Birdlist
A checklist of birds of the Leopard Rock Nature Reserve and the Vumba region by Bart Wursten
| Name | Scientific name | Status |
| Little Grebe (Dabchick) | Tachybaptus ruficollis | Uncommon in Vumba |
| Reed Cormorant | Phalacrocorax africanus | Resident at Leopard Rock golf course dam |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea | Resident at Leopard Rock golf course dam |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Dwarf Bittern | Ixobrychus sturmii | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta | Breeding resident at Leopard Rock |
| White Stork | Ciconia ciconia | Vagrant in Vumba |
| African Black Duck | Anas sparsa | Occasional on larger dams |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Introduced at Leopard Rock golfcourse |
| Spur-winged Goose | Plectropterus gambensis | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Secretarybird | Sagittarius serpentarius | Vagrant in Vumba |
| White-backed Vulture | Gyps africanus | Uncommon passage migrant |
| Yellow-billed Kite | Milvus migrans | Occasional summer visitor |
| Black-shouldered Kite | Elanus caeruleus | Fairly common resident |
| African Cuckoo Hawk | Avecida cuculoides | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Bat Hawk | Macheiramphus alcinus | Rare |
| European Honey-Buzzard | Pernis apivorus | Very occasional visitor |
| Verreaux's (Black) Eagle | Aquila verreauxii | Not recently recorded |
| Wahlberg's Eagle | Aquila wahlbergi | Very occasional visitor |
| African Hawk-Eagle | Aquila spilogaster | Resident near Burma Valley |
| Long-crested Eagle | Lophaetus occipitalis | Common resident |
| Martial Eagle | Polemaetus bellicosus | Vagrant in Vumba |
| African Crowned Eagle | Stephanoaetus coronatus | Resident, breeding pair in Bunga Forest |
| Black-chested Snake Eagle (Black-breasted Snake Eagle) |
Circaetus pectoralis (Circaetus gallicus) |
Regular visitor, especially after grass fires
|
| African Fish Eagle | Haliaeetus vocifer | Regular visitor from Lake Chicamba and Zonwe Dam |
| Steppe Buzard | Buteo buteo | Common summer visitor |
| Augur Buzard | Buteo augur | Common resident |
| Lizard Buzard | Kaupifalco monogrammicus | Fairly common resident in woodland areas |
| Rufous-chested (Red-breasted) Sparrowhawk | Accipiter rufiventris | Uncommon resident in montane grassland |
| Little Sparrowhawk | Accipiter minullus | Very uncommon |
| Black Sparrowhawk | Accipiter melanoleucus | Uncommon resident in woodland areas |
| Shikra (Little Banded Goshawk) | Accipiter badius | Vagrant in Vumba |
| African Goshawk | Accipiter tachiro | Common resident in forest |
| Gabar Goshawk | Melierax gabar | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Pallid Harrier | Circus macrourus | Vagrant |
| African Harrier-Hawk (Gymnogene) | Polyboroides typus | Occasional visitor |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Rare visitor |
| Lanner Falcon | Falco biarmicus | Breeding pair Castle Beacon (2000-01) |
| Eurasian (European) Hobby | Falco subbuteo | Uncommon summer visitor |
| Sooty Falcon | Falco concolor | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Rock Kestrel | Falco rupicolus | Fairly common (at Castle Beacon) |
| Coqui Francolin | Peliperdix coqui | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Shelley's Francolin | Scleroptila shelleyi | No recent records |
| Red-necked Spurfowl (Francolin) | Pternistes afer | Common resident |
| Common Quail | Coturnix coturnix | Uncommon resident |
| Harlequin Quail | Coturnix delegorguei | Occasional passage migrant |
| Blue Quail | Coturnix adansonii | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris | Common resident |
| Crested Guineafowl | Guttera pucherani | Possible seasonal visitor |
| Black Crake | Amaurornis flavirostris | Uncommon at small dams |
| Buff-spotted Flufftail | Sarothrura elegans | Common in and near forest |
| Striped Flufftail | Sarothrura affinis | Possible vagrant |
| African Wattled Lapwing (Plover) | Vanellus senegallus | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | Occasional visitor |
| Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola | Occasional visitor |
| Bronze-winged Courser | Rhinoptilus chalcopterus | Vagrant in Vumba |
| African Olive Pigeon (Rameron Pigeon) | Columba arquatrix | Common resident |
| Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon (Delegorgue's) | Columba delegorguei | Fairly common near forest |
| Red-eyed Dove | Streptopelia semitorquata | Becoming more common in open woodland |
| Cape Turtle Dove | Streptopelia capicola | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Laughing (Palm) Dove | Streptopelia senegalensis | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Blue-spotted Wood Dove | Turtur afer | Fairly common in lower areas |
| Tambourine Dove | Turtur tympanistria | Common in and near forest |
| Lemon (Cinnamon) Dove | Aplopelia larvata | Common on forest floor |
| African Green Pigeon | Treron calva | Fairly common visitor |
| Livingstone's Turaco (Lourie) | Tauraco livingstonii | Common resident in forest |
| Purple-crested Turaco (Lourie) | Tauraco porphyreolophus | Fairly common in woodlands below 1200m |
| Lesser Cuckoo | Cuculus poliocephalus | Vagrant |
| Red-chested Cuckoo | Cuculus solitarius | Very common in summer |
| Jacobin Cuckoo | Clamator jacobinus | Uncommon visitor |
| African Emerald Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx cupreus | Common in forest, probably resident |
| Klaas's Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx klaas | Fairly common woodland visitor |
| Diderick Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx caprius | Rare visitor in Vumba |
| Burchell's Coucal | Centropus burchelli | Common resident near water |
| African Wood Owl | Strix woodfordii | Common resident of forest edge |
| Southern White-faced Scops Owl (White-faced Owl) | Ptilopsus granti | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Barred Owlet (African Barred Owl) | Glaucidium capense | Uncommon in woodland |
| Cape Eagle-Owl | Bubo capensis | Possible on Castle Beacon and other cliff and rock faces |
| Spotted Eagle-Owl | Bubo africanus | Fairly common resident |
| European Nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus | Common migrant |
| Fiery-necked Nightjar | Caprimulgus pectoralis | Fairly common, possibly resident |
| Freckled Nightjar | Caprimulgus tristigma | Resident in rocky areas |
| Square-tailed (Mozambique) Nightjar | Caprimulgus fossii | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Pennant-winged Nightjar | Macrodipteryx vexillarius | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Common (European) Swift | Apus apus | In summer mixed with African Black Swift |
| African Black Swift | Apus barbatus | Common, associated with cliffs |
| White-rumped Swift | Apus caffer | Common in summer |
| Horus Swift | Apus horus | Uncommon, needs banks for nesting holes |
| Little Swift | Apus affinus | Breeding resident at Leopard rock Hotel |
| Mottled Swift | Tachymarptis aequatorialis | Uncommon |
| Specled Mousebird | Colius striatus | Common resident |
| Red-faced Mousebird | Urocolius indicus | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Narina trogon | Apaloderma narina | Fairly common but seasonal |
| Pied Kingfisher | Ceryle rudis | Resident at lower dams |
| Giant Kingfisher | Megaceryle maximus | Uncommon, nomadic |
| African Pygmy Kingfisher | Insipinda picta | Uncommon passage migrant |
| Brown-hooded Kingfisher | Halcyon albiventris | Common resident |
| Grey-headed (Grey-hooded) Kingfisher | Halcyon leucocephala | Uncommon migrant |
| Striped Kingfisher | Halcyon chelicuti | Fairly common in lower areas |
| European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster | Common summer visitor |
| Little Bee-eater | Merops pusilius | Fairly common in lower areas |
| Swallow-tailed Bee-eater | Merops hirundineus | Occasional visitor |
| Lilac-breasted Roller | Coracias caudatus | Uncommon in Vumba |
| Purple Roller | Coracias naevius | Occasional passage migrant |
| African Hoopoe | Upupa africana | Uncommon in lower areas |
