Angola Endemics with a Chance of African Pitta Tour Leaflet 2021 © Tertius Gous © Tertius

BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Angola Endemics with a chance of African Pitta Tour Leaflet 2021 © Tertius Gous © Tertius

Gabela Helmetshrike

10-15 (extension) + 14-26 October 2021 Angola Endemics 2021 Swierstra's Francolin © John Clark © John BIRDING AFRICA Tour leader: Michael Mills THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Birding Africa Tour Summary Tour Africa Birding Summary Tour Africa Birding

Endemics in comfort • Targets all endemics, with a 4-day extension to the south • Good chance of African Pitta • Red-crested Turaco, White- headed Robin-Chat, Braun's Bushshrike, Gabela Akalat We have been pioneering birding tours to Angola found. Finally we visit Kissama NP we will search since 2005. Our 13-day Angola Endemics Tour has for Grey-striped Francolin, Gabela Helmetshrike, • Led by Angola’s top birder Michael’s incredible focus, dedication and ability to been carefully craft ed to comfortably and effi ciently White-fronted Wattle-eye, Angola Batis and locate and show Africa's toughest birds is probably target all of Angola's endemic birds. It is almost a Monteiro's Bushshrike. Th ere is also a good chance unequalled. He has led dozens of tours across the week (six days) shorter than our Comprehensive to see African Pitta on two mornings! continent and his experience in locating birds on Angola Tour. However, we also off er a Southern just the soft est of calls or briefest of views impresses Extension which adds on another four days to the those who travelled with him. Michael has spent a trip and targets mainly Namibian specials. We don’t Tour Focus total of more than four years in Angola, and knows do the long and tough hike for Margaret’s Batis at Th is tour will give us a good chance to see all of the country's birds better than anyone. Mount Moco (which can be seen on our Zambia Angola's endemic birds. It is heavily bird focused tours without a tough hike). (there is little other wildlife), although the scenery Dates (2021) We start with the Southern Extension, leaving is oft en spectacular and we will visit Kalandula Southern Extension 10-15 Oct Luanda to the south and fi rst birding the Benguela Falls, one of Angola's top tourist attractions. Endemics Tour 14-26 Oct area where several Namibian specials on off er. Next We use hotel accommodation throughout, which we visit Lubango where we spend a day at Tundavala means extra comfort, although some of the drives and a day visiting the Namibe deserts. © Tertius Gous © Tertius Braun's Bushshrike to birding sites are fairly long (all under two hours). Pro�isional Prices Th e Endemics Tour starts off by travelling from A species list will be handed out to you as part of Endemics (13 days) $4950 + $530 Luanda to the Mt Moco region (aft er a night in your tour booklet at the start of the tour and is the capital), where we join up with those on the available beforehand upon request. Extension (6 days) $1480 + $160 Southern Extension. Almost three days are spent in Th e tour coincides with the main breeding season. Starts/ends in Luanda (no Lubango fl ight needed) the diverse Mount Moco region where Swierstra's Francolin, Brazza's Martin and Bocage's Sunbird Days will typically be warm to hot, but nights cooler will be among our targets. Aft er this we'll bird the in the highlands. We are likely to encounter rain in Book online central escarpment forests at Kumbira to look for the higher-lying areas. Gabela Akalat, Gabela Bushshrike and Pulitzer's Visit www.birdingafrica.com Travel conditions are generally reasonable, although Longbill. From here we continue to the Kalandula service in hotels is oft en slow. Our route makes use Deposit ($150) by credit card Falls area to search for White-headed Robin-Chat. of the best roads and avoids the worst, but sections Email [email protected] Next are the forests of then northern escarpment are still potholed and under construction. © Fiona Tweedie © Fiona African Pitta forests where the striking Braun's Bushshrike is

2 | Angola Endemics 2021 Angola Endemics 2021 | 3 INTRODUCTION

Angola is one of the most biologically diverse Firefinch and Golden-backed Bishop. On top of countries in Africa. Following 30 years of civil war the central escarpment we hope to find three of that ended in 2002 the country has been slow in Angola's most Endangered endemics, namely opening up, which means that few birders have had Gabela Bushshrike, Gabela Akalat and Pulitzer's the opportunity to sample its delights. With habitats Longbill, with other possibilities including

