Nyungwe Rwanda Birding Trip Report

13 Pages·2014·1.7 MB·English

by  Pritam Baruah

Trip Report: Nyungwe National Park, South Western Rwanda
1st Sep to 4th Sep 2014 – By Pritam Baruah

The East African Rift (EAR) has two branches – western and eastern. The western branch, known as
the Albertine Rift (AR) stretches from Lake Albert in the north to Lake Tanganyika to the south and
covers five countries – the eastern borders of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and western
borders of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi & Tanzania. The afro-montane forests of the Albertine Rift
eco-region (ranging approximately from 1000 masl to 5000 masl) form the Albertine Rift Endemic
Bird Area (BirdLife EBA 106) and it is home to 37 endemic bird species as well as the charismatic
great apes – Chimpanzee and Eastern Mountain Gorilla, both endangered.

Nyungwe National Park in south-western
Rwanda protects one of the oldest and largest
remaining stretches of Albertine Rift forest.
Sized about 1020 sq km, it ranges from 1600
masl to 2950 masl (Mt Bigugu) and covers a
wide range of habitats – excellent primary &
secondary cloud forests, isolated highland
swamps, grassland and bamboo. It is contiguous
with the Kibira National Park in Burundi (400
sq km). Nyungwe NP is a designated Important
Bird Area (BirdLife IBA RW007) and although
it is still seldom visited by travelling birders, it is
currently the best accessible place to search for
bird species endemic to the Albertine Rift; Just
a short visit of a few days is very likely to yield
at least 20 of the 27 endemics possible here
along with many other great species. Thirteen
species of primates are native to this park but it
is unclear if all of them still remain. There are
no gorillas here but it is a popular base for
organized Chimpanzee trekking. One of the
most significant aspects of Nyungwe NP’s
geography is that, being on the eastern side of
Albertine Rift, the mountains running along its
core divides the watersheds of two great African
Approximate range of western (AR) & eastern EAR branches
rivers – the Congo and the Nile; The waters that
flow down the western slopes reach the Congo basin and the waters that flow down the eastern slope
reach the Nile basin. As such, it is considered to be one of the farthest sources of the Nile.

It is heartening to note that the Rwandan Government is committed to providing tight security for
this park and popularizing it for tourism. This is very significant considering that almost all of densely-
populated Rwanda is now deforested and the exotic Eucalyptus, which is almost useless for native
fauna, dominates the rural landscape. Overall, I highly recommend visiting this excellent park for
birding in the Albertine Rift area. Bwindi in Uganda is perhaps the next best accessible AR site and
several other important areas (Itombwe NP, Kahuzi-Biega NP & Virunga NP) are located in far-
eastern DR Congo, where currently there are security issues.
[1] © Pritam Baruah
Vista of pristine cloud forest, west of Uwinka
 Logistics:

Nyungwe NP has an excelling hiking trail system designed for nature interpretation and birding. All
the endemics can be found in the trail system. The main road from Butare to Cyangugu cuts through
the park from east to west. It is in very good condition and does not need a 4x4. Birding from the
main road can be very productive too.

The Uwinka Overlook center is where fees can be paid and guides can be picked up. It also has an
interpretative center and a canteen where snacks and lunch are available (food is tasty, it is freshly
prepared so it can take time to be served).

A NP service guide is required at all times during birding (both in the trails & main road).
There are very few good bird guides in Nyungwe (possibly only two). I birded with certified guide
Claver Ntoyinkima ([email protected], [phone], [phone]) who is excellent.
Contact him in advance of your trip. He has thorough knowledge of Nyungwe NP and he is also very
good with identifying birds by sound. I recommend carrying a set of vocalizations and/or sound
recording equipment because playback maybe necessary for some furtive species.

The eastern entrance at Kitabi is located about 4 hours south from Kigali. Muhanga (formerly
Gitarama, 1 hr from Kigali) and Huye (formerly Butare, 3 hr from Kigali) are two major towns enroute
(restaurants & general stores available). Birding is possible along the road even though the areas are
densely populated and habitat is non-native. Especially, look out for raptors, mannikins & waxbills in
the open areas. Ruaha Chat is possible in eucalyptus or on man-made structures (roofs, walls).

