treated to our first African Elephants of the trip, along with more Giraffes and Common Zebras, as well as good numbers of Topi, gazelles, and Impala, among others. Eventually, we arrived at luxurious Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge, with time to spare before dusk, and enjoyed the first of what previous groups have aptly labeled as “the world’s best showers.” That night, and the two that followed, we went to sleep to the grunting calls of Lions, along with the varied calls of Spotted Hyaenas, all down slope from our camp.

Wattled Lapwing, Serengeti NP, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

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The next morning, our plan was to head directly to the Seronera area, located in the heart of the central Serengeti. To many people, the Serengeti is practically synonymous with “big cats,” and, indeed, felines, particularly Leopards, were to be our primary objectives on this day and the next. Stops for birds were inevitable, and netted us many additions to the list, ranging from displaying Flappet Larks and perched Pygmy Falcons to pairs and small parties of Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbills and Bare-faced Go-away-birds leapfrogging their way through the acacia woodlands. On each of our three mornings out of Kubu Kubu, it was a challenge just to make it off the entrance road, with such treats as Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Magpie Shrike, Pale Flycatcher, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Golden-breasted Bunting, and a perched adult Martial Eagle, among others, necessitating frequent stops. Upon arrival at the Seronera River on the first morning, we were greeted by a family group of Red-throated Tits, a snazzy Woodland Kingfisher, Black Crakes slipping through the rank grasses lining the river, a large band of comical Banded Mongoose, and the omnipresent Marabou Storks, whose funereal comportment, combined with their truly grotesque appearance, has earned them, in perpetuity, the unofficial title of “The bird with which I would least want to be trapped in an elevator!”

Such musings aside, our arrival in the Seronera area made one thing abundantly clear— finding cats was not going to be the cakewalk that it normally is. Normally, in this area of heavy safari vehicle activity, the radios would be crackling with up-to-the-minute bulletins regarding the locations of cats. Such was not the case on this day, when the radios were oddly silent, except for the occasional desperate query as to whether anyone else was having any luck. The abundant and prolonged rains and the tall grass conditions that they produced were proving very difficult for spotting cats on the ground. We did manage one dozing female Leopard in a tree on the first morning, and the rather unusual sight of a Cheetah, albeit low, in a tree in the afternoon. But, by the end of our first one- and-a-half days in the Serengeti, we had yet to see a single Lion, which was unprecedented in my many years of doing this tour. At one point during the afternoon excursion, we were watching a Spotted Hyaena moving through the tall grass next to the road, when, without warning, a decent-sized, overall buffy rail with contrastingly bright rufous-colored wings and dangling yellow legs and feet flushed out of the dry savanna grass in front of the hyaena, flew a short distance, and abruptly pitched back down out of sight—Corn Crake! This Palearctic migrant is a regular passage migrant through the savannas of northern Tanzania at this time of year, but although not truly rare, it is only rarely seen.

On our second morning out of Kubu Kubu, we again returned to the Seronera area, concentrating on birds, while constantly monitoring the radios for cat alerts from other safari drivers. Once again, the radios were unusually quiet, but that changed when we picked up a call that our female Leopard from the previous day had been re-found and was sitting up and alert in a different and more readily visible tree. Change of plans! We dropped the cisticolas we were looking at and headed directly for the Leopard. We arrived to find the cat still in place, sitting up in the crotch of a tree, surveying the assembled paparazzi with bored indifference. After perhaps 10 minutes of this, she stood up suddenly, inspected the ground below, and then descended the tree head-first,

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 8 Northern Tanzania, 2020 disappearing into the grass on landing, her withdrawal from the area betrayed only by the tip of her long tail periscoping above the grass as she walked away.

Leopard, Serengeti NP, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Mid-to-late-morning restroom stops at the park visitor center on both days paid off with a nice procession of estrildid finches (including Gray-headed Silverbill, Purple Grenadier, Red-cheeked and Blue-capped cordonbleus, and Green-winged Pytilia), Red-throated Tits, Red-backed Scrub-Robins, D’Arnaud’s (Usambiro) Barbets, Speckle-fronted Weavers and others coming to drink and bathe in some puddles beneath the water tower supplying the restrooms. Here too, we found White-rumped Swifts and Swahili Sparrows occupying the abandoned mud nests of Lesser Striped Swallows; a pair of Little Weavers; a very responsive pair of Red-fronted Barbets; some colorful Mwanza Flat- headed Agama lizards; and bunches of Black-necked Rock and (Yellow-spotted) Bush Hyraxes.

The afternoon of our second full day out of Kubu Kubu found us exploring the Ratima Plains, not many kilometers distant from our camp. En route, we stopped for a male Straw-tailed Whydah displaying energetically for a female perched a few inches away. The male, in his efforts, reminded me somewhat of a male Bronzed Cowbird of North America—head and neck feathers erected in a sort of cowl that lent an odd shape to his head, wings drooped and quivering as he attempted to “helicopter” above the female with short jumping flights—the most obvious distinction being the dangling, long, straw- colored tail feathers. Once off the main track, and out into the grasslands proper, we worked on obtaining good studies of Desert, Pectoral-patch, and Zitting cisticolas; stopped for a fabulous pair of White-bellied Bustards right next to the track; and scored superb studies of male Pin-tailed and Steel-blue whydahs, thus completing the whydah hat trick for the day!

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 9 Northern Tanzania, 2020

The next morning, we bid Kubu Kubu Camp goodbye and struck out once more for the Seronera area. Taking the familiar route along the Seronera River, we encountered a smattering of migrant and resident shorebirds and some particularly confiding, attractively patterned, Winding Cisticolas adorning the tops of the rank greenery bordering the sinuous river. We also turned up a perched pair of Gray-rumped Swallows, a species that we seldom see on this tour. Breaking out of the river bottom and onto the plains, we took note that hefty Croaking Cisticolas and diminutive Pectoral-patch Cisticolas had taken the place of their riparian-dwelling cousins. Acacias festooned with chorusing groups of Black-lored Babblers could not help but grab our attention, while Fischer’s Sparrow-Larks and Double-banded Coursers constantly flushed from the dirt track just ahead of our vehicles, and impressive Black-breasted Snake-Eagles and Martial Eagles patrolled the skies overhead. We also witnessed a Black-winged Kite defending its nest from a pair of Cape Crows by waging an impressive aerial dogfight. We couldn’t linger too long, because we had to make our way across the plains to Naabi Hills, where we would picnic before exiting the park at 2:30 p.m. We continued to pick off more new birds, including Taita Fiscal and our first spectacular Gray Crowned-Cranes and massive Kori Bustards, as we went, and when Anthony’s vehicle pulled up alongside of a glaringly white-eyed Greater Kestrel, it completed, for half of our group, our “kestrel slam” (Gray, Eurasian, Lesser, and Greater) for the day (the rest of us would catch up with Greater Kestrel a few days later).

Lion, Serengeti NP, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 10 Northern Tanzania, 2020 As we approached Naabi Hills, we began to see more and more grazing animals— Wildebeests, Common Zebras, Kongoni, and Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles. Best of all, we finally broke up our Lion shutout, when we came across a pride of seven (including one dark-maned adult male) in peaceful repose next to an ephemeral, muddy pool. While we sat watching the Lions, numbers of sharply patterned African Quailfinches kept swarming to the muddy margins of the pool to drink and bathe. After lunch, we exited the park and set off across the short-grass Naabi-Ndutu Triangle Plains. Here too, ungulate numbers were noticeably higher and included groups of large, decidedly bovine, Eland. Rocks lining the main gravel road were liberally topped with perky Capped, Northern, and Isabelline wheatears, as well as African (Grassland) Pipits, Fischer’s Sparrow-Larks, and the occasional vivid Blue-headed Tree Agama, and provided nice hiding spots for multiple Spotted Thick-knees. Off the main track, and heading directly for Ndutu, I was struck by the uncharacteristic presence of large numbers of Laughing Doves and Mourning Collared-Doves on the treeless, short-grass plains, and simultaneously, by the complete absence of expected Yellow-throated Sandgrouse. One highlight of note was seeing a Kori Bustard being closely followed by its tiny, but precocious chick. Eventually, we made it across the Triangle Plains and descended into the Ndutu woodlands below, arriving at our lodge in the late afternoon, but only after some drama involving another safari vehicle that managed to get stuck in the mud in a flooded section of the road, in the process, blocking all other traffic from getting through. Getting the vehicle extricated took 15–20 minutes—time we put to good use spotting our first Southern Red Bishop of the tour, along with a passing flock of White-winged and Gull-billed terns.

Kori Bustard (adult with chick, Triangle Plains, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Ndutu is probably my favorite stop on our trip. The intimacy of the lodge, combined with its proximity to a variety of habitats (alkaline lakes, freshwater marsh, short-grass plains,

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 11 Northern Tanzania, 2020 woodland, and bush) and the resulting bird diversity, and the ever-present possibility of encountering cats (big and small) and their prey, makes for a nearly unbeatable combination. Ndutu is also the place where we normally expect to intercept the Blue Wildebeest migration, when the wildebeests are pausing to calve in lush grasslands replenished by the onset of rains. As such, our primary focus while in Ndutu is typically twofold: 1) bear witness to the spectacle of the “Great Migration” of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles; and, 2) get quality studies of as many cats as possible. Our other main objective, to see a large and representative cross-section of the area’s diverse avifauna, is typically achieved organically, during the pursuit of objectives #1 and #2.

Accordingly, we headed out the next morning through the Ndutu woodlands to the Makao Plains in search of the migratory herds. We would not have long to wait before we began seeing lines of steadily moving wildebeests, some plodding, others in full canter, but all moving with singular focus toward recently rain-kissed grasslands whose fresh growth of nutritious forage could support their burgeoning ranks. Breaking onto the plains, we encountered an awesome, primeval scene, with wildebeests stretching to the horizon in all directions—an estimated 800,000 strong over the course of the morning— accompanied by much smaller numbers of Common Zebras and Red-fronted (Thomson’s) and Grant’s gazelles. As we worked our way slowly through and among the throngs, it was an amazing sight to watch the sea of moving ungulates part to make way for our vehicles, only to close ranks behind us as we passed. Migrant “Eurasian” Barn Swallows used the Wildebeests and our Land Cruisers as “beaters,” zipping back- and-forth in front of us to opportunistically snatch up insects flushed by our progression, while, in places, many hundreds of Wattled Starlings used the grazing mammals themselves as perches from which they dropped to the ground to pounce upon insects disturbed by the hooves of the constantly moving herds. We didn’t have to look far to see that we weren’t the only ones tracking the movements of the migratory herds— scattered Spotted Hyaenas (individually and in small groups) poked their heads out of the concealing grass and low thickets, as did a Cheetah that seemed to have its sights set first on a “Tommie,” and then, on some wildebeest calves, before having its presence “outed” by a very alert zebra. Late morning thermal shimmer, combined with dust stirred by hundreds of thousands of hooves in motion, and the constant movements of the many sinuous lines of grazers, lent a surreal, hazy, and undulating quality to the panorama before us, one whose otherworldliness was only enhanced by the aural backdrop provided by the discordant grunting calls of the wildebeests. It was easy to imagine parallels with the great Bison herds that once roamed North America’s Great Plains and wonder if contemporaneous Native Americans felt the same sense of awe that we were feeling.