| Greater Scimitarbill | Rhinopomastus cyanomelas | Occasional, probably nomadic |
| Trumpeter Hornbill | Bycanistes bucinator | Occasional in woodland below 1200m |
| Silvery-cheeked Hornbill | Bycanistes brevis | Common resident at higher levels |
| Crowned Hornbill | Tockus alboterminatus | Nomadic, not a resident |
| Southern Ground Hornbill | Bucorvus leadbeateri | Vagrant in Vumba |
| White-eared Barbet | Stactolaema leucotis | Common resident in montane forest, especially fig trees |
| Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird (Tinker Barbet) | Pogoniulus chrysoconus | Occasional, only in woodland |
| Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (Golden-rumped Tinker Barbet) | Pogoniulus bilineatus | Common resident in forest |
| Greater Honeyguide | Indicator indicator | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Scaly-throated Honeyguide | Indicator variegatus | Uncommon in montane forest |
| Lesser Honeyguide | Indicator minor | Uncommon, lower woodland |
| Brown-backed honeybird (Sharp-billed Honeyguide) | Prodotiscus regulus | Irregular visitor throughout |
| Golden-tailed Woodpecker | Campethera abingoni | Fairly common, even in forest |
| Green-backed (Little spotted) Woodpecker | Campethera cailliautii | Uncommon below 1200m, usually near Burma Valley |
| Cardinal woodpecker | Dendropicos fuscescens | Common but not in forest |
| African Broadbill | Smithornis capensis | Irregular visitor |
| African (Angola) Pitta | Pitta angolensis | Possible passage migrant |
| Barn ( European) Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Very common summer visitor |
| Blue Swallow | Hirundo atrocaerulea | Rare breeding visitor |
| Lesser Striped Swallow | Hirundo abyssinica | Common breeding visitor |
| Rock Martin | Hirundo fuligula | Common on Chinyakwaremba |
| Common House-Martin | Delichon urbicum | Uncommon in late summer |
| Eastern Saw-wing (Swallow) | Psalidoprocne orientalis | Common resident |
| Black Cuckooshrike | Campephaga flava | Regular below 1400m |
| Grey Cuckooshrike | Coracina caesia | Uncommon resident of forest |
| Fork-tailed Drongo | Dicrurus adsimilis | Not common, in woodland |
| Square-tailed Drongo | Dicrurus ludwigii | common in montane forest |
| Eurasian (European) Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus | Vagrant in Vumba |
| African Golden Oriole | Oriolus auratus | Rare summer visitor |
| (Eastern) Black-headed Oriole | Oriolus larvatus | Common in open woodland |
| Pied Crow | Corvus albus | Very occasional visitor |
| White-necked Raven | Corvus albicollis | Common resident |
| Ashy Tit | Parus cinerascens | Uncommon, below 1200m |
| Miombo (Nothern Grey) Tit | Parus griseiventris | Fairly common in woodland |
| Southern Black Tit | Parus niger | Occasional visitor |
| Rufous-bellied Tit | Parus rufiventris | Uncommon in woodland |
| Grey Penduline Tit | Antoscopus caroli | Uncommon, below 1200m |
| Spotted Creeper | Salpornis spilonotus | Uncommon in woodland |
| Arrow-marked Babbler | Pycnonotus jardineii | Fairly common resident |
| Dark-capped (Black-eyed) Bulbul | Pycnonotus tricolor | Common, as always |
| Terrestrial Brownbul (Bulbul) | Phyllastrephus terrestris) | Fairly common below 1200m |
| Yellow-streaked Greenbul (Bulbul) | Phyllastrephus flavostriatus | Common resident in montane forest |
| Sombre Greenbul (Bulbul) | Andropadus importunus | Common below 1200m but comes up higher occasionaly |
| Stripe-cheeked Greenbul (Bulbul) | Andropadus milanjesis | Very common in montane forest and forest edge |
| Yellow-bellied Greenbul (Bulbul) | Chlorochicla flaviventris | Fairly common in woodland below 1200m |
| Kurrichane Thrush | Turdus libonyanus | Common resident |
| Olive Thrush | Turdus olivaceus | Fairly common on forest floor |
| Orange Ground Thrush (Orange Thrush) | Zoothera gurneyi | Common on forest floor |
| Ground-scraper Thrush | Psophocichla litsipsirupa | Occasional visitor |
| Miombo Rock Thrush | Monticola angolensis | Fairly common in woodland |
| Familiar Chat | Cercomela familiaris | Uncommon in woodland |
