R.F.C.G. News

Finches in Uganda
Simon Espley, RFCG member
November 2006

RFCG member Simon Espley undertook a three week birding trip to Uganda in November 2006. Of particular interest to Simon was the possibility of seeing the often rare and always elusive forest finches of the Albertine Rift area in Western Uganda. He was also on a mission to investigate proposed focus areas for the upcoming RFCG crimsonwing research and conservation project and to meet various role-players in the project.

He saw almost 400 bird species, of which almost 100 were personal lifers (his first sightings of the species in the wild). Highlights included shoebill Balaeniceps rex, African green broadbill Pseudocalyptomena graueri, papyrus gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri, short-tailed warbler Hemitesia neumanni, dusky crimsonwing Cryptospiza jacksoni and yellow-eyed black flycatcher Melaenornis ardesiacus (the last three of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift area).

PHOTO: The author birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Finches present a challenge to birders because of their small size, rapid flight and shy or reclusive behaviour. Despite heavy rainfalls, bad road conditions and a punishing travel schedule, Simon had good sightings of the following finches:

African citril Serinus citrinelloides
African firefinch Lagonosticta rubricata
Black and white manikin Lonchura bicolor
Black-crowned waxbill Estrilda nonnula
Black-headed waxbill Estrilda atricapilla
Black-rumped waxbill Estrilda troglodytes
Black-throated canary Serinus atrogularis
Brimstone canary Serinus sulphuratus
Bronze manikin Lonchura cucullata
Cinnamon-breasted rock bunting Emberiza tahapisi
Common waxbill Estrilda astrild
Dusky crimsonwing Cryptospiza jacksoni
Dusky twinspot Euschistospiza cinereovinacea
Fawn-breasted waxbill Estrilda paludicola
Golden-breasted bunting Embariza flaviventris
Green-backed twinspot Mandingoa nitidula
Green-winged pytilia Pytilia melba
Grey-headed negrofinch Nigrita canicapilla
Papyrus canary Serinus koliensis
Pintailed whydah Vidua macroura
Red-billed firefinch Lagonosticta senegala
Red-cheeked cordon-bleu Uraeginthus bengalus
Red-headed bluebill Spermophaga ruficapilla
Streaky seedeater Serinus striolatus
Thick-billed seedeater Serinus burtoni
Village indigobird Vidua chalybeata
White-breasted negrofinch Nigrita fusconota
Yellow-bellied waxbill Estrilda quartinia
Yellow-fronted canary Serinus mozambicus

Simon was particularly interested at how habitat-specific some of the finches are. For example the Black-headed waxbill Estrilda atricapilla was always seen at clearings inside the thick forests whereas the very similar looking Black-crowned waxbill Estrilda nonnula would be found outside of the forests on the forest fringe or cultivated areas nearby forests.

PHOTO: Ruhija home to Shelleys crimsonwing

Simon was unsuccessful in his attempts to see the rare Shelleys crimsonwing Cryptospiza shelleyi but is hopeful that the RFCG-sponsored crimsonwing research project will give him the excuse to go back to Western Uganda to see this beautiful bird and maybe even to take the first known photograph of this bird! He did however have numerous sightings of the dusky crimsonwing, a truly beautiful finch that, like Shelleys, is endemic to the Albertine Rift area.

PHOTO: Red-headed bluebill nest in Mabira Forest

Please keep an eye on our web site www.rarefinch.co.za
for further news of the crimsonwing research project.