Systematic list - SW Nigeria, 9-18 November 2002
This is the systematic list of species seen on my first trip to Nigeria. The main areas covered on this familiarisation trip were Lagos, including the NCF Nigeria Conservation Foundation’s (http://www.ncf-nigeria.org/) Lekki Reserve immediately E of the city, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture site (http://www.iita.org/about/ibadan.htm) 120km N of Lagos in Ibadan.
- Anhinga (Anhinga rufa) - single N up IITA lake, probably this species, 15/11
- Long-tailed Cormorant (Phalacrocorax africanus) - 2, S end of 3rd mainland bridge, Lagos, 11/11, 12/11
- Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - 3 E over lagoon, Badagry, 10/11; 3+, IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Black-headed Heron* (Ardea melanocephala) - single (juv.), IITA lake, 15/11
- Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) - probable N over New Epe Expressway, 13/11; 2+, IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Squacco Heron* (Ardeola ralloides) - 6+, IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Western Reef Egret (Egretta gularis) - 2 in flight over Ijora Causeway/Eko Bridge junction, 13/11
- Cattle Egret* (Bubulcus ibis) - very common in all areas except forested zone; frequently seen on roadsides, even in town centres and particularly around rubbish dumps, otherwise near water e.g. 10, Okokomaiko, Badagry Expressway, 10/11; 40 W along S of Lagos Island in 20 mins, c. 20 Tin Can Island 11/11; 40 SW up river, 21 NE S of Lagos Island in c.30 mins, 10 at rubbish dump off Ozumba Mbadiwe Ave. below Akin Adesola St. flyover, VI, 13/11; c. 10, Badagry Expressway at Festac Town, 14/11; 40+ around cattle by IITA lake, 15/11; 20 at Apapa – Badagry expressway junction rubbish dump, 18/11
- Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) - c. 12, N end of third mainland bridge, 11/11
- Intermediate Egret* (Egretta intermedius) - 2+, IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Great White Egret (Egretta alba) - S end of 3rd mainland bridge, 11/11; pools at National Theatre, Ijora, 12/11, 2+, IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Green-backed Heron (Butorides striatus) - single, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- African Openbill Stork (Anastomus lamelligerus) - frequent over water bodies around Lagos, one Festac (9/11, 11/11), 6 circling over Ijora Causeway/Eko Bridge junction, 12/11, 2 over on 13/11; 3 W over S of Festac Town and 1 N over N of Festac Town, 17/11
- Wooly-necked Stork (Cicinia episcopus) - at least one on pools by National Theatre, Ijora, 12/11
- Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) - group of five ibis over Badagry Expressway at 22km bus turning point presumed this species, 10/11; more than one on pools by National Theatre, Ijora, 12/11
- White-faced Whistling Duck* (Dendrocygna viduata) - 13 adults, pond east of rice paddies, IITA, 15/11
- Palm Nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) - 3 perched in tree to east of Ibadan Expressway, S of Ibadan, 15/11
- Black Kite (Milvus migrans) - widespread, seen almost everywhere we went in small numbers; large concentrations near open water or rubbish dumps, e.g. 5 regular over Festac Town, 5 Whispering Palms, Badagry, 10/11; 13 around Union Bank building, Lagos Island, 11/11; 6 Eko bridge, Ijora, 12/11; 10, Ahmadu Bello Road, W end of VI + 6 over bridge at Ijora, 20 over water to NW of British International School, Lekki, 20 over sea (some far out > 1 mile) off Elekon-Lekki, 13/11; 20+ over presumed rubbish dump to E of Lagos Expressway c. 50km S of Ibadan 14/11; 5+ IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Shikra (Accipiter badius) - probable, New Epe Expressway to Eleko beach, 13/11; probable over 21 road extension, Festac Town, 17/11
- Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) - single soaring high Ibadan-Lagos expressway, c. 30 km S of Ibadan, 14/11
- Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - frequent over Festac Town, where a pair around a house off 22 road (12,17/11), also at "Mile 2" on Lagos-Badagry expressway west out of Lagos (10/11); Eko bridge, Ijora, 12/11; 2 over Ozumba Mbadiwe Ave, Victoria Island, 13/11; single, Victoria Garden City, 13/11; 2 near I-house, IITA, 15/11
- Grey Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus) - pr. in tree to west of I-house, IITA campus; single perched in tree at SW of IITA lake and single fly-catching over E shore of IITA lake, 15/11
- African Hobby (Falco cuvierii) - single over IITA campus, 6.30am, 15/11
- Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) - probable, Ibadan, 14/11
- Double-spurred Francolin (Francolinus bicalcaratur) - two or more in crops at NE end of IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Black Crake* (Amaurornis flavirostris) - 2, rice paddies, IITA, 15/11
- African Jacana* (Actophilomis Africana) - c. 20, plus 3 juv., IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Senegal Thick-knee* (Burhinus senegalensis) - at least 16, IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Black-winged Stilt (Haematopus moquini) - c. 10 on pools by National Theatre, Ijora, 12/11
- Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - 3 rice paddies area – flew off over lake, IITA (probably this species; Great Snipe not excluded), 15/11
- White-headed Lapwing* (Vanellus albicops) - 2 pr, west shore of IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Spur-winged Plover* (Vanellus spinosus) - 2 at pools by National Theatre, Ijora, 13/11; 20-30, IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochiopus) - single, exit weir, IITA lake, 15/11
- Wood Sandpiper* (Tringa glareola) - 19, rice paddies, IITA, 15/11
- Common Sandpiper* (Actitis hypoleucos) - 2+, rice paddies and 21, exit weir, IITA lake, 15/11
- Greenshank* (Tringa nebularia) - 4-6, rice paddies area and S end of IITA lake, 15/11
- Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) - common in urban areas, e.g. 12 Badagry, 10/11; 15 Tin Can Island, 11/11; 7, Akin Adesola St, VI, 11/11; 15 – Ibadan expressway N of Bagada, 14/11; 26+ at market to SE of IITA, Ibadan, 14-15/11
- Red-eyed Dove* (Streptopelia semitorquata) - 2, NCF Lekki Reserve, 13/11; 5+ by IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) - very common in towns and open countryside, e.g. 10 Imeke-Badagry on Badagry expressway (10/11); 15 on wires, Victoria Garden City, 13/11
- Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria)/Blue-headed Wood Dove (Turtur brehmeri) - in song at NCF Lekki Reserve, 13/11; several in song, IITA "forest", 14-15/11 – including at least one definite tympanistria not brehmeri (audio-recorded)
- Blue-spotted Wood Dove (Turtur afer) - surely amongst those calling at both NCF Lekki Reserve, 13/11 and in IITA "forest", 14-15/11 but I did not distinguish carefully from Tambourine Dove in the field
- Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalensis) - 2 over Liverpool Rd, Apapa, 13/11
- Western Grey Plantain-eater(Crinifer piscator) - Single, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11; 2, Lagos Island Ring Road near Victoria Island bridge, +2 over NW end of Victoria Island, 13/11; 6+ IITA campus + near lake, 14-15/11
- Levaillant’s Cuckoo* (Oxylophus levaillantii) - 3 in patch of trees to north of road to lake, IITA, 15/11
- Senegal Couchal (Centropus senegalensis) - single at forest fringe on W of IITA lake, 15/11
- Little Swift (Apus affinis) - small numbers with other swifts and hirundines over Festac Town (9/11-17/11); single with other hirundines, I-house, IITA, 15/11; single over Ibadan University campus, 15/11; several around control tower, Murtalla Mohammad International Airport, 18/11
- African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) - common, e.g. 15-30, Badagry area, 10/11, 6, Bishop Aboyade Cole Street, Victoria Island, 13/11; 3+ over 22 Road, Festac Town, 17/11, some around control tower, Murtalla Mohammad International Airport, 18/11
- Woodland Kingfisher* (Halcyon senegalensis) - common resident along roadsides often hunting from telephone wires (e.g. 12 between Festac and Badagry, including 2 Mosafejo Town, 10/11); single in garden at west end of IITA campus and single at S end of IITA lake, 15/11
- Pied Kingfisher (Ceryke rudis) - single, Five Cowrie Creek at Maroko Road, VI, 11/11; two, Badagry Expressway bridge to Festac, 13/11
- White-throated Bee-eater (Menops albicollis) - 3+ NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11, 13/11; c. 10 over forest west of IITA lake, 15/11
- Broad-billed Roller (Eurystomus glaucurus) - single, near IITA lake, 14/11
- African Grey Hornbill* (Tockus nasutus) - single, west shore of IITA lake, 14-15/11
- African Pied Hornbill (Tockus fasciatus) - 3 over savannah NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11, 1 near entrance on 13/11; single, IITA campus, 14/11; single by lake, IITA, 15/11
- Fire-bellied Woodpecker (Dendropicos pyrrhogaster) - male W over NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- Common Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) - probables, New Epe Expressway to Eleko beach, 13/11
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) - common and widespread, with most seen near coast at Badagry (50+) and further 30 nearby at Mosafejo Town, 10/11, 20 probables off N of Lagos Island, 11/11; 3, Total Station on New Epe Expressway, 13/11; single over 22 Road, Festac Town, 17/11
- Ethiopian Swallow (Hirundo aethiopica) - c. 10, Badagry Expressway at Festac Town, 14/11; 5 around "F" finger, Murtalla Mohammad International Airport, 18/11
- Rufous-chested Swallow (Hirundo semirufa) - 5 perched in trees in savannah area, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- House Martin (Delichion urbana) - single with other hirundines, Badagry, 10/11; c. 10 over Festac Town, 11/11
- Fanti Sawwing (Psalidoprocne obscura) - 3, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- Plain-backed Pipit* (Anthus leucophrys) - single with dark buff underparts, tinged cinnamon, in crops to north of road to IITA lake, 14/11; at least 2 (one being relatively dark-bellied and the other being apparently pale-bellied) filmed to north of road down to lake and a similar pair at the rice paddies, IITA, 15/11
