Angola Endemics Tour Leaflet 2022 - BIRDING AFRICA
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BIRDING
AFRICA
THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS
Angola Endemics
Tour Leaflet
2022
G abela Helmet shr ike © Te r tiu s G ou s
9 – 21 August 2022
Angola Endemics 2022
Birding Africa Tour Summary
Birding Africa Tour Summary
BIRDING Tour leader: Michael Mills
AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS
Endemics in comfort
• Forms the first 13 days of the
Comprehensive Angola Tour
• Red-crested Turaco, White-
headed Robin-Chat, Braun's
Bushshrike, Gabela Akalat Sw ie rstra ' s Francolin © John Clark
• Led by Angola’s top birder We have been pioneering birding tours to Angola will continue for another six days, to visit southern
Monteiro ' s Bu sh shr ike © Te r tiu s G ou s since 2005. Our 13-day Angola Endemics Tour Angola.
has been carefully crafted to comfortably and
efficiently target all of Angola's endemic birds.
Michael’s incredible focus, dedication and ability
It is almost a week (six days) shorter than our Tour Focus
to locate and show Africa's toughest birds is
Comprehensive Angola Tour, allowing those This tour will give us a good chance to see all of
probably unequalled. He has led dozens of tours
short of time to do just the most essential parts of Angola's endemic birds. It is heavily bird focused
across the continent and his experience in locating
western Angola. Participants join the first 13 days (there is little other wildlife), although the scenery
birds on just the softest of calls or briefest of views
of the Comprehensive Angola and then return to is often spectacular and we will visit Kalandula
impresses those who travelled with him. Michael
Luanda at the end of that, cutting out the southern Falls, one of Angola's top tourist attractions.
has spent a total of more than four years in Angola,
regions where almost all birds can be seen in
and knows the country's birds better than anyone. We use hotel accommodation throughout, which
Namibia.
means extra comfort, although some of the drives
Our tour starts in Luanda, with the first birding
Dates (2022) in the northern escarpment forests where the
to birding sites are fairly long (all under two
hours).
Endemics Tour 9 – 21 Aug striking Braun's Bushshrike is found. From here we
move east to the Kalandula Falls area to search for A species list will be handed out to you as part of
White-headed Robin-Chat and Anchieta's Barbet, your tour booklet at the start of the tour and is
Pro�isional Prices + Single before starting our zigzagged southwards. Kissama available beforehand upon request.
NP is visited for Grey-striped Francolin, Gabela
Endemics Tour $4950 + $530 Helmetshrike, White-fronted Wattle-eye and
The tour coincides with the main breeding season.
Days will typically be warm to hot, but nights
Monteiro's Bushshrike before we bird the endemic- cooler in the highlands. We are likely to encounter
Starts/ends in Luanda (no Lubango flight needed)
rich central escarpment for Gabela Akalat, Gabela a small amount of rain.
Bushshrike and Pulitzer's Longbill at Kumbira
Book online Forest. We then end off with two days in the varied
Mount Moco area for Brazza's Martin, Bocage's
Travel conditions are generally reasonable,
although service in hotels is often slow. Our
Visit www.birdingafrica.com Sunbird, Bocage's Weaver and Black-chinned route makes use of the best roads and avoids the
Deposit ($150) by credit card Weaver. On the final day of the tour you will be worst, but sections are still potholed and under
Email info@birdingafrica.com transferred back to Luanda, where the tour ends. construction.
Those booked on the Comprehensive Angola Tour
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INTRODUCTION
Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
Angola is one of the most biologically diverse foot of the escarpment. Here we hope to find
countries in Africa. Following 30 years of civil war Gabela Helmetshrike, Monteiro's Bushshrike,
that ended in 2002 the country has been slow in White-fronted Wattle-eye, Grey-striped Francolin,
opening up, which means that few birders have Angola Batis, Yellow-throated Nicator, Pale-
had the opportunity to sample its delights. With olive Greenbul, Hartert's Camaroptera, Landana
habitats ranging from Congo Basin forests to the Firefinch and Golden-backed Bishop. On top of
Namib Desert, it is little surprise that the country the central escarpment we hope to find three of
has over 940 birds recorded. In addition the Angola's most Endangered endemics, namely
escarpment and highlands of western Angola hold Gabela Bushshrike, Gabela Akalat and Pulitzer's
isolated patches of Afromontane and Congo Basin Longbill, with other possibilities including
forests where numerous endemics have evolved Monteiro's Bushshrike, Red-crested Turaco,
in isolation. The combination of varied habitats, Angola Batis, Yellow-throated Nicator, Angola
high species diversity and significant numbers of Cave Chat, Yellow-necked Greenbul, Pale-olive
endemics and specials makes Angola one of the Greenbul, Black-faced Canary and Landana
continent's top birding destinations. Firefinch. We spend two days in the varied Mount
Moco region, with Afromontane forests, montane
On the Angola Endemics Tour we will sample
grasslands and miombo woodlands. Here our
all the key birding habitats in Angola. For the
main targets include Swierstra's Francolin (hard
northern escarpment forests we base ourselves
to see), Finsch's Francolin, Fülleborn’s Longclaw,
out of Uíge, where numerous Congo Basin birds
Angola Swee Waxbill, Dusky Twinspot, Bocage's
occur alongside the endemic Braun's Bushshrike.