Although I visited other areas in Rwanda, this report is only for birding within the boundaries of
Nyungwe National Park. Six half-day sessions of birding should be the minimum here (I did six) but
8 sessions are ideal (4 nights). Some things that I would have liked to do but didn’t have time for:

 One hour south-west from the western end at Gisakura lies Cyamudongo forest. Although it
is not contiguous with Nyungwe NP, it still holds good birding and it is often visited for
Chimpanzee trekking. I didn’t have time to visit but it offers the possibility of different birds
because of different vegetation and access to slightly lower elevations (1600-1800 masl).
 The forest edges near the tea plantations of Gisakura (western end of Nyungwe) are at 1600-
1800 masl. This slightly lower elevation edge forest could yield species different from the
higher elevations inside the park.
 The eastern side of the park located east of the divide has slightly different vegetation (more
secondary forest). There is a trail near the eastern entrance that would be interesting to explore.
[2] © Pritam Baruah
 Itinerary, Trails, Map:

DATE ACTIVITY TIME TYPE
1-Sep Kigali to Kitabi entrance 0800 to 1430 Drive, lunch, stops
Kitabi to Gisakura 1430 to 1730 Drive, stops
2-Sep Uwinka Overlook 0730 to 0800 Stop
Umuyove Trail 0800 to 1315 Hike
Lunch (Uwinka), rain delay 1315 to 1500 Lunch, wait
Karamba Trail 1500 to 1745 Hike
Karamba Trail (night birding) 1945 to 2045 Hike
3-Sep Kamiranzovu Trail 0645 to 1130 Hike
Rain interruption, rain delay 1130 to 1300 Wait
Lunch (Uwinka) 1300 to 1400 Lunch
Rukuzi Trail (eastern end) 1400 to 1800 Hike
Uwinka Overlook 1800 to 1845 Wait
Highway (night birding) 1845 to 1930 Drive, stops
4-Sep Bigugu Trail 0645 to 1200 Hike
Rain interruption 1230 to 1330 Hike (return)
Drive to Kigali 1330 - Drive, lunch, stops

Umuyove Trail: Trail head is at the Uwinka Overlook center. This is the ‘pink’ trail in the Uwinka
trail system. Mostly through forest and sparse understory. Excellent for most AR endemics including
Dusky Crimsonwing & Purple-breasted Sunbird. Turacos, Hornbills and large mixed feeding flocks
were quite common along this trail.

Karamba Trail: Trail head is 3 km from Gisakura and at a slightly lower elevation (1930 masl).
Secondary and open habitat. Excellent birding all along this trail. Good for many AR endemics and
also other great birds such as African Broadbill, Many-colored Bushshrike, White-bellied Robin-Chat
etc. Grassland at the start is good for Ruwenzori Nightjar.

Kamiranzovu Trail: Trail head is 6 km east of Uwinka. Descends steeply through dense forest to the
Kamiranzovu marsh (13 sq km, 1940 masl). Then ascends through primary forest back to the main
road (2140 masl). The slopes are good for Grauer’s Warbler, Neuman’s Short-tailed Warbler and
typical forest interior species. The marsh is good for Grauer’s Rush Warbler and Red-chested Flufftail.

Rukuzi Trail: Trail head is about 1 km east of Uwinka close to a bus stand. We entered the trail from
its eastern end close to the Pindura road turnoff (where we found a super-troupe of 300+ Angola
Colobus). Used for organized Chimpanzee treks. Secondary habitat along the trail. Valley along the
trail is good for Lagden’s Bushshrike but we dipped. Dwarf Honeyguide was a highlight.

Bigugu Trail: Trail head is 4 km east of Uwinka. Excellent for most AR endemics including Red-
collared Babbler. Open vegetation in the valleys to the side of the trail is good for Doherty’s
Bushshrike. Starts with a steep climb (10% of trail) from 2200 masl, then levels out (40% of trail), then
a steep climb again (50% of trail) to Mount Bigugu at 2950 masl.
[3] © Pritam Baruah
Map of Nyungwe NP. Inset is the Uwinka area.

 Summary:

Total bird species 115
Seen S 108
Heard H 7
Albertine Rift Endemics S 23
Albertine Rift Endemics H 1
IUCN Red List 7

[4] © Pritam Baruah
 Annotated Trip List: Birds

1 Handsome Pternistis nobilis LC A H Usually seen roadside or trailside at dusk/dawn but
Francolin we missed despite special effort to locate roosting
sites. Only heard near the bus-stand at Uwinka.
2 African Harrier- Polyboroides typus LC 1 Bigugu trail.
Hawk
3 Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis LC 1 One flying above the Karamba trail.
4 Cassin's Hawk Aquila africana LC 1 One perched above the main road and then flying
Eagle away.
5 Long-crested Icinaetus occipitalis LC 2 Along the main road.
Eagle
6 Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus NT 1 This majisterial predator floated low across the
coronatus Kamiranzovu marsh with unidentified prey in its
talons, then perched above the watch platform.
Harassed incessantly by a Mountain Buzzard.
7 Mountain Buzzard Buteo oreophilus LC 2 One harassing a Crowned Eagle, another soaring.
8 Red-chested Sarothrura rufa LC H This notorious skulker outwitted every trick we used.
Flufftail
9 Lemon Dove Columba larvata LC 2 Start of Karamba trail.
10 Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia LC S Scattered sightings.
semitorquata
11 Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria LC 3 Umuyove trail, main road.
12 African Green Treron calvus LC S Karamba trail.
Pigeon
13 Great Blue Turaco Corythaeola cristata LC S These large comical beauties were commonly heard
throughout the park including at Gisakura. 10+ birds
on a single tree in the Umuyove trail was a highlight.
14 Ruwenzori Turaco Gallirex johnstoni LC A S Commonly heard in many areas especially around
Uwinka and Bigugu. 7+ birds on a single tree at the
Uwinka overlook center was a major highlight.
15 Black-billed Tauraco schuetti LC S Commonly heard. Seen well several times between
Turaco Karamba and Bigugu trail.
16 Blue Malkoha Ceuthmochares aereus LC 1 Yellowbill. Karamba trail.
17 Barred Long-tailed Cercococcyx montanus LC H Vocal at dusk but failed to see.
Cuckoo
18 Ruwenzori Caprimulgus LC A 3 Spotlighted sallying for insects and perching near the
Nightjar ruwenzorii start of the Karamba trail.
19 Scarce Swift Schoutedenapus LC S A few flying near the turnoff to the Pindura Road.
myoptilus
20 Speckled Colius striatus LC S Some at the turnoff to Pindura road.
Mousebird
21 Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina LC S One responded to playback and promptly perched at
point blank range in the Umuyove trail.
22 Bar-tailled Trogon Apaloderma vittatum LC H Unfortunately heard only. Wasn’t able to record and
play back its sporadic calls.
23 Cinnammon- Merops oreobates LC S Common.
chested Bee-Eater
24 White-headed Phoeniculus bollei LC S Umuyove, Rukuzi & Bigugu trails.
Wood Hoopoe
[5] © Pritam Baruah
25 Black-and-white- Bycanistes LC S Commonly heard. Great views several times.
casqued Hornbill subcylindricus
26 Western Pogoniulus coryphaea LC 1 One flew past in the Kamiranzovu trail.
Tinkerbird Unresponsive.
27 Yellow-rumped Pogoniulus bilineatus LC S Several sightings notably in Karamba & Bigugu trails.
Tinkerbird
28 Dwarf Indicator pumilio NT A 1 This rarity was found feeding in a vine tangle along
Honeyguide the Rukuzi trail.
29 Olive Woodpecker Dendropicos LC 1 Woodpeckers were surprisingly scarce. A pair along
griseocephalus the main road was one of the earliest species in
Nyungwe but no other woodpecker species were
encountered afterwards. Also in the Bigugu trail.
30 African Broadbill Smithornis capensis LC 1 Karamba trail. This reticent species played very hard
to get. Eventually it was lured out to cracking views.
31 Ruwenzori Batis Batis diops LC A S Fairly common.
32 Chinspot Batis Batis molitor LC S Seemed to be less common than the previous species.
33 Ladgen's Malaconotus lagdeni NT H One heard in the Umuyove trail. Apparently the
Bushshrike eastern end of the Rukuzi trail is good for this species
but we missed it there entirely.
34 Many-coloured Chlorophoneus LC 2 Heard in the Umuyove trail and two individuals
Bushshrike multicolor provided cracking views in the Karamba trail.
35 Doherty's Telophorus dohertyi LC 2 This brilliant bushshrike of open areas frustrated us
Bushshrike to no end by not responding in several locations.
Finally, two individuals responded and showed very
well in the Bigugu trail. Interestingly, the
vocalizations in Nyungwe are different from the ones
in Uganda. Recordings uploaded to xeno-canto.
36 Northern Dryoscopus gambensis LC S Common.
