The Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum was uplisted to globally Endangered in 2012. There is urgent need to determine the threats they face at local levels for their conservation. I conducted formal point-count surveys around the wetlands of eastern Uganda and observed no cranes. Groups of cranes were encountered when following directions from local inhabitants. Results from a questionnaire survey suggested that cranes make use of most of the wetlands in the region, and that the birds occur in small flocks averaging 6–8 individuals. Wetland loss through farming was reported to be the main threat, but I also documented poisoning, roost disturbance, and the collection of eggs and chicks. Rigorous conservation and education programs are needed to ensure the long-term survival of cranes and storks in this region.

The montane forests of northern Mozambique’s isolated massifs are inhabited by numerous range-restricted and threatened bird species, but until recently were extremely little-known. We report on a first avifaunal survey of the isolated montane habitats of Mt Mecula (1 442 m), Niassa National Reserve, notable as the only currently protected montane area in northern Mozambique. Mount Mecula’s moist forest is small (approximately 136 ha in total) and patchy, and although known botanically to have some montane affinities, was found to support an avifauna more typical of riparian forests of medium to low altitude. The only montane forest species recorded was Lemon Dove Aplopelia larvata. Other montane elements included Vincent’s Bunting Emberiza (capensis) vincenti, one of six species recorded new to the Niassa National Reserve list. Overall, it appears that despite its intermediate location, Mt Mecula does not represent a biogeographical ‘stepping stone’ for montane forest bird species. This probably owes to its remoteness from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania to the north and the massifs of other parts of northern Mozambique, to the south and west.

Repeat monitoring is vital to measure biodiversity change. However, monitoring protocols may change, as survey techniques improve or different questions are asked. Such modifications may cause difficulties when examining changes in wildlife populations. The Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) 1 and 2 are repeat national bird surveys undertaken 20 years apart. These surveys therefore offer unrivalled potential to examine bird population changes in an African context. However, changes in protocols, both spatially and temporally, between the two surveys have raised concerns over using these data to infer population changes. In this study we use independ- ent nest survey data to test whether changes in reporting rates of Martial Eagles in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park between the two SABAP surveys were reflected in real change in numbers of nesting pairs. From 11 quarter degree squares (QDS), covering c. 8 000 km2, both SABAP and nest surveys suggested a near identical 44% decline. Levels of agreement were weaker at the individual QDS scale, although in 67% of cases the direction of change was the same using both surveys. These results suggest that comparisons in the reporting rates between SABAP 1 and SABAP 2 accurately reflect changes in the breeding population size of this species.

Acoustic signals are frequently used for estimating avian species richness, abundance and community composition. However, sampling by traditional methods of bird surveys is often limited by availability of experienced researchers in the field, especially in the tropics. New bioacoustic approaches offer some solutions to such limitations and provide opportunities for more extensive spatial and temporal sampling. In our study, we compared results of traditional point counts with simultaneous acoustic samples obtained by automated soundscape recording units in the montane forest of Mount Cameroon. We showed that the estimates of species richness, abundance and community composition based on point counts and post-hoc laboratory listening to acoustic samples are very similar, especially for a distance limited up to 50 m. Species that were frequently missed during both point counts and listening to acoustic samples were typically those with relatively quiet songs. Abundances were rather underestimated by listening to acoustic samples in the most abundant species, including those occurring in flocks and species with low singing activity. Despite some possible biases, we demonstrated that the method based on listening to acoustic samples is relatively effective and offers a useful alternative approach for surveying Afromontane bird communities.

A methodology for rapidly assessing the vulnerability of waterbirds to disturbance was tested at Sabaki estuary, Kenya. Three variables were employed to measure the responses of 15 species: (1) bird density, (2) minimum distance of birds from a stationary disturbance and (3) recovery times following a moving disturbance. Spatial response metrics (1) and (2) were regressed against expected species densities (in the absence of disturbance). Normalised mean residuals then described species-specific deviations from the average spatial response to disturbance. A hypothetical model was constructed, whereby species were placed on a spatial response gradient and overlaid by the recovery metric (3). Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor, African Spoonbill Platalea alba and Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus exhibited the strongest avoidance responses. The two spatial metrics (1 and 2) achieved concordance for 73% of species, and all three metrics gave similar results for six of seven species at the extremes of the spatial response gradient. Non-concordance between response metrics is likely an effect of life-history traits (e.g. territoriality). Our results support the use of relative spatial response metrics (1 and 2) for robust and rapid identification of waterbird species that are most responsive and, by virtue, vulnerable to the effects of disturbance on tropical estuaries.

The Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio is a common rail that previously was little investigated in North Africa. From 2011 to 2013, its breeding ecology was studied at two natural wetlands in north-east Algeria, namely Garaet Hadj Tahar and Garaet Messaoussa. Numbers of Purple Swamphens at both localities peaked in late April and early May. Egg-laying started in early March, whereas hatching started in late March. Peak egg-laying took place in late March and early April, and peak hatching from mid-April to early May. There were significant differences in the size and weight of eggs between years and localities. The mean clutch size was 2.75 ± 0.70 eggs and it was not signifi- cantly different between localities and years. Mean hatching success was 51% and it was positively correlated to nest depth only at Garaet Hadj Tahar. Most nests were built in dense tufts of Typha angustifolia and Phragmites australis. The main nesting materials were Phragmites australis and Scirpus maritimus.

Bird collision mortality associated with power lines is a global conservation challenge, but periodic carcass counts along power lines underestimate actual mortality because of survey biases. We conducted a scavenger trial over 90 days and three observer detection trials after 1, 48 and 90 days using 44 wild goose carcasses to identify explanatory variables and estimate correction factors for these biases. Scavenging activity was high but mostly occurred in situ; only 16% (95% binomial CI 5–27%) of carcasses were removed by the end of the 90-day trial period (all within the first three weeks). Observer experience did not significantly affect detection rate, with experienced observers locating 75% (95% CI 68–83%) of carcasses compared with 67% (95% CI 58–75%) by naïve observers. Vegetation height, distance from the line and carcass spread were significant explanatory variables. The pattern in detection rate linked to carcass age was variable; there were fewer detections after 48 days, but rates at day 1 and day 90 were similar for experienced observers because bleached bones were highly visible. This suggests that long survey intervals are acceptable for the detection of large bird carcasses in arid environments such as the Karoo where collisions are infrequent but widespread events.

"Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 16: Tanagers to New World Blackbirds." Ostrich, 85(1), pp. 109–110

At Dyer Island, South Africa, observations of predation of seabirds by Cape Fur Seals Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus were made during 2004 and 2006/07. It was estimated that seals killed about 7% of adult African Penguins Spheniscus demersus annually. This may have contributed to the penguin colony not increasing in spite of food becoming more available in its vicinity during an eastward shift of epipelagic fish resources off South Africa at the start of the twenty-first century. Adult penguins were most susceptible to mortality in the breeding season as they returned to feed chicks in the evening. Seals also killed substantial numbers (3–9%) of Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis fledglings as they left the island, mostly in the morning. The losses of Cape Cormorant fledglings accounted for about 95% of the overall mortality of seabirds attributable to seals. Mortality inflicted by seals on adults of four species of cormorant was negligible and no predation by seals on gulls and terns was observed.