Getting the most out of your birding holiday in Angola is a great idea, but if you’re unsure what to look for and how to identify them, this article will help you out. We will go over the Kingfishers, Bulbuls, Locustellidae, and Songbirds of Angola. Hopefully, you’ll be able to identify some of these birds as well!
Angola’s Songbirds
The diversity of Angola’s biomes and ecosystems support an abundance of rare and endangered birds, with more than 900 species recorded. While many of these birds are endemic, many are also threatened by human activities and climate change. The following list identifies species that are endemic to Angola. In addition, the checklist includes notes regarding uncertain records and misidentifications of known species.
The country is home to diverse habitats, including lush rainforests in the north, cool mountains with huge waterfalls in the northeast, and arid desert in the south. It is possible to see over 400 species of birds in just three weeks of birding in Angola. Of these, 14 are endemic, with dozens more near-endemic or locally uncommon. A birding tour in Angola will include several different habitats and a variety of species.
Researchers have made discoveries in Angola’s avifauna by making observations in relatively unknown areas. MSLM and co-workers have also added the Slaty Egret to the bird list, and have described the Yellow-throated Cuckoo Chrysococcyx flavigula to the list. Likewise, they have added the South African Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon spilodera, and a new species of Black-crowned Nightjar Phyllastrephus scandens. Moreover, the development of species boundaries has resulted in the addition of 16 new species. The two Angolan Batis species, Margaret’s Batis and Southern Fiscal L. humeralis, have been split in two genus based on habitat differences.
The first official meeting of the Angolan Association for Birds and Nature took place in November 2001. The organization has since published the first birder’s checklist of Angolan species with Portuguese and English names. Oxford Brookes University’s Nocturnal Primate Research Group confirmed a new species, while field surveys in northern escarpment forests were funded by BirdLife South Africa. In addition to the published checklist, MSLM has also authored several useful notes on the behavior of individual species.
Angola’s Kingfishers
The name “Kingfishers” refers to the bird’s distinctive call. The Angolan kingfisher, also known as the woodland kingfisher, is a species that is widespread across southern Africa. Kingfishers are nocturnal raptors that feed on insect larvae. They can be seen in forests and other habitats, particularly along rivers and lakes. In Angola, they are found mainly in the forests of the central highlands.
The Angolan kingfisher is the country’s most famous bird. The country is home to a variety of birds, including the Blue-throated Roller, White-fronted Wattle-eye, and Pale Olive Greenbul. You can also see the rare Crowned Hornbill, Green-headed Woodpecker, and Black-necked Palm-thrush, which are localized but widely distributed.
Angola’s avifauna contains 1011 species, of which 14 are endemic and one was introduced by humans. The species listed below are grouped into family accounts according to the Clements Checklist of Birds, 2021 edition. All species found in Angola are included, though the best birding is likely to occur in the summer months. If you’re visiting Angola, you should also look for the Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush, which has a beautiful song.
The African dwarf kingfisher is a member of the Alcedinidae family. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Its weight is nine grams. In southern Angola, the African dwarf kingfisher is also found in South Sudan, Uganda, and the Central African Republic.
Angola’s Locustellidae
Angola is home to many species of birds. Of the 874 species recorded in Angola, 14 are endemic, with one being an accidental introduction. The species are listed in family accounts, following the Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2021 edition. Several species were introduced into the country, while others were accidentally tipped off. The remaining species are native and do not fall into any categories.
This collection covers much of Angola, with sampling sites throughout the country. Distribution of specimens is illustrated in Figure 3 as a half-minute grid. The largest provinces, including Cuando Cubango and Benguela, are the most commonly sampled. Luanda, in the north-west, is the only province where sampling locations were not known. The remaining provinces contain very diverse fauna, but the distribution of specimens is still not evenly distributed.
The Angolan Bird Atlas database has records from 1943 to 1979. The collection is remarkably incomplete, with 32% of records coming from 1958-1959 and 25% from 1968-1969. Spatial coverage is uneven, with two-thirds of records representing four provinces. The Moxico region, Huila province, and Namibe province represent biodiversity hotspots. Georeferenced records are a significant addition to the GBIF network. Angola is one of the most diverse countries in Africa, with more than 500 species of birds, including a third of the world’s known species.
Angola’s Locustelloids are members of the Sylvioidea family, which includes the black-capped donacobius and Malagasy warblers. Locustellidae is the closest relatives of the warm-brown warbler to the Malagasy and Black-capped Donacobius. However, a species in the UK may be rare due to low populations, or it may simply be absent.
Angola’s Bulbuls
The African red-eyed Bulbul is a medium-sized passerine bird found in forests throughout most of Africa. This bird is nearly endemic to Angola and southern Zambia and is widespread throughout most of Namibia. These birds are conspicuous and highly vocal, calling continuously from the top of a tree or bush. They are able to differentiate their males from females by their distinctive orange-red eye rings. They feed mainly on insects, fruit, and nectar, and they drink often.
Angola is home to many endemic and near-endemic birds. According to Mills (2018), a list of notable Angola bird specialties includes the Finsch’s Francolin Scleroptila finschii, the Anchieta’s Barbet Stactolaema anchietae, the Angola Lark (Batis minulla), and Yellow-throated Nicator.
There are no records of breeding for all of Angola’s Bulbul species. Although breeding data for most species is sparse, the aforementioned publications contain useful notes about biology and ecology. They include the first descriptions of nests and eggs of several species and the occurrence of many new species not found in earlier lists. They also provide information on the ranges and distributions of individual species. They may also be useful in determining the population status of isolated populations.
Another Angolan bird of note is the red-billed Bulbul. The red-billed Bulbul is distinguished by its red-tailed tail and yellow underparts. The rufous-tailed Palm Thrush and Bubbling Cisticola are locally common and widespread. A few other species are endemic to Angola, including the infamous ‘Little Greenbul’. This species is also found in Mozambia, Tanzania, and Kenya.
Angola’s Recurvirostridae
The avifauna of Angola includes 1011 species of birds, 14 of which are endemic. Of the introduced species, one is indigenous and one is alien. The species of birds are listed in the family accounts, with introduced and accidental species included. Commonly occurring native species are not listed in family accounts. Nevertheless, they are included in the total count. This article is a compilation of information pertaining to the birds of Angola.
Angola’s Recurvirostroidea includes several species of birdlife. The slender-billed honeyguide, Prodotiscus zambesiae, is the most common. This species occurs in southern Angola. The zebra finch, Campephaga phoenicea, and red-breasted civets live in the forests of Bicuari National Park. These birds occur in mixed-species foraging flocks with other species.
The Pied Barbet (Lybius leucomelas) is common in southern Angola’s dry woodlands. The chestnut-backed finch lark, Eremopterix senegalensis, is found primarily in southern Angola and is very rare in the southern part of the country. The African Finfoot, Rhassops niger, and black-headed crake are also common in southern Angola.
The Angolan longbill, Macrosphenus pulitzeri, is a endemic bird in Angola. It is collected only in the southern part of the country at Chingoroi and Seles, and in coastal thickets in August and September. It is an excellent indicator of the health of Angola’s forests. This species is considered to be endangered by the government.
Another notable species of Angola’s recurvirostridae is the Greater Kestrel, Falco rupicoloides. The species is not well known in Angola, but it is frequent in Iona National Park and is even found breeding there. Angola’s Recurvirostridae has also been described by international bird experts, including Pinto 1983.
John is passionate about discovering the beautiful birds of the globe. He is researching & sharing the best birds of all countries that he can find to share his passion & hobby with the world.
