2. Survey of Montane Forest Avifauna in the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park and Adjacent Areas of Obudu Plateau 29 April to 7 May 2006

8/3/2019 2. Survey of Montane Forest Avifauna in the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park and Adjacent Areas of Obudu Plateau 29 April to 7 May 2006

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Survey of montane forest avifauna in the Okwangwo Division of

Cross River National Park and adjacent areas on the Obudu Plateau

29 April to 7 May 2006

Christopher P Bell

Conservation Programmes

Zoological Society of London

Regents Park

London NW1 4RY

[email protected]

June 2006


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Summary and Recommendations

1. The forest occupying the upper reaches of the altitudinal ecocline at the

edge of the Obudu Plateau, within the former Boshi Extension Forest

Reserve, is the last remaining area of undisturbed high montane forest in

Cross River State.

2. It supports substantial populations of endemic montane forest birds, at a

density suggesting that the presence of this undisturbed forest may be

vital to the continued viability of populations of such species in relict

forest patches on the Obudu Plateau.

3. This surviving tract of forest faces threats from fire and grazing pressure,

and its loss could lead to the disappearence of several restricted range

bird species from the Obudu Plateau as a whole

4. The Cross River National Park management plan should be amended to

include urgent action to protect the remaining area of high montane

forest, and encourage the regeneration such forest up to the park

boundary.

5. Further survey and monitoring work should be carried out to establish

the role of this area of forest in the ecology of the Obudu Plateau and of

submontane and lowland forest within the Okwangwo Division of the

Cross River National Park.

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the Nigeria National Park Service, and in particular the Director of theCross River National Park, Steven Haruna, for facilitating this survey, and forproviding accommodation at the Anape Ranger Station. I would also like to thank theNigerian Conservation Foundation and the Wildlife Conservation Society forproviding logistic support and accommodation at the Obudu Ranch Resort under theauspices of the WCS-NCF Biodiversity Research Programme. Special thanks toAndrew Dunn, John Oates, and Columbus Ikpe. Thanks also to Richard Bergl forinput to the satellite image annotation. I am grateful to Jerome Anya and Esale Joseph

for their excellent support in the field.


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Introduction

The avifauna of the grassland and relict forest patches on the Obudu Plateau isrelatively well-known (Oates et al. 2004, Gartshore 2004), but much less attention hasbeen paid to adjacent areas of the Okwanwgo Division of the Cross River National

Park, which preserves a significant block of undisturbed montane forest. Here I reportthe results of a line-transect survey of this area, carried out between 3 and 5 May2006, and of mist-netting sessions carried out over the same period, along withadditional observations made between 29 April and 6 May in the same area. Alsorecorded are further observations made over the same period in the vicinity of Anapevillage to the east of the park boundary, and at Obudu Ranch Resort between 7 and 28April.

Study Areas

Obudu Plateau is an outlier of the Cameroon highlands extending north-west of theborder with Nigeria at approximately 6N, 9 E. It consists of a flat topped ridge,about 10 x 3 km in extent, ranging between 1500 and 1800m above sea level, andcriss-crossed by a network of steep-sided valleys (Figure 1). The vegetation is mostlygrassland, which is grazed primarily by Fulani cattle, but also by commercial herdsbased at the Obudu Ranch Resort. Woodland patches are confined mostly to valleybottoms, forming a gallery forest network, much of which is exploited as communityforest by local villages.

Figure 1. Annotated satellite imagery of the Obudu Plateau area. Brown coloursindicate grassland areas and green colours forest.

Cameroon

Cameroon

Nigeria

Afi Mountain

MbeMountains

Cross RiverNational Park(OkwangwoDivision)

N

ObuduPlateau

SankwalaMountains

10kmRoad

NP Boundary

International Border

1500m contour

Key

Boshi ExtensionForest Reserve

Boshi ForestReserve


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The slopes to the north-east of the plateau support a patchwork of grassland andexploited forest, ultimately giving way to more open savanna in the lowlands. Theslopes to the south-west are within the Boshi Extension Forest Reserve, now part ofthe Okwangwo division of the Cross River National Park (Caldecott et al. 1990), andsupport mostly undisturbed forest. The plateau is continuous with similar uplands to

the south-east of the Cameroon border, and at its northern extremity is adjacent to anupland block of comparable extent and elevation, the Sankwala mountains (Figure 1).

