Highlands Fling
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HIG H LANDS FLING The world of Abyssinian endemics TEXT BY PETER RYAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHEL GUNTHER/BIOS The highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea are home to a host of endemic birds. The confiding nature of the birds, cou- pled with the soft, mountain light, wonderful scenery and intriguing alpine plants, make for a photogra- pher’s paradise. Here we highlight some striking portraits of the region’s montane specials. A Cape Eagle Owl Bubo capensis roosting among the stunning alpine vegetation. Although not strictly endemic, the Abyssinian population is placed in its own subspecies, dilloni, which is browner and more barred below. 38 ABYSSINIAN ENDEMICS AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2001 ABYSSINIAN ENDEMICS 39 black bird that has a remarkably restric Other Abyssinian endemics may be less ted range in the south of Ethiopia. intriguing in terms of their relationships, Inexplicably, it is only found in the trian- but many are equally impressive birds to gle between Yabelo, Arero and Mega, an see. Top of the list is the Thick-billed area less than 100 kilometres across. Raven Corvus crassirostris with its amazing Within this area it is common, often bill that puts a Helmet Vanga Euryceros found in mixed flocks with Superb prevostii to shame! The Wattled Ibis Lamprotornis superbus and White-capped Bostrychia carunculata and Spot-breasted starlings Spreo albicapillus. It was only Lapwing Vanellus melanocephalus are also described in 1938, and has usually been striking birds, often seen in the same placed in the crow family Corvidae, allied grassland areas as Blue-winged Geese. to the Asian ground-jays. However, it also Other widespread grassland endemics are has several starling-like features, and Abyssinian Longclaw Macronyx flavicollis, although sceptics would probably say this Ethiopian Siskin Serinus nigriceps and is the result of convergent life-styles, the Erlanger’s Lark Calandrella erlangeri, a latest volume (6) of Birds of Africa has re cent split from Red-capped Lark C. cine- in cluded it in the Sturnidae. But in terms rea. of palate structure the bird differs mark- In the highland forests, more colourful edly from both crows and starlings, and endemics include Yellow-fronted Parrot some researchers have even placed it in Poicephalus flavifrons, Black-winged Love- its own family, the Zavattariornidae. bird Agapornis taranta, Banded Barbet More work is needed to resolve this par- Lybius undatus and Ethiopian Oriole ticular conundrum! Above The Moorland or Alpine Chat he independence of Eritrea recalls the Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler Cercomela sordida is another from Ethiopia not only cut off Parisoma subcaeruleum, having a similar near-endemic to the Abyssinian high- Ethiopia’s access to the sea, but shape and mostly grey plumage with a lands, but also occurs in the also deprived it of its claim of rufous vent. The conventional thinking is highlands of Kenya and Tanzania. Tbeing home to more endemic birds that it is related to the babblers, with close than any other country in Africa. affinities to the Bush Blackcap Lioptilus Above right The immature Ethiopian Twenty-five of the region’s 30 or so nigri capillus of South Africa or the Kupeornis or Black-headed Siskin lacks the dis- endemic bird species are restricted to babblers of central Africa. How ever, Sibley tinctive black head of the Abyssinian highlands, which occur and Ahlquist’s reorganisation of the pas- the adult male, and could be largely within Ethiopia but extend north serines places the babblers in the Sylvidae, confused with the highly localised into Eritrea. However, such political together with the tit-babblers and pariso- Ankober Serin but for the niceties should only detract from the mas, so the resemblance to a tit-babbler yellow wash on its belly. joy of birding the highlands if the ongo- may be more than coincidence. ing border dispute between the two The other two monotypic genera are Opposite With its prodigious countries escalates beyond the immedi- equally peculiar. The Blue-winged Goose Roman nose and white yarmulke, ate border region. Cyanochen cyanopterus is a shelduck-like the Thick-billed Raven looks at home A striking feature of the Abyssinian bird with a stubby bill which appears to among the many religious sites that endemics is the high proportion of large have affinities to Chloephaga geese of dot the highland countryside. and relatively ‘unique’ species. Of the South