| African Stonechat | Saxicola torquata | Common in montane grassland |
| White-browed Robin-Chat (Heuglin's Robin) | Cossypha heuglini | Common in thickets and gardens |
| Red-capped Robin-Chat (Natal Robin) | Cossypha natalensis | Common in forest, possibly an altitude migrant |
| Cape Robin-Chat (Cape Robin) | Cossypha caffra | Common resident |
| White-starred Robin | Pogonocichla stellata | Common in montane forest |
| Swynnerton's Robin | Swynnertonia swynnertoni | Uncommon resident on montane forest floor |
| White-browed Scrub-Robin (White-browed Robin) | Cercotrichas leucophrys | Uncommon in woodland |
| Bearded Scrub-Robin (Eastern Bearded Robin) | Cercotrichas quadrivirgata | Irregular below 1200m |
| Garden Warbler | Sylvia borin | Common summer migrant |
| (European ) March Warbler | Acrocephalus palustris | Common summer migrant |
| Dark-capped Yellow Warbler | Chloropeta natalensis | Breeding summer visitor |
| Barratt's Warbler | Bradypterus barratti | Common in summer in bracken & forest edge |
| Broad-tailed Warbler | Schoenicola brevirostris | Uncommon in swampy vegetation, mainly below 1200m |
| Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus | Common in summer |
| Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler | Phylloscopus ruficapillus | Common resident in montane forest |
| Bar-throated Apalis | Apalis thoracica | Common resident |
| Chirinda Apalis | Apalis chirindensis | Common in montane forest |
| Yellow-breasted Apalis | Apalis flavida | Fairly common at lower altitude |
| Cape Grassbird | Sphenoeacus afer | Common in montane grass |
| (African) Moustached Grass Warbler | Melocichla mentalis | Uncommon below 1200m |
| Wing-snapping (Ayres') Cisticola | Cisticola ayresii | Uncommon in montane grassland |
| Wailing Cisticola | Cisticola lais | Common in montane grassland |
| Singing Cisticola | Cisticola cantans | Common resident |
| Croaking Cisticola | Cisticola natalensis | Uncommon resident |
| Red-winged Warbler | Heliolais erythropterus | Uncommon below 1200m |
| Tawny-flanked Prinia | Prinia subflava | Common resident |
| Robert's Warbler (Robert's Prinia) | Oreophilais robertsi | Common resident in bracken scrub above 1400m |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Muscicapa striata | Occasional summer visitor |
| African Dusky Flycatcher | Muscicapa adusta | Common resident |
| Ashy (Blue-grey) Flycatcher | Musicapa caerulescens | Fairly common in woodland below 1200m |
| Grey (Fan-tailed) Tit-Flycatcher | Myioparus plumbeus | Occasional below 1200m |
| Southern Black Flycatcher | Melaenornis pammelaina | Fairly common below 1200m |
| Cape Batis | Batis capensis | Common resident in forest |
| Chinspot Batis | Batis molitor | Common in woodland |
| Pale (Mozambique) Batis | Batis soror | Uncommon below 1200m |
| Blue-mantled Crested Batis | Trochocercus cyanomelas | Resident below 1200m |
| White-tailed Crested Flycatcher (African White-tailed Flycatcher) | Elminia albonotata | Common resident of montane forest |
| African Paradise Flycatcher | Terpsiphone viridis | Fairly common in summer |
| African Pied Wagtail | Motacilla aguimp | Regular at Leopard Rock Golf course dam |
| Mountain (Longtailed) Wagtail | Motacilla clara | Fairly common in forested maountain streams |
| African (Grassveld) Pipit | Anthus cinnamomeus | Common resident in grass |
| Wood Pipit | Anthus nyassae | Uncommon in woodland |
| Tree Pipit | Anthus trivialis | Fairly common migrant |
| Cape (Orange-throated) Longclaw | Macronyx capensis | Occasional in grassland |
| Yellow-throated Longclaw | Macronyx croceus | Occasional in grassland |
| Common Fiscal (Fiscal shrike) | Lanius collaris | Common resident |
| Red-backed Shrike | Lanius collurio | Occasional passage migrant |
| Tropical Boubou | Laniarius aethiopicus | Common, not in forest |
| Black-backed Puffback | Dryoscopus cubla | Common mainly in summer |
| Brown-crowned (Three-streaked) Tchagra | Tchagra australis | Fairly common resident at lower altitude than Black-Crowned Tchagra |
| Black-crowned Tchagra | Tchagra senegalus | Common resident |
