ZAMBIA – African Pitta, endemics and regional specialities

PRICE INFORMATION

Birdquest Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

We also include all tipping for local guides, drivers and accommodation/restaurant staff.

The following flights are also included in our tour price:

Lusaka-Solwezi

Solwezi-Lusaka

Lusaka-Livingstone

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)

The single supplement will not apply if you indicate on booking that you prefer to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

ZAMBIA BIRDING TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Zambia: Day 1   Our Zambia Specialities birding tour starts this morning at Lusaka Airport, from where we will take a flight to Solwezi in Zambia’s northern ‘Copperbelt’.

(If you are not arriving early this morning, we can arrange hotel accommodation not far from the airport on request.)

From Solwezi, we head northwestwards to Mutanda for an overnight stay.

At Mutanda, we shall look in particular for the handsome range-restricted Black-backed Barbet, Grey-olive Greenbul and especially Bocage’s Akalat, as well as Brown-headed Apalis, the range-restricted stormsi form of the African Thrush and Black-faced Canary.

Other birds here may well include African Black Duck, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Shikra, Black Sparrowhawk, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, White-rumped and Little Swifts, Broad-billed Roller, Olive Woodpecker, Northern Fiscal, Yellow-throated Leaflove, White-chinned Prinia, Olive Sunbird, Red-backed Mannikin and Brimstone Canary.

Zambia: Day 2  This morning, we continue our journey by road to Kalwelwa for a four-night stay. Kalwelwa is siutuated in the Mwinilunga area in the remote far northwest of Zambia, situated between Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The road is reasonably good, and we will soon find ourselves driving through large expanses of glorious woodland.

The road crosses a few rivers along the way, and at these, we will be looking amongst the many Little Swifts for the Red-throated Cliff Swallows that can often be found in this part of Zambia during this season. We will make stops at rivers where the mega-skulking Bamboo Warbler is regularly to be found. Indeed, this is one of the best areas in its range for seeing this secretive species.

Zambia: Days 3-5  We will spend three full days exploring the Kalwelwa area.

The forests of the area comprise tall trees dripping with lichens and moss and holding desirable species such as the range-restricted Anchieta’s Barbet, Sharp-tailed Starling and Bar-winged Weaver.

We shall also be on the lookout for special birds such as Miombo Wren-Warbler, Red-capped Crombec and Western Miombo Sunbird, as well as Little Sparrowhawk, Afep Pigeon, Grey-headed and Meyer’s Parrots, Thick-billed Cuckoo, the ngamiense form of African Barred Owlet, the reichenowi form of Black Saw-wing, Whistling Cisticola and Western Violet-backed Sunbird.

At the forest edge the trees become more stunted and eventually open out to expansive plains and marshy dambos that are home to some of the most interesting species of the tour. At the splendid dambo (as the wet grassy areas in this region of Africa are known), we shall don rubber boots to walk through the boggy terrain in search of the rare Grimwood’s Longclaw, a species largely restricted to remote eastern Angola and northwest Zambia that favours the wettest areas. During our time in this habitat, we should also find the brightly-coloured, restricted-range Fülleborn’s Longclaw and the more widespread Rosy-breasted Longclaws that prefer slightly less waterlogged habitat, and also the sturdy, range-restricted Angolan Lark that sings amongst the shorter grass punctuated by strange squat termite mounds. This is also a known locality for the restricted-range Black-and-rufous Swallow, which occurs only in Zambia and Angola, but as most individuals of this species often depart from northwestern Zambia in October, we only have a slim chance of an encounter.

Specialities and other good birds in these damp grasslands include Dickinson’s Kestrel, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Thick-billed Cuckoo (uncommon), Brown-necked and Meyer’s Parrots, Short-tailed Pipit, the reichenowi form of the Black Saw-wing, Dambo Cisticola, Sooty Chat, Hartlaub’s Babbler, Compact Weaver, Grey Waxbill, Locust Finch and the smart Hartlaub’s Marsh Widowbird. There is sometimes an active colony of Bocage’s Weavers to be found in the area, so we have a fair chance of finding this little-known species (which completely disappears outside the breeding season!). At this time of year, we could even encounter a migrant Great Snipe.

