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| Mozambique Nightjar Caprimulgus fossil ©Chad Leedy killtheweasel18@yahoo.com |
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Renewed access to Mozambique after years of isolation by civil war has provided tremendously exciting possibilities for birders, and the central and southern parts of the country have in the last four years become popular destinations for keen, intrepid Southern Africans and others. In addition to numerous mouth-watering species peripheral and localised in more accessible Zimbabwe and South Africa, the lowland forests and miombo woodlands of central and southern Mozambique offer some of the best sites globally for such species as Olive-headed Weaver, Green-headed Oriole, Blue-throated Sunbird, East Coast Akalat, Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike, White-breasted Alethe, African Pitta and Locust Finch, and are the wintering grounds of the localised Mascarene Martin. Furthermore, the coast offers such tropical delights as wintering Crab Plover & Greater Frigatebird. The most popular areas for birding are, in central Mozambique, the highland forests of Mount Gorongosa, and the woodlands and lowland forests between Beira and the Zambezi. Further south, excellent birding is to be had in the woodlands around Panda and along coast around Inhambane, Vilanculos and Bazaruto Island. The vast area of Mozambique north of the Zambezi has remained virtually unexplored since Jack Vincent's explorations there in the 1930s. Access to the region is however reasonably good, and a 1998 expedition to Mount Namuli near Gurue re-discovered the country's only endemic, Namuli Apalis, hitherto unseen since its 1932 discovery and found to be still thriving in the forests of this truly spectacular massif. Other exiciting species of the northern forests include the enigmatic and elusive Dapplethroat, Thyolo Alethe and, on Mount Chiperone further south, White-winged Apalis. Birders travelling in Mozambique will need to be largely self-sufficient, and preferably travel in more than one vehicle, including at least one four-wheel-drive. Landmines remain a concern, although it is possible to enquire locally as to which areas are well-established to be safe. The country still offers much untapped potential to adventurous birders, and every trip turns up many exiciting species from both a southern African and global perspective. |
Claire Spottiswoode
Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology
(University of Cape Town)
claire@birding-africa.comhttp://www.birding-africa.com
Number of bird species: 684
Birds of Inhaca Island, Mozambique
WF De Boer and CM Bento 76 pages, col photos, tabs. BirdLife South Africa 1999ISBN: 0620237112
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Birds of the Maputo Special Reserve Mozambique
V Parker and F de Boer Series: BRIGHT CONTINENT GUIDE SERIES 2 52 pages, col photos, b/w illus, maps. Avian Demography Unit 2000ISBN: 0620264799
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Birds of the Niassa Reserve, Mozambique
Vincent Parker Series: BRIGHT CONTINENT GUIDE SERIES 4 34 pages, colour photos, maps. Avian Demography UnitISBN: 0620332778
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Southern African Birdfinder
Where to find 1400 bird species in southern Africa and Madagascar Callan Cohen, Claire Spottiswoode and Jonathan Rossouw 456 pages, 80 col photos, 100 maps, pull-out route map. New Holland Publishers 2006ISBN: 1868727254
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The Atlas of the Birds of Central Mozambique
Vincent Parker 321 pages, maps, tabs. Avian Demography UnitISBN: 0799222844
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The Atlas of the Birds of Sul do Save, Southern Mozambique
Vincent Parker 276 pages, 23 col photos, 525 maps. Avian Demography Unit 1999ISBN: 0620242663
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The Birds of Southern Mozambique
by Phillip A Clancey - 312 pages, 49 col plates, 6 photos, 39 maps. African Bird Book Publishing 1996ISBN: 0620199180
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African Bird Club
WebsiteThe Republic of Mozambique, once the African-Algarve where visitors relished the tropical summers of this former Portuguese colony, has since been ravaged by 15 years of civil war. With the war a memory, Mozambique is trying hard to shed the ominous label as one of the world's poorest countries. Despite its chequered history, Mozambique is an exciting destination for the intrepid birder wanting to find the many southern African specials that the region holds...
Inhassoro [The Information Organisation]
WebsiteInhassoro is situated on the idealic ocean shores of Mozambique opposite the northern point of Bazaruto Island, a protected reserve with almost 200 species of fascinating birdlife and spectacular coral reef...
Gorongosa National Park
WebsiteSatellite View
Gorongosa ecosystem is larger than the area of the formal Park Boundary. The ecosystem is that hydrological area that drains into Lake Urema in the heart of the Park. The drainage to the lake is local from both sides of the rift valley in which the Park sits, and from three streams originating on Gorongosa Mountain. The Rift floor lake, Urema, is a basin that when filled overflows into the Pungue River which then empties into the Indian Ocean...
IBAs
WebsiteTwo distinct bird communities exist in Mozambique with the boundary between them coinciding more or less with the Zambezi river. North of the Zambezi, birdlife is largely shared with that of...
