Table Of ContentScopus18: 34-39,November1994
Bird observations on Wasini Island, Kenya
ColinRyall
During four visits of one to three days duration to Wasini Island in April 1985,
November1985,March 1986andJuly 1987,birdsinhabitingthevarioushabitatswere
noted. Someoftheseobservationsextendtherange ofspecies asdefinedbyLewis &
PomeroyinihoirBirdatlasofKenya(1989,Rotterdam:Balkema);theislandoccupies
QSD114C.
Study site
WasiniIslandliesat4°40S,39°20EatthesouthernextremeoftheKenyancoast,afew
kilometresfromtheTanzanianborder, andisseparatedfromtheKenyanmainlandby
the 1.5-km-wide Shimoni Channel—along its northern s—hore. It is a low-lying island,
less than 20 m at its highest point ^Ras Zinza Mkono at the easternmost promon-
tory.Itis430hainarea,measuringabout5kmeasttowestand0.8to 1.5kmnorthto
south (Fig. 1).
The southern shore of Wasini Island forms the northern extent of the Kisite/
Mpunguti Marine National Park. North, east and west coasts are mostly boundedby
undercutcoralcliffs,whiletheremainingshoresareoflowerandlesssheerelevation.
Th—e island has two small settlements, both facing the mainland, on the northern
shore ^Wasini at the western end and Mkwiro close to the eastern end. The limited
watersupply,intheformofaraincisternneareachvillage,whichbecomedryduring
prolonged dry spells, and the thinness of the soil accounts for the small human
populationonthe island. There are also scatteredgroves ofcoconutpalms, including
manydeadtrunks.
N
RasZinzaMkono
Wasinivillage
RasMasuliniC
km
1
Figure 1.MapofWasiniIsland
[34]
.
Birdobservationson WasiniIsland,Kenya 35
Habitat types and avifauna
Thoughadetailedbotanicalsurveywasnotcarriedout, somegeneralobservationson
stand types were made so that several distinct habitats were discernible. These are
presentedbelowalongwithselectedbirdobservationswhileafullspecieslistisgiven
inTable 1
Tidalflats: All shoresexcepttheexposedeasternendhadwide areasofexposedand
muddytidal flats whichprovidedfeedingareas forwaders andherons.
Little EgretEgrettagarzettabothwhiteanddarkphases werecommon.
Crab PloverDromasardeola observedon allvisits.
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus one was seen on 6 April 1985
feedingtothe southofthe island.
W
Mangrove swamp: the most sheltered shores, to SW, supported a zone ofdense
mangrove swamp, sometreesbeingofconsiderable girth.
Dwarf woodland: the exposed eastern end of the island was covered by a dense
growthofrelatively intactbush anddry dwarfwoodland, containingPandanuskirkii
andEuphorbianyikaeaswellasotherspeciesthatwere similartothose stillfoundin
someparts ofthemainlandcoast.
AshyFlycatcherMuscicapacaerulescenstwobirds seen on 21 July 1987.
Little Purple-banded SunbirdsNectariniabifasciatanumerous.
Secondary forestand baobabs: remnants ofpastforesttookthe form ofone ortwo
smallpatchesofdegradedsecondarygrowthonthenorthedgeandbaobabtrees,larger
specimensbeingconcentratedmainlyintheNandWandmorestuntedonesintheSE.
Brown-headed ParrotPoicephalus cryptoxanthusbetweenten andtwenty were
seenroostinginlargebaobabsatthewesternendnearWasiniVillage,onallvisits.
Some were seen flying in at dusk from the mainland to the north. Breeding was
suspectedas someparrots occupiedholes inbaobabs during April 1985.
Mottle-throatedSpinetailTelacanthuraussheritwoseenfeedingnearbaobabsat
SEofislandon22Nov 1985.
Bohm's Spinetail Neafrapus boehmi one was observed flying along the edge of
remnantforeston6April 1985.
Broad-billed RollerEurystomusglaucurustwo were seenon23 Nov 1985.
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes brevis seen in forest remnants and also
flyingacrossthe Shimoni Channelfromthemainland.
Green BarbetBuccanodon olivaceum a lonebird was seen on 6 April 1985 in a
small patch of secondary growth, which certainly could not support a viable
breedingpopulation.Eitherthiswasasurvivingremnantorhadflown 1.5kmfrom
theforestpatchesonthemainlandwherethespecieswasstillfrequentatthattime.
36 ColinRyall
MosqueSwallowHirundosenegalensiscommonfeedingovermuchoftheisland
andapairwere seennesting in ahole in aboughofabaobab on 22 Nov 1985.
Red-cappedRobinChatCossyphanatalensisrecordedon 1 March 1985andJuly
1987.
Scrub:mostofthecentralregionwascoveredinlowmixedLantana-domindlQdiscrub
interspersed with patches ofhigher indigenous bush and small trees. This contained
goodnumbers ofthevarious sunbird species recorded.