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Blue Wildebeest (Brindled Gnu) migration across the Makao Plains, Ndutu, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Blue Wildebeest (Brindled Gnu) migration across the Makao Plains, Ndutu, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

In following the herds, we were continually reminded that each day on these plains is a struggle for survival, and one in which there are always going to be losers as well as winners. Squabbling covens of vultures (of four species) and Marabou Storks never

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 13 Northern Tanzania, 2020 failed to advertise the spot where some unfortunate wildebeest, zebra, or gazelle met an untimely end. In these times of relative plenty, each such kill that we happened across had been abandoned by the predators, who had already moved on to fresh opportunities. Their scraps were left for nature’s sanitation crews. For those of us accustomed to the relatively mute ways of New World vultures, it is always a bit disconcerting to experience the caterwauling cacophony emanating from a gathering of Old World vultures fighting over the remains of a kill, particularly when accompanied, as it invariably is, by some very real physical aggression. The Rüppell’s Griffons are the master practicioners food fight mayhem, and are as apt to inflict it on one another as they are on the marginally more docile White-backed Vultures and the distinctly smaller Hooded Vultures. Even the Griffons, however, seemed to dial back the attitude whenever one or more massive Lappet-faced Vultures joined the scrum—everyone knows that the Big Dog’s gotta eat!

Rüppell’s Griffons, White-backed Vultures and Marabou Stork at a kill, Makao Plains, Ndutu, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Before leaving the Makao Plains and heading back to the lodge for lunch, Anthony’s vehicle jumped an African Wild Cat from a small thicket of low shrubbery. These small cats are not much larger than our domestic cats, and they are primarily nocturnal in their habits, preferring to spend their days sleeping within concealing cover. Although not uncommon, they are uncommonly seen. This particular cat did not go far before pitching back into another low thicket. Anthony alerted us, and soon we had pulled alongside and joined the rest of our group in peering intently into the thicket. Within seconds, the cat suddenly burst from hiding, sprinted right past our vehicle, and then disappeared into a

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 14 Northern Tanzania, 2020 larger thicket 20–30 m away. It was actually the best view that I’ve ever had of this elusive and inconspicuous animal, and one upon which we were unlikely to improve, so we left it alone and continued on our way.

What about other cats? Well, we were unsuccessful in locating any Lion prides, normally a staple of the Ndutu woodlands and the area around the Big Marsh, although we did enjoy three sightings of lone lionesses over our two full days in the area. Our Cheetah luck was much better, as we tallied two on the first day and three more the next, a couple of which fit into the “up close and personal” category. The first of these was an individual that had clearly made a very recent kill—its facial fur and whiskers were still matted with barely congealed blood, and its abdomen was bulging at the seams—and was still sleeping off the effects of its feast. We spent some time with this individual, which we basically had all to ourselves, and sat spellbound as it alternately rested, sat up, walked around, and then resumed resting again, all right beside our vehicles. Another, obviously younger, individual, seen on our last afternoon, was similarly lethargic when first encountered, but was disturbed by another safari vehicle that approached too closely. It relocated to another spot, in the process, flushing a Common Quail that fluttered up, dropped back to the ground and froze, in the open, momentarily, before scooting off into the taller grass.

Cheetah, resting after feasting, Ndutu, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

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Cheetah, same animal on the prowl, Ndutu, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

As always, Ndutu delivered on the birding front. The recent rains resulted in puddles everywhere we looked, so the water feature at the lodge failed to attract the usual swarms of thirsty birds. Nonetheless, flashy Fischer’s Lovebirds were still nesting in old woodpecker holes in trees ringing the parking lot, and were frequent sights in the woodlands. We scored outstanding studies of emerald-green-and-white Dideric Cuckoos, as well as Nubian and Bearded woodpeckers, Beautiful Sunbirds, and nest-building Village Weavers and Lesser Masked-Weavers, all on the lodge grounds. Smart-looking Double-banded Coursers and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse shared the short grass plains, although the latter were not nearly as numerous as usual, and their more robust cousins, the Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, were nowhere to be found. Raptors were everywhere, and included such fan favorites as Martial Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Dark Chanting- Goshawk, and Bateleur, among many others, including the unique Secretarybird, a terrestrial raptor of sorts, which is the sole member of a monotypic family endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Abundant Gray-breasted Francolins (a northern Tanzanian endemic) and Helmeted Guineafowl were constantly darting across the dirt tracks in front of our vehicles, and displaying Southern Red Bishops and White-winged Widowbirds took conspicuous positions atop the taller shrubs in the low-lying marshes. Laughing Doves and Mourning Collared-Doves were unusually abundant, as they had been on the Triangle Plains a few days earlier. Although higher water levels in the marshes made for less exposed mud and fewer shorebirds overall, we still found a nice variety, including better-than-average numbers of Pied Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, and Curlew Sandpipers, and a concentration of 400+ Collared Pratincoles. We also enjoyed excellent studies of several dapper little Chestnut-banded Plovers. Particularly unlikely to be forgotten were the family groups of White-rumped Shrikes that enlivened our Happy Hour checklist sessions by enthusiastically snatching popcorn from our hands!

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Secretarybirds on their nest, Ndutu, February 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

We departed Ndutu under sodden skies and amid a light drizzle of rain, conditions which prevented a planned last visit to Lake Masek. Realizing that any elevation of water levels at the already flooded section of road leading from Ndutu to the Triangle Plains could result in us not being able to get out, we opted to depart immediately after breakfast and strike out across the plains while we still could. The drizzle was still with us as we exited the plains and turned onto the road leading to Oldupai Gorge. Inspection of the cluster of trees surrounding the exit gate revealed that there were multiple, very soggy kestrels (both Eurasian and Lesser) attempting in vain to stay dry by sheltering beneath the canopy. While glassing through the kestrels, I came upon a larger, tawnier feathered mass that I initially took for a Greater Kestrel. But, as I was in the middle of directing everyone to its very concealed location, it shifted slightly, and turned its head, revealing itself as a Barn Owl on a day roost! Turning onto the main road, we paused for repeated Capped and Northern wheatears perched atop the roadside rocks, and some lovely Blue- naped Mousebirds adorning a low acacia. In short order, I spotted a pair of Greater Kestrels sitting side by side on some rocks—a “catch-up” bird for half of the group, who had missed them on the drive out of the Serengeti a few days before. These Greater Kestrels were not prize specimens—they looked half-drowned, with feathers completely matted by the rain, and their identity made obvious only by their conspicuous white eyes. They did not look at all happy, but their soggy distress paled in comparison to that of a completely drenched Tawny Eagle that we encountered a few kilometers down the road—raptors were not faring well in the rain, on these nearly treeless plains. A perched light-morph Booted Eagle, an uncommon Palearctic passage migrant, was a good find, however, as was an Eastern Chanting-Goshawk a short time later.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 17 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Our next stop, at Oldupai (remember, NOT “Olduvai”!) Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind” where Louis and Mary Leakey made many of their groundbreaking discoveries, provided an insightful look into the ancient past. The arid, overgrazed plains lining the entrance road produced many Red-capped Larks, as well as a hoped-for Short-tailed Lark, as usual, actively engaged in using its outsized bill as a digging tool to unearth arthropod prey from the soil. Normally our midday visits to the gorge are conducted in stifling heat under an unrelenting sun, but, on this day, we were fortunate to be able to bird around the visitor center in relative cool, shortly after the skies had cleared. The more pleasant weather conditions did not coincide with the presence of Palearctic migrants, and for the first time in my last several visits, there was no indication of White-throated Robins (a.k.a. “Irania”) hanging around. We did, however, obtain some nice looks at Abyssinian Scimitarbill; Red-fronted Tinkerbird; Abyssinian (Common Scrub) White-eye; Scarlet- chested, Beautiful, and Variable sunbirds; Red-backed Scrub-Robin; White-bellied Canary; Crimson-rumped Waxbill; Red-billed Firefinch; Black Bishop; and nest-building Vitelline Masked-Weavers. We also found a couple of Flap-necked Chameleons and several Red-headed Rock Agamas. After lunch, we were treated to an informative lecture on the paleontological investigations that had been conducted in the gorge, the lessons of which were reinforced by our subsequent tour of the on-site museum.

Flap-necked Chameleon, Oldupai Gorge, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Upon leaving the gorge, we headed directly to Ngorongoro Crater. Before we knew it, we found ourselves on the rim of the crater, enjoying the spectacular panoramic view. We stopped often on our steep descent, most notably for Abyssinian Wheatear and for the locally distributed Wailing (Lyne’s) Cisticola. Family parties of comical Northern

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 18 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Anteater-Chats necessitated more stops, as did additional wheatears and a Spotted Eagle- Owl on its day roost, but we eventually reached the crater floor. Almost immediately, we were confronted with a distressing scene. A small group of Common Zebras crossed the road in front of us, all of them on high alert, their attention directed back from whence they came, seemingly, in the direction of a lone Spotted Hyaena and a lone Common Jackal, each of which seemed to be independently following a blood trail. Included among the zebras was a young foal that had obviously been severely mauled by something. We suspected that the perpetrator had been a hyaena (although not the one following the blood trail, because it had no signs of blood on its face or muzzle), and that its attack had been repelled by the adult zebras, but not before it had inflicted mortal wounds upon the foal. With no further imminent threat, the rest of the zebras gathered around the distressed foal, which was rapidly succumbing to shock. At some point, the zebras sensed the hopelessness of the situation and began to wander off, leaving the foal to its fate. Meanwhile, the hyaena, which did not appear to be a fully adult animal, became distracted and never did cross the road to where the foal stood alone. The jackal seemed much more experienced, and located the foal in short order, but was too small to risk a direct assault by itself. The foal, for its part, attempted to follow the other zebras, but had lost too much blood. After a few wobbly and faltering steps, it stopped, began to shiver uncontrollably, and then collapsed and died. It was a grippingly visceral and heart-wrenching thing to witness, but a stark reminder of the cycle of life and death that plays out over and over again on a daily basis on the African savannas, and proof positive that being in a National Park surrounded by wild animals is not the same as being in a zoo.

Shaking off the discomfort of what we had just witnessed, our plan for what was left of the afternoon was to ignore most of the common birds and mammals that we knew would be easy to find the next day, and to prioritize the search for Black Rhinoceros, a rare and iconic “mega” mammal that can prove problematic to find in a short visit to the Crater. In short order, we received word over the radio of a Black Rhino in a distant part of the Crater floor. Sticking to the plan, we made a beeline for the rhino and found it right where it had been reported. It was nice to have this special mammal “in the bag,” greatly relieving any pressure for the following day. With the clock ticking down to the witching hour when the park gate would be closed for the evening, we crossed the floor of the caldera and then climbed our way up the opposite side through spectacular, Usnea-draped Acacia abysinnica forest toward our lovely lodge on the Crater rim. En route, we squeezed in some select stops for bunches of Abdim’s Storks, multiple close Lions, Gray Crowned-Cranes, Black-bellied and Kori bustards, some close herds of African (Cape) Buffalo on the lower slopes, and an impressively large “tusker” of a bull African Elephant higher up in the acacia forest.