The current study centres on a 2.5 km transect through a section of forest just insidethe national park boundary at the western edge of the plateau (Figure 2). This wassurveyed over the period 3-5 May, and casual observations of birds in forest patchesadjacent to Anape village were also recorded between 29 April and 1 May, and on 6May (Figure 2). Similar records were also kept of birds observed in forest patches andadjacent scrub and grasslands around Obudu Ranch Resort (Figure 2) during a studyof yellow wagtails carried out between 7 and 28 April (Bell 2006).

Figure 2. Annotated satellite imagery of the northern section of Obudu Plateau. Keyas in Figure 1 except where noted.

Transect

Footpaths

Informalobservations inforest patches

Becheve NatureReserve

1 km

N


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Figure 4. Mist net locations.

a) Site 1

b) Site 2


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Results & Discussion

Species identified at the three study sites are listed in Appendix I, and classified into 5frequency categories (Abundant, Common, Occasional, Scarce, Rare seeAppendix I for definitions). Classification criteria were applied identically for the

three sites, despite the marked variation in time spent in the field (21 days at ObuduRanch, ca. 4 days each at the transect site and at Anape). The proportion of species ineach category was similar at Obudu Ranch and Anape, though many fewer specieswere seen at the latter, suggesting that a longer period of observation would bothproduce more species, and lead to promotion of many of the observed species tohigher frequency categories. By contrast, the forest transect produced a much higherproportion in the rare category, which is attributable to the poor visibility producedby dense vegetation at the site. Such bias may be partly addressed by the distancesampling analysis below.

Mist-netting Results

Numbers of species caught in mist nets are presented in Table 1, and data for eachindividual examined are set out in Appendix II. The two mist-netting sites werechosen for a contrast in the surrounding vegetation. At site 1 mist-nets were placed ina section of the transect surrounded by large trees 30m or more in height creating apartial canopy, a quite open middle layer of 2-6m high trees, and an understory ofhalf-metre high saplings (Figure 4a). At site 2 the surrounding vegetation was

Table 1. Summary of mist-netting results.

Species totals Site 13 May0625 0950

Site 14 May0630 0930

Site 25 May0645 0945

Overall

NorthernDouble-collaredSunbird

Cinnyris

reichenowi

6 (1 escapednet)

1 2 9(3, 6)

WesternMountainGreenbul

Andropadus

tephrolaemus

4 4

Cameroon

Olive Greenbul

Phyllastrephus

poensis

1 1

CameroonSunbird

Cyanomitra

oritis

1 1

Brown-chestedAlethe

Alethe

poliocephala

1 1

Grey-chestedIlladopsis

Kakamega

poliothorax

1 1

TambourineDove

Turtur

tympanistra

1 1

AfricanGoshawk

Accipiter

tachiro

1 (escapednet)

1

Total 8 3 8 19


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dominated by 1-3m high shrubbery, with few large trees in the area, apart fromseveral standing dead trees (Figure 4b). Weather was similar on all three netting days,with calm conditions and high cloud cover, though on both 4 and 5th the forestvegetation was wet from overnight rain.

Subsequent to the sighting of a Mount Kup Bush-shrike at a site nearby (Figure 2) byGartshore (2004), a playback featuring the call of the species (Chappuis 2000) wasused near the net between 0820 0835 on 3 May, and between 0835 0850 on 4May. No response was detected, though the lure may have attracted the AfricanGoshawk caught briefly on 4 May, since it entered the net while the lure was playing.

Avian Community Structure

The number of species detections obtained during this survey are too small on thewhole to permit accurate estimates of density (Buckland et al. 1993). Nevertheless theestimates obtained from an analysis of distance data are still likely to provide a more

Figure 5. Species density estimates and 95% confidence intervals derived fromdistance analysis using a half-normal detection function. Open symbols denoteestimates with upper confidence limits >1000 per km.