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding ranging from Congo Basin forests to the Namib Monteiro's Bushshrike, Red-crested Turaco, Angola Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Desert, it is little surprise that the country has over Batis, Yellow-throated Nicator, Angola Cave Chat, 940 birds recorded. In addition the escarpment and Yellow-necked Greenbul, Pale-olive Greenbul, highlands of western Angola hold isolated patches Black-faced Canary and Landana Firefinch. We of Afromontane and Congo Basin forests where spend three days in the varied Mount Moco region, numerous endemics have evolved in isolation. with Afromontane forests, montane grasslands The combination of varied habitats, high species and miombo woodlands. Here our main targets diversity and significant numbers of endemics and include Swierstra's Francolin (hard to see), Finsch's specials makes Angola one of the continent's top Francolin, Fülleborn’s Longclaw, Angola Swee birding destinations. Waxbill, Dusky Twinspot, Bocage's Weaver, Black- chinned Weaver, Oustalet's Sunbird, Ludwig's On the Angola Endemics Tour we will sample all Double-collared Sunbird, Bocage's Sunbird, Angola the key birding habitats in Angola. For the northern Slaty Flycatcher, Bocage's Akalat, Huambo Cisticola, escarpment forests we base ourselves out of Uíge, Black-and-rufous Swallow, Brazza's Martin, Black- where numerous Congo Basin birds occur alongside collared Bulbul and Angola Lark. the endemic Braun's Bushshrike. The broadleaved woodlands and gallery forests of the Kalandula area We also offer a Southern Extension which gives host forest specials such as White-headed Robin- you a chance to bird the mostly-arid habitats of the Chat alongside miombo species such as Anchieta's south. At Lubango we bird Tundavala (Angola Cave

© Tertius Gous © Tertius Red-crested Turaco Barbet and Sharp-tailed Starling. Along the central Chat, Swierstra's Francolin, Angola Slaty Flycatcher) escarpment, Kissama National Park hosts dry forests and the coastal deserts of Namibe (Cinderella Accommodation and meals Walking at the foot of the escarpment. Here we hope to Waxbill, Benguela Starling and Rüppell’s Korhaan), find Gabela Helmetshrike, Monteiro's Bushshrike, and in the Benguela area we could find a range of Accommodation and meals are generally of a This tour requires only a moderate degree of fitness. White-fronted Wattle-eye, Grey-striped Francolin, Namibian specials such as Hartlaub's Spurfowl, reasonable standard. All rooms have private All walks will last less than four hours and be Angola Batis, Yellow-throated Nicator, Pale- White-tailed Shrike and Monteiro's Hornbill. bathrooms and cold and hot running water is conducted at a manageable pace. Terrain where we olive Greenbul, Hartert's Camaroptera, Landana generally available. Although power supply can be walk is generally flat, except at Mount Moco where unreliable, most hotels have backup generators. it is much steeper and rocky. Meals are a generally Portuguese-style, with a strong emphasis on starch and meat. Vegetarian options International flights are limited. Some breakfasts and most lunches may be taken in the field. Participants are required to make their own international flight reservations. Water is not safe to drink so we supply free bottled water in the vehicle that you can take to your rooms The tour starts with dinner and accommodation for drinking and brushing teeth. in Luanda on 10 October 2021 for the Southern Extension and on 14 October 2021 for the Endemics Tour. Group size The tour ends in Luanda on the evening of 26 Maximum 9 participants in two 4x4s. October 2021 (excluding accommodation or dinner). Participants can leave Luanda any time after 21h00. Those wishing to overnight in Luanda

4 | Angola Endemics 2021 Angola Endemics 2021 | 5 DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

------Southern Extension ------for the recently rediscovered Angolan White- headed Barbet. Overnight in Lubango town. Day 1 (10 Oct): Arrive Luanda

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day 5 (14 Oct): Namibe Day Trip Leaflet Tour Africa Birding The Southern Extension officially commences with dinner and accommodation in Luanda. The road from Lubango to Namibe starts at around Please arrange to arrive in Luanda any time today, 2300 m altitude on the Humpata Plateau, rapidly although note that rooms may only be available dropping down the spectacular Leba Pass to the from the early afternoon. lowlands below. Our first stop will be at the base of the escarpment where we hope to track down Day 2 (11 Oct): Luanda to Benguela Cinderella Waxbill, Hartlaub's Babbler, Bennett's Woodpecker and Benguela Long-tailed Starling. With a long drive ahead of us we depart early from As we drive west towards the coast the habitat gets Luanda, following the coast south to the Benguela drier and drier. Initially arid bushveld is home area. Some afternoon birding in the Lobito area to Dusky Sunbird, Karoo Chat, Chat Flycatcher, should turn up a variety of waterbirds. Cape Sparrow and Southern Fiscal, but eventually we'll reach barren desert plains where Benguela Day 3 (12 Oct): Benguela to Lubango Long-billed Lark and Rüppell’s Korhaan are the main targets. Other possibilities include Ludwig's