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Black (Hook-lipped) Rhinoceros, with oxpeckers, Ngorongoro Crater, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Gray Crowned-Crane, Ngorongoro Crater, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Having already secured nice studies of Black Rhino the previous afternoon, we opted to devote the bulk of the next morning to seeking out the many special highland birds of the Crater Rim forest, none of which we could expect to see after leaving Gibb’s Farm on the

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 20 Northern Tanzania, 2020 following day. Normally, our stops in the highland forest are brief, by design, because we like to leave as much time for exploration of the crater floor as possible. But, once again, the abundant and extended rains of the preceding months had left their mark, in this case, turning a large swath of the crater floor into a huge, floodwater lake, and leaving several roads impassably muddy. With such restricted options for vehicular travel across the crater floor, and knowing that ALL of the safari vehicles would be jockeying for position along the same few roads, we were in no hurry to leave the serenity of the forest. Besides, there were some very special birds to be seen! Among our many prizes was a pair of long-crested Schalow’s Turacos; trees topped by Rameron Pigeons; duetting pairs of Hunter’s and Red-faced cisticolas; roving bands of goggle- eyed Mbulu White-eyes; and bunches of flashy sunbirds, among them, Golden-winged, Tacazze, and Eastern Double-collared. Pairs and coveys of Hildebrandt’s Francolins crossed the road in front of us, while Yellow-bellied Waxbills and Abyssinian Crimsonwings acrobatically clung to seeding grass stems at the road edges. Rüppell’s and Cape robin-chats flashed orange-and-slate gray across the occasional light gaps, while Brown-headed and Bar-throated apalis, Brown Parisoma, Eastern Mountain- Greenbul, Brown-backed Woodpecker, and others ruled the canopy and subcanopy. An Oriole Finch was a great pick-up, but, unfortunately, it flew before most folks could get on it.

Once through the park entrance gate, we ended up making more stops in the transition zone, most notably for spectacular Red-collared Widowbirds, Yellow Bishops, African Stonechats, and more Golden-winged Sunbirds. Arriving on the crater floor, we found ourselves once again immersed in throngs of birds and big game. Male Fan-tailed and Jackson’s widowbirds could be seen displaying above the tall grasslands, the latter periodically disappearing from view into the grass before springing back up like some jack-in-the-box with an absurdly long and floppy tail. Lovely Rosy-throated Longclaws sat lower down, atop clumps of grass, from which they delivered their piercing songs, whereas stub-tailed Pectoral-patch Cisticolas performed bouncing aerial dances just above the tops of the swaying grasses, before pitching back to earth in a hesitatingly jerky series of steps. We stopped for a couple of different Common (Golden) Jackals, each hunting Grass Rats, and each seemingly surgically successful in the precision with which they captured, dispatched, and swallowed their prey whole. Large birds were again conspicuous, with Common Ostrich, Gray Crowned-Crane, Spur-winged Goose, Abdim’s Stork, and Kori Bustard all in evidence, although I was mystified by the general dearth of raptors (particularly harriers and eagles)—what appeared to be a continuing trend first evidenced in the Serengeti. Perhaps the lusher-than-usual condition of the tall-grass savannas made for suboptimal hunting for diurnal predators dependent on their vision to locate prey (?)—raptor numbers and diversity in the Ndutu woodlands had much more closely approximated normal levels.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 21 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Rosy-throated Longclaw, Ngorongoro Crater, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Common (Golden) Jackal dispatching a Grass Rat, Ngorongoro Crater, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Wherever the road skirted a lake shoreline, or peripheral marshes, we encountered good numbers and variety of shorebirds, among them, Pied Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, and numbers of Ruffs, including one particularly striking white-morph male coming into breeding plumage. Greater and Lesser flamingos, Yellow-billed Stork, Red-billed Duck,

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 22 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Hottentot Teal, and Red-knobbed Coot were just a few of the many other water birds present on the crater floor. We managed four more Black Rhinos in the grasslands, and multiple Hippos at our lunch stop at Ngoitoktok Lake, where Speke’s and Rufous-tailed weavers entered the open tops of our Land Cruisers looking for scraps, and where Black Kites circled constantly overhead, looking to snatch a sandwich from any tourist deficient in situational awareness. Leaving the lake behind, we stopped to admire three exceptionally long-tusked African Elephants. The road into the Masai lands beyond the Crater Rim proved impassable due to mud, which negated our efforts to find a Moorland (Alpine) Chat. Instead, we returned to Sopa Lodge a bit earlier in the afternoon than usual, and offered an hour of optional birding on the grounds. That hour was notable primarily for the numbers of swifts and swallows hawking insects overhead, among them, several Nyanza Swifts and White-rumped Swifts, as well as a few Common House- Martins.

The next day began with some chilly post-breakfast birding (highlighted by dazzling Golden-winged and Tacazze sunbirds, impressively large-billed White-necked Ravens, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, loads of Tropical Boubous, and a pair of Cinnamon Bracken-Warblers on the lodge grounds), after which, we set off for Gibb’s Farm, making a couple of brief stops in the montane forest skirting the crater rim before exiting the park. At one of these stops, a scenic overlook providing our farewell view of the crater floor, we actually spotted four distant but nonetheless readily identifiable rhinos. We arrived at Gibb’s Farm in time for a sensational lunch. Afterwards we enjoyed a few hours of relaxed birding on the lovely grounds, delighting in the antics of Arrow-marked Babblers; Variable, Collared, and Bronze sunbirds; spectacular African Paradise- Flycatchers; another Schalow’s Turaco; and some nest-building Grosbeak Weavers. From here, it was a 10-minute drive to nearby Tloma Lodge, where we spent the night.

Our next day was devoted to exploring Lake Manyara National Park, a small, but very diverse park nestled at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Highlights here were many, starting with the Pink-backed Pelicans and Yellow-billed Storks adorning the trees lining the park entrance, and the lustily singing White-browed Robin-Chat that showed nicely from the parking lot. We were treated to four species of hornbills on the day, topped by our close studies of massively casqued Silvery-cheeked Hornbills. Under normal conditions, a visit to Manyara is highlighted by time spent in the marshes leading to and around the Hippo Pools. But, as we continued to be reminded throughout the tour, conditions in this exceptionally rainy year were far from normal! The loop road out to the Hippo Pools was mostly underwater, which denied us access to most of the best marsh habitat and all of the tall reed beds, to which a variety of special birds are restricted. We could do little more than “nibble” around the edges, but we still managed to pick off a single Black Heron, a handful of African Spoonbills, several African Jacanas, and a lone Water Thick-knee. Overall, however, the marsh experience proved a pale shadow of its normal self, and, for the first time in all of my visits, we failed to see even a single Hippo (although we could still hear them grunting in the distance)!

Although the day had largely been a bust for marsh birds, a spectacular and confiding pair of Red-and-yellow Barbets at our lunch stop made their case for favorite bird of the

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 23 Northern Tanzania, 2020 day (and, as it turned out, for Favorite Bird of the Trip), at least among the photographers in our group. A pair of secretive Collared Palm-Thrushes treated us to exceptional studies, and, in my book, would have been deserving of sharing “Bird of the Day” honors with the Purple-crested Turaco, one of which showed nicely after a bit of work. As always, the park was notable for its abundance of Olive Baboons and Blue (Syke’s) Monkeys, not to mention the lush but imposing groundwater forest. An hour of optional birding on the lodge grounds in the late afternoon produced an elusive Gray-headed Bushshrike, a responsive Yellow-bellied Greenbul, and very close fly-over studies of a Long-crested Eagle soaring along the near edge of the Great Rift escarpment.

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Lake Manyara NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

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Red-and-yellow Barbet, Lake Manyara NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Taking leave of Manyara the next morning, we crossed the Masai country of the Esilale Plains. Early in the drive, we passed through some seasonally inundated areas choked with rank vegetation. Over the space of a few kilometers, we were treated to incandescent male bishops of three species (Black, Southern Red, and Black-winged), each of them teed-up prominently in display. A few brief stops farther along the highway produced several new birds typical of this arid bush country, chief among them a lovely Rosy-patched Bushshrike and some Eastern Violet-backed Sunbirds. A low soaring adult Martial Eagle, although not new for our list, was nevertheless noteworthy. Leaving both the plains and the asphalt behind, we turned off onto the badly corrugated gravel entrance road into Tarangire National Park, the final venue on our tour, and a spectacular area of rolling grassland, studded with huge, picturesque Baobabs, and famous for its estimated population of more than 3,000 African Elephants, most of them conspicuously stained reddish by the soil.

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Black-winged Bishop (male), Esilale Plains, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Martial Eagle, Esilale Plains, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

The next two days were a blur of highlights! If Ndutu is my favorite stop on the tour, then I would have to rank Tarangire as a close second. As always, the park lived up to its reputation as a premier spot for elephant viewing—we encountered several groups (some breathtakingly close), probably involving in excess of 150 individuals, in our parts of

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 26 Northern Tanzania, 2020 three days here, and, in the process, witnessed all kinds of interesting elephant behaviors. As was the case throughout this year’s tour, the abundance of tall grass in the park negatively impacted our running feline tally, which received a small bump only on our last morning, when we encountered a lone, battle-scarred Lion on our way out of the park. On the plus side, birds such as Black Coucal and White-winged Widowbird, neither species a “given” in most years, were present in numbers, and were in full nuptial plumage, no doubt, thanks to prolonged rains and resultant lush vegetation.

Tarangire proved, as always, to be a remarkably birdy spot, treating us to a non-stop parade of francolins (We secured great views of 5 species—Red-necked, Yellow-necked, Coqui, Crested, and Hildebrandt’s—in our first full morning in the park, a feat that would be hard to top anywhere!); Black-faced Sandgrouse; Bateleurs; endemic Yellow-collared Lovebirds; Meyer’s and Red-bellied parrots; White-bellied and Bare-faced Go-away- birds; Lilac-breasted and European Rollers; Little, Blue-cheeked, and European Bee- eaters; Southern Ground-Hornbills; Magpie Shrikes; Ashy Starlings; and many more. Other notables included nice studies of bizarre Comb Ducks; a pair of massive Saddle- billed Storks at their nest; a perched pair of African Hawk-Eagles; good views of both Freckled and Slender-tailed nightjars; Mottled Spinetail; groups of migrant Common Swifts; close studies of day-roosting African Scops-Owl; several species of cuckoos (including Levaillant’s, Pied [many], Great Spotted, African, and Red-chested); superb views of Rufous-crowned (Purple) Roller; Tiny Cisticola (a first for me for this park, and for our Northern Tanzania tour); and a lovely pair of Mocking Cliff-Chats at our lodge (only the 2nd time we’ve recorded them on the tour)! But our best find came only with a massive (literally and figuratively) assist from our first group of elephants shortly after entering the park. We stopped for elephants crossing the road, and sat there, camera shutters whirring away, as the pachyderms strolled through the dry grassland to our right. Suddenly, one of the elephants flushed a Corn Crake (our second of the trip!), its contrasting bright rufous wings and dangling yellowish legs and feet instantly obvious. Such is birding in Northern Tanzania!

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African Elephants, Tarangire NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Mocking Cliff-Chat, Tarangire NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

All too soon, we were back in Arusha, with a last lunch and shopping stop at the Cultural Center, and a couple of hours to relax, re-pack, and reflect on our amazing safari back at

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 28 Northern Tanzania, 2020 the place where it all started a few weeks earlier—Ngare Sero. When the dust had settled, we had tallied a remarkable 450 species of birds (second only to our 2018 tour among all of our Northern Tanzania tours of the past decade), and around 50 species of mammals (probably more with the various rodents and bats that went unidentified).