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meaningful index of abundance and relative density among the species present thanraw numbers of individuals detected (Figure 5).

It would appear safe to state that Northern Double-Collared Sunbird (Figure 6a) is bysome distance the dominant species in terms of numbers, reaching densities of several

hundred per km2

. The species occurred primarily in the forest middle- and understory,between 1 and 5m above ground level and hence featured prominently in the mist-netsamples. Sharing this dimension of the habitat were significant numbers of aninsectivore, the White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, and at much lower densities anotherinsect/nectarivore, the Cameroon Sunbird, and an omnivore, the Cameroon OliveGreenbul (Figure 6b). Six species featured prominently in the middle to canopy layerof the forest, two insectivores, the Grey Apalis and the Yellow-breasted Boubou, twofrugivores, the Green Turaco and the Tambourine Dove, and two omnivores, theWestern Mountain Greenbul (Figure 6c), and the White-breasted Mountain Babbler.

Grey Apalis, Tambourine Dove, and Yellow-breasted Boubou, as well as Yellow-

rumped Tinkerbird were all detected primarily by call, and appeared to be evenlyspaced through the forest, suggesting territoriality. Antiphonal calling by Yellow-breasted Boubous enabled the detection of pairs, but estimates based on calling birdsmay underestimate overall densities of the other species. Northern Double-collaredSunbird and White-bellied Crested Flycatcher appeared to move about in pairs orsmall groups, and sometimes in shared feeding parties. This also applied to WesternMountain Greenbul, though singing birds were also heard frequently, and alsotoWhite-breasted Mountain Babbler, which usually occupied a higher level in thecanopy than the Greenbul.

A number of understory and ground-dwelling species were detected by call or caughtin mist-nets (Brown-chested Alethe (Figure 6d), Bangwa Forest Warbler, Grey-chested Illadopsis, Crossleys Ground Thrush), but no inferences can be draw aboutdensity or habit from the few records of these inconspicuous species.

Comparison with Obudu Plateau Avifauna

As expected the species identified at the transect were overwhelmingly forestspecialists compared to those seen at Anape and Obudu Ranch (Table 3, Appendix I).

Table 3. Habitat of species identified at transect, Anape and Obudu Ranch.

Grassland Edge Forest Total

Obudu 25 28 24 76

Anape 11 18 17 46

Transect 5 4 26 35

Species characteristic of grassland and edge habitats were only seen at each end of thetransect where it entered the transition zone between forest and grassland (Figure 3).The species seen at Obudu Ranch were evenly spread between the three habitat types,but relatively fewer grassland species were seen at Anape, which may relate to the


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Figure 6. Species caught during mist-netting sessions.

A} Northern Double-collared Sunbird B) Cameroon Olive Gre

C) Western Mountain Greenbul D) Brown-chested Alet


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better quality of the grassland and higher density of cattle on the commercial farmlandaround the Ranch resort, compared to the Fulani ranges around Anape.

Comparison with previous surveys in Okwangwo Division

Raw numbers of birds seen on the transect survey are compared in Table 4 with

similar data reported in Manu & Imong (2006, table 4, column labelled MarysCamp). Transects 15 and 16 in Table 1 of Manu & Imong are labelled Marys Campsa & b respectively, and locations given (shown on Figure 2, above). For the purposeof comparison I will assume that Manu & Imongs data comprise a composite oftransect surveys at the two locations, though both this, and the precise methodologyused, are far from clear.

Despite being only 1 and 3 km respectively from the transect surveyed in this study(Figure 2), the species composition reported for the two transects in Manu & Imong isquite different. Although a similar number of individual birds were recorded, Manu &Imong report more than twice as many species as the current study, and markedly

lower numbers of the commonest species. This suggests both lower diversity andequitability at the current study site, although the use of two locations and the greateraggregate length of the transects reported in Manu & Imong (1.8 and 1.4 km) mayhave contributed to the larger number of species seen.