| Gorgeous Bush-Shrike | Telophorus quadricolor | Fairly common in thickets and forest edge |
| Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike | Telophorus sulfureopectus | Fairly common below 1200m, not in forest |
| Black-fronted Bush-Shrike | Telophorus nigrifrons | Common in montane forest |
| Olive Bush-Shrike | Telophorus olivaceus | Very common in montane forest |
| Grey-headed Bush-Shrike | Malaconotus blanchoti | Common below 1200m, not in forest |
| White-crested Helmet-Shrike | Prionops plumatus | Common visitor in winter |
| Retz's (Red-billed) Helmet-Shrike | Prionops retzii | Fairly common in woodlands |
| Red-winged Starling | Onychognathus morio | Breeding resident at Leopard Rock Hotel |
| Gurney's Sugarbird | Promerops gurneyi | Closely associated with Protea spp. but occasional visitor to flowering Aloes |
| Malachite Sunbird | Nectarinia famosa | Fairly common above 1500m, nomadic when not breeding |
| Bronzy (Bronze) Sunbird | Nectarinia kilimensis | Fairly common resident |
| Miombo Double-collared Sunbird | Cinnyris manoensis | Common resident in Miombo woodland |
| Variable (Yellow-bellied) Sunbird | Cinnyris venustus | Common resident |
| (Western) Olive Sunbird | Cyanomitra olivacea | Common near montane forest |
| Scarlet-chested Sunbird | Chalcomitra senegalensis | Fairly common in woodland |
| Amethyst (Black) Sunbird | Chalcomitra amethystina | Resident in woodland but regular visitor to other areas |
| Collared Sunbird | Hedydipna collaris | Common near forest |
| Plain-backed (Blue-throated) Sunbird | Anthreptes reichenowi | Uncommon below 1200m |
| Western Violet-backed Sunbird | Anthreptes longuemarei | Uncommon in Miombo Woodland below 1200m |
| African Yellow White-eye | Zosterops senegalensis | Common resident |
| Southern Grey-headed Sparrow | Passer diffusus | Occasional visitor, possibly increasing in numbers |
| Thick-billed Weaver | Amblyospiza albifrons | Breeding resident at dams |
| Dark-backed (Forest) Weaver | Ploceus bicolor | Common in montane forest |
| Spectacled Weaver | Ploceus ocularis | Common resident |
| Golden Weaver | Ploceus xanthops | Breeding resident at dams |
| Red-billed Quelea | Quelea Quelea | Occasional visitor |
| Yellow Bishop (Yellow-rumped Widow) | Euplectes capensis | Common, mainly in summer |
| Red-collared Widowbird | Eucleptes ardens | Common in summer in montane grassland |
| Orange-winged (Golden-backed) Pytilia | Pytilia afra | Very uncommon |
| Green Twinspot | Mandingoa nitidula | Common at forest edge below 1200m |
| Red-faced Crimsonwing | Cryptyspiza reichenovii | Common at montane forest edge |
| Red-throated Twinspot | Hypargos niveoguttatus | Common in thickets and gardens but nomadic |
| African (Blue-billed) Firefinch | Lagonosticts rubricata | Common resident in bracken and forest edge |
| Common Waxbill | Estrilda astrild | Common in rank grassland at all altitudes |
| Grey Waxbill | Estrilda perreini | Only at forest edge near Burma Valley, uncommon |
| Yellow-bellied Waxbill (East African Swee) | Coccopygia quartinia | Common resident in bracken and forest edge |
| Bronze Mannikin | Spermestescucullata | Common resident |
| Red-backed Mannikin | Spermestes nigriceps | Common resident |
| Magpie (Pied) Mannikin | Spermestes fringilloides | Vagrant in Vumba |
| Pin-tailed Whydah | Vidua macroura | Common resident |
| Dusky Indigobird (Black Widowfinch) | Vidua funerea | Common in Bracken areas |
| Yellow-fronted (Yellow-eyed) Canary | Serinus mozambicus | Common resident, less above 1500m due to competition with Cape Canary |
| Cape Canary | Serinus canicollis | Common above 1500m, attracted to exotic pine plantations |
| Brimstone (Bully) Canary | Serinus sulphuratus | Fairly common also below 1500m |
| Streaky-headed Seed-eater (Canary) | Serinus gularis | More common below 1500m |
| Cabanis's Bunting | Emberiza cabanisi | Occasional in Acacia woodland near Leopard Rock Hotel |
| Cape Bunting | Emberiza capensis | Uncommon on Castle Beacon |
| Cinnemon-breasted (Rock) Bunting | Emberiza tahapisi | Occasional on burnt ground |