You all were a great group, and I hope our paths cross on future trips. A special thanks to Anthony for keeping us on schedule and for making everything run smoothly, and to our drivers, Vincent Matari and Edson Kahangi, for all of their hard work, and for cheerfully and safely escorting us through their fabulous country.

Five Favorite Birds (as voted by the group)

1. Lilac-breasted Roller, Red-and-yellow Barbet & Gray Crowned-Crane (tied) 2. Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl 3. Bateleur, Kori Bustard, Secretarybird, Schalow’s Turaco, Superb Starling, Fischer’s Lovebird & Green-winged Pytilia (tied)

ITINERARY

2/16 – International flights. For participants who opted to arrive a day early, this was the day of travel from Amsterdam to Arusha, with evening arrival and transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport to Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge. 2/17 – Optional “pre-tour day” of relaxation and birding on Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge grounds (including along the stream down to the trout farms) from 0630h–0730h before breakfast, and from 0845h–1230h after breakfast, and until lunch; afternoon at leisure; followed by dinner at 2000h, and post-dinner owling on the grounds at 2045h–2130h. 2/18 – Ngare Sero: breakfast at 0615h, depart 0730h for Arusha NP. Spent a.m. working from main gate to Fig Tree Arch (where we ate our boxed lunch), then down to Momela Gate for bathrooms, with afternoon birding along the Momela Lakes loop, exiting park before 1800h. Night at Ngare Sero. 2/19 – Ngare Sero: bags out and breakfast at 0600h, depart 0715h for Kilimanjaro Int. Airport (arrived 0820h), for 0940h flight to Mwanza (arriving 1100h), where we were met by our drivers for the remainder of the trip, Vincent and Edson. After collecting bags and using restrooms we drove to lunch in Mwanza (with a patio view of Lake Victoria), and then to Speke Bay, followed by late afternoon birding on foot around lodge from 1600–1730h. 2/20 – Speke Bay: Breakfast 0630h–0715h, followed immediately by morning bird walk around grounds from 0730h–1130h. Lunch at Speke Bay; departure at 1345h for west gate (Ndabaka Gate) of Serengeti NP (arrived at gate at 1400h, and used the restrooms and did a few minutes of birding before entering the park at ca. 1430h). Game/birding drive (with a couple of planned stops along the Grumeti River) through western corridor of Serengeti to Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge (arrived 1830h). 2/21 – Serengeti NP: Kubu Kubu: 0630h breakfast, departing at 0730h for morning birding/game drive into the central Serengeti (Seronera River & Visitor Center) region.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 29 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Back to camp by 1300h for lunch and break until 1530h, when we did another birding/game drive back to the Seronera area, returning to the camp at 1830h. 2/22 – Serengeti NP: Kubu Kubu: breakfast at 0630h, depart 0730h for birding/game drive to Seronera River Circuit and Leopard chase, returning to Kubu Kubu at 1300h for lunch and break until 1530h, when we birded the nearby Retima Plains. 2/23 – Serengeti NP: Kubu Kubu: breakfast & bags out at 0630h, with 0730h departure (with box lunch) for Seronera River, and, from there, birding our way across the grasslands to Naabi Hills Gate (where we ate our box lunch and birded some on foot), exiting the park at 1430h. Then birded our way along the Boundary Road and across the western edge of the Naabi-Ndutu Triangle plains to the Ngorongoro Track, which we took east across the plains to the Ndutu woodlands and beyond to Ndutu Safari Lodge (ca. 35 km), arriving by 1730h. 2/24 – Ndutu Safari Lodge: 0630h breakfast, 0730h departure for morning game/birding drive to the Ndutu woodlands and Makao Plains, returning to the lodge for late lunch (1330h) and break until 1600h, followed by birding/game drive back to the Ndutu woodlands and along the shores of Lake Ndutu, returning to the lodge at 1800h. 2/25 – Ndutu Safari Lodge: 0630h breakfast, 0730h departure for morning game/birding drive through the Ndutu woodlands to the Big Marsh and the Small Marsh. Back to lodge for lunch and break until 1530h, when we did an afternoon excursion to the Makao Plains and the Lake Masek woodlands, returning to the lodge by 1800h. 2/26 – Ndutu Safari Lodge: 0630h breakfast and bags out, departure at 0730h, driving across the Triangle Plains and Boundary Road to Olduvai Gorge (1130h), where we birded, listened to a lecture on the history of anthropological investigation at the Gorge, ate our box lunch, and toured the museum. Upon leaving the gorge (1400h), we drove through Maasai land to Ngorongoro Crater, entering at Seneto Gate, descended 2,000’ to the crater floor and driving/birding/game viewing across the crater floor and then ascending the other side, exiting the crater at Lemala/Sopa Gate and continuing the short distance to Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (arriving at 1745h). 2/27 – Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge: breakfast at 0630h, with departure for Ngorongoro Crater at 0730h, and several stops for birds in the montane forest along the road between Sopa Lodge and Sopa Gate (where we entered the park at 1100h), reaching the crater floor (elevation 1745 m) at ca. 1230h. Spent most of the afternoon birding & game viewing (with box lunch at Ngoitoktok Lake) across the crater floor, exiting at Lemala/Sopa Gate at ca. 1630h, and driving to nearby Masai agricultural lands (at ca. 2300–2400 m elevation) beyond the rim to look for widowbirds and Moorland Chat, but recent rains had left that road impassable beyond the beginning, so, we returned to lodge at 1700h, and some of us spent the next hour birding from the observation deck near the lodge swimming pool. 2/28 – Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge: Breakfast at 0630h, with bags out and post-breakfast bird walk on lodge grounds from 0730h–0830h, followed by checkout and departure at 0900h. Skirted the crater rim, with one stop beside a forest pool for birding, and another at a scenic overlook of the Crater floor, before driving to Louduar Gate, where we birded on foot for a short time within 100 m of the gate, officially exiting the park at 1200h. From the gate, we drove 30 minutes or so to Karatu and on to Gibbs Farm for 1230h lunch and birding on the grounds from 1400h–1600h. Then, we drove 10 minutes to Tloma Lodge, where we checked in, with the remainder of the afternoon off. Following

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 30 Northern Tanzania, 2020 the checklist session, and before dinner, we made a surgical strike on the Abyssinian Nightjar. 2/29 – Tloma Lodge, Karatu: breakfast and bags out at 0630h, departed at 0730h for Lake Manyara NP, arriving at park at ca. 0800h. All day birding (with box lunch) in park, exiting the park at 1530h, and arriving at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge by 1600h, with an optional 1-hour bird walk around the grounds from 1630h–1730h. 3/01 – Lake Manyara Serena Lodge: 0700h breakfast (bags out), with checkout and departure at 0800h. Drove to Tarangire NP, with a few brief birding stops on the Esilale and Minjingu Plains (Maasai agricultural lands), arriving at the entrance gate to Tarangire at 1145h. We birded here on foot for 15+ minutes while Anthony and the drivers were checking us in, entering the park at about 1200h. We had lunch (1300h) at Tarangire Safari Lodge, followed by birding on the grounds until 1430h, after which, we birded our way south through the park to Tarangire Sopa Lodge, arriving at 1730h. Checklist session and nightjar search (from the lounge deck) from 1845h–2000h, followed by dinner. 3/02 – Tarangire Sopa Lodge: 0630h breakfast; 0730h depart on morning game/birding drive southeast to Silale Marsh (ca. 25 km distance) and back to lodge for lunch and break from 1315–1600h. Late afternoon game/birding drive, from 1600–1800h, going out the same road as in the morning, but covering only about 5 km one-way. 3/03 – Tarangire Sopa Lodge: 0630h breakfast (bags out), followed by checkout and departure by 0730h. We birded our way back to the main gate and exited the park at ca.1000h. Then, back to Arusha for lunch and shopping at the Cultural Center, where we said our goodbyes to Anthony. At 1400h, we returned to Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, where we had day rooms for packing and cleaning up prior to our 1730h transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for the late evening (2145h) flight to Amsterdam. 3/04 – Overnight flights arrive back in US, with connections home.

KEY

ANP = Arusha National Park AR = vicinity of Arusha, including the highway between Ngare Sero and Kilimanjaro airport, and between Ngare Sero and Arusha city. CR = Crater Rim of Ngorongoro Crater (including Sopa Lodge and crater rim forests between the lodge and Lemala/Sopa Gate, as well as the forested slopes below the Lemala/Sopa Gate and below the Seneto Gate, as well as between Sopa Lodge and the Louduar [exit] Gate, and in the Masai lands surrounding the rim) EP = Esilale Plains (Masai agricultural lands between Lake Manyara and Tarangire) GF = Gibbs Farm & vicinity (including Karatu town, Tloma Lodge and roads in between) LM = Lake Manyara National Park & vicinity, including Manyara Serena Lodge and the entrance road. LV = Lake Victoria region (Mwanza to Speke Bay) Nd = Ndutu area (including Ndutu woodlands, Makao Plains, Ndutu Lake, Ndutu Safari Lodge, the Big marsh, Small Marsh, Lake Masek and all points in between) Ng = Ngorongoro Crater (crater floor and lower slopes inside the park gates including the non-forested slopes below the Lemala/Sopa Gate)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 31 Northern Tanzania, 2020 NS = Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge & vicinity OG = Olduvai (Oldupai) Gorge & vicinity (Oldupai Plains) SE = Serengeti NP (including the western corridor from western entrance gate to Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge, Seronera River, the Visitor Center, all points in between, and to Naabi Hills gate, where we exited the park) TA = Tarangire National Park TP = Triangle Plains (between Naabi Hills, Ndutu, the Boundary Road and Olduvai Gorge) * = Heard only.

BIRDS

OSTRICH (Struthionidae):

Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus) - SE, TP, Nd, Ng, TA

DUCKS, GEESE & WATERFOWL (Anatidae):

White-faced Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) - TA Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) - TA Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) - NS, ANP, SE, Nd, Ng, LM, TA Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis) - Ng, TA Hottentot Teal (Anas hottentota) - Ng, LM African Black Duck (Anas sparsa) - NS Cape Teal (Anas capensis) - ANP, Nd, Ng Red-billed Duck (Teal) (Anas erythrorhyncha) - LV, Nd, Ng

GUINEAFOWL (Numididae):

Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris) - ANP, SE, Nd, to Ng, Ng, LM, TA

PHEASANTS, GROUSE & ALLIES (Phasianidae):

Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) - Nd Scaly Francolin (Pternistis squamatus) - ANP*, CR Hildebrandt’s Francolin (Pternistis hildebrandti) - CR, TA Yellow-necked Francolin (Spurfowl) (Pternistis leucoscepus) - TA Gray-breasted Francolin (Spurfowl) (Pternistis rufopictus) - LV, SE, Nd Red-necked Francolin (Spurfowl) (Pternistis afer) - TA Crested Francolin (Francolinus sephaena) - ANP, TA Coqui Francolin (Peliperdix coqui) - SE, TA

FLAMINGOS (Phoenicopteridae):

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) - ANP, Nd, Ng

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 32 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Lesser Flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor) - ANP, Ng

Lesser Flamingo, Arusha NP, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

GREBES (Podicipedidae):

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - NS, ANP

PIGEONS & DOVES (Columbidae):