Weaver, Black-chinned Weaver, Oustalet's Sunbird,
The broadleaved woodlands and gallery forests
Ludwig's Double-collared Sunbird, Bocage's
of the Kalandula area host forest specials such as
Sunbird, Angola Slaty Flycatcher, Bocage's Akalat,
White-headed Robin-Chat alongside miombo
Huambo Cisticola, Black-and-rufous Swallow,
species such as Anchieta's Barbet and Sharp-
Brazza's Martin, Black-collared Bulbul and Angola
tailed Starling. Along the central escarpment,
Lark.
Red-c rested Turaco © Te r tiu s G ou s Kissama National Park hosts dry forests at the
Accommodation and meals Walking Ang ola L ark © Te r tiu s G ou s
Accommodation and meals are generally of a This tour requires only a moderate degree of
reasonable standard. All rooms have private fitness. All walks will last less than four hours and
bathrooms and cold and hot running water is be conducted at a manageable pace. Terrain where
generally available. Although power supply can be we walk is generally flat, except at Mount Moco
unreliable, most hotels have backup generators. where it is much steeper and rocky.
Meals are a generally Portuguese-style, with a
strong emphasis on starch and meat. Vegetarian International flights
options are limited. Some breakfasts and most
lunches may be taken in the field. Participants are required to make their own
international flight reservations.
Water is not safe to drink so we supply free bottled
water in the vehicle that you can take to your The tour starts with dinner and accommodation in
rooms for drinking and brushing teeth. Luanda on 9 August 2022.
The tour ends in Luanda on the evening of 21
Group size August 2022 (excluding accommodation or
dinner). Participants can leave Luanda any time
Maximum 9 participants in two 4x4s. after 21h00. Those wishing to overnight in Luanda
can be dropped at their hotel.
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ITINERARY AND MAP
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Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
Day 1 9 Aug 2022 Arrive. Overnight in Luanda.
Day 2 10 Aug 2022 Luanda to Uíge. Overnight in Uíge.
Day 3 11 Aug 2022 Full day in the Uíge area. Overnight in Uíge.
3
Uíge
Day 4 12 Aug 2022 Uíge to Kalandula. Overnight in or near Kalandula.
Day 5 13 Aug 2022 Full day in the Kalandula Falls area. Overnight in or near Kalandula.
2
Day 6 14 Aug 2022 Kalandula Fall area to Muxima. Overnight in Muxima. 4
Day 7 15 Aug 2022 Full day in Kissama. Overnight at Muxima.
Luanda Kalandula
Day 8 16 Aug 2022 Muxima to Conda. Overnight near Conda. 1 6 5
Day 9 17 Aug 2022 Full day at Kumbira Forest and surrounds. Overnight near Conda.
Day 10 18 Aug 2022 Conda to Mount Moco area. Overnight near Huambo. Kissama
7
Day 11 19 Aug 2022 Full day at Mount Moco. Overnight near Huambo.
8
Day 12 20 Aug 2022 Full day in the Mount Moco region. Overnight near Huambo.