Remarkably, of the 71 species seen in the two studies, only 12 species were recordedin both, 10 of which were among the 12 most frequently recorded species in thecurrent study. The difference is clearly related at least partly to altitude, since of the13 species recorded in the current study but not by Manu & Imong, all exceptNightingale, African Thrush and Shining Drongo are montane specialists (Table 4).The range of altitudes of the transect surveyed for this study ranges from 1680 to1780 m, compared to approximately 1440 and 915 m respectively for transects 15 and16 in Manu & Imong. Of the 12 shared species, 7 are montane specialists, namelyGrey Apalis, White-throated Mountain Babbler, Yellow-breasted Boubou, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Western Mountain Greenbul, Cameroon Olive Greenbul,Crossleys Ground Thrush, and all except the latter were seen more frequently in thecurrent study. The most striking difference of all concerns the total absence from theManu & Imong transects of Northern Double-collared Sunbird, another montanespecialist, which was the most frequently seen species in the current study, andprobably occurs at densities several times that of any other species in this section offorest (Figure 5).

Given the difference in prevalence of montane species between the two studies, it isclear that altitude is a major factor contributing to the difference in speciescomposition. However, not all differences may be attributable to altitude, and thedifference in timing of the two studies may also have had an impact. Manu & Imongsurveyed their sites in late January early February, towards the end of the dryseason, which lasts from November to March at this site. The current study wascarried out in early May under wet season conditions, so some of the differences maybe attributable to migratory movements, which may be regional intra-African oraltitudinal migrations.


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Table 4. Number of individuals recorded for each species in transect surveys inOkwangwo Division. Montane specialists are denoted by an asterisk.

SpeciesCurrentStudy

Manu &Imong Species

CurrentStudy

Manu &Imong

Northern Double-collaredSunbird* 34 Grey Cuckoo-shrike* 4

Grey Apalis* 24 5 Little Greenbul 4

Green Turaco 24 1 African Paradise Flycatcher 3

White-throated MountainBabbler* 13 3 Fire-crested Alethe 3

Yellow-breasted Boubou* 13 3 Naked-faced Barbet 3

White-bellied CrestedFlycatcher* 6 4 Waller's Starling* 3

Tambourine Dove 5 5 Yellow-throated Tinkerbird 3

Western MountainGreenbul* 5 3 Yellow-whiskered Greenbul 3

Cameroon OliveGreenbul* 5 2 Blue-breasted Kingfisher 2

Black-winged Oriole 5 1 Brown-chested Alethe 2

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird 5 1 Fraser's Sunbird 2

Mountain Sooty Boubou* 5 Golden Greenbul 2

Woodpecker 5 Grey-headed Bristlebill 2

African Thrush 2 Honeyguide Greenbul 2

Bocage's Akalat* 2 Pink-footed Puffback* 2

Cameroon Sunbird* 2 Red-rumped Tinkerbird 2

Shining Drongo 2 African Emerald Cuckoo 1

Crossley's GroundThrush* 1 2 Bar-tailed Trogon* 1

Red-tailed Greenbul 1 2 Black-capped Illadopsis 1

Bangwa Forest Warbler* 1Black-capped WoodlandWarbler* 1

Cameroon MontaneGreenbul* 1

Blue-headed CrestedFlycatcher 1

Chubb's Cisticola* 1 Buff-throated Apalis 1

Green Longtail* 1 Capuchin Babbler 1

Green-breasted Bush-shrike* 1 Dark-backed Weaver 1

Nightingale 1 Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike 1

Yellow-billed Turaco 15 Green Hylia 1

Red-chested Cuckoo 10 Grey-headed Greenbul 1

Olive Sunbird 9 Many-coloured Bush-shrike 1

Western Black-headedOriole 8 Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo 1

Chestnut Wattle-eye 6 Olive-green Camaroptera 1

Red-bellied ParadiseFlycatcher 6 Red-necked Buzzard 1

African Green Pigeon 5 Square-tailed Drongo 1

Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye 5 Western Nicator 1

Blue-headed Coucal 4 Yellow-billed Barbet 1

Blue-headed Wood Dove 4 Yellow-spotted Barbet 1

Green Crombec 4

Total individuals 165 169

Total species 25 58


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Conclusions and Recommendations

The results set out in this report suggest that the continuous montane forest at thewestern edge of the Obudu Plateau, within the former Boshi Extension ForestReserve, supports a distinctive avifauna that is quite different from that occurring inforests elsewhere within the Okwangwo division of the Cross River National Park,

and which shares many features with the avifauna of relict forest patches on theObudu Plateau itself.