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) - Seen in various cities and towns along our route, including Arusha and Mwanza. Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea) - SE, TP, Nd, CR, Tloma Lodge to LM, TA Rameron (African Olive) Pigeon (Columba arquatrix) - CR Dusky Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia lugens) - Ng, CR Mourning Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) - LV, SE, TP, Nd Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata) - NS, ANP, Ng, CR, GF, TL Ring-necked Dove (Streptopelia capicola) - ANP, SE, Nd, TP, OG, Ng, LM, TA Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) - LV, SE, Nd, LM, TA Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove (Turtur chalcospilos) - LV*, SE*, OG, LM Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) - NS, ANP, GF Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) - SE, Nd, to OG, LM, TA African Green-Pigeon (Treron calvus) - NS

SANDGROUSE (Pteroclidae):

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 33 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus) - Nd Black-faced Sandgrouse (Pterocles decoratus) - TA

BUSTARDS (Otididae):

Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) - TP, Nd, Ng White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis) - SE, Nd Black-bellied Bustard (Lissotis melanogaster) - SE, Ng, TA Hartlaub’s Bustard (Lissotis hartlaubii) - SE

TURACOS (Musophagidae):

Schalow’s Turaco (Tauraco schalowi) - CR, GF Hartlaub’s Turaco (Tauraco hartlaubi) - ANP Purple-crested Turaco (Tauraco porphyreolophus) - LM Bare-faced Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides personatus) - SE, TA White-bellied Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster) - EP, TA Eastern Plantain-eater (Crinifer zonurus) - SE

CUCKOOS (Cuculidae):

Blue-headed Coucal (Centropus monachus) - LV* White-browed Coucal (Centropus superciliosus) - ANP, LV, SE, Nd, Ng, LM, TA Black Coucal (Centropus grillii) - SE, TA Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) - Nd, TA Levaillant’s Cuckoo (Clamator levaillantii) - TA Pied (Jacobin) Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) - ANP, LV, SE, Nd, LM, TA Dideric Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius) - NS, ANP*, LV, SE, Nd, OG*, LM, TA Klaas’s Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas) - LV*, Nd, CR, LM*, TA African Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx cupreus)* - NS*, ANP* Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) - NS*, LV, SE, Nd, TL, LM, TA African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) - LV, SE, Nd, TA Cuckoo sp. (Cuculus canorus/gularis) - TA (Multiple flushed individuals not seen well enough to distinguish between resident African Cuckoo and migrant Common Cuckoo.)

NIGHTJARS & ALLIES (Caprimulgidae):

Eurasian Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) - LV Abyssinian Nightjar (Caprimulgus fraenatus) - TL Freckled Nightjar (Caprimulgus tristigma) - TA Slender-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus clarus) - TA Square-tailed (Gabon) Nightjar (Caprimulgus fossii) - LV

SWIFTS (Apodidae):

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 34 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Mottled Spinetail (Telacanthura ussheri) - TA Common Swift (Apus apus) - TA Nyanza Swift (Apus niansae) - CR Little Swift (Apus affinis) - NS, ANP, LV, SE, Nd, OG, CR, LM, TA Horus Swift (Apus hours) - ANP White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) - SE, Nd, CR, LM, TA African Palm-Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) - NS, ANP, LV, SE, LM, TA

RAILS, GALLINULES & COOTS (Rallidae):

Eurasian (Common) Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - SE, Nd Lesser Moorhen (Gallinula angulata) - ANP (Folks in my vehicle at ANP will remember the distant mystery bird that I spotted in one of the marshes along the Momela Lakes loop. We puzzled over it at length, and I took several photos. Once back in the lodge, where I could “blow up” the images, I decided it was most likely a juvenile Allen’s Gallinule, based upon the illustrations in the field guides, and, upon the fact that the overall coloration reminded me much more of juvenile Purple and Azure gallinules (both in the genus Porphyrio, as is Allen’s Gallinule) than they did of juveniles of Common Gallinule/Moorhen (genus Gallinula). I sent the photos to some authorities on East African birds, and they narrowed the ID down to “either juvenile Allen’s Gallinule or juvenile Lesser Moorhen” (both of which are quite uncommon along our tour route), but were unable to take it further than that. Meanwhile, I did a pretty extensive on-line search for photos of juveniles of the two species, and I have come to the conclusion that bill & frontal shield size and color, plus the absence of any apparent streaking on the back, are inconsistent with the features of juvenile Allen’s Gallinule, but do fit those of juvenile Lesser Moorhen.) Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata) - ANP, Ng Corn Crake (Crex crex) - SE, TA (A first for this tour, and we ended up seeing two different birds: the first flushed by a Spotted Hyaena, and the second flushed by an African Elephant!) Black Crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) - NS, SE

CRANES (Gruidae):

Gray Crowned-Crane (Balearica regulorum) - SE, Ng

THICK-KNEES (Burnhinidae):

Water Thick-knee (Burhinus vermiculatus) - LM Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis) - TP, Nd to OG

STILTS & AVOCETS (Recurvirostridae):

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) - ANP, Nd, Ng

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 35 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) - ANP, SE, Nd, Ng

Pied Avocet, Ndutu, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

PLOVERS & LAPWINGS (Charadriidae):

Long-toed Lapwing (Vanellus crassirostris) - TA Blacksmith Lapwing (Vanellus armatus) - ANP, SE, TP, Nd, Ng, LM Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) - ANP, SE, LM Black-winged Lapwing (Plover) (Vanellus melanopterus) - TP, Nd to OG Crowned Lapwing (Vanellus coronatus) - TP, Nd, Nd to OG, OG to Ng, LM, EP, TA Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) - SE Kittlitz’s Plover (Charadrius pecuarius) - Nd, Ng Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) - Nd Three-banded Plover (Charadrius tricollaris) - SE, Nd, Ng, LM Chestnut-banded Plover (Charadrius pallidus) - Nd, Ng

JACANAS (Jacanidae):

African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus) - LV to SE, LM, TA

SANDPIPERS & ALLIES (Scolopacidae):

Ruff (Calidris pugnax) - ANP, SE, Nd, Ng

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 36 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Ruff (white morph male), Ngorongoro Crater, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) - Nd, Ng Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii) - Nd Little Stint (Calidris minuta) - SE, Nd, Ng Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - SE, Nd Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) - ANP, LV, Ng, LM Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) - ANP, LV, Ng Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) - SE, ND, Ng, LM Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) - Nd, Ng, LM Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) - SE, Nd, Ng, LM

PRATINCOLES & COURSERS (Glareolidae):

Double-banded Courser (Smutsornis africanus) - SE, Nd, LM, TA Three-banded (Heuglin’s) Courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus) - LV

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 37 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Three-banded Courser, Speke Bay, Lake Victoria, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) - Nd

GULLS, TERNS & SKIMMERS (Laridae):

Gull-billed Tern (Geolochelidon nilotica) - TP, Nd, Ng White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) - Nd

STORKS (Ciconiidae):

African Openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus) - LV Abdim’s Stork (Ciconia abdimii) - AR, LV, TP, Nd to OG, OG, OG to Ng, Ng, EP, TA White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) - TP, Nd, Ng Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) - SE, TA Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) - ANP, LV, SE, Nd Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis) - Ng, LM, TA

CORMORANTS & SHAGS (Phalacrocoracidae):

Long-tailed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus) - LV Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) - LV

PELICANS (Pelecanidae):

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 38 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) - LV, LM

HAMERKOP (Scopidae):

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) - NS, ANP, LV, SE, Ng, TA

HERONS, EGRETS & BITTERNS (Ardeidae):

Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea) - ANP, AR, LV, SE Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala) - AR, LV, SE, Nd, TP, Ng, CR, TA Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) - LV Great Egret (Ardea alba) - LV, TA Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia) - Ng Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) - LV, SE, Ng, LM Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) - LM Cattle Egret (Bulbulcus ibis) - AR, LV, SE, TP, Nd, Ng, LM, EP, TA Squacco Heron (Ardeola rallioides) - LV Striated (Little) Heron (Butorides striata) - SE Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) - LV, SE

IBISES & SPOONBILLS (Threskiornithidae):

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) - LV Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) - NS, LV, Nd, Nd to OG, Ng Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) - NS, ANP, LV African Spoonbill (Platalea alba) - LV, Nd, LM

SECRETARYBIRD (Sagittariidae):

Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) - SE, Nd, OG to Ng

HAWKS, EAGLES & KITES (Accipitridae):

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) - SE African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus) - SE, Nd Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) - LV White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis) - Nd Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracehliotus) - SE, Nd, TP, TA Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) - Nd White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) - ANP, SE, Nd, TP, Nd to OG, OG, CR, LM, TA Rüppell’s Griffon (Vulture) (Gyps rueppellii) - Nd, TP, Nd to OG, OG Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) - SE, Nd, LM, TA Black-breasted Snake-Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) - SE, Nd, OG Brown Snake-Eagle (Circaetus cinereus) - TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 39 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Crowned Eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus)* - CR* Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) - ANP, SE, Nd, GF, LM, EP, TA Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) - ANP, LV, SE, Nd, LM Wahlberg’s Eagle (Hieraaetus wahlbergi) - SE, TA Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) - Nd to OG Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) - SE, Nd, TP, Nd to OG, OG, OG to Ng, TA African Hawk-Eagle (Aquila spilogaster) - Nd, TA Dark Chanting-Goshawk (Melierax metabates) - SE, Nd Eastern (Pale) Chanting-Goshawk (Melierax poliopterus) - Nd, Nd to OG Gabar Goshawk (Micronisus gabar) - SE, Nd Eurasian Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) - TP, TA African Marsh-Harrier (Circus ranivorus) - SE Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) - SE, Nd Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) - SE, TP, Nd, OG, Ng Ovambo Sparrowhawk (Accipiter ovampensis) - SE Black (Yellow-billed) Kite (Milvus migrans) - LV, Ng, CR, GF, LM African Fish-Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) - NS, LV, TA Common (Steppe) Buzzard (Buteo buteo) - LV, SE, CR, TA Mountain Buzzard (Buteo oreophilus) - GF Augur Buzzard (Buteo augur) - NS, ANP, LV, Nd, Nd to OG, Ng, CR, GF, TA to AR

BARN OWLS (Tytonidae):

Barn Owl (Tyto alba) - TP

OWLS (Strigidae):

African Scops-Owl (Otus senegalensis) - TA Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo africanus) - ANP, Ng Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl (Bubo lacteus) - LV, CR, LM Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) - LV, Nd, TA African Wood-Owl (Strix woodfordii) - NS

MOUSEBIRDS (Coliidae):

Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus) - ANP, LV, SE, Nd, OG, CR, GF, LM, EP, TA Blue-naped Mousebird (Urocolius macrourus) - LV, SE, Nd to OG, LM, TA

TROGONS (Trogonidae):

Bar-tailed Trogon (Apaloderma vittatum) - ANP

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 40 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Bar-tailed Trogon (male), Arusha NP, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

HOOPOES (Upupidae):

Eurasian (“African”) Hoopoe (Upupa [epops]africana) - SE {Some authorities split the subspecies africana, treating it as distinct from Eurasian Hoopoe (in which case, africana would be called “African Hoopoe”). The two differ in degree of color saturation, and distribution of white in the wings and the color of the tips of the crest feathers, but the subspecies of Eurasian Hoopoe that breeds in s Ethiopia (senegalensis) is somewhat intermediate between the “African Hoopoe” and the remainder of the Eurasian Hoopoe complex, which suggests that only one species is involved.}

WOODHOOPOES & SCIMITAR-BILLS (Phoeniculidae):

Green Woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) - SE*, LM, TA Common Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas) - SE Abyssinian Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus minor) - SE, OG, TA

