BIRDING MOZAMBIQUE CONQUERING THE coutadas Birding Mozambique Long ago, before the civil war, Mozambique had a well-deserved reputation as a hunting destination and the Coutadas (from the Portuguese word for hunting concession) in the centre of the country were the place to go. With peace restored, the hunters have returned – as have binocular-toting ‘hunters’ like Richard Flack. TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD FLACK The towering miombo woodlands of Coutada 12. inset The East Coast Akalat or > Gunning’s Robin, a sought-after songster of the lowland forests. AFRICAN BIRDLIFE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 BIRDING MOZAMBIQUE 31 The attractive and noisy Chestnut-fronted Helmet-shrike is often found in small groups or mixed-species parties. carefully before the trip, deciding about how hard it is to find and Lake Malawi which species I want to focus on photograph akalats and alethes. I tanzania and which I would love to see but am sure that this is the case, but would be happy to come back for I think that the time of year and if I’m not lucky this time. how long you can spend in good zambia Niassa Reserve habitat are important factors too. rom this perspective, there October may not be the best sea- Quirimbas NP malawi are three ‘cracker’ target spe- son for pittas, but it seems to be cies in the Coutadas’ low- for akalats. The vegetation is less Lilongwe Fland forests that stand out from dense than in December and the mozambique the rest: East Coast Akalat, White- birds are not yet paired up or sit- chested Alethe and African Pitta. ting on their nests, so they appear Cahora Bassa For the best chance to see all three, to be far more confiding than Zambezi The prinia-like Red- IN MOZAMBIQUE’S Zambezi Del- encapsulated in ‘Africa’ – the thrush-like birds they call ‘ghosts’ it is often recommended that you their reputation had led me to winged Warbler may ta, the Coutadas are a collection of promise of adventure, the sense and winged jewels with names go to the Zambezi Delta in late No- believe. By spending time in suit- be seen in the grassy ‘wildlife utilisation areas’ that are of remoteness and undiscovered that suggest they belong in a for- vember and December, after the able terrain (nearly impenetrable Harare Coutadas understorey of operated as hunting concessions landscapes, and the anticipation eign restaurant. For a first-time rains have arrived and when the tangles of vegetation in the heart 12 11 miombo and other on leases of five to 10 years. Some of encounters with wildlife. birder here, the list of potential pitta is calling. I agree completely, of thick patches of forest) and open woodland. are in the region of 2000 square But there’s hard reality too. The new species combined with the but this is not necessarily the best keeping my eyes about one metre Gorongosa NP kilometres in extent, others are well sheer beauty of the Coutadas is difficulty of finding some of them time for photography or saturated off the ground, I was able to find zimbabwe Beira over double that. They all include counterbalanced by obvious signs can seem overwhelming. Do you views because the forest is denser, a number of adults and all were diverse habitats and a wide array of of poaching and uncontrolled veld try to see them all in one trip? Or some of the birds are more secre- willing to pose for photographs. game animals – and of birds. fires. The biodiversity may be spec- do you prioritise key species and tive than usual and the weather can I am no expert, but after a few Of the nine official Coutadas, tacular, but the climate is harsh hope to come across the others by be disruptive. years of experience as a bird pho- two – Coutada 11 and Coutada 12 and the mosquitoes and tsetse flies chance? The answer depends on The African Pitta is notoriously tographer I believe that certain – are of particular interest to bird- are persistent. Sometimes you’ll be what attracts you to birding and difficult to locate and given its months are better than others for ers. They aren’t easy to get to, but lost in the wonder of the natural what your personal ambitions are. unobtrusive nature, natural cam- some species. For example, I have Limpopo NP once you’re there and navigating world around you; and then you’ll For myself, being both a birder ouflage and dense surroundings, discovered that the best time to your way through dense forest or look around and speculate wheth- and a keen photographer means you have little chance of finding photograph Green-headed Orioles Isky-scraping miombo woodland er that wonder will still be there on that I am torn between