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About Eastern Arc

Come Hear Our Lullaby in Birdland
By Norbert Cordeiro

Bird-watching is coming into its own in Tanzania. Long a leading leisure activity in developed nations, birding is becoming a favorite among this country's visitors, who are increasingly interested in ecotourism and finding that Tanzania, justly famous for the abundance and variety of its wildlife, is also a magnet for the birder, with nonpareil bird sanctuaries along the coast, in the swampy south, and through the mountains of the Eastern Arc.

These days you can find ever-growing numbers of professional or amateur birders wandering through the lush forests in Amani Nature Reserve, trying to catch fleeting glimpses of rare birds. This article provides details on where to find some of the prize birds and on habitats and locations that are prime bird-watching sites in the Sigi area of the Amani Nature Reserve. 13 species of birds occurring in the East Usambaras are on the world's list of threatened species. Most of these species inhabit other Eastern Arc ranges, too, but the easier access to most areas in the East Usambara Mountains makes them ideal for bird-watching.

Reaching the nature reserve involves navigating your way up from Muheza, on the main Tanga highway. The route brings the visitor through different vegetation types and therefore gives opportunities to find different birds. Sigi, where the Visitor's Center and lodging are located, is nestled at about 400 meters inside primary forest that is bordered by the Amani Botanical Gardens. Here you will not only find comfortable rooms and delicious food for reasonable prices, but you will get a good introduction to the flora and fauna, history of land use, and local cultures at the center. You can arrange for local guides to explore the lowlands or you can establish yourself higher up in Amani, where comparable room and board is available. [For further details, see Guest Services.]

African Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone viridis, Sep 30 1999 - Photo by Veli PohjonenSigi has several trails that meander through the submontane forests, dry lowland forests, or cultivated fields. This is perhaps the best location to venture from for lowland elements, following the Kisiwani trail which goes through farms and lowland forest. Specialties in this drier forest are numerous, but the two forest-canopy species, the elegant Amani sunbird Anthreptes pallidigaster and the restless Usambara hyliota Hyliota usambarensis are not uncommon here. Searching mixed foraging flocks in the forest is essential to locate many of the birds, from the gorgeous black and yellow dark-backed weaver Ploceus bicolor and velvet black square-tailed drongo Dicrurus Adsimilis to the delicate long-tailed African paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis.

Little Greenbul, Andropadus virens, Sep 11 1999 - Photo by Veli PohjonenMany species of birds forage with the drongo and weaver, including yellow-streaked Phyllastrephus flavostriatus, tiny P. debilis, striped-cheek Andropadus milanjensis, Fischer's P. fischeri, and little greenbuls A. virens, Narina's trogon Apaloderma narina, black-headed apalis Apalis melanocephala, blue-mantled crested flycatcher Trochocercus cyanomelas, forest batis Batis mixta, red-capped robin chat Cossypha natalensis, yellow white-eye Zosterops senegalensis, olive Nectarina olivacea, Uluguru violet-backed Anthreptes neglectus, collared A. collaris, and the occasional banded A. rubritorques sunbirds.

Such mixed feeding frenzies intrigue other curious birds, and therefore, in the understorey, parties of pale-breasted illadopsis Illadopsis rufipennis, one to two red-tailed ant thrushes Neocossuphus rufus and eastern nicator Nicator gularis may be found skulking close by.

Red-headed Bluebill, Sep 29 1999 - Photo by Veli PohjonenMaking your way through denser forest may disturb a few interesting birds of the forest floor. The red-headed bluebill Spermophaga ruficapilla is a brightly colored seed and fruit eater of the forest floor, strangely carrying the local Kishambaa name of Koma nkaa, which is suggestive of its feeding on land crabs, though all evidence points to the contrary. What is most curious is that its nearest relatives are in western Kenya and central and western Africa, a distribution that is shared with several plant species and the flying lizard, among other animal groups.