The bird community of this section of forest appears to be much less diverse than thatof lower altitude forests, but there is evidence for a greater diversity and/or density ofmontane specialist species. This is significant, since this is the only tract ofcontinuous forest above 1500 m above sea level in the Obudu Plateau/SankwalaMountains highland block (Figure 1, 2), and the nearest comparable area of forest atsuch an altitude is over 30 miles to the south-west on the far side of the border withCameroon.

One of the remarkable features of the avifauna of the Obudu Plateau is the persistenceof many restricted-range montane forest species in small, relict patches of forest, mostof which are greatly altered by human exploitation. Elsewhere such species arefrequently absent from disturbed habitats (e.g. Fjelds 1999), and it may be significantthat the network of gallery forest covering the plateau forms a continuum with thetract of undisturbed forest at its edge. The seemingly high population densities of arange of montane species in this forest block suggests the possibility that it supportssource populations for such species that help to maintain populations in relict forestpatches on the plateau. If so, the continued viability of this area of forest may be vitalto maintain the plateaus avian biodiversity, and perhaps biodiversity in general. Thepresence of a number of montane forest species at lower altitudes within theOkwangwo division, albeit at apparently lower density, suggests that this high altitudeforest may also help to maintain the biodiversity of submontane forests within thepark. However, the apparent absence of some other montane species at altitudes thatare only slightly lower than the transect emphasises its importance for the continuedviability of the local populations of these species.

Movement to higher altitudes during dry season conditions by mobile taxa such asbirds and insects is a consistent feature of tropical forest ecosystems, and contributessignificantly to their biodiversity. Regular monitoring throughout the year would berequired to determine whether such movements are significant along the Boshi

Extension Forest/ Obudu Plateau ecocline. However if this proves to be the case itwould further emphasise the importance of this forest patch for maintainingbiodiversity over a wider area. It would be useful, therefore, to prioritise a regularmonitoring programme along the transect through this section of forest, which shouldcover birds at the very least, but also preferably include other indicator taxa such asbutterflies, and also monitor relevant variables such as flowering and fruiting of trees.Such a programme is important, not least to ensure a return on the labour invested increating the transect, but also to balance the destruction of up to half a hectare ofhabitat and the increased access and level of disturbance that is likely to ensue.

The disappearence of this tract of forest could threaten the entire populations of a

number of the more interesting bird species on the Obudu Plateau. It is a cause forconcern, therefore, that there appears to be a current threat to the forest at this site, in


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Figure 7. View to the south from the southern end of the transect.

Figure 8. Charred stump in transitional zone at the northern end of transect.


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the form of grazing pressure and fire arising in adjacent areas of grassland. Evidenceof fairly recent grazing activity within the park boundary was present during thesurvey in the form of abandoned Fulani huts in grassland areas near each end of thetransect (Figure 7). Of the area of forest that remains, a substantial portion consists ofa transition zone between grassland and high forest (Figure 3), containing muchevidence of recent fire damage (Figure 8). It seems likely, therefore, that without

management intervention the forest may continue to retreat at this grassland interface.It should therefore be a high priority, within the overall context of park managementto implement measures that in the first instance protect the forest edge in this area.Given the overall topography of the area, there would appear to be ample scope toincrease the area of high montane forest by encouraging regeneration, since there is asubstantial area of grassland above the 1500m contour to the east of the forest edge(Figure 2).

Appropriate measures should foster regeneration of the forest at least to the boundaryof the National Park. However, the exact position of this boundary is subject to someuncertainty, owing to the small scale of available maps. An essential preliminary,

therefore, is a ground survey of the original marker pillars for this section of the BoshiExtension Forest Reserve boundary using a GPS to establish their exact position, andthus to enable the boundary to be plotted on a large scale map.