Of the other major specialities, the attractive Black-collared Bulbul is relatively easy to see, and we shall also be looking for Margaret’s Batis, Grey-winged Robin-Chat, Miombo Scrub Robin, the charming Laura’s Woodland Warbler, the pretty Black-necked Eremomela, Spotted Thrush-Babbler, African Spotted Creeper, Bates’s Sunbird and the localised Bannerman’s Sunbird.

Along the rivers, we have a good chance of seeing a Vermiculated Fishing Owl, as our local guide should have one staked out, while other good birds in this habitat include Spot-breasted Ibis and Shining-blue and White-bellied Kingfishers.

The grasslands, clumps of trees and marshes also hold such species as Little Grebe, African Marsh Harrier, Black-bellied Bustard, African Wattled Lapwing, Ross’s Turaco, Marsh Owl, Swamp Nightjar, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Rufous-breasted Wryneck, Flappet Lark, Grey-rumped, Mosque and Red-breasted Swallows, Buffy Pipit, Black Cuckooshrike, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Moustached Grass Warbler, Trilling, Ayres’s, Tinkling and Stout Cisticolas, Green-capped Eremomela, African Stonechat, White-browed Scrub Robin Anchieta’s Tchagra, White-winged Black Tit, Western Violet-backed and Copper Sunbirds, Orange-winged Pytilia, Red-headed Quelea and Golden-breasted Bunting.

In the thicker forest patches, we may well also find Black Sparrowhawk, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Blue Malkoha, Narina’;s Trogon, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, the ‘little spotted’ form of the Green-backed Woodpecker, Least and Pallid Honeyguides, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Little, Cabanis’s and Honeyguide Greenbuls, the viridis form of the Gorgeous Bushshrike (sometimes split as Perrin’s Bushshrike), Retz’s Helmetshrike, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Fraser’s Rufous Thrush, Buff-throated Apalis, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Grey-capped Camaroptera, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Green-throated Sunbird, Splendid Glossy Starling and Black-bellied Seedcracker. Little Bee-eaters favour more open habitats.

Zambia: Day 6  After some final birding in the Mwinilunga region, we will drive back to Solwezi and take a flight back to Lusaka for an overnight stay.

Zambia: Day 7  We will take a morning flight to the city of Livingstone, situated on the Zambezi River in southwestern Zambia.

(By flying from Solwezi to Lusaka and from Lusaka to Livingstone, we avoid a horrendous 2-day road journey with barely any time for birding and not one bird that is unavailable on other tours!)

Here, we will visit the world-famous Victoria Falls. This spectacular and breathtaking place still has a stunning impact even after one has seen innumerable films or photographs. The falls themselves are magnificent and, as David Livingstone himself once declared, “On sights as beautiful as this, angels in their flight must have gazed”. Here the mighty Zambezi widens to nearly two kilometres broad before plunging vertically downwards. As we approach the falls, dense clouds of water vapour hang over the area and the sound of millions of tons of water dropping into chasms over 100m deep is awe-inspiring.

Rock Martins and Red-winged Starlings fly through rainbows that arch across the fine spray before vanishing into the gloom of the gorges. The area protected by the national park is not as extensive as on the Zimbabwean side and bird song is difficult to hear above the deafening rumble and pounding of cascading water. The falls were once known as a regular haunt of the rare Taita Falcon, but these days, with increased disturbance, the birds have retreated to the inaccessible gorges downstream. Perhaps the most interesting birds that live here are the African Black Swifts of the paler race hollidayi that is endemic to Victoria Falls.

After our visit to the falls, we shall head westwards to our comfortable lodge situated on the banks of the Zambezi, where we will stay for two nights.

In this interesting area, we have a real but by no means certain chance of finding the range-restricted Slaty Egret. Other birds of note include Coppery-tailed Coucal and Chirping Cisticola.

Around the lodge, we should find Collared Palm Thrush and perhaps Green-backed Honeybird, as well as Red-eyed Dove, Schalow’s Turaco, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Little, European and White-fronted Bee-eaters, Eurasian Hobby, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Black-backed Puffback, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Terrestrial Brownbul, Dark-capped Bulbul, Red-faced Cisticola, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Ashy Flycatcher, African Paradise Flycatcher, White-browed Robin-Chat, Southern Yellow White-eye, Collared and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Thick-billed, Holub’s Golden and Village Weavers, and Red-billed Firefinch. At night we may find Western Barn Owl, African Wood Owl and Square-tailed Nightjar.