Another white-bellied bird that relishes seeds, the dainty tambourine dove Turtur tympanistria, is easily flushed and, because it perches only a short distance away, getting a good view of it is an easy task. Crackling groups of crested guinea fowl Guttera pucherani are not uncommon in the lower forest and when quartered quietly are most interesting to observe as they dig with feet and peaks into the leaf litter, flirt with one another or dust themselves in dry areas.

If lucky, the possibility of seeing little yellow flycatchers Erythrocercus holochlorus and plain-backed sunbirds A. reichenowi is very rewarding as both species are found only in along the East African coast. Both join foraging parties of other birds, and their distinctive vocalizations and features ensure that they are noticed. In more open areas with adequate canopy cover, noisy flocks of chestnut-fronted Prionops scopifrons and sometimes Retz's helmet shrikes P. retzi [found in adjacent woodlands as well] often tumble through showing off their brightly colored facial wattles. Black-bellied starlings Lamprotornis corruscus also sing from the canopy. Near rivers and streams with tall trees with tall trees, the black-and-white flycatcher Bias musicus makes its presence known through a melodious song. While the male fits its namesake, the female looks like a pudgy African paradise flycatcher. Along the Sigi River banks, careful search might produce the half-collared Alcedo semitorquata and giant kingfishers Megaceryle maxima. Among the rocks surrounded by water, mountain wagtails Motacilla clara flit their tails up and down like mechanical toys. Black-throated wattle-eyes Platysteira peltata may also hide in the undergrowth along rivers, making short, delicate flights in search of prey.

Tailorbird, Nov 25 2000 - Photo by Veli PohjonenNoisy birds, sounding to some like croaking Colobus monkeys, are the ever splendid Fischer's turaco Tauraco fischeri. Its intense red, white, green and black facial markings are stunning reminders of nature's remarkable ways with colors. Turacos climb with great ease along branches and glide as effortlessly through the forest canopy, being found almost all over the reserve. Other loud dwellers are crowned Tockus alboterminatus and trumpeter hornbills Bycanister bucinator, which feast on fruits and invertebrates and are therefore quite conspicuous. Screeching calls may indicate white-eared barbets Stactolaema leucotis nearby, another fruit eater that also grabs insects on the wing. Their smaller relative is the eastern green tinkerbird Pogoniulus simplex, which is more easily heard than seen unless mistletoes whose seeds they disperse are in fruit.

From Sigi, better birding can be achieved along the trail up to the peak of Mlinga, where birds of the submontane forests can add more variety to your day. This trail, while steep and therefore cumbersome, provides excellent viewpoints for canopy birding or general sightseeing. Alternative and more suitable areas for finding a large variety of birds from higher altitudes are in habitats on the Amani plateau.

The seven-plus km drive from Sigi along a winding road provides some good viewpoints all the way to Amani. At Amani, arrangements should be made to get to the many locales for good birding, these largely being the Monga forest and tea estate area [note the flat and long Turaco bird trail here]; Kwamkoro, Derema, and Ngua trails and drive routes, and, of course, Mbomole Hill trail, which begins at the Amani Nature Reserve headquarters.


The Eastern Arc - The forests of the East Usambara Mountains form a part of a chain known as the Eastern Arc, which stretches down the coast of East Africa from southern Kenya to southern Tanzania. Other large Eastern Arc forests in Tanzania are in the Pare, West Usambara, Uluguru, and Udzungwa mountains. These forests are hosts to intriguing flora and fauna, including rare and endemic species.

The Eastern Arc mountains have many unusual birds found nowhere else in the world. Knowledge of the birds in these mountains is in large part attributed to Reginald and Winifred Moreau, who lived in Amani from 1926 to 1948 and have profoundly affected many avian enthusiasts in Africa and much of the world.

Presently, Neil and Liz Baker, based in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, have taken a leading role in compiling an atlas on the birds of Tanzania. The number of species recorded thus far is just over 1,000, and the East Usambaras alone have over 350 species, a number that continues to grow.

Our Tanzania Virtual Finland Visit the Eastern Arc!!

 
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