Site Report: Lake Langano - Bishangari Forest

Bishangari Sunset

Ethiopian Bee-eater (Merops lafresnayii)

Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)

Heuglin's Courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus) (Three-banded Courser)

Scaly Francolin (Pternistis squamatus)

Black and White Colobus Monkey (Colobus guereza) - Male

Anubis Baboon (Papio anubis)

Black and White Colobus Monkey (Colobus guereza)

Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina) - Male

Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis)

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)

Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)

Ethiopian Bee-eater (Merops lafresnayii)

Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)

Wattled Ibis (Bostrychia carunculata)

Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus)

Brown Snake-Eagle (Circaetus cinereus)

Banded Snake-Eagle (Circaetus cinerascens)

Blue-spotted Wood-Dove (Turtur afer)

Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)

Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor)

African Thrush (Turdus pelios)

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes brevis)

Collared Sunbird (Anthreptes collaris) - Female

Northern Black-Flycatcher (Melaenornis edolioides)

Ruff (Calidris pugnax) - Immature

Kittlitz's Plover (Charadrius pecuarius)

African Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)

Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea)

Grey-backed Camaroptera (Camaroptera brevicaudata)

Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)

Klaas's Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas)

Red-cheeked Cordonbleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) - Male

Red-cheeked Cordonbleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) - Females

Rattling Cisticola (Cisticola chinianus)

Northern Black-Flycatcher (Melaenornis edolioides)

Yellow-fronted Parrot (Poicephalus flavifrons)

White-rumped Babbler (Turdoides leucopygius)

Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)

Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina) - Female

Mountain Wagtail (Motacilla clara)

Northern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicus)

Possible Lesser Masked Weaver (Ploceus intermedius)

Northern Puffback (Dryoscopus gambensis)

Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike (Campephaga phoenicea)

Gambian Sun Squirrel (Heliosciurus gambianus)

Red-capped Robin-Chat (Cossypha natalensis)

Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis)
















































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Bishangari Sunset

Ethiopian Bee-eater (Merops lafresnayii)

Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)

Heuglin's Courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus) (Three-banded Courser)

Scaly Francolin (Pternistis squamatus)

Black and White Colobus Monkey (Colobus guereza) - Male

Anubis Baboon (Papio anubis)

Black and White Colobus Monkey (Colobus guereza)

Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina) - Male

Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis)

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)

Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)

Ethiopian Bee-eater (Merops lafresnayii)

Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)

Wattled Ibis (Bostrychia carunculata)

Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus)

Brown Snake-Eagle (Circaetus cinereus)

Banded Snake-Eagle (Circaetus cinerascens)

Blue-spotted Wood-Dove (Turtur afer)

Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)

Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor)

African Thrush (Turdus pelios)

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes brevis)

Collared Sunbird (Anthreptes collaris) - Female

Northern Black-Flycatcher (Melaenornis edolioides)

Ruff (Calidris pugnax) - Immature

Kittlitz's Plover (Charadrius pecuarius)

African Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)

Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea)

Grey-backed Camaroptera (Camaroptera brevicaudata)

Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)

Klaas's Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas)

Red-cheeked Cordonbleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) - Male

Red-cheeked Cordonbleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) - Females

Rattling Cisticola (Cisticola chinianus)

Northern Black-Flycatcher (Melaenornis edolioides)

Yellow-fronted Parrot (Poicephalus flavifrons)

White-rumped Babbler (Turdoides leucopygius)

Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)

Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina) - Female

Mountain Wagtail (Motacilla clara)

Northern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicus)

Possible Lesser Masked Weaver (Ploceus intermedius)

Northern Puffback (Dryoscopus gambensis)

Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike (Campephaga phoenicea)

Gambian Sun Squirrel (Heliosciurus gambianus)

Red-capped Robin-Chat (Cossypha natalensis)

Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis)
Langano is a shallow Rift Valley lake about five hours by car from Addis Ababa.
Visits
- 2011-01-04: We left Addis Ababa for the Bishangari Forest in the early afternoon. The first couple of hours driving was pretty brutal considering the traffic and air pollution, and the constant swerving to avoid the goats and people in the road was starting to make me ill. We also got our first dose of faranji pricing when we were charged at least twice the going rate for a watermelon from a roadside vendor. We finally reached the road to the lodge. The traffic was non-existent on the road, but we were no longer on pavement, and dust was starting to coat everything. Following another bumpy hour, we arrived at the lodge in time for darkness. The trip was worth it though as we found excellent food and accommodations. The next morning was not so great either as I started the day with one of the worst Larium-fueled dreams of all time. The forest around the lodge was superb, however, and Hakim guided us for the entire morning to good birding and monkey-spotting spots.
Species Seen
Kingdom: Animals (107 records)
Phylum: Chordates
(107 records)
Class: Birds
(101 records)
- Order: Anseriformes
(1 record)
- Family: Swans, Geese, and Ducks
- Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
- Order: Bucerotiformes
(4 records)
- Family: Ground Hornbills
- Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus)
- Family: Hornbills
- Hemprich's Hornbill (Lophoceros hemprichii)
- Silvery-cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes brevis)
- Family: Scimitarbills
- Black Scimitar-bill (Rhinopomastus aterrimus)
- Order: Coliiformes
(1 record)
- Family: Mousebirds
- Blue-naped Mousebird (Urocolius macrourus)
- Order: Cuckoos
(2 records)
- Family: Coucals
- White-browed Coucal (Centropus superciliosus)
- Family: Cuckoos
- Klaas's Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas)
- Order: Doves and Pigeons (5 records)
- Order: Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies (5 records)
- Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts
(1 record)
- Family: Swifts
- Nyanza Swift (Apus niansae)
- Order: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots (6 records)
- Family: Kingfishers
- Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus)
- Gray-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala)
- Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis)
- Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)
- Order: Musophagiformes
(1 record)
- Family: Turacos
- White-cheeked Turaco (Menelikornis leucotis)
- Order: Parrots
(2 records)
- Family: New World Parrots
- Yellow-fronted Parrot (Poicephalus flavifrons)
- Black-winged Lovebird (Agapornis taranta)
- Order: Pelicans
(13 records)
- Family: Cormorants
- Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
- Family: Coursers
- Three-banded Courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus)
- Family: Falcons and Caracaras
- Gray Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus)
- Family: Herons
- Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
- Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea)
- Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath)
- Great Egret (Ardea alba)
- Western Cattle Egret (Ardea ibis)
- Family: Ibises and Spoonbills
- Wattled Ibis (Bostrychia carunculata)
- Family: Jacanas
- African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus)
- Family: Pelicans
- Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)
- Family: Sandpipers and Allies
- Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
- Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
- Order: Perching Birds
(45 records)
- Family: Bulbuls
- Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus)
- Family: Cardueline Finches and Allies
- African Citril (Crithagra citrinelloides)
- Family: Drongos
- Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)
- Family: Gonoleks
- Ethiopian Boubou (Laniarius aethiopicus)
- Family: Jays and Crows
- Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike (Campephaga phoenicea)
- Northern Puffback (Dryoscopus gambensis)
- Family: Old World Flycatchers
- African Gray Flycatcher (Bradornis microrhynchus)
- Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
- Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)
- Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)
- Family: Old World Orioles
- African Golden Oriole (Oriolus auratus)
- Family: Old World Sparrows
- Swainson's Sparrow (Passer swainsonii)
- White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser mahali)
- Little Weaver (Ploceus luteolus)
- Lesser Masked-Weaver (Ploceus intermedius)
- Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis)
- Green-backed Twinspot (Mandingoa nitidula)
- Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)
- Red-cheeked Cordonbleu (Uraeginthus bengalus)
- Family: Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers
- White-rumped Babbler (Turdoides leucopygia)
- Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca)
- Family: Oxpeckers
- Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythroryncha)
- Family: Paradise-flycatcher
- African Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)
- Family: Prinias and Apalis
- Rattling Cisticola (Cisticola chiniana)
- Green-backed Camaroptera (Camaroptera brachyura)
- Ethiopian Cisticola (Cisticola lugubris)
- Family: Shrike-flycatchers
- Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira cyanea)
- Family: Shrikes
- Gray-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides)
- Family: Starlings and Mynas
- Red-winged Starling (Onychognathus morio)
- Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus)
- Rueppell's Starling (Lamprotornis purpuroptera)
- Family: Sunbirds
- Collared Sunbird (Hedydipna collaris)
- Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis)
- Variable Sunbird (Cinnyris venustus)
- Family: Swallows
- Plain Martin (Riparia paludicola)
- Family: Thrushes and Allies
- Abyssinian Ground-Thrush (Geokichla piaggiae)
- African Thrush (Turdus pelios)
- Northern Black-Flycatcher (Melaenornis edolioides)
- Rueppell's Robin-Chat (Cossypha semirufa)
- Red-capped Robin-Chat (Cossypha natalensis)
- White-browed Scrub-Robin (Cercotrichas leucophrys)
- Family: Treecreepers
- African Spotted Creeper (Salpornis salvadori)
- Family: Wagtails and Pipits
- Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
- Gray Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
- Mountain Wagtail (Motacilla clara)
- Order: Shorebirds and Allies
(6 records)
- Family: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Gray-hooded Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)
- Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
- White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
- Family: Plovers
- Kittlitz's Plover (Anarhynchus pecuarius)
- Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)
- Crowned Lapwing (Vanellus coronatus)
- Order: Trogons
(1 record)
- Family: Trogons
- Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina)
- Order: Turkey-like birds
(3 records)
- Family: Grouse, Turkeys, and Allies
- Crested Francolin (Ortygornis sephaena)
- Scaly Spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus)
- Family: Guineafowl
- Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
- Order: Woodpeckers, Barbets, Toucans, and Honeyguides
(5 records)
- Family: African Barbets
- Banded Barbet (Lybius undatus)
- Double-toothed Barbet (Pogonornis bidentatus)
- Family: Honeyguides
- Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor)
- Family: Piculets and Woodpeckers
- Nubian Woodpecker (Campethera nubica)
- Mountain Gray Woodpecker (Dendropicos spodocephalus)
Class: Mammals
(6 records)
- Order: Even-toed Ungalates and Cetacean
(1 record)
- Family: Suidae
- Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)
- Order: Perissodactyla
(1 record)
- Family: Equidae
- Horse (Equus caballus)
- Order: Primates
(3 records)
- Family: Old World Monkeys
- Grivet (Chlorocebus aethiops)
- Anubis Baboon (Papio anubis)
- Mantled Guereza (Colobus guereza)
- Order: Rodents
(1 record)
- Family: Squirrels
- Gambian Sun Squirrel (Heliosciurus gambianus)