GROUND-HORNBILLS (Bucorvidae):

Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) - SE, TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 41 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Southern Ground-Hornbill, Tarangire NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

HORNBILLS (Bucerotidae):

Crowned Hornbill (Lophoceros alboterminatus) - LM African Gray Hornbill (Lophoceros nasutus) - AR, SE, LM, TA Von der Decken’s Hornbill (Tockus deckeni) - SE, Nd, LM, TA Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus ruahae) - SE {This is a recent split from what used to be called simply “Red-billed Hornbill”, which is now divided by most authorities into multiple species. This ‘new’ species is separable by the large dark smudge surrounding the contrastingly pale eye; the white, unstreaked face; and the less checkered pattern to the wings. Northern Red-billed Hornbill, which we saw at Tarangire, has dark eyes, with only a narrow dark orbital ring (no extensive dusky patch), a gray-streaked face, and more extensive checkering on the wings. The range of ruahae (which is endemic to Tanzania) is still being worked out, as is the nature of the contact zone with Northern Red-billed Hornbill.} Northern Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus) - TA Silvery-cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes brevis) - NS, LM

KINGFISHERS (Alcedinidae):

Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) - LV African Pygmy Kingfisher (Ispidina picta) - LV Gray-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala) - LV, SE, LM, TA Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) - SE, Nd, TA Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris) - NS, ANP Striped Kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti) - SE, TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 42 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maximus) - NS Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) - LV

BEE-EATERS (Meropidae):

White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides) - ANP

White-fronted Bee-eater, Arusha NP, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus) - ANP, LV, Nd, TA Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater (Merops oreobates) - ANP, CR White-throated Bee-eater (Merops albicollis) - NS Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus) - TA Madagascar (Olive) Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) - ANP European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) - SE, LM, TA

ROLLERS (Coraciidae):

European Roller (Coracias garrulous) - TP, Nd, TA Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracicus caudatus) - ANP, AR, SE, Nd, Ng, LM, EP, TA Rufous-crowned (Purple) Roller (Coracicus naevius) - TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 43 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Rufous-crowned (Purple) Roller, Tarangire NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

AFRICAN BARBETS (Lybiidae):

Red-and-yellow Barbet (Trachyphonus erythrocephalus) - LM, EP, TA D’Arnaud’s Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii boehmi) - LM {We saw two different taxa in this complex during our tour. Birds in the west, from Speke Bay to the Serengeti and Ndutu are definitely of the subspecies usambiro, and are treated by some authorities as a separate species, “Usambiro Barbet”. The population around Lake Manyara is supposed to belong to the subspecies boehmi, and they are different in plumage characters from usambiro to the west, and from the Tarangire birds (which we didn’t see this visit), which I believe to represent the subspecies emini (distinguishable by the black crown and more solidly black chin/throat. To my ears, the voices of usambiro and emini are distinctly different, and neither seems to respond well to playback of the other’s duets.} “Usambiro” (D’Arnaud’s) Barbet (Trachyphonus [d.] usambiro) - LV, SE, Nd White-eared Barbet (Stactolaema leucotis) - NS, ANP Moustached Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus pusillus) - ANP Red-fronted Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus pusillus) - SE*, OG, LM, TA Red-fronted Barbet (Tricholaema diademata) - LV, SE, Nd, OG Spot-flanked Barbet (Tricholaema lacrymosa) - ANP Black-billed Barbet (Lybius guifsobalito) - LV Brown-breasted Barbet (Lybius melanopterus) - ANP, NS

HONEYGUIDES (Indicatoridae):

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 44 Northern Tanzania, 2020 (Eastern) Green-backed (Slender-billed) Honeyguide (Prodotiscus zambesiae) - CR {This species suffers from an identity crisis! It has variously been called “Slender-billed Honeyguide”, “Eastern Honeybird”, “Green-backed Honeybird”, and now, “Green- backed Honeyguide”. “Slender-billed” makes sense as a modifier when the group-name of “Honeyguide” is employed for the genus Prodotiscus, because this species is distinctly slender-billed compared to the “true” honeyguides (genus Indicator). However, all of the Prodotiscus are slender-billed compared to Indicator, which is the rationale behind calling all of the Prodotiscus “honeybirds” as opposed to “honeyguides”. The present species (zambesiae) is distinctly green-backed compared to the sympatric Wahlberg’s Honeybird, hence the reasoning behind the switch to “Green-backed” as a modifier.} Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor) - SE Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) - SE, Nd, TA

WOODPECKERS (Picidae):

Cardinal Woodpecker (Chloropicos fuscescens) - NS, ANP, SE*, Nd, CR*, GF Bearded Woodpecker (Chloropicos namaquus) - SE, Nd, TA Brown-backed Woodpecker (Chloropicos obsoletus) - CR Mountain Gray Woodpecker (Chloropicos spodocephalus rhodeogaster) - SE, Nd, TA {Now widely considered to be specifically distinct from (African) Gray Woodpecker [D. goertae] of farther north and west. Nominate spodocephalus occurs in Sudan and the Ethiopian highlands; rhodeogaster is found from c Kenya south to n Tanzania.} Nubian Woodpecker (Campethera nubica) - SE, Nd, TA

FALCONS & CARACARAS (Falconidae):

Pygmy Falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus) - SE, TA Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) - SE, Nd, TP Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - SE, TP, Nd Greater Kestrel (Falco rupicoloides) - TP, Nd to OG Gray Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus) - SE, TA Red-necked Falcon (Falco chicquera) - LV Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo) - Ng Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) - Nd

OLD WORLD PARROTS (Psittaculidae):

Fischer’s Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri) - SE, Nd, EP Yellow-collared Lovebird (Agapornis personatus) - TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 45 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Yellow-collared Lovebird, Tarangire NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Meyer’s (Brown) Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri) - SE, TA Red-bellied (Orange-bellied) Parrot (Poicephalus rufiventris) - TA

WATTLE-EYES & BATISES (Platysteiridae):

Black-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira peltata) - NS, CR* Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor) - SE, OG, LM, EP

VANGAS, HELMETSHRIKES & ALLIES (Vangidae):

Retz’s Helmetshrike (Prionops retzii) - NS

BUSHSHRIKES & ALLIES (Malaconotidae):

Brubru (Nilaus afer) - SE, Nd Black-backed Puffback (Dryoscopus cubla) - NS, ANP, SE, CR, LM, EP, TA Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus) - Ng Brown-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra australis) - SE, LM Tropical Boubou (Laniarius aethiopicus) - NS, ANP, CR, GF Black-headed Gonolek (Laniarius erythrogaster) - LV Slate-colored Boubou (Laniarius funebris) - LV, SE*, Nd, OG, LM, TA Rosy-patched Bushshrike (Rhodophoneus cruentus) - EP Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike (Telophorus sulfureopectus) - ANP*, SE Gray-headed Bushshrike (Malaconotus blanchotii) - LM

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 46 Northern Tanzania, 2020

CUCKOOSHRIKES (Campephagidae):

Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava) - ANP

SHRIKES (Laniidae):

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) - SE Isabelline (Red-tailed) Shrike (Lanius isabellinus) - ANP, SE, LM Gray-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitorius) - LV, SE, Nd, TA Long-tailed Fiscal (Lanius cabanisi) - SE, AR, LM, TA Taita Fiscal (Lanius dorsalis) - SE, Nd, TP, Nd to OG Northern Fiscal (Lanius humeralis) - ANP, AR, CR, Ng, LM Magpie Shrike (Corvinella melanoleuca) - SE, TA White-rumped (Northern White-crowned) Shrike (Eurocephalus anguitimens) - SE, Nd, LM, EP, TA (The “Popcorn Shrike”!)

OLD WORLD ORIOLES (Oriolidae):

Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) - TA African Golden Oriole (Oriolus auratus) - TA African Black-headed Oriole (Oriolus larvatus) - NS

DRONGOS (Dicruridae):

Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) - ANP, SE, Nd, LM, TA

MONARCH FLYCATCHERS (Monarchidae):

African Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis) - LV, GF, LM

CROWS, JAYS & MAGPIES (Corvidae):

Cape Crow (Cape Rook) (Corvus capensis) - SE, TP, Nd to OG Pied Crow (Corvus albus) - ANP, AR, LV, TL, LM, EP, TA to AR White-necked Raven (Corvus albicollis) - CR

LARKS (Alaudidae):

Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark (Eremopterix leucopareia) - SE, TP, Nd, Nd to OG, OG, Ng, LM, TA Foxy Lark (Calendulauda alopex) - SE, Nd, TA {Formerly treated as conspecific with Fawn-colored Lark (C. africanoides) of more southerly African distribution (Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa). When all

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 47 Northern Tanzania, 2020 populations were lumped, the English name applied is “Fawn-colored”. With the split, “Fawn-colored Lark” (sensu stricto), does not occur in Tanzania. “Foxy Lark” occurs from N Somalia and extreme E Ethiopia south through E Uganda, Kenya and N Tanzania. The species takes its English name from the nominate populations of Somalia and Ethiopia, which are decidedly more rufescent than the populations of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania (subspecies intercedens), which are not notably “foxy” in coloration, and which more closely resemble true “Fawn-colored Lark” of more southerly distribution. So, the birds we saw are referable to the intercedens subspecies of Foxy Lark.} Rufous-naped Lark (Mirafra africana) - ANP, SE, TP, Nd Flappet Lark (Mirafra rufocinnamomea) - SE, Nd, TA White-tailed Lark (Mirafra albicauda) - Nd Red-capped Lark (Calandrella cinerea) - TP, Nd, Nd to OG, OG, Ng Short-tailed Lark (Pseudalaemon fremantlii) - OG

SWALLOWS (Hirundinidae):

Plain (Brown-throated) Martin (Riparia paludicola) - ANP Bank Swallow (Sand Martin) (Riparia riparia) - LV Banded Martin (Riparia cincta) - SE, Ng Rock Martin (Ptyonoprogne (Hirundo) fuligula) - SE, OG, CR, GF, LM, TA Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) - ANP, LV, SE, TP, Nd, Nd to OG, Ng, TA Angola Swallow (Hirundo angolensis) - LV Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii) - NS, ANP, SE, Nd Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) - NS, ANP, SE, Nd, OG, Ng, CR, GF Lesser Striped-Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) - NS, ANP, SE, TA Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) - SE, TA Common House-Martin (Delichon urbicum) - CR Black Sawwing (Psalidoprocne pristoptera) - NS, ANP, CR Gray-rumped Swallow (Pseudhirundo griseopyga) - SE (Missed most years on this tour.)

FAIRY FLYCATCHERS (Stenostiridae):

White-tailed Blue-Flycatcher (Elminia albicauda) - GF (Unfortunately, seen only by Anthony. The darned thing flew as Anthony was attempting to point it out, and was not seen again.)

CHICKADEES & TITS (Paridae):

Red-throated Tit (Melaniparus fringillinus) - SE

BULBULS (Pycnonotidae):

Eastern Mountain-Greenbul (Arizelocichla nigriceps) - ANP, CR

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 48 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Stripe-cheeked Greenbul (Arizelocichla milanjensis) - ANP Yellow-bellied Greenbul (Chlorocichla flaviventris) - LM Little Greenbul (Eurillas virens)* - NS* Gray-olive Greenbul (Phyllastrephus cerviniventris) - NS Common (Dark-capped) Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) - NS, ANP, LV, SE, OG, CR, Ng, GF, LM, EP (“The usual suspect”)

AFRICAN WARBLERS (Macrospenidae):

Red-faced Crombec (Sylvietta whytii) - LV, SE, LM, EP, TA (African) Moustached Grass-Warbler (Melocichla mentalis) - ANP

LEAF-WARBLERS (Phylloscopidae):

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) - LV, Nd, CR, GF, LM, EP, TA (Although we encountered this wintering/migrant species at several localities, the total number of birds seen was far fewer than usual, as was generally true of most migrant passerines.)