White-browed Scrub Robin Cercothrichas hucophrys two seen on 20 and 21
July 1987 in the arid scrub on coral rag at the western end appeared to be ofthe
white-wingedform, thoughthis is well southoftherecognisedrange ofthis race.
Spectacled WeaverPloceus ocularis recordedon several visits plus anumberof
unoccupiednests suggestedbreeding onthe island.
Dry grassland: in the centre of the island is a disused landing strip which, though
partially invadedbyLantana,providedthe only tractofdry grassland.
Senegal Plover Vanellus lugubris agroupoffive were seenon22Nov 1985.
Additions toA birdatlas ofKenya
WasiniIslandis situatedinQSD 114C ofA birdatlasofKenyaofLewis & Pomeroy
(1989). Theseobservationsextendtherangeorupdaterecords ofsomeofthe species
seen.
Revivalofold recordsRattlingCisticola(21 July 1987), Winding Cisticola(22Nov
1985, 21 July 1987), Tawny-flankedPrinia (6April 1985, 21 July 1987).
ExtensionsofrangeBrownSnakeEagle(20July 1987),GreatSparrowhawk(23Nov
1985),HarlequinQuail(21 July 1985),Sanderling(6April 1985),LittleStint(6April
1985), Broad-billed Sandpiper (6 April 1985), Lesser Black-backed Gull (6 April
1985),EurasianBee-eater(23Nov 1985),White-browedScrubRobin(20and21 July
1987),Bare-eyedThrush(22Nov 1985),Richard'sPipit(21 July 1987),Red-cheeked
Cordonbleu (6April 1985).
Extension ofsuspected breedingrange Brown-headedParrot (innest-holes 6April
1985), SpectacledWeaver(empty nests 23 Nov 1985).
Birdobservations on WasiniIsland,Kenya 37
Table 1. Speciesobsei-vedon WasiniIsland; habitats in which observedand
estimate offrequency
Habitats: CZ=coastalzone; MS=mangroveswamp;TF=tidalflats; DG=drygrassland;OF
= overflying; SG = secondary growth/forestremnant; B = baobabs; SC = scrub; DW = dwarf
woodland; ST=settlements.
Frequency: S=Scarce (only 1 or2birds); O=occasional(smallnumbers);
R=regular(moderatenumbers);F=frequent(common).Status:Palaearcticmigrantsmarked*
Long-tailedCormorantPhalacrocoraxafricanus MS; R
GreyHeronArdeacinerea TF; F
Black-headedHeronA. melanocephala TF, DG; F
Green-backedHeronButoridesstriatus MS; F
GreatWhiteEgretEgrettaalba TF; R
BlackHeronE. ardesiaca TF; O
LittleEgretE. garzetta TF; F
AfricanReefHeronE. gularis TF; O
Woolly-neckedStorkCiconiaepiscopus MS; O
Yellow-billedStorkMycteria ibis TF; R
HadadaBostrychiahagedash TF,MS,DG; F
SacredIbis Threskiornisaethiopica TF; F
Palm-nutVultureGypohieraxangolensis SC/OF; R
BrownSnakeEagleCircaetuscinereus SC,SG; S
GreatSparrowhawkAccipitermelanoleucus SG; S
AfricanGoshawkA. tachiro SG; O
TawnyEagleAquilarapax SC; S
LizardBuzzardKaupifalcomonogrammicus SC,SG; O
FishEagleHaliaeetusvocifer CZ; F
BlackKiteMilvusmigrans ST; F
BatHawkMachieramphusalcinus SC/OF; S
*OspreyPandion haliaetus CZ; S
PeregrineFalconFalcoperegrinus CZ; S
HarlequinQuailCoturnixdelegorguei DG; S
CrestedFrancolinFrancolinussephaena SC, SG; F
*RingedPloverCharadriushiaticula TF; F
*GreatSandploverC. leschenaultii TF; F
*Mongolian SandploverC. mongolus TF; F
*GreyPloverPluvialussquatarola TF; F
SenegalPloverVanelluslugubris DG; O
*CommonSandpiperAcr/r/^hypoleucos RS; F
*WhimbrelNumeniusphaeopus TF; F
*GreenshankTringanebularia TF; F
*MarshSandpiperT. stagnatilis TF; O
*TerekSandpiperXe/iM^cinereus TF; O
*SanderlingCalidrisalba TF; O
*Curlew SandpiperC.ferruginea TF; F
*LittleStintC. minuta TF; O
*BrosLd-bil\&dSmdpipQTLimicolafalcinellus TF; S
continued
38 ColinRyall
*TumstoneArenariainterpres RS; R
CrabPloverDromasardeola TF; R
WaterThickneeBurhinusvermiculatus MS,SC; F