We have a full morning to bird the arid habitats Bustard, Double-banded Courser, Pale Chanting Braun's Bushshrike Gous © Tertius in the Benguela area. The arid savanna and rocky Goshawk, Greater Kestrel, Pale-winged Starling, hillsides some 50 km inland of Benguela form the Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark and Stark's Lark. ------Endemics Tour ------Francolin (difficult to see), Ludwig's Double- most northerly tongue of Namibian Escarpment Overnight in Lubango town. collared Sunbird, Bocage's Akalat, Schalow's Turaco, habitat, and provide an opportunity to look for Evergreen Forest Warbler, Thick-billed Seedeater, several species mostly associated with Namibia. Day 6 (15 Oct): Lubango to Mount Moco Day 1 (14 Oct): Arrive Luanda Grey Apalis, African Hill Babbler, White-tailed Blue Hartlaub's Francolin call from the rock-tops in the Flycatcher, Olive Woodpecker and Western Green With a long drive ahead of us we depart from the The Angola Endemic Tour officially commences early morning, and we hope to find Bare-cheeked Tinkerbird. Forest edge also supports Huambo Lubango area after a short stint of early morning with dinner and accommodation in Luanda. Babbler, Rüppell’s Parrot, White-tailed Shrike, Cape Cisticola, Angola's newest bird endemic, Yellow- birding. Night near Huambo Please arrange to arrive in Luanda any time today, Penduline Tit, Carp's Tit, Pririt Batis, Monteiro's throated Leaflove, Dusky Twinspot, Angolan Swee Hornbill and Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill. although note that rooms may only be available from the early afternoon. Waxbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Oustalet's Night near Benguela. In the afternoon we drive to Sunbird, Bronzy Sunbird, Spotted Creeper, Red- Lubango. Overnight in Lubango town. Day 2 (15 Oct): To Mount Moco throated Wryneck and Black-chinned Weaver. The surrounding grasslands and rocky areas hold Horus Day 4 (13 Oct): Tundavala Today is mostly a travel day as we journey from Swift, Striped Pipit, Capped Wheatear, Black- Views down the spectacular southern escarpment Lubango to Mount Moco. , where we meet up with collared Bulbul, Angola Lark, Broad-tailed Warbler are best had from Tundavala near Lubango. those on the Southern Extension. (Fan-tailed Grassbird), Ayres's/Wing-snapping The rocky area also holds a variety of grassland, Cisticola, and the very difficult Finsch's Francolin. escarpment and forest birds. Top of the list is the Days 3-4 (16-17 Oct): Mount Moco region Miombo woodlands and dambo grasslands in the localised Angola Cave Chat, found alongside Angola The greater Mount Moco region is one of the most surrounds of Mount Moco hold an equally impressive Slaty Flycatcher, Swierstra's Francolin (rare), Short- diverse in the country and we allow ourselves variety of birds. Black-necked Eremomela, the toed Rock Thrush, Angolan Swee Waxbill, Freckled two full days to explore its Afromontane forests, curious local race of Brubru, Green-capped Nightjar, Bradfield's Swift, Rockrunner, Tinkling montane grasslands, miombo woodlands and Eremomela, Miombo Scrub Robin, Miombo Pied Cisticola, Wailing Cisticola, Buffy Pipit, Striped dambo grasslands. A significant amount of time will Barbet (rare), Miombo Wren-Warbler, Red-capped Pipit, Oustalet's Sunbird and Ansorge's Firefinch be focussed on Mount Moco itself, where the forests Crombec, Woodland Pipit, Salvadori's Eremomela,

(split from Jameson's Firefinch). We'll also search Angola White-headed Barbet Gous © Tertius support diminishing populations of Swierstra's Pale-billed Hornbill, Yellow-bellied Hyliota and

6 | Angola Endemics 2021 Angola Endemics 2021 | 7 Day 8 (21 Oct): Kalandula Falls region Day 9 (22 Oct): To Uíge Our main reason for visiting the Kalandula region After some final birding in the Kalandula area we is to search for the striking and localised White- make our way to the northern escarpment forests of

© Tertius Gous © Tertius headed Robin-Chat in the gallery forests some Uíge province. Overnight in Uíge town. 40 km north of the falls. Sharing the same habitat are species such as Grey-winged Robin-Chat, Day 10 (23 Oct): Northern escarpment Bannerman's Sunbird, Brown-headed Apalis,

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding African Broadbill, Narina Trogon, Cabanis's We have a full day to explore various patches of Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Greenbul and Red-crested Turaco. northern escarpment forest within an hour's drive of Uíge. Braun's Bushshrike is, of course, the main We'll also bird the surrounding woodlands, which target for the day, but a long list of other species is are the most reliable site for Anchieta's Barbet and possible, including Banded Prinia, Lowland Masked Sharp-tailed Starling. Other species of interest Apalis, Black-throated Apalis, Buff-throated may include Pale-billed Hornbill, Rufous-bellied Apalis, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Orange- Tit, Anchieta's Sunbird, Western Violet-backed tufted Sunbird, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Sunbird, Red-throated Cliff Swallow, Meyer's Forest Chestnut-winged Starling, Black-winged Parrot, Retz's Helmetshrike, and Miombo Scrub Oriole, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Brown Twinspot, Robin. Overnight in Kalandula town.

