Table Of ContentNoteworthy bird records from Sao Tome and Principe
Phillip Hall , A. P. LeventiP, Fdbio Olmof, Stephen Rumsey1 andLongtong Turshak
Observations remarquables d’oiseaux de Sao Tome et Principe. Des observations remarquables d’une
douzaine d especes d oiseaux sont rapportees, faites a 1’occasion de visites a Sao Tome et Principe en
Wjuillet-aout 2007 et janvier et aout 2008.
e report noteworthy bird records made from the track from Terreiro Velho to the Rio
during trips to Sao Tome and Principe in Pipi, Principe, just before the start of the Oque
July-August 2007, and January and August 2008. Pipi trail, on 22 January 2008, was identified as
For coordinates of the localities mentioned see an immature African Crake. On Sao Tome, FO
&
Jones Tye (2006). observed an adult crossing a track between Sao
Vicente and Praia Piscina on 22 August 2008.
Little Egret Egrettagarzetta The species is rarely recorded from Sao Tome
One near the mouth of the Rio Papagaio, Santo and Principe, where it is perhaps only a straggler
&
Antonio town, Principe, on 7 August 2007 (FO & (Jones Tye 2006).
LT; Fig. 1). It was feeding on the shallow ponds
among the sand and mudflats with a Whimbrel Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Numeniusphaeopus and two dark-morph Western Two were foraging with a Whimbrel near the
Reef Egrets E. gularis. Jones & Tye (2006) mouth ofthe Rio Papagaio, Principe, on22January
mention only one record from Principe, also at 2008 (Fig. 4). Greenshanks have been recorded on
the mouth of the Rio Papagaio, in January in the the islands mainly in December-January (Christy
mid 1990s. & Clarke 1998), with few records from Principe
&
(Jones Tye 2006).
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
One in a large grassy area around the Voice of Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
America facilities south of Sao Tome town, with One on the east shore of Tinhosa Pequena and
several Whimbrels and Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis, two groups offour birds each at Tinhosa Grande,
on 18 January 2008 (Fig. 2). This appears to be near the slope allowing access to the island, on 21
the first record for Sao Tome (Jones & Tye 2006), January 2008 (Fig. 5). Considered uncommon
although the species was previously recorded on on Principe, with only one record from the
Principe, on 7 April 2003 (M. Melo in Bull. ABC Tinhosas cited by Jones & Tye (2006). On 26
11: 77). January 2008, one, with two Whimbrels, was
photographed by APL at Praia Jale, on the south-
Dwarf Olive Ibis Bostrychia bocagei west coast ofSao Tome.
On 23 January 2008 at least three were heard
calling at dusk at our camp near Monte Carmo Swifts Apus spp.
(sometimes known as Ribeira Peixe; 00°09’06”N On 15 July 2007, LT and FO observed a pair of
06°33’60”E). Next morningseven birds (including all-dark swifts, noticeably smaller than the Little
three pairs) were found on a forested plateau Swifts Apus affinis nearby, over the outskirts of
surrounded by deep valleys covering about 2.0 x Sao Tome. On 25 January 2008, SR also observed
0.5 km. Most ibises were flushed from the ground a small, all-dark swift with a square tail, over the
and perched nearby. A Critically Endangered dirt road between Sao Vicente and Praia Jale, in
endemic, the population density at Ribeira Peixe south-west Sao Tome. Common Swifts A. apus
seems fairly high. have been reported from Sao Tome (Christy &
Clarke 1998), but the birds we saw appeared too
African Crake Crex egregia small and had square tails unlike that species, so
A medium-sized rail with a short bill, dark legs their identity is uncertain.
and a dull brown back mottled with black, flushed
Birdrecordsfrom Sao TomeandPrincipe: Halletal. BullABC Vol 17No 1 (2010)-93
94 -BullABC Vol 17No 1 (2010) Birdrecordsfrom Sdo Tome andPrincipe: Halletal.
Also, whilst the race bannermani of Little no details were noted ofthe second bird, as it flew
Swift is supposedly endemic to both Sao Tome off immediately. There appears to be only one
and Principe, the Principe birds look noticeably old previous record, from Bafa de Santo Antonio
smaller than those on Sao Tome when compared (Jones & Tye 2006).
to the abundant African Palm Swifts Cypsiurus
parvus.