REED-WARBLERS & ALLIES (Acrocephalidae):

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida) - LV African Yellow-Warbler (Iduna natalensis) - ANP Mountain Yellow-Warbler (Iduna similis) - CR Eurasian Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) - Ng Lesser Swamp-Warbler (Acrocephalus gracilirostris) - Ng

GRASSBIRDS & ALLIES (Locustellidae):

Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler (Bradypterus cinnamomeus) - CR

CISTICOLAS & ALLIES (Cisticolidae):

Green-backed Camaroptera (Camaroptera brachyura) - NS, ANP, LV, SE*, Nd, OG, LM, EP, TA Buff-bellied Warbler (Phyllolais pulchella) - LV, SE, Nd, LM Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica) - CR Yellow-breasted Apalis (Apalis flavida) - ANP, SE, Nd, LM, TA Black-headed Apalis (Apalis melanocephala) - CR* Brown-headed Apalis (Apalis alticola) - CR Karamoja Apalis (Apalis karamojae) - SE

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 49 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Karamoja Apalis, Western Corridor of Serengeti NP, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Tawny-flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava) - ANP, SE, Nd, Ng, TA Gray-capped Warbler (Eminia lepida) - LV, CR, GF, LM Red-faced Cisticola (Cisticola erythrops) - ANP, CR Singing Cisticola (Cisticola cantans) - ANP Trilling Cisticola (Cisticola woosnami) - ANP Hunter’s Cisticola (Cisticola hunteri) - CR Rattling Cisticola (Cisticola chiniana) - ANP, SE, Nd, LM, TA Wailing (“Lyne’s”) Cisticola (Cisticola [lais] distinctus) - Ng {The northern subspecies distinctus (= “Lyne’s Cisticola”) which we saw below the entrance gate to the crater, is often treated as specifically distinct from more southern nominate birds.} Winding Cisticola (Cisticola galactotes) - ANP, LV*, SE, Nd, Ng, TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 50 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Winding Cisticola, Serengeti NP, Feb 2019 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Stout Cisticola (Cisticola robustus) - SE Croaking Cisticola (Cisticola natalensis) - SE Siffling (Short-winged) Cisticola (Cisticola brachypturus) - ANP Tiny Cisticola (Cisticola nana) - TA Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) - SE, Nd Desert Cisticola (Cisticola aridulus) - SE, Nd Pectoral-patch Cisticola (Cisticola brunnescens) - SE, Ng, TA

SYLVIIDS (Sylviidae):

African Hill Babbler (Sylvia abyssinica) - CR Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) - ANP, CR Banded Warbler (Parisoma) (Sylvia boehmi) - SE, Nd, OG*, TA Brown Warbler (Parisoma) (Sylvia lugens) - CR

WHITE-EYES, YUHINAS & ALLIES (Zosteropidae): hybrid white-eye (Zosterops mbulensis X flavilateralis) or Northern Yellow White-eye (Z. senegalensis jacksoni) - GF {I’ve been doing a deep dive into this one! As you may recall, we saw several white-eyes at GF when Anthony wasn’t with us. I tentatively identified them as “African Yellow White-eyes”, because, to me, they clearly did not fit either Mbulu White-eye (which we had just seen several times in the Crater Rim forests) or Abyssinian (Common Scrub) White-eye (which we had seen very well at Oldupai Gorge). Anthony said that Yellow White-eye was not known from Gibb’s Farm, and that

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 51 Northern Tanzania, 2020 only Abyssinian (Common Scrub) White-eye should occur there. I sent my photos off to Dale Zimmerman & Don Turner, authors of the Field Guide to the Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania, to get their opinions. There was consensus that the birds from GF were definitely NOT pure mbulensis or flavilateralis, but that they probably represent either hybrids between the two, or (less likely), a southward range extension of the jacksoni subspecies of what is now known as “Northern Yellow White-eye” (the “African Yellow White-eye” has now been split into three species: Northern and Southern white- eyes in Kenya & Tanzania, with the three Ugandan subspecies constituting not only a separate species, but a separate clade). That is as far as I could get toward resolution on this one.} Mbulu (Broad-ringed/Montane) White-eye (Zosterops [poliogastrus]mbuluensis) - CR {Until very recently, all of the 6 geographically isolated, montane forest-inhabiting Zosterops with relatively broad eyerings, have been lumped into a single polytypic species – Montane or Broad-ringed White-eye, Zosterops poliogastrus. Thanks to recent DNA-based phylogenetic studies, we now know that Z. poliogastrus is polyphyletic, and that most of the constituent “subspecies” are genetically more closely related to forms with other habitat and elevation preferences, than to isolated montane populations in geographically proximate forest fragments. It is now been demonstrated that each of these “subspecies” form independent clades, polyphyletic with respect to each other and to “true” poliogastrus (sensu stricto) of Ethiopia, and so should all now be treated as full species. The taxon that we saw so well in the Crater Rim forests is mbuluensis, and is now known as Mbulu White-eye. We often see another taxon, eurycricotus (Tanzania Broad-ringed White-eye, or, Kilimanjaro White-eye), in the vicinity of the Fig Tree Arch at ANP, but missed it on this trip.} Common Scrub (Pale Scrub) (Abyssinian) White-eye (Zosterops [abyssinicus] flavilateralis) - OG {Yet another example where the taxonomy is in flux. Recent studies argue convincingly for splitting the pale yellow-bellied birds of the south (ssp flavilateralis, which is the one we saw) from gray-bellied “true” abyssinica of the north (primarily Ethiopia). Molecular work backs this up.}

LAUGHINGTHRUSHES & ALLIES (Leiothrichidae):

Rufous Chatterer (Turdoides rubiginosa) - LV Black-lored Babbler (Turdoides sharpie) - SE, Nd Northern Pied-Babbler (Turdoides hypoleuca) - TA Arrow-marked Babbler (Turdoides jardineii) - GF, LM

OLD WORLD FLYCATCHERS (Muscicapidae):

Dusky-brown Flycatcher (African Dusky Flycatcher) (Muscicapa adusta) - ANP, CR, GF Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) - LV, OG, TA Swamp Flycatcher (Muscicapa aquatica) - LV Grayish (African Gray) Flycatcher (Bradornis microrhynchus) - LV, SE, LM, TA Pale Flycatcher (Bradornis pallidus) - SE Silverbird (Empidornis semipartitus) - LV, SE, Nd

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 52 Northern Tanzania, 2020 White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher (Melaenornis edolioides) - CR, GF Red-backed (White-browed) Scrub-Robin (Cercotrichas leucophrys) - SE, Nd, OG, TA Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra) - CR Rüppell’s Robin-Chat (Cossypha semirufa) - NS, CR, GF White-browed Robin-Chat (Cossypha heuglini) - NS*, LV, GF, LM Collared Palm-Thrush (Cichladusa arquata) - LM Spotted Morning-Thrush (Cichladusa guttata) - LV, SE, LM, EP, TA White-starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata) - ANP Rufous-tailed (Common) Rock-Thrush (Monticola saxatilis) - SE Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) - ANP, SE, Ng African Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) - ANP, Ng, CR {Species-limits in this complex remain controversial. There are 24 recognized named taxa, some of which occur in Africa only as Palearctic passage migrants or winter residents, and others of which are resident breeders in Africa. Some taxonomists split these 24 subspecies into 3–5 species, but others argue for single-species treatment (= Common Stonechat) and suggest that some of the named subspecies are invalid.} Northern Anteater-Chat (Myrmecocichla aethiops) - Ng Mocking Cliff-Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) - TA Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) - AR, SE, TP, OG to Ng Abyssinian (“Schalow’s”) Wheatear (Oenanthe [lugubris] schalowi) - OG to Ng, Ng {The subspecies schalowi of Kenya & Tanzania is sometimes treated as a separate species from the Ethiopian and Somalian populations. Also known as “Mourning Wheatear”.} Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka) - Nd Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) - TP, Nd, TP to OG, OG to Ng Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina) - TP, Ng

THRUSHES & ALLIES (Turdidae):

Abyssinian (Olive) Thrush (Turdus [o.] abyssinicus) - CR, GF {This is another case where the species-limits are controversial. There seems to be some momentum for separating out the more northern taxa (Eritrea and Ethiopia south to N Malawi and NE Zambia, and including all of East Africa = Abyssinian Thrush) from the olivaceus-group (S Malawi south through South Africa = Olive Thrush), with some taxonomists also maintaining the highly range-restricted T. helleri (Taita Thrush) of the Taita Hills (SE Kenya), and T. roehli (Usambara Thrush) of the North Pare and Usambara (West & East) mountains as distinct species. I believe that the birds that we saw are referable to the subspecies oldeani, which is part of Abyssinian Thrush (sensu stricto).} African Thrush (Turdus pelios) - LV

STARLINGS (Sturnidae):

Wattled Starling (Creatophora cinerea) - SE, Nd, EP, TA Red-winged Starling (Onychognathus morio) - AR, LV, LM, TA Kenrick’s Starling (Poeoptera kenricki) - NS

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 53 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Hildebrandt’s Starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti) - SE, Nd, LM, EP Rüppell’s Starling (Lamprotornis purpuroptera) - LV, SE, TP Ashy Starling (Spreo unicolor) - TA Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) - AR, LV, SE, Nd, OG, Ng, LM, EP, TA Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybeus) - TA

OXPECKERS (Buphagidae):

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) - ANP, SE, Nd, Ng, LM Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus) - SE, Nd, Ng, TA

Yellow-billed Oxpecker gathering hair from Giraffe mane to use for nesting material! Tarangire NP, March 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

SUNBIRDS & SPIDERHUNTERS (Nectariniidae):

Eastern (Kenya) Violet-backed Sunbird (Anthreptes orientalis) - EP, TA Collared Sunbird (Hedydipna collaris) - NS

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 54 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Collared Sunbird (male), Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Olive Sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea) - NS Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina) - NS Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis) - ANP, LV, SE, Nd, OG Tacazze Sunbird (Nectarinia tacazze) - CR Bronze Sunbird (Nectarinia kilimensis) - ANP, CR, GF Golden-winged Sunbird (Drepanorhynchus reichenowi) - CR Eastern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris mediocris) - CR, GF Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus) - SE, Nd, OG, CR, EP, TA Mariqua Sunbird (Cinnyris mariquensis) - SE Red-chested Sunbird (Cinnyris erythrocercus) - LV Variable Sunbird (Cinnyris venustus) - ANP, Nd, OG, GF, EP, TA

WAGTAILS & PIPITS (Motacillidae):

Mountain Wagtail (Motacilla clara) - NS, LM Gray Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) - ANP Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) - ANP, LV, Ng, LM African Pied Wagtail (Motacilla aguimp) - NS, ANP, LV, SE, GF, LM African (Grassland) Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus) - SE, TP, Nd, Ng Long-billed Pipit (Anthus similis) - SE Plain-backed Pipit (Anthus leucophrys) - SE, Nd, TA Yellow-throated Longclaw (Macronyx croceus) - SE, Ng Pangani Longclaw (Macronyx aurantiigula) - ANP, TA Rosy-throated Longclaw (Macronyx ameliae) - Ng