Conda &
Day 13 21 Aug 2022 Huambo to Luanda. Tour ends. Kumbira
9
Bra z z a ' s Mar tin © Te r tiu s G ou s 10
Huambo &
13 Mt Moco
11 – 12
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DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
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Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
Day 1: Arrive in Luanda Day 3: Northern escarpment
Welcome to Angola! The tour officially commences We have a full day to explore various patches
with dinner and an overnight stay in the heart of of northern escarpment forest within an hour's
Luanda, Angola's vibrant capital city. drive of Uíge. Braun's Bushshrike is, of course,
the main target for the day, but a long list of
Day 2: Luanda to Uíge other species is possible, including Banded
Prinia, Lowland Masked Apalis, Black-throated
After a quick look at the large, dark swifts nesting Apalis, Buff-throated Apalis, Brown-backed
in downtown Luanda, currently thought to be Scrub Robin, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Purple-
dark Mottled Swifts, we will strike out north-east throated Cuckooshrike, Forest Chestnut-winged
of Luanda on the road to Uíge. Our first planned Starling, Black-winged Oriole, Velvet-mantled
stop will be for a short walk in some dry forests Drongo, Brown Twinspot, Naked-faced Barbet,
where we should see our first endemics: Red- Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Rufous-crowned
backed Mousebird and Bubbling Cisticola are Eremomela, Yellow-billed Barbet, White-breasted
usually present and Gabela Helmetshrike and Nigrita, Black Bee-eater, Green-throated Sunbird,
Monteiro's Bushshrike are both possible. As we Little Green Sunbird, African Pied Hornbill,
near Uíge in the afternoon we will stop in some Bristle-nosed Barbet, Speckled Tinkerbird, Red-
moister roadside forest for our first try for Braun's rumped Tinkerbird, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Sooty
Bushshrike. Overnight in Uíge town.
G abela Bu shshr ike © Te r tiu s G ou s
G abela Helmet shr ike © Ter tiu s G ou s
Flycatcher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Piping Hornbill, headed Robin-Chat in the gallery forests some
Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Chestnut Wattle- 40 km north of the falls. Sharing the same habitat
eye, Red-fronted Parrot and Cassin's Honeybird. are species such as Grey-winged Robin-Chat,
Unfortunately most of the accessible forests Bannerman's Sunbird, Brown-headed Apalis,
have been heavily logged, making it very hard to African Broadbill, Narina Trogon, Cabanis's
find the local race of White-throated Greenbul. Greenbul and Red-crested Turaco.
White-collared Oliveback, discovered on a Birding
We'll also bird the surrounding woodlands which
Africa tour in 2011, is also possible but rather rare.
are the most reliable site for Anchieta's Barbet and
Overnight in Uíge town.
Sharp-tailed Starling. Other species of interest
may include Pale-billed Hornbill, Rufous-bellied
Day 4: Uíge to Kalandula Tit, Anchieta's Sunbird, Western Violet-backed
After some final birding in the Uíge area we'll drive Sunbird, Red-throated Cliff Swallow, Meyer's
to Kalandula Falls, birding various gallery forests Parrot, Retz's Helmetshrike, and Miombo Scrub
and woodlands en route. Possible new birds for Robin. Overnight in Kalandula town.
the day include Red-crested Turaco and Anchieta's
Barbet. Overnight in Kalandula town. Day 6: Kalandula to Muxima
We'll spend a second morning in the Kalandula
Day 5: Kalandula Falls region area before driving to Muxima. En route we'll
Our main reason for visiting the Kalandula region pause to look for Rock Pratincole along the Lucala
is to search for the striking and localised White- River. Overnight in Muxima.
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Day 10: Conda to Huambo Sunbird, Bocage's Akalat, Schalow's Turaco,
Evergreen Forest Warbler, Thick-billed Seedeater,
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Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
After some final birding along the central Grey Apalis, African Hill Babbler, White-tailed
escarpment we make our way to the highlands Blue Flycatcher, Olive Woodpecker, Western
of the Huambo region, where the focus of our Green Tinkerbird and Black-backed Barbet. Forest
stay is Angola's highest mountain, Mount Moco. edge also supports Huambo Cisticola (Angola's
Overnight near Huambo. newest bird species), Yellow-throated Leaflove,
Dusky Twinspot, Angolan Swee Waxbill, Black-
Days 11–12: Mount Moco region throated Wattle-eye, Oustalet's Sunbird, Bronzy
Sunbird, Spotted Creeper, Red-throated Wryneck
The greater Mount Moco region is one of the most
and Black-chinned Weaver. The surrounding
diverse in the country and we allow ourselves
grasslands and rocky areas hold an endemic race
almost three days to explore its Afromontane
of Mountain Wheatear, Horus Swift, Striped Pipit,
forests, montane grasslands, miombo woodlands
Capped Wheatear, Black-collared Bulbul, Angola
and dambo grasslands. A significant amount of
Lark, Broad-tailed Warbler (Fan-tailed Grassbird),
time will be focussed on Mount Moco itself, where
Ayres's/Wing-snapping Cisticola, and the very
the forests support diminishing populations of
difficult Finsch's Francolin.
