Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Introduction Sosian is a 24,000 acre ranch in the centre of the vast and beautiful landscape known as Laikipia Plateau. Sosian takes pride in its wildlife conservation and the result has seen, in keeping with much of Laikipia, a resurgence in wildlife species and numbers. Whilst mammals tend to be the focus of a visitor’s attention, Sosian bird life is an important attraction, with the ranch having more than 350 Species. This is not surprising given the different habitats that can be encountered and enjoyed. Sosian enjoys at least 5 major ecozones. These can be classified as 1) the Grassland with scattered acacia trees in the North, 2) Rocky Bushland, 3) Acacia Woodland, 4) Acacia Grassland in the South and 5) the Riverine habitat provided by the Ewaso Narok River. In addition there are some major rock outcrops, cliffs and gorges. Use is made of some abbreviations in this checklist. AM = Afrotropical migrant, MM = Malagasy migrant, OM = Oriental migrant, PM = Palearctic migrant, (am) = local birds supplemented by Afrotropical migrant, (mm) = local birds supplement- ed by Malagasy migrant, (om) = local birds supplemented by Oriental migrants and (pm) = local birds supplemented by palearctic migrants. This checklist has been prepared by Brian Finch, Nigel Hunter, Simon Kenyon and Tristan Voorspoy over a period of the last 4 to 5 years. It is not exhaustive and new species will be added to the list over more time. The presence or absence of rain will have its influence as will the timing of migrations. Such records plus support- ing details should be given to Simon Kenyon or whoever is the resident manager at the time of the observation. Otherwise the email address to use is lodge@sosian. com Enjoy your birding Tristan Voorspoy, Sosian Ranch, April 2015 Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Struthionidae: Ostrich Common Ostrich: Struthio camelus Numididae: guineafowl Helmeted Guineafowl: Numida meleagris Vulturine Guinesfowl: Acryllium vulturinum Phasianidae: quails, francolins, spurfowl and allies Shelley’s Francolin: Francolinus shelleyi Crested Francolin: Francolinus sephaena Hildebrandt’s Francolin: Francolinus hildebrandti Yellow-necked Spurfowl: Francolinus leucoscepus Common Quail: Coturnix coturnix (pm) Harlequin Quail: Coturnix delergorguei (am) Anatidae: ducks and geese White-faced Whistling Duck: Dendrocygna viduata Spur-winged Goose: Plectropterus gambensis Knob-billed Duck: Sarkidiornis melanotos (am) Egyptian Goose: Alopochen aegyptiaca African Black Duck: Anas sparsa Yellow-billed Duck: Anas undulata (am) Northern Shoveler: Anas clypeata PM Red-billed Teal: Anas erythrorhyncha Gargeney: Anas querquedula PM Hottentot Teal: Anas hottentota Ferruginous Duck: Aythya nyroca PM Podicipedidae: grebes Little Grebe: Tachybaptus ruficollis Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Ciconiidae: storks Yellow-billed Stork: Mycteria ibis (am) African Open-billed Stork: Anastomus Lamelligerus (am) Black Stork: Ciconia nigra PM Abdim’s Stork: Ciconia abdimii AM White Stork: Ciconia ciconia PM Marabou Stork: Leptoptilos cumeniferous Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills Sacred Ibis: Threskiornis aethiopicus Hadada Ibis: Bostrychia hagedash African Spoonbill: Platalea alba Ardeidae: herons, egrets and bitterns Little Bittern: Ixobrychus minutus (am,pm) Black-crowned Night Heron: Nycticorax nycticorax (am,pm) Striated Heron: Buteroides striata Squacco Heron: Ardeola ralloides (am,pm) Madasgacar Pond Heron: Ardeola idea MM Cattle Egret: Bubulcus ibis Grey Heron: Ardea cinerea Black-headed Heron: Ardea melanocephala Goliath Heron: Ardea goliath Purple Heron: Ardea purpurea Great White Egret: Ardea alba Yellow-billed Egret: Egretta intermedia Little Egret: Egretta garzetta Scopidae: Hamerkop Hamerkop: Scopus umbretta Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Pelecanidae: pelicans Pink-backed Pelican: Pelecanus rufescens Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants Reed Cormorant: Phalacrocorax africanus Great Cormorant: Phalacrocorax carbo Falconidae: falcons Lesser Kestrel: Falco naumanni PM Common Kestrel: Falco tinnunculus (pm) Greater Kestrel: Flaco rupicoloides Amur Falcon: Falco amurensis PM Eurasian Hobby: Falco subbuteo PM Lanner Falcon: Falco biarmacus Peregrine Falcon: Falco peregrinus (pm) Accipitridae: diurnal birds of prey other than falcons Secretarybird: Sagittarius serpentarius African Black-shouldered Kite: Elanus caeruleus Swallow-tailed Kite: Chelictinia riocourii (am) Black Kite: Milvus migrans African Fish Eagle: Haliaeetus vocifer Egyptian Vulture: Neophron percnopterus White-backed Vulture: Gyps africanus Rüppell’s Vulture: Gyps rueppellii Lappet-faced Vulture: Torgos tracheliotus Black-chested Snake Eagle: Circaetus pectoralis Brown Snake Eagle: Circaetus cinereus Bateleur: Terathopius ecaudatus Western Marsh Harrier: Circus aeruginosus PM Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Pallid Harrier: Circus macrourus PM Montagu’s Harrier: Circus pyargus PM African Harrier Hawk: Polyboroides typus Dark Chanting Goshawk: Meliaraxmetabates Eastern Chanting Goshawk: Melierax poliopterus Gabar Goshawk: Micronisus gabar African Goshawk: Accipiter tachiro Shikra: Accipiter badius Little Sparrowhawk: Accipiter minullus Common Buzzard: Buteo buteo PM Augur Buzzard: Buteo augur Tawny Eagle: Aquila rapax Steppe Eagle: Aquila nipalensis PM Verreaux’s Eagle: Aquila verreauxii African Hawk Eagle: Aquila spilogaster Booted Eagle: Aquila pennata PM Martial Eagle: Polemaetus bellicosus Long-crested Eagle: Lophaetus occipitalis Otididae: bustards Kori Bustard: Ardeotis kori White-bellied Bustard: Eupodotis senegalensis Crested Bustard: Eupodotis ruficrista Black-bellied Bustard: Lissotis melanogaster Hartlaub’s Bustard: Lissotis hartlaubii Rallidae: rails and relatives African Water Rail: Rallus caerulescens Black Crake: Amaurornis flavirostra Allen’s Gallinule: Porphyrio alleni Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Common Moorhen: Gallinula chloropus Red-knobbed Coot: Fulica cristata (am) Heliornithidae: finfoots African Finfoot: Podica senegalensis Gruidae: cranes Grey Crowned Crane: Balearica regulorum Turnicidae: buttonquails and Quailplover Common Buttonquail: Turnix sylvaticus Burhinidae: thick-knees Spotted Thick-knee: Burhinus capensis Recurvirostridae: stilts and avocets Black-winged Stilt: Himantopus himantopus (am,pm) Pied Avocet: Recurvirostra avosetta (am,pm) Charadriidae: plovers Blacksmith Plover: Vanellus armatus Spur-winged Plover: Vanellus spinosus Black-winged Plover: Vanellus melanopterus Crowned Plover: Vanellus coronatus Kitllitz’s Plover: Charadrius pecuarius (am) Three-banded Plover: Charadrius tricollaris Rostratulidae: painted-snipes Greater Painted-snipe: Rostratula benghalensis Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Scolopacidae: sandpipers and relatives Common Snipe: Gallinago gallinago PM Marsh Sandpiper: Tringa stagnatilis PM Common Greenshank: Tringa nebularia PM Green Sandpiper: Tringa ochropus PM Wood Sandpiper: Tringa glareola PM Common Sandpiper: Actitis hypoleucos PM Little Stint: Calidris minuta PM Curlew Sandpiper: Calidris ferruginea PM Ruff: Philomachus pugnax PM Glareolidae: Egyptian Plover, coursers and pratincoles Temminck’s Courser: Cursorius temminckii Heuglin’s Courser: Rhinoptilus cincta Laridae: gulls, terns and skimmers Whiskered Tern: Chlidonias hybrida (am) White-winged Black Tern: Chlidonias leucopterus PM Pteroclidae: sandgrouse Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse: Pterocles exustus Black-faced Sandgrouse: Pterocles decoratus Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse: Pterocles lichtensteinii Columbidae: pigeons and doves Speckled Pigeon: Columba guinea Dusky Turtle Dove: Streptopelia lugens African Morning Dove: Streptopelia decipiens Red-eyed Dove: Streptopelia semitorquata Ring-necked Dove: Streptopelia capicola Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Laughing Dove: Streptopelia senegalensis Emerald-spotted Wood Dove: Turtur chalcospilos Namaqua Dove: Oena capensis African Green Pigeon: Treron calvus Psittacidae: lovebirds and parrots Meyer’s Parrot: Poicephalus meyeri Musophagidae: turacos White-bellied Go-away-bird: Corythaixoides leucogaster Cuculidae: cuckoos and coucals Jacobin Cuckoo: Clamator jacobinus (am,pm,om) Levaillant’s Cuckoo: Clamator levaillantii (am) Great-spotted Cuckoo: Clamator glandarius (am,pm) Red-chested Cuckoo: Cuculus solitarius (am) Black Cuckoo: Cuculus clamosus (am) Common Cuckoo: Cuculus canorus PM African Cuckoo: Cuculus gularis AM Klaas’s Cuckoo: Chrysococcyx klaas Diederik Cuckoo: Chrysococcyx caprius (am) White-browed Coucal: Centropus superciliosus Tytonidae: barn owls Grass Owl: Tyto capensis Strigidae: typical owls African Scops Owl: Otus senegalensis Northern White-faced Scops Owl: Ptilopsis leucotis Greyish Eagle Owl: Bubo cinerascens Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Verreaux’s Eagle Owl: Bubo lacteus Pearl-spotted Owlet: Glaucidium perlatum Marsh Owl: Asio capensis Caprimulgidae: nightjars Eurasian Nightjar: Caprimulgus europaeus PM Dusky Nightjar: Caprimulgus fraenatus Donaldson Smith’s Nightjar: Caprimulgus donaldsoni Plain Nightjar: Caprimulgus inornatus AM (pm) Freckled Nightjar: Caprimulgus tristigma Apodidae: swifts Mottled Swift: Telecanthura ussheri Common Swift: Apus apus PM Nyanza Swift: Apus niansae African Black Swift: Apus barbatus Little Swift: Apus affinis White-rumped Swift: Apus caffer Coliidae: mousebirds Speckled Mousebird: Colius striatus Blue-naped Mousebird: Urocolius macrourus Coraciidae: rollers Rufous-crowned Roller: Coracias naevius (am) Lilac-breasted Roller: Coracias caudatus (am) Eurasian Roller: Coracias garrulous PM Checklist of the Birds of Sosian Alcedinidae: