Birding Zambia

Conservation Tour run in association with the African Bird Club

The dates are: 10 December 2007 – 21 December 2007
Please contact us for prices zambia@birdingafrica.com

OVERVIEW

Zambia, with over 750 recorded species, has large tracts of unspoilt wilderness, a stable political environment and two endemics to boot! It’s also the perfect setting to search for one of Africa’s most desired specials: African Pitta is reliably found here in December when they migrate into riverine forests to breed. This exciting Zambian tour also focuses on the Zambezian endemics found primarily in the Miombo woodlands cloaking large parts of the country, and targets the two country endemics namely Chaplin’s Barbet and Black-cheeked Lovebird. Image: Chaplin’s Barbet by Claire Spottiswoode >>

DAY 1: LUSAKA
Fly into Lusaka International Airport. From here we travel to the capital city of Lusaka with its wide tree-lined boulevards in the city centre, chaotic traffic and sprawling suburbs. We will spend the afternoon birding in and around Lusaka.

DAY 2: LUSAKA TO MUTINONDO WILDERNESS
We depart early via the Great North Road through Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi. Our destination today is the Mutinondo wilderness area located about 550 kilometres from the capital. Today is principally a travel day, but it will be well worth it as this beautiful conservation area has some of the best Miombo (Brachystegia) birding anywhere on the continent, and loaded with Zambezian endemics.

Our lunch stop will be at the delightful Forest Inn, about 250 kilometres from the capital, which is set in beautiful gardens. Here we could encounter Black-necked Eremomela, Miombo Scrub-Robin, White-breasted Cuckoo-Shrike, Green-capped Eremomela and a host of other birds whilst waiting for our lunch.

Will arrive at Mutinondo late afternoon, but will surely encounter some mixed species flocks on Mutinondo’s picturesque ‘driveway’ of 25 kilometres to camp. Wood Pipit is also easily seen on the drive in.

Mutinondo is a vast private reserve set in pristine miombo woodland with massive granite whalebacks, clear streams with mushitu forest and numerous lush dambos. We will be staying in comfortable en-suite chalets each strategically placed with great views over the wilderness.

DAYS 3-4: MUTINONDO WILDERNESS
We have two full days to explore this unspoilt area.

Several trails radiate out from camp and time will be spent birding these. Miombo specials could include Spotted Creeper, Rufous-bellied Tit, Miombo Rock-Thrush, Red-capped Crombec, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Bohm’s Flycatcher, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Souza’s Shrike, Miombo Double-collared Sunbird and Reichard’s Seed-eater. Bar-winged Weaver is also relatively common. Other star birds could include White-winged Black Tit and Green-headed Sunbird. The stunning Anchieta’s Sunbird is commonly found, whilst Anchieta’s Barbet less so.

Time will also be spent birding various dambos where we could find Short-winged and Stout Cisticola, Marsh Widowbird, Fulleborn’s Longclaw, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Blue Quail and Chestnut-headed Flufftail. On the granite hills could encounter Striped Pipit and strange epiphytic orchids on endemic aloe species. White-necked Raven is common whilst Augur Buzzard is frequently encountered overhead. In the thin riparian forest Black-backed Barbet, Grey-olive Greenbul and Cardinal Woodpecker and are often encountered, whilst the more developed ‘mushitu’ patches could offer Bocage’s Akalat. The quiet streams often have Half-collared Kingfisher and even possibly African Finfoot!

DAY 5: MUTINONDO TO FOREST INN
After a last morning walk and breakfast we head back to Forest Inn, which is a drive of around 300km. The inn itself is surrounded by 160 hectares of miombo woodland and we will definitely do some relaxed afternoon birding here again.

We will overnight in comfortable thatch-on-brick chalets with en-suite hot showers. A small restaurant serves tasty cuisine. Other additions here could include the localised Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver, Orange-winged Pytilia, Golden-breasted Bunting and Southern Hyliota.

DAY 6: FOREST INN TO CHOMA
Today we will have a fairly early departure and long driving day at around 550km to Choma. From Choma we travel 20 km north to the Nkanga River conservation area. We will be staying in comfortable chalets on a privately owned farm. There should be some time for some late afternoon birding.

DAY 7: NKANGA RIVER CONSERVANCY
Today our main aim will be to try and locate Chaplin’s Barbet, Zambia’s only true endemic. This bird favours Sycamore fig trees found throughout the area. Other miombo areas could render Arnott’s Chat and Miombo Tit.
The localised Green Indigobird is fairly regular in small numbers where its host, Red-throated Twinspot is common. The seasonal dambos hold good numbers of Streaky-breasted Flufftail, Cuckoo Finch and Black Coucal in summer.

Overnight again in Nkanga conservancy.

DAY 8: NKANGA TO LIVINGSTONE
After a last morning’s birding and if need be another try for the Barbet, we head south to the town of Livingstone.

The remainder of the day will be spent birding in and around town, and possibly even viewing the impressive Victoria Falls, where the Zamzezi River puts on a spectacular show as it cascades 100 metres into a gorge below.. Birding here is enjoyable and new ticks could include Schalow’s Turaco, Trumpeter Hornbill, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, White-browed Robin-Chat, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow and Giant Kingfisher. A possible drive to a viewpoint over the Batoka Gorge and the falls could afford great photo opportunities as well as seeing African Black Swift, Rock Martin, Red-winged Starling and possibly Black Stork. The Livingstone Sewage Works could have some interesting rallids in season.

DAY 9: DAY OUTING IN SEARCH OF BLACK-CHEEKED LOVEBIRD
Today we travel north-west of Livingstone into stands of Mopane woodland. Our quest is to find Black-cheeked Lovebird, a localised breeding resident, effectively endemic to Zambia.

It will be a very long day, leaving Livingstone at around 4am with packed meals to get to favoured Lovebird drinking spots before it gets too hot. Lovebird flocks largest at this time of the year and drinking options limited, making them easier to locate. If we find the lovebirds in the morning, we can return, birding the way back leisurely. Otherwise we have another shot in the evening.

Although this area is not formally conserved, there are still large tracts of unspoilt wilderness offering other good birding. Local villagers still complain that there livestock are taken by Lion and Spotted Hyena in this area! Other birds could include White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill and Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver.

Overnight Livingstone area again.

DAY 10: LIVINGSTONE TO ZAMBEZI VALLEY
Today is a relaxed day, with a late start and leisurely drive to the Zambezi Valley, and the afternoon will be spent birding the immediate environs. The shoreline could have African Openbill, Goliath Heron, Collared Pratincole and possibly Long-toed Lapwing. Overhead we may find Bohm's Spinetail and Southern Carmine Bee-eaters.

DAY 11: AFRICAN PITTA QUEST: SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST!
Today we will bird the largest remaining tract of lowland deciduous thicket in Zambia. Our main aim will be to find the highly desired intra-African migrant, namely the African Pitta. This bird is easiest to locate when it starts displaying late November and December, and its presence is often betrayed by its distinctive call. Other possible birds today include Crested Guineafowl, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Sombre Greenbul, Eastern Nicator, African Broadbill and Thrush Nightingale. This is also the only area in Zambia in which Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo is regularly seen. The numerous Baobab trees in the area provide roosting sights for Mottled Spinetail.

Overnight Zambezi Valley area again.

DAY 12: RETURN TO LUSAKA
This morning we could have an early start again to find any species still needed before returning to Lusaka for departure at around midday.

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