Gabela Akalat

White-breasted Cuckooshrike may be seen in the Unfortunately slash-and-burn farming has caused woodlands. However, the dambo grasslands hold major population declines in all three species, the greatest interest, and here we will be hoping to although the akalat is still common and the longbill find Brazza's Martin, Black-and-rufous Swallow, is normally not too hard to find. The bushshrike Fülleborn’s Longclaw, Sooty Chat, Chirping has become rather rare and hard to find now, Cisticola, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Coppery-tailed having been fairly common only 15 years ago, Coucal, Brown Firefinch, Locust-Finch, Hartlaub's so we may have to search for it at some backup Marsh Widowbird, Stout Cisticola, Bocage's sites. Other birds we may find at Kumbira include Sunbird and Bocage's Weaver. Nights near Huambo Red-crested Turaco, Southern Hyliota, Dusky Tit, city. Yellow-throated Nicator, Yellow-necked Greenbul, Pale-olive Greenbul, Brown Illadopsis, Hartert's Day 5 (18 Oct): Mount Moco to Conda Camaroptera, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Superb Sunbird, Forest Scrub Robin, Gorgeous Bushshrike, African Broadbill, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, After some final birding in the Mount Moco region Black-faced Canary, Pink-footed Puffback, Angolan we make our way to the endemic-rich central Naked-faced Barbet, Trumpeter Hornbill and Grey escarpment. Night near Conda. Waxbill. Overnight near Conda village.

Day 6 (19 Oct): Kumbira Forest Day 7 (20 Oct): Conda to Kalandula Falls Kumbira Forest is home to three Endangered After some final birding along the central escarpment central escarpment endemics, namely Pulitzer's we continue north-east to the Kalandula Falls area.

8 | Angola Endemics 2021 Angola Endemics 2021 | 9 Naked-faced Barbet, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Day 12 (25 Oct): Kissama National Park Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Yellow-billed Barbet, White-breasted Nigrita, Black Bee-eater, Green- Dry forests in the vicinity of Muxima make for throated Sunbird, Little Green Sunbird, African some of the country's most endemic-rich birding.

Pied Hornbill, Bristle-nosed Barbet, Speckled In the early morning we'll watch for Grey-striped Gous © Tertius Tinkerbird, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Dusky-blue Francolin on the sides of the road. A whole host of Flycatcher, Sooty Flycatcher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, dry forest birds is on offer, with Gabela Helmetshrike, Piping Hornbill, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Monteiro's Bushshrike and White-fronted Wattle- Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Chestnut Wattle-eye, Red-fronted Parrot and eye top of the list. Other species on offer include Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Cassin's Honeybird. Unfortunately most of the African Barred Owlet, Red-backed Mousebird, accessible forests have been heavily logged, making Olive Bee-eater, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Pale- it very hard to find the local race of White-throated olive Greenbul, Swamp Boubou, Rufous-tailed Palm Greenbul. White-collared Oliveback, discovered on Thrush, Bubbling Cisticola, Forest Scrub Robin, a Birding Africa tour in 2011, is also possible but Green Crombec, Purple-banded Sunbird, Yellow- rather rare. Overnight in Uíge town. throated Nicator and Angola Batis. Overnight in Muxima village. Black-and-rufous Swallow Day 11 (24 Oct): Uíge to Muxima Day 13 (26 Oct): To Luanda Today we travel south through the northern escarpment forests, pausing for birding along the After some final birding in the Muxima area we way. We aim to reach Muxima on the Kwanza River, make our way to Luanda, birding some coastal in Kissama National Park, in time for some nearby wetlands en route if time allows. The tour ends in Gous © Tertius birding in the afternoon. Overnight in Muxima the evening with drop offs at the airport from 18h00 village. for departures from 21h00.

10 | Angola Endemics 2021 Angola Endemics 2021 | 11 INCLUDED • Birding Africa tour leader • entry fees and activities as per itinerary • hotel accommodation throughout Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding • airport transfers in Luanda on 10/14 and 26 October • bottled water in the vehicle • one soft drink at each sit-down meal • tips

QUESTIONS? Please email Michael Mills at [email protected]

BOOKLET AND CHECKLIST Birding Africa provides: 1. this tour leaflet with detailed itinerary 2. the tour information pack, emailed to you. 3. the tour booklet with checklists, on the tour.

HOW TO BOOK 1. Complete our easy online booking form. 2. Secure your booking deposit by credit card on our 3D secure online payment site ($150) 3. Settle the balance by bank transfer 150 days before the tour. We will email you a reminder and the banking details. © Tertius Gous © Tertius

12 | Angola Endemics 2021 Angola Endemics 2021 | 13