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 55 Northern Tanzania, 2020

FINCHES, CANARIES & ALLIES (Fringillidae):

Oriole Finch (Linurgus olivaceus) - CR Yellow-fronted Canary (Serinus mozambicus) - SE Southern Citril (Serinus hypostictus) - ANP, Ng, CR, LM* Reichenow’s (Yellow-rumped) Seedeater (Serinus reichenowi) - SE, TA White-bellied Canary (Serinus dorsostriatus) - LV, SE, Nd, OG Streaky Seedeater (Serinus striolatus) - Ng, CR Thick-billed Seedeater (Serinus burtoni) - ANP, CR

OLD WORLD BUNTINGS & NEW WORLD SPARROWS (Emberizidae):

Golden-breasted Bunting (Emberiza flaviventris) - NS, SE Cinnamon-breasted (Rock-) Bunting (Emberiza tahapisi) - SE

OLD WORLD SPARROWS (Passeridae):

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) - AR, LV, SE, OG, Karatu Kenya Rufous Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus) - SE, OG Northern Gray-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) - ANP, AR, TL, LM Swahili Sparrow (Passer suahelicus) - SE, Nd, EP, TA Chestnut Sparrow (Passer eminibey) - Nd Yellow-spotted Petronia (Petronia pyrgita) - SE, TA

WEAVERS & ALLIES (Ploceidae):

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver (Bubalornis niger) - SE, Nd, TA White-headed Buffalo-Weaver (Dinemellia dinemelli) - SE, EP, TA Speckle-fronted Weaver (Sporopipes frontalis) - SE, Nd, OG, TA Rufous-tailed Weaver (Histurgops ruficauda) - SE, Nd, Ng, TA Gray-headed Social-Weaver (Pseudonigrita amaudi) - LV, SE, Nd, EP Red-headed Weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps) - SE, LM, TA Baglafecht Weaver (Ploceus baglafecht) - ANP, CR, GF, LM Little Weaver (Ploceus luteolus) - SE Slender-billed Weaver (Ploceus pelzelni) - LV Black-necked Weaver (Ploceus nigricollis) - TA Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis) - ANP, CR Taveta Golden-Weaver (Ploceus castaneiceps) - NS, ANP Northern Brown-throated Weaver (Ploceus castanops) - LV Lesser Masked-Weaver (Ploceus intermedius) - LV, SE, Nd, OG, LM, EP, TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 56 Northern Tanzania, 2020

Lesser Masked-Weaver (male constructing nest), Ndutu Safari Lodge, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Vitelline Masked-Weaver (Ploceus vitellinus) - Nd, OG, TA Speke’s Weaver (Ploceus spekei) - SE, Nd, Ng Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) - LV, SE, Nd, TA Black-headed (Yellow-backed) Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus) - LV (Jackson’s) Golden-backed Weaver (Ploceus jacksoni) - LV, Nd, TA Chestnut Weaver (Ploceus rubiginosus) - TA Cardinal Quelea (Quelea cardinalis) - EP (This bird was seen only by Anthony and a few others. He called it a Red-headed Quelea, but that seems highly unlikely on range. The two species are quite similar in appearance, and without photographic evidence supporting the initial ID, I’m inclined to put it down as the much more expected of the two.) Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) - LM, TA Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) - Nd, LM, EP Black-winged (Red) Bishop (Euplectes hordeaceus) - LV, EP Black Bishop (Euplectes gierowii) - LV, OG, GF, LM, EP Yellow Bishop (Euplectes capensis) - Ng, LM White-winged Widowbird (Euplectes albonotatus) - SE, Nd, Ng, TA Red-collared Widowbird (Euplectes ardens) - CR Fan-tailed Widowbird (Euplectes axillaris) - SE, Ng Jackson’s Widowbird (Euplectes jacksoni) - Ng Grosbeak (Thick-billed) Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons) - NS, LV, CR, GF

WAXBILLS & ALLIES (Estrildidae):

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 57 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Yellow-bellied Waxbill (Coccopygia quartinia) - CR Abyssinian Crimsonwing (Cryptospiza salvadori) - CR Crimson-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda rhodopyga) - SE, OG Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) - ANP Black-faced Waxbill (Estrilda erythronotos) - SE, Nd Red-cheeked Cordonbleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) - SE, EP, TA Blue-capped Cordonbleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus) - LV, SE, Nd, OG, EP, TA Purple Grenadier (Granatina ianthinogaster) - SE, CR Green-winged Pytilia (Pytilia melba) - LV, SE, TA Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala) - LV, OG African (Blue-billed) Firefinch (Lagonosticta rubricata) - CR African Quailfinch (Ortygospiza fuscocrissa) - SE Gray-headed Silverbill (Odontospiza griseicapilla) - SE Bronze Mannikin (Spermestes cucullatus) - LV, LM

INDIGOBIRDS (Viduidae):

Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura) - LV, SE, OG, CR, Ng, TA Eastern Paradise-Whydah (Vidua paradisaea) - SE Steel-blue Whydah (Vidua hypocherina) - SE Straw-tailed Whydah (Vidua fischeri) - SE, Nd, OG, TA Village Indigobird (Vidua chalybeata) - LV, SE

TOTAL = 454 species

MAMMALS

Guereza Colobus (Colobus guereza) - NS, ANP, SE* Olive (Anubis) Baboon (Papio anubis) - ANP, SE, CR to GF, LM, TA Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus pygerythrus) - SE, CR to GF, TA Blue (Syke’s) Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis) - NS, ANP, CR, LM Brown Greater Galago (Bushbaby) (Otolemur crassicaudatus)* - NS*, TL* Bat sp. - NS, LV, SE, Nd, Ng, LM, TA Mauritian Tomb Bat (Taphozous mauritianus) - SE (This was the bat [photographed by several people] that was clinging to the concrete base of the water tower behind the restrooms at the Visitor Center. Identified for me, from my photos, by an old friend from grad school who is now one of the premier world authorities on African bats, and a curator of mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.) Yellow-winged Bat (Lavia frons) - LV Scrub Hare (Lepus saxatilis) - SE Unstriped Ground Squirrel (Xerus rutilus) - NS, SE, TA Huet’s (Ochre) Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus ochraceus) - TA Rat sp.? - Seen at several locations, particularly in SE and Nd. Mouse sp.? - Seen at several locations, particularly in SE and Nd.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 58 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) - SE (1), Nd (5) Caracal (Felis caracal) - Ng (Seen well only by Anthony & Edson in the lead vehicle, and glimpsed by one or two passengers in that vehicle.) African Wild Cat (Felis sylvestris) - Nd Leopard (Panthera pardus) - SE (1, but the same individual was seen on two different days.) Lion (Panthera leo) - SE (7), Nd (3), Ng (6), TA (1) {Total of 17, compared to 67 on the 2019 tour, and our record of 88 in 2018!}

Lion (males), Ngorongoro Crater, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Spotted Hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) - SE, TP, Ng Common (Golden) Jackal (Canis aureus) - TP, Nd, Ng {Recent genetic studies have shown that African “Golden Jackals” comprise two different species, a larger one in northern and western Africa, and a smaller one in East Africa, both of which are different from the Common (Golden) Jackals of Europe, and both of which are actually more closely related to the widespread Gray Wolf of the Northern Hemisphere, despite its morphological similarities to the Common Jackal of Europe! The suggested new name for the animals that we saw is “African Golden Wolf”, Canis anthus.) Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas) - SE, Nd, Ng Ratel (Honey Badger) (Mellivora capensis) - Nd (Leader only. Spotted on the move, by Anthony, while we were looking at a Lion. We chased after it, but it must have disappeared down a burrow.) Slender Mongoose (Herpestes sanguinea) - SE, Ng, CR Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula) - LV, SE, TA

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 59 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) - SE, TA Common (Small Spotted) Genet (Genetta genetta) - Nd (The nightly entertainment in the lodge dining room!) Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax arboreus)* - CR* Bush (Yellow-spotted) Hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei) - SE (The pointy-snouted hyrax seen at the Visitor Center.), TA (These were all over at Sopa Lodge, scampering across the roofs and paths.) Black-necked Rock Hyrax (Procavia johnstoni) - SE (The blunt-snouted hyrax seen at the Visitor Center.) African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) - SE, Ng, CR, LM, TA

African Elephant, Crater Rim forest, Ngorongoro, Feb 2020 (© Kevin J. Zimmer)

Common (Plains/Burchell’s) Zebra (Equus burchelli) - ANP, SE, TP, Nd, Ng, LM, TA Black (Hook-lipped) Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) - Ng (1 the first afternoon; 4 the next morning; and 4 seen very distantly from the scenic overlook on the Crater Rim, shortly before we exited the park on the last morning.) Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) - LV, SE, Ng, LM* Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) - ANP, SE, Nd, Ng, LM, TA “Maasai” Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) - ANP, SE, Nd, TA {Giraffe taxonomy is still unsettled. Until recently, all of them were considered to be a single species. More recent work has supported the elevation of several subspecies to full species status. All of the Giraffes that occur in northern Tanzania are of the “Maasai” subspecies/species.}

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 60 Northern Tanzania, 2020 Brindled Gnu (Blue Wildebeest) (Connochaetes taurinus) - SE, Nd, TP, Ng, LM African (Cape) Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) - ANP, SE, Ng, LM Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) - ANP, LM Eland (Taurotragus oryx) - SE, TP, Ng Kirk’s (Damara) Dikdik (Madoqua kirkii) - ANP, SE, Nd, TA Suni (Neotragus moschatus) - ANP Harvey’s Duiker (Cephalophus harveyi) - ANP Bohor Reedbuck (Redunca redunca) - TA Defassa Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsipyrmnus) - ANP, SE, TA {We saw two ssp; the “Common Waterbuck” with the white ring around the rump (ANP, TA), and the “true” Defassa Waterbuck, with the extensively white rump (SE).} Grant’s Gazelle (Gazella granti) - SE, TP, Nd, Ng, TA Red-fronted (Thomson’s) Gazelle (Gazella rufifrons thomsonii) - SE, TP, Nd, Ng Impala (Aepyceros melampus) - SE, Nd, LM, TA Topi (Tsessebe) (Damaliscus lunatus) - SE Kongoni (Red Hartebeest) (Alcelaphus buselaphus) - SE, TP, Nd, Ng, TA

Total = 48+ species (pending the identification of some bat & rodent species)

HERPS

Leopard Tortoise (Geochelone pardalis) - Nd, TA African Helmeted Terrapin (Pelomedusa subrufa) - Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) - Seen on the walls outside the rooms at various lodges, including NS, LV, GF, LM, TA . Striped Skink (Mabuya striata) - SE, Nd (This was the one running around on the deck outside the dining room at Kubu Kubu.) Blue-headed Tree Agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) - TP (Seen along the road between Naabi Hills and Oldupai Gorge on the days that we drove to and from Ndutu.) Red-headed Rock Agama (Agama agama) - TP, OG, TA Mwanza Flat-headed Agama (Agama mwanzae) - LV, SE Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepsis) - Nd (“Marty”!), OG Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) - LV, SE, LM, TA Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) - SE Various unidentified frogs - Several spots.

Total = 11+ species

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 61 Northern Tanzania, 2020