Republic of Angola

• Birding Angola

  https://birdingangola.com

• Number of bird species: 1008

  (As at June 2020)

• Number of endemics: 14-18

  Grey-striped Francolin Francolinus griseostriatus, Swierstra's Francolin Francolinus swierstrai, Red-crested Turaco Tauraco erythrolophus, *Pale-throated Barbet Gymnobucco vernayi, *White-bellied Barbet Lybius leucogaster, Red-backed Mousebird Colius castanotus, White-fronted Wattle-eye Platysteira albifrons, Gabela Helmet-Shrike Prionops gabela, Braun’s Bush-Shrike Laniarius brauni, Gabela Bush-Shrike Laniarius amboimensis, *Benguela Long-tailed Starling Lamprotornis benguelensis, Pulitzer's Longbill Macrosphenus pulitzeri, Gabela Akalat Sheppardia gabela, Angola Slaty Flycatcher Melaenornis brunneus, *Huambo Cisticola Cisticola bailunduensis, Hartert's Camaroptera Camaroptera harterti, *Ludwig’s Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris ludovicensis, Angolan Waxbill Coccopygia bocagei.

  In addition the Golden-backed Bishop Euplectes aureus was confined to Angola but has since been introduced to Sao Tome. Those marked thus* are recognised by some authorities but not all.

• Southern African Birdfinder

  | By Callan Cohen, Claire Spottiswoode & Jonathan Rossouw | New Holland Publishers | 2006 | Paperback | 456 pages, 80 col photos, 100 maps, pull-out route map | ISBN: 9781868727254 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Birds of Angola

  | By W R J Dean | British Ornithologists' Union | 2000 | Hardback | 433 pages, 16 pp of colour plates, figs, diagrams, maps | ISBN: 9780907446224 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Special Birds of Angola - As Aves Especiais de Angola

  | By Michael Mills | Go-Away-Birding | 2017 | Paperback | 144 pages, colour photos, 1 colour map | Text English & Portuguese | ISBN: 9780620717267 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• African Bird Club

  Website
  Angola has a bird list of more than nine hundred species but there has been little ornithological activity for some thirty years. Sadly, a long running war and political instability have impacted habitat and species adversely as well limiting opportunities for visiting birders. There is evidence of an improving situation and Birding Africa is running a flagship tour with the African Bird Club in 2005

• Birds Angola

  Website
  With more than sixty years of combined experience of working on Angolan birds, Birds Angola offers a wealth of expertise to birders, conservationists, environmental consultants, government, ornithologists and other biologists. We are a group of individuals with a passion for Angola that aims to support, promote and conduct research and conservation of Angolan birds. Our work involves various other organisations, including the BirdLife International network, The African Bird Club, The International Turaco Society, The Kissama Foundation and the Angolan Ministry of the Environment.

Abbreviations Key

• NP Bicauri

  InformationSatellite View
  The area has historically been known for large herds of common antelopes, elephants, and other large mammals. All species populations are believed to have been severely reduced during the war (the park was reportedly used as a practice artillery range), poaching, and human encroachment. Since cessation of hostilities, work has begun by the Huila provincial government to rebuild the infrastructure of the park to attract and protect animals.

• NP Cameia

  InformationSatellite View
  The park is a sample of nature not occurring elsewhere in Angola. Two lakes, Lago Cameia and Lago Dilolo (the largest lake in Angola) lie outside the park boundaries and both have extensive reedbeds and grassy swamps that are rich in aquatic birds.

• NP Cangandala

  InformationSatellite View
  The park, which covers an area of 600 km², consists of undulating sandlime hills with lowerlying drainage lines. The area receives about 1 350 mm rainfall per year with an average temperature of 21,5 °C. No perennial rivers occur and drainage takes place via grass covered waterlanes. A mosaic of open miombo bushveld and savanna occur. Brachystegia-bushveld are found on the water partitions and open grasslands in the lower-lying drainage lanes.

• NP Iona

  InformationSatellite View
  Because of its distinctive habitat and climate, Iona and the Kaokoveld Desert have a number of endemic animals, particularly reptiles. 63 species have been recorded in the ecoregion, eight are strictly endemic. The endemics include two lizards, three geckos, and three skinks.[6] The mouth of the Cunene River to the south supports a small wetland area that is important to migrating birds...

• NP Quiçama

  InformationSatellite View
  The Atlantic Ocean forms the Park's 120 km long western border, while the perennial Cuanza and Longa rivers constitute the northern and southern borders respectively. The eastern border consists of a belt of dense, tall thicket. Quiçama covers an area of roughly 9 960 square kilometres/1.2 million hectares.

