That the only montane forest in eastern Uganda exists on Mt. Elgon (Katende et al 1990) is important in light of the fact that some West African and some South African bird species reach their eastern and northern limits at Mt. Elgon (Granvic 1923).
The avifauna of Mt. Elgon is well known, although many of these previous records are from Kenya (Granvic 1923). Therefore, there remain many bird species that await confirmation as to their existence in Uganda, while some species are as yet unrecorded for Mount Elgon National Park. Avifaunal communities very often provide a good indication of changes within an environment. Many species are indicative of habitat in which they live and a great deal of information can be derived from the composition of avifaunal communities.
Benet grassland
The most striking and spectacular birds in the Benet grasslands were Black and White-casqued Hornbills, Ceratogymna subcylindricus (that were displaying), Long-crested Eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis and Verreaux’s Eagle, Aquila verreauxi. Other species frequently seen comprised Speckled Mousebird, Colius striatus, Common Stonechat, Saxicola torquatus axillaris (a partial migrant that breeds at higher altitudes and disperses to lower areas in the non-breeding season) (Pomeroy 1989), Common Robin-chat, Cossypha caffra, Hunter’s Cisticola, Cisticola hunteri, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Nectarinia pressi, Golden-winged Sunbird, Nectarinia reichenowi, Olive Sunbird, Nectarinia olivacea, a pair of scavenging White-necked Ravens, Corvus albicollis, Black-crowned Waxbill, Estrilda nonnula and two races of Baglafecht Weaver, Ploceus baglafecht reichenowi and Ploceus baglafecht stuhlmanni living side by side! Individuals of the two races were observed in the heathland and the Benet grasslands. Races reichenowi and stuhlmanni were very distinctive in the field, providing the added bonus of being able to compare both the adults. The adult males of the race reichenowihad a small black eye patch that extended down the cheek and a black nape, neck and mantle. The rest of the face was ochre yellow. The females had a black face, crown, nape, neck and mantle. There was no yellow above the moustachial stripe, only on the chin. Females were very similar to the males and females of the race stuhlmanni. However, the latter had a grey-brown nape, neck and mantle.
Species identified between Kapchorwa and the Benet grasslands
Evidence that Elgon supports a great variety of birdlife is supported by a number of lowland forest bird species that were observed during our trek to Piswa. The lower forest provided sightings of Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Columba delegorguei, White-crested Turaco, Turaco leucolophus, Black Saw-wing, Psalidoprocne pristoptera, Common Bulbul, Pychonotus barbatus, Brown-chested Alethe, Alethe poliocephala, White-bellied Black Tit, Parus albiventris, Tacazze Sunbird, Nectarinia tacazze, Pied Crow, Corvus alba and Black-headed Waxbill, Estrilda atricapilla.