Swierstra's Francolin, Ludwig's Double-collared
Ang ola Naked-faced B arbet © Ter tiu s G ou s
G abela Akalat © Te r tiu s G ou s
Day 7: Kissama National Park Day 9: Kumbira
Dry forests in the vicinity of Muxima make for Kumbira Forest is home to three Endangered
some of the country's most endemic-rich birding. central-scarp endemics, namely Pulitzer's
In the early morning we'll watch for Grey-striped Longbill, Gabela Bushshrike and Gabela Akalat.
Francolin on the sides of the road. A whole Unfortunately slash-and-burn farming has
host of dry forest birds is on offer, with Gabela caused major population declines in all three
Helmetshrike, Monteiro's Bushshrike and White- species, although the akalat is still common and
fronted Wattle-eye top of the list. Other species on the longbill is normally not too hard to find. The
offer include African Barred Owlet, Red-backed bushshrike has become rather rare and hard to
Mousebird, Olive Bee-eater, Scaly-throated find now, having been fairly common only 15
Honeyguide, Pale-olive Greenbul, Swamp Boubou, years ago, so we may have to search for it at some
Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush, Bubbling Cisticola, backup sites. Other birds we may find at Kumbira
Forest Scrub Robin, Green Crombec, Purple- include Red-crested Turaco, Southern Hyliota,
banded Sunbird, Yellow-throated Nicator and Dusky Tit, Yellow-throated Nicator, Yellow-necked
Angola Batis. Overnight in Muxima village. Greenbul, Pale-olive Greenbul, Brown Illadopsis,
Hartert's Camaroptera, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye,
Day 8: Muxima to Conda Superb Sunbird, Forest Scrub Robin, Gorgeous
Bushshrike, African Broadbill, Blue-headed
After some final birding in the Muxima area we Crested Flycatcher, Black-faced Canary, Pink-
make our way to the Conda area, located at the top footed Puffback, Angolan Naked-faced Barbet,
of the central escarpment, ready to bird at Kumbira Trumpeter Hornbill and Grey Waxbill. Overnight
Forest the next day. Overnight near Conda. near Conda village.
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Miombo woodlands and dambo grasslands in Brazza's Martin, Black-and-rufous Swallow,
the surrounds of Mount Moco hold an equally Fülleborn’s Longclaw, Sooty Chat, Chirping
Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
impressive variety of birds. Black-necked Cisticola, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Coppery-
Eremomela, the curious local race of Brubru, tailed Coucal, Brown Firefinch, Locust-Finch,
Green-capped Eremomela, Miombo Scrub Robin, Hartlaub's Marsh Widowbird, Stout Cisticola,
Miombo Pied Barbet (rare), Miombo Wren- Bocage's Sunbird and Bocage's Weaver. Nights near
Warbler, Red-capped Crombec, Woodland Pipit, Huambo town.
Salvadori's Eremomela, Pale-billed Hornbill,
Yellow-bellied Hyliota and White-breasted Day 13: Huambo to Luanda
Cuckooshrike may be seen in the woodlands.
However, the dambo grasslands hold the greatest Today is essentially a travel day as we return to
interest, and here we will be hoping to find: Luanda, where the tour ends on arrival.
Pulit z e r ' s L ong bill © Ta ss o L e ve nti s
Black -and-r ufou s Swallow ( above) and Füllebor n’s L ongclaw ( below) © Ter tiu s G ou s
B ocag e ' s Sunbird © Alex andre Va z
12 | Angola Endemics 2022 Angola Endemics 2022 | 13
INCLUDED
Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
Birding Africa Tour Leaflet
• Guiding services of the Birding Africa tour leader
• Entry fees and activities as per itinerary
• Hotel accommodation throughout
• Airport transfers in Luanda on 9 August and 21 August
• Bottled water in the vehicle
• One soft drink at each sit-down meal
• General tips
QUESTIONS?
Please email the office, info@birdingafrica.com, to reserve a place or ask
questions (you can also cc michael@birdingafrica.com and callan@birdingafrica.
com who are both involved in the planning of this tour.
BOOKLET AND CHECKLIST
Birding Africa provides:
1. this tour leaflet with detailed itinerary
2. the tour information pack, emailed to you
3. the tour booklet with checklists, on the tour
HOW TO BOOK
1. Complete our easy online booking form.
2. Secure your booking deposit by credit card on our 3D secure online payment
site ($150).
3. Settle the balance by bank transfer 150 days before the tour. We will email
you a reminder and the banking details.
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Gre y -str iped Francolin © Ter tiu s G ou s
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