Finally… news about the fieldtrip we did to Kumbira.
Let’s begin with Luanda, where we (Francisco Maiato,
Michael Mills and I) gave a presentation to the students of the Science Faculty
of the Agostinho Neto University (UAN) (Figure 1). This presentation was a great
opportunity to promote the conservation projects we are developing in Angola
and to encourage students to participate in these projects.
 |
| Figure 1. Michael Mills and I giving a presentation in UAN |
Then…all the way to Kumbira!!
Bird point counts were done with the help of Michael
Mills (who has been training me in bird species identification). Point counts
were done during 10 minutes in the early morning (6:15h-10:00h) in forest
stands that were old growth and secondary growth. Vegetation variables were
also measured in these points.
A total of 54 bird (see list at the end) species were registered in 50 sampling
points. Statistical analyses are being performed to establish differences in
bird community.
A radio-tracking pilot study was performed with two
individuals of Gabela Akalat and Gabela Bush-shrike. The objective was to evaluate
if radio-tracking could be used to study habitat use and home range of endemic
species. Birds were captured using mist-netting. A decoy and playback were used
to increase capture probability of Gabela Bush-shrike (Figure 2). Captured
birds were tagged using transmitters manufactured by Biotrack (Figure 3 and 4). Tagged birds
were followed during 10 days and bearings were registered every 2 hours (from 7:00h
to 17:00h) using a TR-100 telemetry receiver and a Yagi antenna (Figure 5). Data is being
analysed using the software Locate, Quantum GIS and R.
 |
| Figure 2. A decoy was used to increase capture probability of Gabela Bush-shrike |
 |
| Figure 3. Gabela Akalat with 0.47g tag |
 |
| Figure 4. Gabela Bush-shrike with 1.25g tag |
 |
| Figure 5. Looking for the tag signal |
Conservation
Issues
Farming
for Luanda. More
areas are being cleared for agriculture (Figure 6). People are not only farming for
subsistence but also to sell products in Luanda. In different occasions we saw
trucks taking bananas, tomatoes, pineapples and pumpkins to be sold in Luanda.
Some people mentioned that is more profitable to send their products to Luanda
than to nearer cities like Sumbe.
 |
| Figure 6. Cleared areas for agriculture |
Selective
Logging. Selective
logging is taking place in Kumbira. A piece of wood can cost 8-17 USD
depending on the wood quality. Each tree can give up to 30 pieces of wood,
meaning that a tree in Kumbira is being cut for 240-510 USD (Figure 7). Loggers have chainsaws and wood is
usually taken out from Kumbira by trucks on Sundays (probably less control by
authorities). The Administrator of Conda mentioned this problem and that
they have already fined different persons and confiscated logging equipment.
 |
| Figure 7. Logged tree in Kumbira |
Visitors in the camp
During our stay in Kumbira we received visitors in the
camp:
Juliette
Mills (from Luanda International School) and Rui Marcão (Portuguese birder)
spend a couple of days with us at the beginning of the trip.
Mrad
and Inge Shaia and their friends visited us at the end of June. They were South
African tourists travelling around Angola.
Kelse
Alexandre, Henrietta and Takko Konning from the Angolan Field Group visited the
camp at the beginning of July.
Bruce
Bennett, a Zimbabwean living for 20 years in Angola, spent a couple of days
with us just before we left the field.
It was great to have all these people around and to
see that different persons are interested in Kumbira.
Bird species registered during point counts
|
Nº
|
Scientific name
|
English name
|
|
1
|
Accipiter badius
|
Shikra
|
|
2
|
Turtur afer
|
Blue-spotted Wood Dove
|
|
3
|
Tauraco erythrolophus
|
Red-crested Turaco
|
|
4
|
Tockus alboterminatus
|
Crowned Hornbill
|
|
5
|
Tricholaema hirsuta
|
Hairy-breasted Barbet
|
|
6
|
Pogoniulus bilineatus
|
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
|
|
7
|
Campethera cailliautii
|
Green-backed Woodpecker
|
|
8
|
|
Woodpecker sp.
|
|
9
|
Smithornis capensis
|
African Broadbill
|
|
10
|
Batis minulla
|
Angola Batis
|
|
11
|
Dyaphorophyia castanea
|
Chestnut Wattle-eye
|
|
12
|
Dyaphorophyia concreta
|
Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye
|
|
13
|
Black-backed Puffback
|
Black-backed Puffback
|
|
14
|
Dryoscopus angolensis
|
Pink-footed Puffback
|
|
15
|
Campephaga petiti
|
Petit's Cuckooshrike
|
|
16
|
Oriolus auratus
|
African Golden Oriole
|
|
17
|
Elminia sp.
|
African Blue Flycatcher
|
|
18
|
Terpsiphone sp.
|
African Paradise Flycatcher
|
|
19
|
Trochocercus nitens
|
Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher
|
|
20
|
Parus funereus
|
Dusky Tit
|
|
21
|
Pycnonotus tricolor
|
Dark-capped Bulbul
|
|
22
|
Chlorocichla falkensteini
|
Falkenstein Greenbul
|
|
23
|
Phyllastrephus fulviventris
|
Pale-olive Greenbul
|
|
24
|
Bleda syndactylus
|
Red-tailed Bristlebill
|
|
25
|
Chlorocichla flaviventris
|
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
|
|
26
|
Nicator vireo
|
Yellow-throated Nicator
|
|
27
|
Andropadus latirostris
|
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
|
|
28
|
Macrosphenus pulitzeri
|
Pulitzer's Longbill
|
|
29
|
Apalis jacksoni
|
Black-throated Apalis
|
|
30
|
Apalis rufogularis
|
Buff-throated Apalis
|
|
31
|
Camaroptera harterti
|
Hartert's Camaroptera
|
|
32
|
Prinia subflava
|
Tawny-flanked Prinia
|
|
33
|
Illadopsis fulvescens
|
Brown Illadopsis
|
|
34
|
Sylvietta virens
|
Green Crombec
|
|
35
|
Hylia prasina
|
Green Hylia
|
|
36
|
Hyliota australis
|
Southern Hyliota
|
|
37
|
Zosterops senegalensis
|
African Yellow White-eye
|
|
38
|
Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
|
Violet-backed Starling
|
|
39
|
Turdus pelios
|
African Thrush
|
|
40
|
Pseudalethe poliocephala
|
Brown-chested Alethe
|
|
41
|
Stizorhina fraseri
|
Fraser's Rufous Thrush
|
|
42
|
Muscicapa caerulescens
|
Ashy Flycatcher
|
|
43
|
Erythropygia leucosticta
|
Forest Scrub Robin
|
|
44
|
Sheppardia gabela
|
Gabela Akalat
|
|
45
|
Cossypha natalensis
|
Red-capped Robin-Chat
|
|
46
|
Hedydipna collaris
|
Collared Sunbird
|
|
47
|
Cyanomitra verticalis
|
Green-headed Sunbird
|
|
48
|
Cyanomitra olivacea
|
Olive Sunbird
|
|
49
|
Cinnyris chloropygius
|
Olive-bellied Sunbird
|
|
50
|
Cinnyris superbus
|
Superb Sunbird
|
|
51
|
Ploceus nigricollis
|
Black-necked Weaver
|
|
52
|
Ploceus bicolor
|
Dark-backed Weaver
|
|
53
|
Nigrita canicapillus
|
Grey-headed Nigrita
|
|
54
|
Serinus capistratus
|
Black-faced Canary
|
