Brouwerd, Joost

Diget Christensen, Kim

Rahner, Marcel

Tøttrup, Anders Peter

English

Copenhagen University Research Information System

u n i ve r s i t y  o f  co pe n h ag e n  Københavns UniversitetFirst records for Niger of Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius, Grassland PipitAnthus cinnamomeus, Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella and Isabelline ShrikeLanius isabellinusDiget Christensen, Kim; Tøttrup, Anders Peter; Rahner, Marcel; Brouwerd, JoostPublished in:African Bird Club. BulletinPublication date:2005Document versionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of recordCitation for published version (APA):Diget Christensen, K., Tøttrup, A. P., Rahner, M., & Brouwerd, J. (2005). First records for Niger of Red-chestedCuckoo Cuculus solitarius, Grassland Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus, Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella andIsabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus. African Bird Club. Bulletin, 12(2), 162-164.Download date: 02. Feb. 2020The avifauna of Niger is still relatively littleknown. Since Giraudoux et al.’s (1988) sum-mary, few studies on the occurrence and distribu-tion of birds in Niger have been published. Here,Giraudoux et al. (1988) was used as the main ref-erence for records prior to 1986; for post-1986records, Newby et al. (1987), Sharland (1989),Holyoak & Seddon (1991), Sauvage (1993),Debout et al. (2000), Ambagis et al. (2003) andCrisler et al. (2003) were consulted. Most previousornithological observations were made in thesouth-west, around the capital Niamey and in ‘W’National Park. A more systematic study of Niger’savifauna, especially in the east and north of thecountry, is therefore likely to produce new find-ings.In 2003 KDC, APT and MCR made observa-tions of birds in Niger as a part of the ProjetRégional de Lutte Integrée contre les Sauteriauxau Sahel (PRéLISS), funded by the DanishInternational Development Agency (DANIDA).Field work was undertaken in three areas: aroundTahoua in the west-centre of the country, betweenMagaria and Tanout in the central-south (nearZinder), and around Diffa in the east. Three newspecies for Niger were discovered: Red-chestedCuckoo Cuculus solitarius, Grassland Pipit Anthuscinnamomeus and Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolaispulchella. Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus wasalso sighted, and details of this record are also pre-sented, along with a previously unpublishedrecord by JB in 1994. These records are docu-mented below.Red-chested CuckooOn 25 September 2003, at 06.30 hrs, a Red-chest-ed Cuckoo was heard by MCR in wooded savan-na, c.43 km west of Diffa and c.10 km from theKomadougou-Yobé River (13o12’N 12o08’E; zone4 in Giraudoux et al. 1988). Dense gallery forestoccurs in places along this river and further southdense woodland is widespread. The call was aloud, far-carrying WHIT whit weeu, endlesslyrepeated with short intervals. The observer isfamiliar with this distinctive call from many otherparts of Africa, as well as with vocalisations of allthe other cuckoos of the region. No other cuckoothat might be found in West African savannas hasa similar call; that of Black Cuckoo Cuculus clam-osus is also three-syllabled but quite different (Fryet al. 1988, Borrow & Demey 2001).Red-chested Cuckoo is a resident and intra-African migrant, visiting wooded savannas in thenorth of its range in March–December (Fry et al.1988, Borrow & Demey 2001). The nearest pub-lished record is from Potiskum in the northernSudan zone of north-east Nigeria (11o45’N11o02’E) c.200 km south-west of Diffa (Elgood etal. 1994). In Togo, the northernmost observations162 – Bull ABC Vol 12 No 2 (2005) First records for Niger: Christensen et al.First records for Niger of Red-chested CuckooCuculus solitarius, Grassland Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus, Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella and Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinusKim Diget Christensena, Anders P. Tøttrupb, Marcel C. Rahnerc and Joost BrouwerdPremières mentions pour le Niger du Coucou solitaire Cuculus solitarius, du Pipit africainAnthus cinnamomeus, du Phyllolaïs à ventre fauve Phyllolais pulchella et de la Pie-griècheisabelle Lanius isabellinus. Les observations de quatre espèces nouvelles pour le Niger sontdocumentées. Le chant d’un Coucou solitaire Cuculus solitarius a été clairement entendu ensavane boisée, à environ 43 km à l’ouest de Diffa (13o12’N 12o08’E), le 25 septembre 2003. Lemême jour, à environ 4 km vers l’est (13o12’N 