Yellow Wagtail Motacillaflava
On
6 August 2007, during a visit to Praia Seca
Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica (01°32’46”N 07°23’36”E), on the south-east
dryas coast of Principe, FO and LT observed a Yellow
One was observed smashing a land snail Columna Wagtail in non-breeding plumage foraging on
columna against a rock on the trail to Oque Pipi the beach near some fishermen huts (Fig. 7). It
on 22 January 2008 (Fig. 6). The anvil had the remained there throughout the afternoon and was
remains ofat least 100 Columna snails (C. columna still in the same area the following day.
or the similar C. leai). Three more anvils along The occurrence of wagtails Motacilla spp. in
the trail had mostly Columna spp. shells, but one Sao Tome and Principe has been a minor mystery.
had fragments of a small Achatina bicarinata and They were reported as fairly common in Principe
one crab. Anvils with broken snails found on during the second halfofthe 19th century, and it
Principe were first attributed to thrushes until was suggested they were White Wagtails M. alba
it was realised that Principe kingfishers show but there are no specimens (Jones & Tye 2006).,
&
this behaviour (Jones Tye 2006), which is This seems to be the first documented record of
apparently unknown in mainland forms. this species for the country (Jones & Tye 2006).
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetra Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucopbnys
Two were perched on the wires of an antenna at A group of four pipits seen twice flying over the
Principe airport on 23 January 2008. One had landing strip of Principe airport on 23 January
the dark mottling on the chest of a first-winter; 2008 had unmarked, dark brown upperparts,
buffish underparts without obvious spots or
Legend to figures on opposite page stripes, and buff outertail feathers. These features
SFaingtuoreAn1t.oLniitotl,ePErgirnectip/e,Eg7reAtutgeugsatrz2et0t0e7Eg(rFe.tOtalmgaorsz)etta, sNuigggeersita wPiltaihnw-bhaicckhedPHPipiist,vearycfoammimlioanr. sApletchieosugihn
Figure 2. Intermediate Egret / Egrette intermediate in need of proper documentation, this seems to
Egretta intermedia, the Voice ofAmerica facilities, Sao b&e the first country record for the species (Jones
Tome, 18 January 2008 (F. Olmos) Tye 2006).
Figure 3. DwarfOlive Ibis / Ibis de Bocage Bostrychia
bocagei, Monte Carmo, Sao Tome (A. P. Leventis) Sao Tome Grosbeak Serinus Neospiza concolor
( )
Figure 4. Common Greenshank / Chevalier aboyeur A pair was feeding on the small green fruit of a
Tringa nebularia, Santo Antonio, 22 January 2008 (A. P. Dicranolepis thomensis tree (a known food item)
Leventis) at Monte Carmo, at c.315 m, on 24 January
Figure 5. Ruddy Turnstones / Tournepierres a collier 2008 (Fig. 8). The birds peeled the husk off and
Arenaria interpres, Tinhosa Grande, Principe, 21 January crushed the seed, and were readily attracted by
2008 (A. P. Leventis) whistles mimicking their single-note contact calls,
Figure 6. Blue-breasted Kingfisher / Martin-chasseur a similar to those of Principe Seedeater Serinus
poitrine bleue Halcyon malimbica breaking a Columna rufobrunneus, but much stronger, lending support
snail against a rock, Oque Pipi, Principe, 22 January
to their suggested close relationship (Melo 2007).
2008 (A. P. Leventis)
The birds approached closely, singing in response
Figure 7. Yellow Wagtail / Bergeronnette printaniere
to the playback of a song recorded during a
Motacillaflava, Praia Seca, Principe, 6 August 2007 (F.
Olmos) previous visit to the area (available at http://xeno-
XC
Figure 8. Sao Tome Grosbeak / Neospize de Sao Tome canto.org/africa, 18131).
Serinus Neospiza concolor Monte Carmo, Sao Tome, 24
( ) ,
January 2008 (A. P. Leventis)
Birdrecordsfrom Sao TomeandPrincipe: Halletal. BullABC Vol 17No 1 (2010)- 95
References "5 Louis Solomon Close, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Christy, P. & Clarke, W. V. 1998. Guidedes Oiseauxde E-mail:[email protected]
Sao Tome etPrincipe. Sao Tome: ECOFAC. h19 Ilchester Place, London W14 8AA, UK. E-mail:
&
Jones, P. Tye, A. 2006. The Birds of Sao Tome [email protected]
&
Principe with Annobon: Islands of the Gulf of ‘Largo do Paissandu 100/4c, 01034-010, Sao Paulo, SP,
Guinea. An Annotated Checklist. BOU Checklist Brazil. E-mail:[email protected]
&
No. 22. Oxford: British Ornithologists’ Union dAshesFarm, HoggHill, Icklesham, Winchelsea, EastSussex
British Ornithologists’ Club. TN36 4AH, UK. E-mail: srumsey@beamingbroadband.
Melo, M. 2007. Bird speciation in the GulfofGuinea. com
Ph.D. thesis. Institute of Evolutionary Biology,
' A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute,
University ofEdinburgh. University ofJos, PO Box 13404, Plateau State, Jos,
Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected]
Received 8 October 2008; revision accepted 17
November 2009.
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