Title:

Birds of Katima Mulilo town, Zambezi Region, Namibia

Author(s):
Publication Year:
2017
Abstract:

Large river valleys are usually characterized by high level of biodiversity, avian diversity. In Namibia, two towns are located in such valleys: Rundu on Okavango and Katima Malilo on Zambezi. To date, no quantitative studies on any components of biodiversity have been conducted in those towns. In January-May 2013, a total of 36 days were spent on quantitative studies of birds in Katima Mulilo town. The line transect and territory mapping methods were used in this study. A total of 122 resident (breeding), 9 visitors and 9 Palearctic migrants were recorded. The group of dominant species was composed of the following four species: Grey-headed Sparrow, Black-eyed Bulbul, Laughing Dove, and Blue Waxbill. They comprised together 42.5% of all birds. The group of subdominant species included: Rock Dove, Pied Crow, Cape Turtle-Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Southern Masked Weaver, Burchell’s Starling and Mourning Dove. Together they comprised 18.7%. The remaining 112 species comprised 38.8%. The most numerous feeding guilds were granivores (51.3%), frugivores and insectivores (each with c. 20%). Most birds (61.3%) nested in trees and shrubs. Katima Mulilo is probably the only town in whole southern Africa, where all four Streptopelia-doves are common species: Laughing, Cape Turtle, Red-eyed, and Mourning Dove. The only sparrow, which occurs in Katima Mulilo, is the Grey-headed Sparrow. Of special interest is the occurrence of dozen or so species which do not occur in other towns in Namibia, such as African Fish Eagle, Broad-billed Roller, Schalow’s Lorie, Trumpeter Hornbill, among others. Keywords: urban ecology, avian communities, Streptopelia, Passer, Eurystomus glaucurus, Tauraco schalowi, Bycanistes buccinator.

Publication Title:

International Science and Technology Journal of Namibia

Volume:
7
Pages:
85-102
Item Type:
Journal Article
Language:
en