12o11’E), deux Phyllolaïs à ventre fauve Phyllolaispulchella ont été observés. Un Pipit africain Anthus cinnamomeus a été découvert à environ 44 kmau nord-est de Tahoua (15o04’N 05o38’E), le 25 juillet 2003. Une Pie-grièche isabelle Laniusisabellinus a été notée le long de la route Niamey–Tillabéri (13o47’N 01o39’E) en janvier 1994;le 19 septembre 2003, deux mâles ont été observés à environ 10 km au sud de Tanout (14o54’N08o51’E).ABC Insides.qxp  22/7/05  10:39 am  Page 162are from gallery forest within woodland or shrubsavanna (Cheke & Walsh 1996). It remains to bedetermined whether the species regularly occurs inthe Diffa area or whether rainfall induced the birdto stray further north than usual.Grassland PipitOn 25 July 2003, a pipit was flushed from an areaof agricultural fields and grassland with a few trees,c.44 km north-east of Tahoua (15o04’N 05o38’E;zone 5 in Giraudoux et al. 1988). Millet and cow-pea were the dominant crops, and cattle and goatswere present. A rather large part had recently beenburned. The bird flew with long, deep undulationsbefore landing, whereupon it was observed indetail. It was a large, long-tailed and long-leggedpipit, with an upright posture. Crown and upper-parts were heavily streaked dark, and a pale super-cilium and dark moustachial stripe gave the head adistinct pattern. The underparts were buff, with dis-tinct streaking restricted to the chest. The outer tailfeathers appeared white.The streaked upperparts exclude Plain-backedPipit Anthus leucophrys and Tawny Pipit A.campestris. Long-billed Pipit A. similis (subspeciesasbenaicus), resident in the Aïr Mountains andMonts Bagzans, central Niger (c.350 km northeastof our locality) has no breast spotting, is sandybuff and has more buffish outer tail feathers (Keithet al. 1992). The bold streaking above and on thechest, and the striking facial pattern, combinedwith the habitat (recently burnt ground, opensavanna, cultivated areas) leave Grassland PipitAnthus cinnamomeus as the only possibility(Borrow & Demey 2001).Buff-bellied WarblerOn 25 September 2003, at 08.00 hrs, two smallwarblers were seen in an Acacia tree within a grass-land area, c.39 km west of Diffa (13o12’N12o11’E; zone 4 in Giraudoux et al. 1988). Theychased each other in the treetop for several min-utes. The first impression was of a Phylloscopus-sized warbler, but the body appeared shorter andmore slender, and the tail longer. The upperpartswere uniform olive-grey, contrasting with the yel-lowish-buff underparts. The tail had conspicuouswhite edges. The legs appeared pinkish.The birds were identified as Buff-belliedWarblers; their size and shape, and their white-edged tail eliminates all Phylloscopus, Apalis andSylvia warblers (Urban et al. 1997, Borrow &Demey 2001). Buff-bellied Warbler’s rangeincludes north-east Nigeria and Cameroon andwestern Chad (Elgood et al. 1994, Urban et al.1997, Borrow & Demey 2001), where it is uncom-mon to locally common. Its discovery in Nigerthus constitutes only a minor range extension.Isabelline ShrikeOn 4 January 1994, while a passenger in a car onthe Niamey–Tillabéri road, JB saw a shrike flyingaway from the road near the turn-off to the ferryat Farié (13o47’N 01o39’E; zone 2 in Giraudoux etal. 1988). Clearly visible were a somewhat paleorange-brown rump and back, a brownish tail,and dark wings with a white bar. These are charac-teristics of Isabelline Shrike (Fry et al. 2000,Borrow & Demey 2001). The white wingbar andorange-brown rump exclude adult or young Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. Emin’s Shrike L.gubernator lacks a brown tail and the upperparts ofthe juvenile are barred. All other brown-backedshrikes in the Sahel are grey-brown, not orange-brown. We conclude that the bird was anIsabelline Shrike, the first for Niger.On 19 September 2003, two male IsabellineShrikes were observed foraging in flat, dry grass-land with widespread trees and low bushes, c.10km south of Tanout (14°54’N 08°51’E; zone 3 inGiraudoux et al. 1988). Both perched atop lowbushes. They had a distinctive rufous rump andtail, contrasting with an evenly dull greyish-brownto sandy mantle and an almost unmarked body(without scaling).Isabelline Shrike is a Palearctic migrant toChad, Nigeria and Cameroon, with a few recordsfrom Mauritania, northern Senegal, The Gambia,Mali and Gabon (Fry et al. 2000, Borrow &Demey 2001). Maps in Fry et al. (2000) andBorrow & Demey (2001) show the species asoccurring in eastern and southern Niger on migra-tion, although this appears unsubstantiated. Thenearest records are from the Sahel zone in Mali(Lamarche 1981) and from northern