• Birding Africa

  Tour Operator
  Gabela! The name epitomises the excitement of birding in Angola, and the frustration that 27 years of civil war has previously prevented access to the region. With its own akalat, bush-shrike and helmet-shrike, Gabela lies at the centre of the Angolan scarp forest

• Birding Ecotours

  Tour Operator
  Having thoroughly scouted the destination we will be making regular tours of Angola...

• Rockjumper Birding Tours

  Tour Operator
  With the fourth highest rate of avian endemism on the African continent, Angola is a must-visit destination for any serious birder, and our comprehensive overland safari targets every single endemic species – and many more besides!

Click on WAND to see Fatbirder’s Trip Report Repository…

• 2011 [09 September] - Michael Mills

  Report
  …Every participant enjoyed outstanding views of every single Angolan endemic bird, plus local specials such as Bocage’s Sunbird, Brazza’s Martin, Black-and-rufous Swallow, Anchieta’s Barbet, Bocage’s Weaver, Bannerman’s Sunbird, White-headed Robin-Chat and Cinderella Waxbill….

• 2011 [10 October] - Batis Birding

  PDF Report
  Three of the Batis Birding team plus two enthusiastic birders from Namibia visited Angola between the 27 October and 11 November 2011 to access some new potential birding sites primarily in the north where we were interested in searching for the recently recorded Oliveback.

• 2014 [09 September] - Michael Mills

  Report
  Tour highlights as voted by participants: Swierstra's Francolin, Angolan Cave Chat, Monteiro's Bushshrike, Margaret's Batis, White-headed Robin-Chat, Finsch's Francolin, Bocage's Sunbird, Locust Finch, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Red-crested Turaco, Red-chested Flufftail and Pallid Honeyguide...

• 2016 [09 September] - David Hoddinott

  PDF Report
  ...On arrival, we were greeted by a superb pair of Spotted Eagle Owls which gave a great show...

• 2016 [09 September] - Mark Van Biers

  PDF Report
  The magnificent Braun’s Bushshrike, the unique White-headed Robin-Chat, the captivating Angolan Cave Chat and the alluring Red-crested Turaco were the favourites of our third tour to Angola

• 2016 [09 September] - Michael Mills

  PDF Report
  We fared exceptionally well on the birds, enjoying good views of all of Angola’s endemic species and a whole host of other goodies among the 535 species logged. The charts were topped by a fantastic crowing male Swierstra’s Francolin (overleaf) at Tundavala that gave prolonged views right out in the open and approached me within one metre! Angola’s striking national bird, Red-crested Turaco, was John’s 8000th bird and several people’s final member of the family, and was voted number two of the trip. Some great looks at Braun’s Bushshrike put this bright endemic at number three, and the attractive White-headed Robin-Chat near Kalandula came in fourth. A long walk for exceptional views of a pair of Margaret’s Batis at Mount Moco put this rare species at fifth. The charismatic Angola Cave Chat at Tundavala was voted number six, followed by a trio of Rüppell’s Korhaan in the coastal deserts of Namibe at seven. The localised endemics Gabela Helmetshrike and Gabela Bushshrike came in at eight and nine, and incredible views of Brazza’s Martin at its nest, the first confirmed breeding record for Angola, rounded out the top ten.

• 2016 [09 September] - Steve Braine

  PDF Report
  This tailor made tour to Angola on the request from Intercontact Germany, commenced in Luanda, Angola and ended in Windhoek Namibia...

• 2017 [09 September] - Michael Mills

  PDF Report
  ...We started with an introductory stroll around downtown Luanda with Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush, Purple-banded Sunbird and the endemic Red-backed Mousebird, the latter seen regularly throughout the tour. We also took some time to study the large dark brown swifts that breed in the seafront buildings of the Marginal, which I now believe are dark Mottled Swifts based on, in addition to their size and shape, their calls heard for the first time which match those of Mottled Swift....

• 2018 [06 June] - Dylan Vasapolli - Birding Ecotours

  PDF Report
  A birding tour to Angola had been on Birding Ecotours’ radar for some time, and eventually in 2017 plans were put in place for a scouting trip the following year that would see both Jason and Dylan cover the country comprehensively in search of all the region’s birds in order to set up a trip for future years. Two clients, Bruce and Paul, would join on this exciting scouting trip, and in the end contributed greatly to the success of this trip with their easy-going personalities and positive attitudes in our daily quest for not only the country’s many prized birds but appropriate roadside ‘camping sites’ as well

• Angola Birding

  Website
  Birding sites and more...