Limpopo National Park
WebsiteSatellite View
The Limpopo National Park came into being when an old hunting concession, Coutada 16, was declared a protected nature conservation area instead. The Limpopo National Park now forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a transnational conservation area spanning the borders of Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe...
Quirimbas National Park
WebsiteSatellite View
Quirimbas National Park is a true example of where bush meets beach. Elephants feed off mango trees just metres from the Indian Ocean and further inland - in the thick coastal forests - 4 out of the Big 5 roam...
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2001 [October] - David J. Kelly
ReportThis trip was definitely not a birding holiday and so only a flavour of the birds in this part of the world can be given. Despite missing a lot of birds in Mozambique and being confined to Johannesburg in SA I did see some excellent birds. Rather than a full trip report I will present some information, highlights and then a species list...
2002 [December] - Duan Biggs
Report...Early on the morning of the 14th of December we left Casa Maseka and travelled towards eastwards along the EM6 towards Beira. Between Gondola and Inchope a stop on the road provided Singing Cisticola, Firecrowned Bishop, Yellowspotted Nicator, Gorgeous Bush Shrike and Livingstone`s Lourie...
2003 [March] - Jos Stratford
ReportWith a coastline of 2700 km, Mozambique is a huge country. Ornithologically, however, the River Zambezi effectively divides the country into two, marking the boundary between the avifaunas of Eastern and Southern Africa...
2008 [May] - Etienne Marais
ReportOverall 317 species were recorded in Mozambique and despite difficult birding at several localities a host of specials were seen including: 37 Crab Plovers, Pacific Golden Plover, 1000's of Lesser Sand Plover (Mongolian), Livingstone's Flycatcher, Southern Banded Snake-eagle, Rosy-throated Longclaw...
2008 [November - Etienne Marais
Report...Other miombo birds seen were plenty of Pale (Mozambique) Batis, Black-eared Seed-eaters, Green-backed Honeybird, Red-faced Crombec, Green-capped Eremomela and numbers of rather skittish White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike The area also has open grassy plains which hold Pink-throated Longclaw and Maans suspects Blue Quail...
2011 [March] - Per Holmen - Southern Mozambique
ReportI recently participated in a trip arranged by Reach Africa Birding Safaris (Grahame Snow) to Southern Mozambique. I was quite in doubt whether to take this trip or not due to the fact that the write up only offered 4 new lifers for me. The main attraction was undoubtedly the Olive-headed Weaver, other potential lifers for me were Sooty Falcon (never saw), Magpie Mannikin and Lesser Crested Tern. The fact that Olive-headed Weavers can only be found in that area triggered me into going. Below, you will find a write up of the main sightings on the trip....
2011 [November] – Leon Marais - Parc Nacional Da Gorongosa, Mozambique
Report… Soon we heard an oriole calling and, with a bit of patience, had some spectacular views of one of Southern Africa's most range-restricted birds, the speculifer race of Green-headed Oriole, which is endemic to Mount Gorongosa. We were fortunate in that they were on the edge of the forest, so we weren’t looking up at small silhouettes 50 feet above our heads but had good, prolonged views…
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Indicator Birding
Tour OperatorIndicator Birding offers custom-made and scheduled birding tours - from one to 21 days. We specialise in the Eastern parts of South Africa, but also have intimate knowledge of the whole of South Africa, Mozambique and parts of Zimbabwe and Namibia...
Weltevrede Eco-Toerisme Ontwikkeling [WETO]
Tour OperatorMaans Booysen has exclusive rights to Hyliota Camp. He is a keen birder and naturalist with many years of experience in safari guiding in Southern Africa. He was based at Madikwe Game Reserve for many years and is a specialist bird guide registered with Theta and FGSA. He has guided in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique...
Birding Spots - Mozambique
Websitee.g. The primary area of focus is central Mozambique, i.e. the region north of Beira, and towards the Zambezi River. The only real special south of this area is the Oliveheaded Weaver which was found recently again at Panda. Along with the numerous other specials in the area, very good general birding is possible throughout, though there seems little point in risking life and limb for birds that can be seen in South Africa or Zimbabwe. Staying three nights would be adequate for big time twitchers, but for more extensive birding 7 to 10 days are advised, during which time it would be best to concentrate on finding the Mozambique specials.
Birds of Namuli, Northern Mozambique
WebsiteMozambique has been off-limits to birders for much of the last two decades due to the civil war that wracked the country following independence...
Southern Africa Birding
WebsiteBirding Resources for Southern Africa. - This site is about birds and birding in South Africa and the Southern African region, including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, and Zambia. The region`s best birding sites are featured under Birding Spots, together with birding resources under Bird guides, tours and Accommodation. The latest rare bird sightings are posted on our Twitchers` Tales page, What`s On highlights major events, and Birding Organisations puts you in touch with other birders and organisations working towards bird conservation.
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This site was last updated on Sunday, 29th January 2012.
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