*LesserBlack-backedGullLarusfuscus CZ,ST; O
Sooty GullL. hemprichii CZ; F
LittleTernSternaalbifrons CZ; O
LesserCrestedTernS. bengalensis CZ; R
*CaspianTernS. caspia CZ; O
RoseateTernS. dougallii CZ; R
SootyTernS.fuscata .....CZ; R
*CommonTernS. hirundo CZ; R
White-cheekedTernS. repressa CZ; O
Ring-neckedDoveStreptopeliacapicola SC; F
,
Red-eyedDoveS. semitorquata SG; R
Emerald-spottedWoodDoveTurturchalcospilos SC,DG; F
TambourineDoveT. tympanistria SG; S
GreenPigeon Treronaustralis SG,BB; O
Brown-headedParrotPoicephaluscryptoxanthus BB; F
DidricCuckooChrysococcyxcaprius SC; O
^EurasianCuckooCuculuscanorus SC; S
Yellowbill Ceuthmocharesaereus SG; S
White-browedCoucalCentropussuperciliosus SC; F
Slender-tailedNightjarCaprimulgusclams SC; R
Little SwiftApusaffinis SC,OF; R
Palm SwiftCypsiurusparvus SC,SG,MS; F
Bohm's S^intidiXNeafrapusboehmi SG; S
Mottle-throatedSpinetail Telacanthuraussheri BB; S
SpeckledMousebirdColiusstriatus SC; F
PiedKingfisherCeryle rudis TF; R
MangroveKingfisher//a/cyonsenegaloides ..MS; O
*EurasianBee-eater apiaster SC; S
CarmineBee-eaterM. nubicus SC; O
LittleBee-eaterM.pusillus SC; R
MagagascarBee-eaterM. superciliosus SC,MS; O
Lilac-breastedRollerCoraciascaudata SC; R
^EurasianRollerC. garrulus SC; S
Broad-billedRollerEurystomusglaucurus SG; S
Hoopoe Upupaepops DG; S
Silvery-cheekedHornbillBycanistesbrevis SG; F
Crov/nedHornbill Tockusalboterminatus SC,SG; R
GreenBarbetBuccanodonolivaceum SG; S
Yellow-rumpedTinkerbirdPogoniulusbilineatus SG; S
LesserHoneyguideIndicatorexilis SG; S
FlappetLarkMirafrarufocinnamomea DG; R
StripedSwallowHirundoabyssinica DG,SC; F
EthiopianSwallowH. aethiopica SC,ST; R
*EurasianSwallowH. rustica DG,SC,ST; R
MosqueSwallowH. senegalensis SC,ST,BB; R
DrongoDicrurusadsimilis SC,SG,ST; R
Birdobservationson WasiniIsland,Kenya 39
AfricanGoldenOriole Oriolusauratus SG; S
Black-headedOriole O. larvatus SG; O
*GoldenOriole O. oriolus SG; S
PiedCrow Corvusalbus SC,ST; O
ZanzibarSombreGreenbulAndropadusimportunus SC; O
CommonBulbulPycnonotusbarbatus SC,SG,ST; F
White-browed ScrubRobinCercotrichas leucophrys SC; S
White-browedRobinChatCossyphaheuglini SC; O
Red-cappedRobinChatC. natalensis SG; O
Bare-eyedThrush Turdus tephronotus SC; S
Grey-backedCamaropteraCamaroptera brachyura SC,SG; F
RattlingCisticolaCisticolachiniana SC; O
WindingCisticolaC. galactotes SC; O
Tawny-flankedPriniaPriniasubflava SC,DG; R
PaleRycatcherBradornispallidus SC; R
AshyFlycatcherMuscicapacaerulescens DW; S
*SpottedFlycatcherM. striata SC; F
ParadiseFlycatcherTerpsiphoneviridis SG; R
Richard'sVvpiiAnthusnovaeseelandiae DG; R
AfricanPiedWagtailMotacillaaguimp TF,ST; F
Black-backedPuffbackDryoscopuscubla SG; S
TropicalBoubouLanariusferrugineus SC; O
*Red-backedShrikeLaniuscollurio SC; R
*Red-tailedShrikeL. isabellinus SC; S
Black-breastedGlossy StarlingLamprotorniscorruscus SG,BB
CollaredSunbirdAnthreptescollaris SC,SG; R
LittlePurple-bandedSunbirdA^manmabifasciata SC,SG,MS,DW; F
OliveSunbirdN. olivacea SG; R
Mouse-colouredSunbirdA^. veroxii SC,DW; O
Pin-tailedWhydah Viduamacroura DG; O
SpectacledWeaverPloceusocularis SC; R
Grey-headedSparrowPassergriseus SC,DG; F
Red-billedFirefinchLagonostictasenegala DG; O
Red-cheekedCordonbleu Uraeginthusbengalus DG; O
BronzeMannikinLonchuracucullata DG,SC; R
Totalnumberofspecies=123
NumberofPalaearctics species= 26
DrColinRyall,EnvironmentalTechnology,Farnborough College,BoundaryRoad,
GUM
Farnborough,Hants 6SB,England
Scopus 18: 34-39,November 1994 Received28 May 1993
