10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2012

He discovered Rudd’s Lark at Wakkerstroom and in Southern Mozambique he collected the first specimens of Rudd’s Apalis , Neergaard’s Sunbird and rediscovered Pink-throated Twinspot (which had been “missing” since the 1820’s when the Verreauxs erroneously claimed to have collected it in Cape Town.) Image by Hugh Chittenden.

Mozambique 182

Mozambique South Africa Africa Collecting 182

Critter News

OCTOBER 2, 2009

In July, Kenyan authorities intercepted 16 elephant tusks and two rhinoceros horns being illegally exported to Laos from Mozambique. So far this year poachers in Kenya have killed 128 elephants for their ivory; last year 98 were killed.

illegal 100

illegal Kenya Laos Elephants 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2022

Ndumo Game Reserve lies in the Easternmost part of South Africa, close to the border of Mozambique and Eswatini. It is not particularly big but has a reported 430 bird species including migrants, though during my short stay it seems I missed most of the key attractions among them. Pel’s Fishing Owl, where were you?

South Africa 147

South Africa Africa Birds Fish 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2012

Situated slap-bang on the Zim/Mozambique border, this used to be one of the most productive birding sites in the country. And, if you plan to bird the Mozambique side beware of old landmines, souvenirs from the brutal civil wars.

Zimbabwe 188

Zimbabwe Birds Buffalo Mozambique 188

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2023

The nearest seas were 1000 kilometers to the east and 1500 to the west, when I saw a Crab-plover on the front of the Africa Birds & Birding magazine, photographed on some beach in Mozambique. Or my next destination should be that beach in Mozambique (tourism officials of Mozambique, I sure hope you do read my blog)?

Mozambique 130

Mozambique India Fish Goats 130

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2012

A Dominican missionary in Mozambique in the 16th century was astounded to find honeyguides eating the wax from his altar candles! But certain bird species go against the grain here and some even appear to have a better sense of smell than many mammals, humans included. Honeyguides, for example, are strongly attracted to the smell of wax.

Birds 207

Birds Mammals Mozambique New Zealand 207

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2024

Just the other day we had an extensive lunch with my Mozambican in-laws. To make things even better, a family member I had not yet met (after close to four decades of marriage) joined us. The reminiscing started.

Portugal 202

Portugal Laws Family Mozambique 202

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2024

In Zimbabwe, Buluwezi Murambiwa provides guiding services to guests at the Seldomseeen Cottages in Bvumba, in the border region with Mozambique. Someone who combines all these qualities? Buluwezi not only showed me 29 lifers in a day but took the time to show my non-birding wife every single bird too.

Birds 212

Birds Mozambique Zimbabwe Mammals 212

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2013

The nearest seas were 1000 kilometers to the east and 1500 to the west, when I saw a Crab-plover on the front of the Africa Birds & Birding magazine, photographed on some beach in Mozambique. Or my next destination should be that beach in Mozambique (tourism officials of Mozambique, I sure hope you do read my blog)?

Mozambique 204

Mozambique India Birds Fish 204

10,000 Birds

MAY 27, 2015

They are also found in patches of Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and also north through Zambia, the Congo and Tanzania (just poking into Kenya). These Collared Palm-thrushes were photographed in the Cresta Mowana Lodge in Kasane, pretty much the only place you’ll see the species in Botswana (according to one of the guidebooks I read).

Mozambique 161

Mozambique Zambia Zimbabwe Namibia 161

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2024

And then I realized: he had waded through the river… On another occasion I found myself in the Chimanimani Mountains on the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe. My Mozambique project concerned Lake Chicamba Real – a big reservoir behind a dam in the River Revué. There were still no tracks to be seen (I double-checked).

Birds 208

Birds Mozambique Ghana Namibia 208

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2015

Square-tailed Nightjar , or Mozambique Nightjar ( Caprimulgus fossii ); Mkuze GR, South Africa, 31 January. Spotted Wood-owl ( Strix seloputo ); Paser Ris, Singapore, 26 February. Caprimulgidae (Nightjars). Firey-necked Nightjar ( Caprimulgus pectoralis ); Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa, 17 January. APODIDAE (SWIFTS).

2015 175

2015 South Africa Botswana Singapore 175

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2015

The most outrageous of these was in Victoria Falls, where the smart list had the Livingstone’s Turaco (actually found on the other side of Zimbabwe on the border with Mozambique) but didn’t have Schalow’s Turaco , which does occur there. Overall, I found the function worked best in South Africa compared to other countries.

Africa 152

Africa South Africa Zimbabwe Penguins 152

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2024

Lack could only surmise where his Swifts wintered, but thanks to the use of geolocators we now know that British-breeding birds migrate to the Congo, before moving east to Mozambique. On their northern passage they migrate across the Gulf of Guinea, refuelling in West Africa before making the final move back to Europe.

Breeding 201

Breeding Liberia Africa Eggs 201

10,000 Birds

JUNE 30, 2022

These include the first dedicated guidebooks to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, Mozambique and Rwanda, among others, all of which are regularly updated for new editions. In recent years he authored the first English-language guidebook to Suriname and an overhauled 600-page guidebook to Sri Lanka, both published by Bradt.

Sri Lanka 147

Sri Lanka Ghana Uganda Eagles 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

In addition the Selous Game Reserve is functionally linked with the 42,000 km2 Niassa Game Reserve in Mozambique, and this is another important factor that ensures its integrity. With no permanent habitation inside its boundaries, human disturbance is low. I think you could make a good case that this reserve is important.

Lions 181

Lions Killing Hunting Hunters 181

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2012

The next isolated populations are several thousand miles northwards in Malawi, northern Mozambique and the Rondo Plateau in southern Tanzania. In South Africa Green Barbet occurs only in Ngoye Forest, a tiny forest patch in Zululand, and this form is often split off as Woodward’s Barbet.

Ethiopia 222

Ethiopia Tanzania Africa Uganda 222