Birds along the Zambezi include Reed Cormorant, African Darter, Striated, Black (uncommon), Squacco and Purple Herons, Little, Yellow-billed and Great Egrets, African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork (uncommon), Glossy, Hadada and African Sacred Ibises, Hamerkop, Egyptian and Spur-winged Geese, Knob-billed Duck, Osprey, African Fish Eagle, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Black Crake, Lesser Moorhen (uncommon), African Jacana, Water Thick-knee, White-crowned Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Grey-headed Gull, White-winged Tern, Pied and Giant Kingfishers, Sand Martin (or Bank Swallow), Wire-tailed and Barn Swallows, Lesser Swamp Warbler and African Pied Wagtail.

Zambia: Day 8  Today we shall explore mopane woodland well to the northwest of Livingstone that is home to the Black-cheeked Lovebird. This delightful little parrot is now treated as a Zambian endemic, as any valid records outside the country are now thought to refer either to vagrants or else to feral birds. The species particularly favours mopane woodland, and it has a patchy distribution in southwestern Zambia, being restricted to an area between the Zambezi and Kafue Rivers, with a total population numbering no more than 10,000 individuals.

The habitat here encompasses part of the Zambezi floodplain and shallow pools, thorny thickets and stands of mopane are characteristic of the area, so there will be much to distract us along the way. Restricted-range species to look out for during our travels include Coppery-tailed Coucal, Meves’s and Burchell’s Starlings, and the uncommon Black-eared Seedeater.

More widespread species include Helmeted Guineafowl, Great White Pelican, Marabou Stork, Western Cattle Egret, Grey and Black-headed Herons, Yellow-billed Kite, White-backed Vulture, Black-chested and Brown Snake Eagles, Bateleur, Lizard Buzzard, Gabar and Dark Chanting Goshawks, Martial, Wahlberg’s and Tawny Eagles, Crested and Swainson’s Francolins, Crowned Lapwing, Double-banded Sandgrouse, African Mourning, Ring-necked and Namaqua Doves, African Green Pigeon, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Grey Go-away-bird, Jacobin, Black, Klaas’s and Diederik Cuckoos, White-browed Coucal, the huge Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Palm Swift, Böhm’s Spinetail, Red-faced Mousebird, Woodland and Striped Kingfishers, Swallow-tailed and Southern Carmine Bee-eaters, Purple (or Rufous-crowned) and Lilac-breasted Rollers, African Hoopoe, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Southern Ground, Southern Red-billed and African Grey Hornbills, and Crested and Black-collared Barbets.

Passerines include Mosque Swallow, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Tropical Boubou, Brubru, White-crested Helmetshrike, Black-headed and African Golden Orioles, Fork-tailed Drongo, Pied Crow, Rattling Cisticola, Burnt-necked Eremomela, White-browed Scrub Robin, Arrow-marked Babbler, Southern Black Tit, Magpie and Red-backed Shrikes, Yellow-billed and Red-billed Oxpeckers, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Lesser Masked Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, White-winged Widowbird, Blue and Violet-eared Waxbills, Green-winged Pytilia, Jameson’s Firefinch, Long-tailed Paradise and Shaft-tailed Whydahs, Village Indigobird and Black-throated Canary.

The area borders on the much drier country to the west, marking the beginning of a rather different avifauna, and so there is always the chance of a surprise such as Red-billed Spurfowl or the nomadic Dusky Lark.

Zambia: Day 9  Today, we head eastwards to the Choma region of southern Zambia for a two-night stay in the Nkanga Conservation Area. We will make a few birding stops along the way.

We will be staying in stylish and very comfortable accommodations and join our hosts in the main house each evening for our meals, an experience that makes for a most welcoming and friendly stay.

Zambia: Day 10  The Nkanga Conservation Area contains several cattle ranches and farms that have been actively protecting the local wildlife and are involved in mammal reintroduction schemes.

Our prime target here is the striking endemic Chaplin’s Barbet. This threatened barbet occurs only in a restricted area of Zambia. Although its range extends to several thousand square kilometres, it is generally erratic at the periphery and the regularly inhabited areas may only amount to some hundreds of square kilometres. The bird needs plenty of Ficus sycomorus fig trees for its source of food, and it is threatened when these are cleared for cultivation. We shall be scanning the fig trees scattered across the open grasslands in search of bright white dots that could ultimately prove to be the bird itself.

The ranch house overlooks an attractive small dam surrounded by dense thickets and beautiful open miombo woodland, which is an excellent place to find the sparsely distributed Racket-tailed Roller and Miombo Pied Barbet. Further special birds of Nkanga include Bennett’s Woodpecker, Luapula Cisticola, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Souza’s Shrike and African Spotted Creeper (but we will need some luck to find the last two). At this season migrant Amur Falcons are fairly regular visitors.

Other species that may well be found here include Little Grebe, Little Bittern, Rufous-bellied Heron, African Spoonbill, White-faced Whistling Duck, White-backed Duck, Red-billed and Hottentot Teals, Black-winged Kite, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Long-crested Eagle, Hooded Vulture, Coqui and Shelley’s Francolins,  Natal and Red-necked Spurfowls, Common Moorhen, Three-banded Plover, Blacksmith Lapwing, Red-chested, African and perhaps Common Cuckoos, Black and Senegal Coucals, Fiery-necked Nightjar, the spectacular Pennant-winged Nightjar, Malachite Kingfisher, Crowned and Trumpeter Hornbills, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Brown-backed Honeybird, Greater and Lesser Honeyguides, and Golden-tailed, Bearded and Cardinal Woodpeckers.

Passerines include Rufous-naped Lark, Red-breasted Swallow, Wood and Plain-backed Pipits, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Black-crowned Tchagra, Kurrichane Thrush, Croaking, Short-winged and Zitting Cisticolas, Neddicky, Red-capped Crombec, Long-billed Crombec, Southern Black and Pale Flycatchers, Grey Tit-flycatcher, Chinspot Batis, Miombo Tit, Grey Penduline Tit, Greater Blue-eared, Miombo Blue-eared and Violet-backed Starlings, Amethyst and White-bellied Sunbirds, Yellow-throated Petronia, Spectacled and Red-headed Weavers, Southern Red and Yellow Bishops, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Common and Orange-breasted Waxbills, Bronze Mannikin, Cuckoo-finch (previously known as Parasitic Weaver), Yellow-fronted Canary and Cabanis’s Bunting.

Zambia: Day 11  After some final birding at Nkanga, we will travel eastwards to Siavonga, on the shores of Lake Kariba (a dammed section of the Zambezi that straddles the borders of Zambia and Zimbabwe, forming the world’s largest man-made lake), for a three nights stay.

Zambia: Days 12-13  During the first hours of daylight, we will seek one of the most attractive and most sought-after of all African birds, the glorious African Pitta. We will have to leave our lodge while it is still dark in order to arrive at the favoured area of dense thickets that hide this jewel of a bird so easily from sight. Our ears will be strained to catch the sound of the African Pitta’s frog-like display call, and with much persistence, we have a very high chance of being able to track this fabulous bird down and watch as it leaps up from its perch with each and every note it utters. This part of Zambia is one of the most accessible places to see African Pitta, but even so, we may have to keep trying for some time!

During our visit to Lake Kariba, we will also be looking for some of the other interesting birds of the area and, in particular, the colourful Purple-crested Turaco, the strange, seemingly tail-less Böhm’s Spinetail, Bearded Scrub Robin and the delightful Livingstone’s Flycatcher.

Other species that occur in the area include Wooly-necked Stork, the shy Crested Guineafowl, Levaillant’s, African Emerald and Barred Long-tailed Cuckoos, Horus Swift, African Broadbill, Lesser Striped Swallow, Sombre Greenbul, Eastern Nicator, Marsh, Olive-tree and Garden Warblers, Common Whitethroat, Thrush Nightingale, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Purple-banded Sunbird, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Southern Masked Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, African Firefinch and Red-throated Twinspot. With luck, we will encounter the attractive Three-banded Courser.

Zambia: Day 14  We have another opportunity to look for the pitta and other birds this morning before heading for Lusaka airport, where our Zambia birding tour ends this afternoon.