- Long-legged Pipit* (Anthus pallidiventris) - two individuals at the rice paddies together with Plain-backed Pipits, IITA, 15/11; the main range of this species lies to the SE of Nigeria but it has recently been spreading north, perhaps to do with the opening up of the forests
- African Pied Wagtail* (Motacilla aguimp) - common in a variety of open habitats – roadsides, towns and lawns (similar habitat to UK Pied Wagtail); pair by C-block, IITA campus, 14-15/11 and one at weir at south end of IITA lake, 15/11
- Yellow Wagtail* (Motacilla flava) - 5 on lawns near I-house, IITA, 14/11; single, rice paddies, IITA, 15/11; single, Murtalla Mohammad International Airport, 18/11
- Yellow-throated Longclaw (Macronyx croceus) - single on agricultural area to south of road near IITA lake and another calling at rice paddies, 15/11
- Little Greenbul (Andropadus virens) - single in song near entrance, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- Common Bulbul* (Pycnonotus barbatus) - common throughout; common garden resident in Festac Town, 3 Lekki Reserve 11/11; several, IITA, 14-15/11
- Palm Swamp Bulbul (Thesulocichla leucopleura) - 5+ – NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11, 13/11
- Grey-headed Bristlebill (Bleda canicapilla) - single audio recorded – glimpsed disappearing into cover, IITA lake, 15/11
- African Thrush (Turdus pelios) - 25+ on lawns, IITA campus, 14/11; active on IITA campus, 6.20am, 15/11
- Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) - 2+ in crops to north of road near IITA lake, 14-15/11
- Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) - single in song in patch of trees to north of road to lake, IITA, 15/11
- Winding Cisticola (Cisticola galactotes) - single in song, NCF Lekki Reserve, 13/11
- Yellow White-eye (Zosterops senegalensis) - single in garden on 21 road extension, Festac Town, 16/11
- Brown Sunbird (Anthreptes gabonicus) - single seen perching in tree - call a high-pitched sharp "spinck" followed by a gentler descending "djwee" or "tchay" type call, Whispering Palms, Badagry, 10/11)
- Collared Sunbird (Hedyclipna collaris) - single, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11, 2 on 13/11; single, IITA lake, 15/11
- Variable Sunbird (Cinnyris venusta) - common garden resident in Festac Town; also at "First Storey House", Badagry, 10/11
- Tiny Sunbird (Cinnyris minullus) - single male, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- Olive-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris chloropygius) - single in forest edge at W of IITA lake, 15/11
- Copper Sunbird (Cinnyris cupreus) - probable in trees to south of road near IITA lake, 15/11
- Splendid Sunbird (Cinnyris coccinigaster) - probable female, Whispering Palms, 10/11; single, IITA lake, 14/11; single filmed at fuel storage area, IITA, 15/11
- Superb Sunbird* (Cinnyris superbus) - single in forest fringe on W of IITA lake, 15/11
- Pied Crow* (Corvus albus) - commonly observed in urban areas, e.g. 4 around control tower at Murtalla Mohammad International Airport, 9,18/11; 5, bridge to VI 11/11; 2 at power station, Ijora, 13/11; c. 5 with kites over presumed rubbish dump E of expressway c. 50 km S of Ibadan (videoed), plus 3 more at toll and immediately beyond, 14/11; 5 in trees to south of road near IITA lake, 15/11
- Splendid Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis splendidus) - 10+ gathering for roost on south side of I-house, IITA at dusk, 14/11; a roost flight of 20 over 22 Road, Festac Town, 17/11; 2 Awuwo Odofin Housing Estate, 18/11
- Violet-backed Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster) - pair, NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) - common in urban and open habitats, e.g. 9+ Badagry, 10/11; single near I-house, IITA, 14/11; single at fuel compound, IITA, 15/11; single at roadside to east of Festac Town, 15/11; single, Murtalla Mohammad International Airport, 18/11
- Slender-billed Weaver*(Ploceus pelzelni) - single in garden on 22 Road, Festac Town, 17/11
- Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) - colony of c. 50 nests, Whispering Palms, Badagry, 10/11; 2 Badagry Expressway at Festac Town, 14/11; single at rubbish skip, Murtalla Mohammad International Airport, 18/11
- Black-necked Weaver* (Ploceus nigricollis brachypterus) - pair or more garden residents in Festac Town
- Red-vented Malimbe (Malimbus scutatus) - 3+ NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- Bronze Mannikin* (Lonchura cucullata) - 6+ NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11 & 13/11; 5 over 21 Rd Extension, Festac Town, 11/11; 10, Eleko beach checkpoint, 13/11; pr + 5 juv, garden on 22 road, Festac Town, 17/11
- Black-and-white Mannikin (Lonchura bicolor) - single on waterfront at Badagry, 10/11
Other animals
- c. 500-1000 large bats SE over to SW of I-house at dusk, 14/11
- Troop of monkeys - Mona Guenon (Cercopithecus mona) - in trees at NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- 2 Monitor Lizards (Varanus niloticus), NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11, 13/11
- Maxwell's Duiker (Cephalophus maxwelli), NCF Lekki Reserve, 11/11
- Giant millipede sp., IITA forest, 14/11
Linked pages
* = image included on linked page at http://www.oocities.org/steve_extra/Nigeria_bird_images.html
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