Southern Malawi header: Lilian's Lovebirds

Systemmatic list - part 28: Estrildids

 

East African Swee (Yellow-bellied Waxbill) Coccopygia quartinia (or Estrilda quartinia) [c40]

This species seemed to replace Blue Waxbill on Zomba Plateau with c20 seen there on 16th and a similar number next day.

These are sometimes treated as a race of Swee Waxbill Coccopygia melanotis (or Estrilda melanotis)

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East African Swee, above Ku Chawe (Zomba Plateau), 16th May 2011

 

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East African Swee, Zomba Plateau, 17th May 2011

 

Green Twinspot (Green-backed Twinspot) Mandingoa nitidula [1]

1 heard Zomba 15th - pointed out by John Wilson in his garden.

 

Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild [34]

4 Lake Chilwa 15th, 5 Zomba Plateau 16th, 10 along the entrance to Lengwe plus 12 in Lengwe 20th and 1 Dzalanyama 24th.

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Common Waxbills, Lake Chilwa, 15th May 2011 (left) and Zomba Plateau, 16th May 2011 (right)

 

 

Common Waxbill, Dzalanyama, 24th May 2011

 

Lesser Seedcracker Pyrenestes minor [1]

A juvenile was skulking in the dambo at Dzalanyama 24th.

I had seen an adult in exactly the same location on my last visit - a good strike rate for this range-restricted speceis.

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Lesser Seedcracker, Dzalanyama, 24th May 2011

 

Blue Waxbill (Blue-breasted Cordonbleu, Southern Cordonbleu) Uraeginthus angolensis [c150]

One of the commonest passerines:

1-6 Malosa 14th and 17th, 4 Cape Maclear and 4 between Cape Maclear and Otter Point 18th, 6 between Cape Maclear and Mangochi 19th, 4 between Blantyre and Lengwe 20th, 25-50 Lengwe 20th-21st, 10 Nyala Park 21st, 2-6 between Lilongwe and Dzalanyama 22nd and 24th, 4 Dedza 25th, 15-20 Liwonde 26th-27th and 4 on the exit from Liwonde 27th.

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Blue Waxbill, Cape Maclear, 18th May 2011

 

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Blue Waxbill, Malosa, 14th May 2011

 

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Blue Waxbill, Liwonde, 27th May 2011

 

Green-winged Pytilia (Melba Finch) Pytilia melba [2]

2 Lengwe 21st.

 

Orange-winged Pytilia (Golden-backed Pytilia) Pytilia afra [12]

6 Lengwe 20th, 4 Dzalanyama 23rd and 2 there 24th.

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Orange-winged Pytilias, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011

 

Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala [40+]

The commonest and most widespread Firefinch:

4 along the entrance to Lengwe 20th, up to 25 Lengwe 20th-21st, 8 Nyala Park 21st, 1 Dedza 25th and singles Liwonde 26th and 27th.

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Red-billed Firefinches, Lengwe, 21st May 2011

 

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Red-billed Firefinch, Dedza, 25th May 2011

 

African Firefinch (Blue-billed Firefinch) Lagonosticta rubricata [4]

2 Zomba Plateau 16th and 2 Dzalanyama 23rd.

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African Firefinches, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011 (left) and Zomba Plateau, 16th May 2011 (right)

 

Cut-throat Finch Amadina fasciata [5]

3 Cape Maclear 18th and 2 between Cape Maclear and Mangochi 19th.

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Cut-throat Finches, Cape Maclear, 18th May 2011

 

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Cut-throat Finches, south of Cape Maclear, 19th May 2011

 

Orange-breasted Waxbill (Zebra Waxbill, Orange Waxbill) Amandava subflava (or Sporaeginthus subflavus) [5]

2+ Lake Chilwa 15th and 3 along the exit road from Lengwe 21st.

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Orange-breasted Waxbills, entrance to Lengwe, 21st May 2011

 

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Orange-breasted Waxbill, Lake Chilwa, 15th May 2011

 

Locust Finch (or Locustfinch) Ortygospiza locustella (or Paludipasser locustella) [3]

3 flew into the dambo along the track up to Chongoni 25th.

 

Bronze Mannikin Spermestes cucullatus [54]

The only Mannikin seen away from the Zomba Plateua this time:

6+ Cape Maclear 18th, 6 Lengwe 20th, 6 Lengwe entrance 21st, 10-12 Dzalanyama 22nd-23rd, a different 12 Dzalanyama 24th and 12 Chongoni 25th.

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Bronze Mannikins, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011

 

Red-backed Mannikin Spermestes (bicolor) nigriceps [c18]

Up to 10 Zomba Plateau 15th-17th. Judging from my photos I appear to have overlooked another in the dambo at Dzalanyama 24th - I only noticed Bronze Mannikins at this site but the one below right is surely too reddish-backed for that species?

These are often regarded as a race of Black-and-white Mannikin.

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Red-backed Mannikin, Ku Chawe (Zomba Plateau), 15th May 2011 (left) and apparent Red-backed Mannikin, Dzalanyama, 24th May 2011 (right) - I didn't notice any Red-backed Mannikins among the Bronze Mannikins at Dzalanyama, but upon reviewing this photo I think I must have overlooked at least one...

 

 

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