Notable recent records of terns, gulls and skuas in southern Mozambique including the first country records of Black Tern Chlidonias niger

Abstract

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The status and distribution of three species of Sternula terns on the eastern coast of Africa and in the western Indian Ocean, with two species new for Mozambique

“…Saunders's Tern is considered a breeding resident in the southern Red Sea, Somalia and Socotra (although the presence of birds in the non-breeding season in these areas now warrants review given new identification criteria) and it may also breed south of the equator on the Chagos (albeit apparently on a northern timetable). It is noteworthy that Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii have also been recorded in breeding plumage and displaying at San Sebastian and other coastal sites nearby (Allport 2018;GA, DG & CR pers. obs.…”

“…Observations were made across the range of sites outlined in Allport (2018) plus data from 24 trips to the San Sebastian Peninsula, April 2018-August 2021, in the Santuário Bravio de Vilanculos (22°07'46"S, 35°32'37"E, known as 'the Sanctuary') including visits to Ilha Linene sandbanks by boat (see Appendix 1 for dates and observer details). Many of the observers were visiting to see the newly discovered birds reported herein and timings were inconsistent across tides and time of day.…”

Update on status and records of Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea and other hirundines from Mozambique

“…The main body of field work underpinning these records was undertaken in Mozambique by GA (for locations and other details, see Allport 2018;and Appendix), with additional observations by OH & ZH. Other records were drawn from eBird and the Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) and, where significant, the observers involved were contacted for details.…”

Birds and birding 2013-2020 at Macaneta, Southern Mozambique

“…A single bird seen moving downriver 6 Jan 2019 (GA: https://ebird.org/checklist/S51374094) was the sixth record in Mozambique (Allport 2018d). A bird in similar state of moult, almost certainly the same bird, was seen in KwaZulu-Natal on 9 Jan 2019 (J. Boyce pers.…”

“…Regular offshore in southern Mozambique waters (Allport 2018d) but rare inshore (Clancey 1996, Parker 1999) and only one record around Maputo (GA pers. obs.).…”