wanting it unless you hear its call. Visiting in the Gorongosa National Park Inhambane towards stunning open pans, all your next visit. to see new species and getting a in December, its prime breeding in central Mozambique is March, travel difficulties are forgotten. You’re here for the birds, decent photograph. If pushed for time, will therefore give you your when many of the trees are fruit- africa south INDIAN OCEAN The scenery becomes a tonic for though, and the species on offer an answer, I prefer to spend qual- best chance of success. ing and the birds are lower in the Maputo the soul and the pristine wilder- are the stuff of dreams: robins ity time in good habitat with the Before visiting the Coutadas canopy, giving eye-level, out-in- ness conjures up all the romance that you’d forgotten are robins, birds I encounter. I therefore plan I had heard many stories too the-open views. I suspect that > 32 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE MAY/JUNE 2016 BIRDING MOZAMBIQUE 33 we still have a lot to learn about the It is worthwhile to find a guide these cracker species, there is still optimum times for the different who has good knowledge of the no reason to hurry home. There birds in the Coutadas. area, both on and off the road. are many other exciting birds in Alethes are more difficult to pin Even with all the tips in the world, the lowland forests and with luck down – they are not called ‘ghost I would not have seen an alethe you’ll get to see Black-headed birds’ for nothing – and I am not had it not been for the excellent Apalis, Tiny Greenbul, African sure that any particular time of guiding of Sakkie and Gerbré van Broadbill, Eastern Nicator, Liv- year is good for photographing Zyl. We worked the hardest to ingstone’s Flycatcher, Woodwards’ them. These thrush-like birds are find this species, yet our efforts Batis, Plain-backed Sunbird, Van- found in the densest part of the were rewarded with glimpses that ga Flycatcher, Livingstone’s Tura- lowland forest, where only small were only fleeting compared to co, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, specks of light break through the our sightings of the other birds. Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo and canopy. The low-light conditions Assuming that you have been Silvery-cheeked Hornbill. and the alethes’ unobtrusive be- lucky enough to find all three of haviour mean that blurred im- nd then there’s the mi- IN MY OPINION, THE ages and long-distance views are ombo woodland. Venture the order of the day. Your best COUTADAs’ rEWARDS into the tracts of this awe- chance is to sit still in perfect hab- Ainspiring woodland interspersed ARE JUST TOO GREAT itat and listen carefully for their NOT TO PLAN A TRIP between patches of forest and you eerie calls. In my experience, al- can brace yourself for a stiff neck beit limited, I have found that the THERE. THE SCENERY and tough but exhilarating bird- A White-headed forests of Coutada 11 are far more AND THE BIRDING ing. As any experienced miombo Vulture feeds on alive with akalats and alethes ARE SOME OF THE birder will tell you, patience and you’ll come across a bird party Sunbird, Miombo Blue-eared a reedbuck carcass than are the forests of Coutada perseverance go a long way in this that will bring tears to the eyes of Starling, African Golden Oriole on Coutada 11’s 12, which is where most birders BEST I HAVE EVER difficult biome. For a couple of the most hardened birder. and Stierling’s Wren-Warbler are floodplains. focus their efforts. EXPERIENCED hours you’ll see nothing, but then My experience was no different, likely to be just some of the party though I did stay in the hunting members. camp of Coutada 12, which lies In between bird parties and in the heart of mature miombo as you move from one habitat to long-sleeved shirts and long (but above The distinctive woodland and made persevering another, there are good chances very light) trousers. The climate is African Broadbill can a little easier. It helps when your that you’ll see other sought-after very hot and humid, so take care be located by its rat- ‘garden birds’ are White-breasted species; Red-throated Twinspot, not to scratch bites as they easily tling ‘prrrrruup’ call. Cuckooshrike, Tropical Bou- Red-winged Warbler, Olive Bee- become infected. Check your room bou, Green-backed Woodpecker, eater, Bat Hawk, Southern Ground- for unwanted guests of the creepy- above, left Red- Southern Hyliota and Western Hornbill and Pale Batis were just a crawly variety before going to bed throated Twinspots Violet-backed Sunbird. In fact, a few of the birds we encountered.