Nigeria(Elgood et al. 1994)AcknowledgementsMany thanks to the Danish InternationalDevelopment Agency (DANIDA) for financing thePRéLISS project. Ron Demey and Nik Borrow madehelpful comments on earlier drafts.Bull ABC Vol 12 No 2 (2005) – 163First records for Niger: Christensen et al.ABC Insides.qxp  22/7/05  10:39 am  Page 163ReferencesAmbagis, J., Brouwer, J. & Jameson, C. 2003. Seasonalwaterbird and raptor fluctuations on the Niger andMékrou Rivers in Niger. Malimbus 25: 39–51.Borrow, N. & Demey, R. 2001. Birds of Western Africa.London, UK: Christopher Helm.Cheke, R. E. & Walsh, J. F. 1996. The Birds of Togo: AnAnnotated Check-list. BOU Checklist No. 14. Tring:British Ornithologists’ Union.Crisler, T., Jameson, C. & Brouwer, J. 2003. An updat-ed overview of the birds of W National Park, south-west Niger. Malimbus 25: 5–30.Debout, G., Meister, P. & Ventelon, M. 2000. Notescomplémentaires sur l’avifaune du Niger. Malimbus22: 87–88.Elgood, J. H., Heigham, J. B., Moore, A. M., Nason, A.M., Sharland, R. E. & Skinner, N. J. 1994. TheBirds of Nigeria: An Annotated Check-list. BOUChecklist No. 4. Second edn. Tring: BritishOrnithologists’ Union.Fry, C. H., Keith, S. & Urban, E. K. (eds.) 1988. TheBirds of Africa. Vol. 3. London, UK: AcademicPress.Fry, C. H., Keith, S. & Urban, E. K. (eds.) 2000. TheBirds of Africa. Vol. 6. London, UK: AcademicPress.Giraudoux, P., Degauquier, R., Jones, P. J., Weigel, J. &Isenmann, P. 1988. Avifaune du Niger: état desconnaissances en 1986.  Malimbus 10: 1–140.Holyoak, D. T. & Seddon, M. B. 1991. Notes sur larépartition des oiseaux du Niger. Alauda 59: 55–57,116–120.Keith, S., Urban, E. K. & Fry, C. H. (eds.) 1992. TheBirds of Africa. Vol. 4. London, UK: AcademicPress.Lamarche, B. 1981. Liste commentée des oiseaux duMali. 2ème partie. Malimbus 3: 73–102.Newby, J., Grettenberger, J. & Watkins, J. 1987. Thebirds of the northern Aïr, Niger. Malimbus 9: 4–16.Sauvage, A. 1993. Notes complémentaires sur l’avi-faune du Niger. Malimbus 14: 44–47.Sharland, R. E. 1989. Birds of Niger. Malimbus 11: 99.Urban, E. K., Fry, C. H. & Keith, S. (eds.) 1997. TheBirds of Africa. Vol. 5. London, UK: AcademicPress.aTraegaarden 2. 2.tv., DK-2300 Copenhagen S,Denmark. E-mail: kim@diget.dkbZoological Museum, University of Copenhagen,Universitetsparken 15, DK-Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.E-mail: aptottrup@zmuc.ku.dkcKildevaeldsgade 74. 1.th., DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø,Denmark. E-mail: mcr@email.dkdBrouwer Envir. & Agric. Consultancy, Wildekamp 32,6721 JD Bennekom, Netherlands. E-mail:brouwbar@bos.nl164 – Bull ABC Vol 12 No 2 (2005) First records for Niger: Christensen et al.Between 29 January and 15 February 2003,Barend van Gemerden and I visited Benin atthe invitation of the International Union for theConservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN), Netherlands, to undertake a study on therelationship between field biology, ecotourism andnature conservation. In the afternoon of 6February 2003, we were birdwatching at Guézinmarshes, Lac Ahémé, c.30 km from Grand Popo,near the Togolese border in south Benin (06o24’N01o57’E). The weather was dry and the light excel-lent. We observed many species of wader, as wellas two or three gulls, which were feeding activelyby picking items from the water surface. Althoughwe expected them to be Grey-headed Gulls Laruscirrocephalus, with which I have experience fromThe Gambia and South Africa, the rather pointedwings with the conspicuous white leading edge toFirst record of Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus for BeninBen van MuyenPremière mention de la Mouette rieuse Larus ridibundus pour le Bénin. Le 6 février 2003, deuxou trois Mouettes rieuses Larus ridibundus en plumage adulte internuptial ont été observées dansles marais de Guézin, au Lac Ahémé, à environ 30 km de Grand Popo, près de la frontière duTogo, dans le sud Bénin (06o24’N 01o57’E). Cette donnée constitue la première pour le pays.ABC Insides.qxp  22/7/05  10:39 am  Page 164

First records for Niger of Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius, Grassland Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus, Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella and Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus

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First records for Niger of Red-chested Cuckoo <em>Cuculus solitarius</em>, Grassland Pipit <em>Anthus cinnamomeus</em>, Buff-bellied Warbler <em>Phyllolais pulchella</em> and Isabelline Shrike <em>Lanius isabellinus</em>

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