America, and is often said to be the Despite its fearsome-looking bill, total of 25 highland endemics, 11 are African counterpart of the Andean Goose it is primarily a scavenger. non-passerines, and three are monotypic C. melanoptera. Quite how it arrived in the genera. This makes for some fascinating Abyssinian highlands remains unex- and rewarding birding. One of the fun plained. Rouget’s Rail Rougetius rougetii has things to do is to try and pick a closest no clear affinities at all. It probably is relative for the oddball species. close to Rallus, but its plain, unbarred For example, consider the Abyssinian plumage and white undertail are peculiar. Catbird Parophasma galinieri. It superfi- Recent researchers have, for want of a bet- cially resembles the Grey Catbird of North ter place, listed it between the Corn Crake America, which has a mewing, cat-like Crex crex and Snoring Rail Aramidopsis call, hence its common name. But the plateni of Sulawesi! Abyssinian version is renowned for its But perhaps the oddest of the Ethiopian liquid song, which is extremely variable oddballs is not a highland species at all. and has been likened to that of the Stresemann’s Bush-Crow Zavattariornis Nightingale Luscinia luscinia. To African stresemanni is a starling-sized, grey-and- birders, the Abyssinian Catbird probably 40 ABYSSINIAN ENDEMICS AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2001 ABYSSINIAN ENDEMICS 41 1 1 2 2 3 3 ASMARA 4 Red Sea 4 E R 5 I T 5 SIMIEN s R 6 NATIONAL PARK d E 6 n A 7 a 7 Lake l N DJIBOUTI 8 Tana h 8 g A i 9 ue Nile H Ankober 9 D Bl y e 10 n l 10 U ADDIS l a a i ABABA V 11 S n 11 i t s f s i 12 R ETHIOPIA 12 y b t 13 A a BALE MOUNTAINS 13 e NATIONAL PARK 14 r 14 G 15 15 Yabelo 16 16 17 17 KENYA SOMALIA 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 Above The Wattled Ibis is a 21 22 common species of montane 22 23 grasslands. Its throat wattle 23 24 is inconspicuous relative to 24 25 its striking white wing 25 26 coverts and pale iris. 26 27 27 28 Right Although Rouget’s Rail 28 29 is listed as near-threatened, 29 30 it remains locally common. 30 31 At higher elevations it occurs 31 32 well away from water and is 32 33 remarkably confiding. 33 34 34 35 Opposite A stunning 35 36 Chestnut-naped Francolin 36 37 Pternistes castaneicollis takes 37 38 in the early morning view from 38 39 atop an everlasting bush. 39 40 40 41 41 42 42 43 Oriolus monacha. Less overtly eye- out into the countryside. 43 44 catching but nonetheless enjoyable are Another feature of several Abyssinian 44 45 White-backed Tit Parus leuconotus, the endemics is their very restricted distri- 45 46 Abyssi nian Slaty-Flycatcher Dioptrornis bution. Harwood’s Francolin Pternistes 46 47 chocolatinus and the Abyssinian or harwoodi only occurs along the upper 47 48 Golden-backed Woodpecker Dendro picos tributaries of the Blue Nile, north of 48 49 abyssi nicus, a close relative of the Cardinal Addis Ababa. It is best known from the 49 50 Woodpecker D. fuscescens which even Jemma Valley, where it can be seen in 50 51 responds to a tape of this species’ call. the early morning. Recent surveys have 51 52 The final major habitat where endem- found it at several new sites, but it is 52 53 ics occur is the rocky cliffs and gorges. absent from many seemingly suitable 53 54 Here one finds Rüppell’s Black Chat areas. Ruspoli’s Turaco Tauraco ruspolii is 54 55 Myrmecocichla melaena, White-winged equally localised, being restricted to the 55 56 Cliff-Chat Thamnolaea semirufa and juniper forests along the southern fringe 56 57 the striking White-billed Starling of the south-east highland massif. 57 58 Onychognathus albirostris. White-collared But the most interesting of the localised 58 59 Pigeons Columba albitorques also occur in endemics are the canaries. The Ethiopian 59 60 this habitat, but they have adapted to Siskin is widespread throughout the high- 60 61 city life and you are likely to see them in lands, but the other three endemic species 61 62 Addis Ababa even before you venture are poorly known and apparently 62 42 ABYSSINIAN ENDEMICS AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 Above A head-on view of a 22 23 pair of Spot-breasted 23 24 Lapwings, showing their 24 25 striking breast markings 25 26 and neat black bibs. 26 27 27 28 Right Blue-winged Geese 28 29 stepping it out across the 29 30 alpine turf. 30 31 31 32 Opposite The Bale Mountains 32 33 National Park offers, in addi- 33 34 tion to most of the montane 34 35 endemic birds, spectacular 35 36 scenery and a host of 36 37 special mammals, including 37 38 the rare Simien wolf.