Important Bird Areas
A number of species have been recorded only in Cabinda or in the gallery forests along major rivers draining the Congo basin in the north-east. Similarly, a number of species occur only in the arid south-west. The coastal sand-spits south of Luanda (Mussulo Bay) and the saltpans and wetlands south of Namibe town may be of international importance, as they provide stop-over places for migrant waders moving down the west coast of Africa.
The forests and surroundings at Gabela are important on an international scale. The richest array of local endemic bird species in Angola occurs here, with three species Gabela Akalat Sheppardia gabela, Gabela Bush-Shrike Laniarius amboimensis and Gabela Helmet-Shrike Prionops gabela confined to the area, while the little known Pulitzer’s Longbill Macrosphenus pulitzeri also occurs in the Gabela forest area.
Angola Kumbira Forest and home of the Gabela Akalat Sheppardia gabela, Gabela Bush-Shrike Laniarius amboimensis and Pulitzer’s Longbill Macrosphenus pulitzeri
Photo: John Caddick 2005
Angola supports one of only two isolated populations of White-throated Francolin Francolinus albogularis south of the Equator, the most southerly population of Egyptian Plover Pluvianus aegyptius and some of the remaining southern African population of Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus.
23 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been identified in Angola covering 73,850 km2, equivalent to 5.9% of the land-surface area of the country. The list of IBAs is as follows: Bicuari NP; Caconda; Calandula; Camabatela; Cameia NP; Cangandala NP; Chongoroi; Cuango; Cuelei; Cutato; Gabela; Iona NP; Lago Carumbo; Luachimo river (Chitato); Luando Strict Nature Reserve; Luia; Maiombe; Mombolo (Missao da Namba); Mount Moco; Mupa NP; Mussulo; Quicama; Tundavala.
NP=National Park.
BirdLife International has also designated 4 Endemic Bird Areas (EBAs): Western Angola; secondary areas of Gabon-Cabinda; Namibian Escarpment; West Zaire and North Angola forests.
Further information on Angola’s IBAs and EBAs can be found at BirdLife International.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