Fieldwork summary

Saturday 29 April: Travel from Obudu Ranch to AnapeRanger Station.

Sunday 30 April: Trek to CRNP Forest Camp and backto Anape via northern end of transect.

Monday 1 May: Forest patches at Anape.Tuesday 2 May: Trek to CRNP and establish Forest

Camp.Wednesday 3 May: 3 hour morning mist netting session at

transect site 1. Survey of southern halfof transect.

Thursday 4 May: 3 hour morning mist netting session attransect site 1. Survey of northern halfof transect (cut short by heavy rain).

Friday 5 May: 3 hour morning mist netting session attransect site 2. Survey of remainder of

northern half of transect. Return toAnape.Saturday 6 May: Forest patches at Anape.Sunday 7 May: Return to Obudu Ranch.


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Citations

Bell, C.P. 2006. Pre-migratory fattening rates in yellow wagtails, part III. A studycarried out at Obudu Plateau, south-east Nigeria, between 7 and 28 April 2006.

Bairlein, F. (ed) 1995. European-African Songbird Migration Network Manual of

Field Methods. Vogelwarte Helgoland, Wilhelmshaven.

Buckland, S.T., D.R. Anderson, K.P.Burnham & J.L.Laake. 1993. Distance Sampling:Estimating Abundance of Biological Populations. University of St. Andrews.

Caldecott, J.O., J.F.Oates & H.J.Ruitenbeek. 1990. Cross River National Park(Okwangwo Division) Plan for developing the park and its support zone.WWF-UK, Godalming.

Chappuis, C. 2000. African Bird Sounds: Birds of North,West and Central Africa andNeighbouring Atlantic Islands. 15 CDs. Socit dtudes Ornithologiques de

France, Paris.

Fjelds, J. 1999. The impact of forest disturbance on the endemic avifauna of theUdzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Bird Conservation International 9: 47-62.

Gartshore, M.E. 2004. Report on a Field Trip to Cross River National Park.

Manu, S.A. & I. Imong. 2006. Final report of an ornithological survey of AfiMountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Cross River National Park, Mbe and SankwalaMountains Cross River State Nigeria.

Oates, J.F., R.A.Bergl, & J.M.Linder. 2004. Africas Gulf of Guinea Forests:Biodiversity Patterns and Conservation Priorities. Advances in AppliedBiodiversity Science 6: 1-90.


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Appendix I: Species list.Habitat

SpeciesObudu Ranch/Becheve NR Anape

CrossRiver NP

G Black Kite Milvus migrans S R

G Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus S

F African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro R

GRed-necked Buzzard Buteo auguralis RG Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus ruficollis R

G Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus R

E Double-spurred Francolin Francolinus bicalcaratus O

F African Green Pigeon Treron calvus C C

F Cameroon Olive Pigeon Columba sjostedti C

F Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria O O

E Blue-spotted Wood Dove Turtur afer C

F Green Turaco Tauraco persa O O C

F Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas O

E Didric Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius S

E African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis S SE Yellowbill Ceuthmochares aereus R

E Senegal Coucal Centropus senegalensis O S

F African Wood Owl Strix woodfordi R

G Little Swift Apus affinis C

G African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus O

E Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus O O

E Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus O

E Blue-breasted Bee-eater Merops variegatus O

E White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis C C

E European Roller Coracias garrulus R

F Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus O C CE Double-toothed Barbet Lybius bidentatus O

F Grey Woodpecker Dendropicos goertae R

F Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens R

G Common Sand Martin Riparia riparia O

G Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica C R

G Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica O O

G House Martin Delichon urbica O

E Black Saw-wing Psalidoprocne pristoptera C O

G Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis C

G Grassland Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus R

F Mountain Wagtail Motacilla clara RG Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava C

G Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus O

E Grey Cuckoo-shrike Coracina caesia R

E Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga phoenicea R

E Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus C C

F Cameroon Montane Greenbul Andropadus montanus R R

F Western Mountain Greenbul Andropadus tephrolaemus C C

F Cameroon Olive Greenbul Phyllastrephus poensis O

F Crossley's Ground Thrush Zoothera crossleyi R

E African Thrush Turdus pelios O O R

F Bocage's Akalat Sheppardia bocagei O R

F Brown-chested Alethe Alethe poliocephala R


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F Snowy-crowned Robin Chat Cossypha niveicapilla R O

E Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos R

G Whinchat Saxicola rubetra C

G African Stonechat Saxicola torquata A C O

E African Moustached Warbler Melocichla mentalis R

E Broad-tailed Warbler Schoenicola platyurus O

F Bangwa Forest Warbler Bradypterus bangwaensis R RE African Yellow Warbler Choropeta natalensis R

E Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina R

F Green Longtail Urolais epichlorus R

F Grey Apalis Apalis cinerea C A

G Short-winged Cisticola Cisticola brachypterus A C

G Chubb's Cisticola Cisticola chubbi A O S

E Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata O

F Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca O

F Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher Tersiphone rufiventer R

F African Blue Flycatcher Elminia longicauda O O R

F White-bellied Crested Flycatcher Elminia abliventris OF Grey-chested Illadopsis Kakamega poliothorax R

F White-throated Mountain Babbler Kupeornis gilberti O O C

E Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis O O

F Cameroon Sunbird Cyanomitra oritis S

E Variable Sunbird Cinnyris venustus S

F Northern Double-Collared Sunbird Cinnyris reichenowi C A A

E Orange-tufted Sunbird Cinnyris bouvieri C C S

E Mackinnon's Shrike Lanius mackinnoni C S

F Green-breasted Bush-shrike Malaconotus gladiator R

F Pink-footed Puffback Dryoscopus angolensis S S

F Mountain Sooty Boubou Laniarius poensis R

F Yellow-breasted Boubou Laniarius atroflavus C O C

E Marsh Tchagra Antichromus minutus O

E Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis O

F Black-winged Oriole Oriolus nigripennis O C S

F Shining Drongo Dicrurus atripennis R

F Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigii R O

G Pied Crow Corvus albus C O

E Waller's Starling Onychognathus wallerei C O

G Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus C O

E Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht O S

F Brown-capped Weaver Ploceus insignis O S

F Bannerman's Weaver Ploceus bannermani O S R

E Red-collared Widowbird Euplectes ardens O S

G Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis A C C

G Black-crowned Waxbill Estrilda nonnula A A O

G Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild O O C

G Bronze Mannakin Spermestes cucullata O

E Oriole Finch Linurgus olivaceus O

E Yellow-fronted Canary Serinus mozambicus S R

F Thick-billed Seedeater Serinus burtoni R R

Total number of species 76 46 35


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Appendix II: Data recorded for birds caught in mist-nets.

Date Time Sex Age Species Wing(mm)

Fat Muscle

Moult

Weight(g)

Notes

3/5 0655 N. Double-collared

Sunbird

54 0 3 X 8.1

0700 CameroonSunbird

54 1 1 X 11.0

0755 N. Double-collaredSunbird

56 1 1 X 8.2


50 1 3 X 7.8

0845 Imm N. Double-collared

Sunbird

52 0 1 X 7.5


50 1 2 M 6.8 Slighthead &bodymoult

0930 CameroonOliveGreenbul

90 0 2 X 34.7

4/5 0710 Brown-chestedAlethe

91 0 1 X 35.4


52 1 2 X 7.9

5/5 0710 N. Double-collaredSunbird

50 1 1 X 7.0

0745 W. MountainGreenbul

88 2 1 X >50


53 0 2 M 7.6 Lessercovert& body

moult0910 Grey-chestedIlladopsis

83 1 1 X 48.0

0920 Ad TambourineDove

116 0 1 M >50 Bodymoult


88 0 1 M 47.7 6thprimary2/5


89 0 1 X 50.2

M = Moulting bird, X=No sign of moult. Standard scores are recorded for fat (0-8)

and pectoral muscle (0-3) as set out in Bairlein (1995).

Documents

2. Survey of Montane Forest Avifauna in the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park and Adjacent Areas of Obudu Plateau 29 April to 7 May 2006