Puffback
37 Mountain Sooty Laniarius poensis LC S Common. One of the most vocal birds in Nyungwe.
Boubou
38 Willard's Sooty Laniarius willardi DD A 1 1940 masl Karamba trail. This data deficient newly
Boubou identified taxon is believed to replace the Mountain
Sooty Boubou in lower elevations. The grey eyes are
very difficult to see in the field. The recorded call was
matched to Willard's Sooty Boubou from Bwindi.
http://www.xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/9930
39 Grey Coracina caesia LC S Seen several times as part of mixed feeding flocks.
Cuckooshrike
40 Black Campephaga flava LC 3 Seen in mixed feeding flocks.
Cuckooshrike
41 MacKinnon's Lanius Mackinnoni LC 2 Two at the Kamiranzovu marsh.
Shrike
42 Mountain Oriole Oriolus percivali LC S Common and vocal.
43 African Paradise Terpsiphone viridis LC S Seen in mixed feeding flocks.
Flycatcher
44 Pied Crow Corvus albus LC S At the entrance near Kitabi.
45 White-necked Corvus albicollis LC S Several at Uwinka.
Raven
46 Violet-backed Hyliota violacea LC 4 Unconfirmed. See Appendix [1]: The Hyliota
Hyliota Mystery.
[6] © Pritam Baruah
47 White-tailed Blue Elminia albicauda LC 1 One along the Umuyove trail.
Flycatcher
48 White-bellied Elminia albiventris LC S Several individuals along the Umuyove trail.
Crested Flycatcher
49 Dusky Tit Melaniparus funereus LC 6 A flock of about 6 in the Kamiranzovu trail.
50 Stripe-breasted Tit Melaniparus LC A S Common.
fasciiventer
51 Dark-capped Pycnonotus tricolor LC S Common Bulbul.
Bulbul
52 Olive-breasted Arizelocichla LC S Mountain Greenbul. The most common Greenbul.
Greenbul kikuyuensis
53 Slender-billed Stelgidillas LC S Scattered sightings, most notably in Bigugu trail.
Greenbul gracilirostris
54 Yellow-whiskered Eurillas latirostris LC S Common.
Greenbul
55 Yellow-streaked Phyllastrephus LC S A few sightings.
Greenbul flavostriatus
56 Black Saw-wing Psalidoprocne LC S The most common Hirundinidae.
pristoptera
57 Brown-throated Riparia paludicola LC S Several over the main road.
Martin
58 Angola Swallow Hirundo angolensis LC S Several over the main road & Kamiranzovu marsh.
59 Grauer's Warbler Graueria vittata LC A S Heard in all trails. Very responsive. Point-blank views
in Umuyove trail.
60 White-browed Sylvietta leucophrys LC S Seen in all trails.
Crombec
61 Neuman's Warbler Hemitesia neumanni LC A S Excellent views of two at the start of the
Kamiranzovu trail. Others heard.
62 Red-faced Seicercus laetus LC A S Common.
Woodland
Warbler
63 Grauer's Swamp Bradypterus graueri EN A S This rare species is common in the isolated mountain
Warbler marshes of Nyungwe. A pair seen perched in low
vegetation at the Kamiranzovu marsh. Otherwise,
can be tricky to see well as it tends to hop out of grass
and fall right back in without perching anywhere.
64 Evergreen Forest Bradypterus lopezi LC 1 Only one seen along the main road.
Warbler
65 Cinnamon Bradypterus LC S This attractive species was very vocal all over the park
Bracken Warbler cinnamomeus in edge habitat. Seen well several times.
66 Chubb's Cisticola Cisticola chubbi LC S The 2nd most vocal bird of Nyungwe (after
Mountain Masked Apalis). Inhabited just about any
scrubby area of any size even inside forest.
67 Ruwenzori Apalis Oreolais ruwenzorii LC A S Common and vocal. Skulking in low undergrowth.
68 Mountain Masked Apalis personata LC A S The most vocal bird in Nyungwe. It is important to
Apalis be knowledgeable of its sounds. Very common.
69 Black-throated Apalis jacksoni LC S Several sightings.
Apalis
70 Chestnut-throated Apalis porphyrolaema LC S The telephone that keeps ringing off the hook.
Apalis
[7] © Pritam Baruah
71 Kungwe Apalis Apalis argentea EN A S One group with several individuals in a mixed
feeding flock at the start of the Umuyove trail in
Uwinka.
72 Grey Apalis Apalis cinerea LC S A small flock of 2-3 in the Kamiranzovu trail.
73 Grey-backed Camaroptera LC S Gisakura Guest House.
Camaroptera brevicaudata
74 Ruwenzori Hill Pseudoalcippe atriceps LC S Fairly common.
Babbler
75 African Yellow Zosterops Senegalensis LC S Very common.
White-eye
76 Mountain Illadopsis pyrrhoptera LC H Heard several times. Difficult to see without
Illadopsis playback.
77 Red-collared Kupeornis rufocinctus NT A 4 This mega bird was the No 1 target of the trip and
Babbler the last species seen in the trip. We hiked up the
Bigugu trail in the last morning with this as the most
important remaining target. But it eluded us until we
ran out of time to go any further. Although we had
little time to make our way back the one-way trail, we
still believed we will find it on the hike back. But
unfortunately it started to rain very heavily, dashing
all remaining traces of hope. As we plodded our way
back through the trail which had now become a
rivulet, we decided to call a restaurant to pre-order
lunch. So we stopped at an overlook located just
before the trail leads steeply downhill to the end.
Even as Claver was on the phone, I was desperately
looking out for any movement in the hopeless
weather. And then suddenly I saw the silhouette of
an interesting bird digging up moss sideways along a
thick branch close to us. The size and behavior was
just right so I knew what it was even before I raised
my binoculars. Eventually we located 4 in the flock,
feeding in the rain, active as ever but silent.
78 Slender-billed Onychognathus LC S Scattered sightings. Uncommon.
Starling tenuirostris
79 Wallers' Starling Onychognathus walleri LC S Scattered sightings. Uncommon.
80 Stuhlmann's Poeoptera stuhlmanni LC S Scattered sightings. Uncommon.
Starling
81 Sharpe's Starling Poeoptera sharpii LC S Scattered sightings. Uncommon.
82 Abyssinian Thrush Turdus abyssinicus LC S Common at Uwinka. Split from Olive Thrush.
83 White-eyed Slaty Melaenornis fischeri LC S Very common.
Flycatcher
84 Yellow-eyed Black Melaenornis ardesiacus LC A S Karamba & Kamiranzovu trails. Always in small
Flycatcher flocks and one was collecting nesting material.
Yellow eye appears to be off-white. High-pitched call
recorded & uploaded to xeno-canto.
85 African Dusky Melaenornis adusta LC S The most common flycatcher.
Flycatcher
86 Archer's Ground Dessonornis archeri LC A S Commonly heard but expert skulker. Seen well.
Robin
87 White-starred Pogonocichla stellata LC 2 Kamiranzovu & Bigugu trails.
Robin
[8] © Pritam Baruah
88 White-bellied Cossyphicula roberti LC 1 Seen & heard only once - displaying in dense
Robin-Chat undergrowth at the start of the Karamba trail. Note
the tail to differentiate from Equatorial Akalat.
89 Red-throated Pseudalethe poliophrys LC A S Seen well several times.
Alethe
90 Equatorial Akalat Sheppardia LC H Heard 3 times in dense forest but unresponsive.
aequatorialis
91 African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus LC 1 One along the road near Uwasenkoko marsh.
92 Ruaha Chat Myrmecocichla collaris LC 1 One along the road near Uwasenkoko marsh.
93 Grey-chested Kakamega poliothorax LC 1 This notorious skulker was seen very well in the
Kakamega Bigugu trail. Called once from close by but then
unresponsive for 5 minutes. We moved on but a
minute later we heard it call once again, this time
more promisingly. We came back and coaxed it out
of its hiding to great views.
94 Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris LC S Scattered sightings.
95 Blue-headed Cyanomitra alinae LC A S The most common of the 5 endemic sunbirds.
Sunbird
96 Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea LC S Common near the Gisakura. Also Karamba trail.
97 Bronzy Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis LC S Only at Rukuzi trail.
98 Purple-breasted Nectarinia LC A 1 Only one sighting along the Umuyove trail.
Sunbird purpureiventris
99 Ruwenzori Cinnyris stuhlmanni LC A S Scattered sightings.
Double-collared
Sunbird
100 Northern Double- Cinnyris reichenowi LC S Scattered sightings.
collared Sunbird
101 Regal Sunbird Cinnyris regius LC A S Scattered sightings.
102 Variable Sunbird Cinnyris venustus LC S Scattered sightings.
103 Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht LC S A few in the Kamiranzovu marsh.
104 Strange Weaver Ploceus alienus LC A S Seen along most trails.
105 Dark-backed Ploceus bicolor LC S Umuyove trail.
Weaver
106 Brown-capped Ploceus insignis LC S Karamba trail.
Weaver
107 Grey-headed Nigrita canicapillus LC S Karamba trail & along the main road near Uwinka.
Nigrita
108 White-breasted Nigrita fusconotus LC 2 Kamiranzovu trail.
Nigrita
109 Dusky Cryptospiza jacksoni LC A 1 Only one near Uwinka at the start of the Umuyove
Crimsonwing trail.
110 Black-crowned Estrilda nonnula LC S Fairly common in open areas.
Waxbill
111 Thick-billed Crithagra burtoni LC S Several sightings. Unusual sounds while roosting
Seedeater recorded and uploaded on xeno-canto.
112 Streaky Seedeater Crithagra striolata LC S Kamiranzovu trail.
113 Western Citril Dendrospiza frontalis LC 1 Start of Karamba trail.
114 Yellow-fronted Ochrospiza LC S Open areas.
Canary mozambica
115 Yellow-crowned Serinus flavivertex LC S Open areas.
Canary
[Thanks to James Hogg for the Rwanda checklist]
[9] © Pritam Baruah
 Annotated Trip List: Mammals

1 Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes EN H Only heard in the Kamiranzovu trail. Did not do
organized trek.
2 Angola Pied Colobus Colobus angolensis LC S A 300+ super-troupe of these beauties near the
Pindura road turnoff was an awesome spectacle.
3 Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis LC S A few near the bus stand at Uwinka.
4 L’Hoests Monkeys Cercopithecus l'hoesti VU S Several along the highway on our drives.
5 Vervet Monkey Cercopithecus pygerythrus LC S A few in Gisakura.
6 Black-fronted Duiker Cephalophus nigrifrons LC S Bigugu trail. A male-female pair quietly feeding on
dense undergrowth spied from the trail above.
7 Boehm's Bush Squirrel Paraxerus boehmi LC S The most common squirrel.
8 Ruwenzori Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus ruwenzori LC S A few along Rukuzi trail.
9 Fire-footed Rope Squirrel Funisciurus pyrropus LC S Few sightings along the highway.

 Appendix [1]: The Hyliota Mystery

Our Hyliota identification is tentative. The first Hyliota specimen from Nyungwe, collected and identified by
Prigogine as a Hyliota violacea (Violet-backed Hyliota) has a fairly conspicuous white panel on the wing. Problem
is, the same taxon from other locations are dissimilar – the white is so less that it is barely visible. The underside
pattern does not match either (uniform color in others as opposed to non-uniform here).
We originally identified our sighting as a Southern Hyliota. This was because the plumage matched the
description in [Stevenson & Fanshawe]. Shown below are our original field notes:
 Was in a flock of Dusky Tit (6+ individuals) and a Paradise Flycatcher. The Tits were leading the flock and the
Hyliotas (4-5 individuals) mostly kept together. There were some Dusky Flycatchers but I am not sure if they were part
of the flock or just became more active when the flock was passing by.
 ~2000 masl. ~GPS: 2 29.189 S 29 9.224 E. 11 am. Kamiranzovu trail. Inside tall evergreen forest.
 The Hyliotas and Tits were feeding high up in the canopy and just under it.
 They had a broad white panel with blunt ends on the wings. This rules out Violet-backed Hyliota?
 On the underside there was far more off-white than anything else. The throat was rusty. And although the transition to
off-white was not demarcated by a definite edge, it diffuses sharply to off-white. The diffusion was at the chest and the rest
of the underside was off-white.
But later, based on wider discussions we decided to fall back to Hyliota violacea given that:

 The illustration in [Sinclair & Ryan] does not match.
 The wing pattern matches Prigogine’s specimen (although not strongly and the underside is still
dissimilar).
 Southern Hyliota is a complicated taxon: Populations in southern, eastern (including odd record from
Semliki in Western Uganda), central and western Africa are disjoint and different looking.

But is it really a violecea? Is it an undescribed taxon? Will DNA analysis expose a new sub-species or a full species
altogether from the Albertine Rift? In our opinion, the plumage dissimilarities and lack of a definite family book
prevents positive identification presently. What is clear is the need for a family paper based on fresh research.
[Thanks to Gael Vande Weghe & James Hogg for their valuable inputs].
[10] © Pritam Baruah