Seeking Sassi’s Greenbul and Chestnut Owlet in Uganda’s Semliki National Park

Lost since the 1960's, local biologists are undertaking an ambitious survey to refind these species

The Bird Conservation Fund is seeking $5,000 and teaming up with the American Bird Conservancy’s Search for Lost Birds Team to support a project by the Uganda Bird Guides Club, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Women Birders, and Sunbird Hill.

The project focuses on finding two lost species in Uganda’s Semliki National Park. Although both species, the Sassi’s Greenbul (Phyllastrephus lorenzi) and Chestnut Owlet (Glaucidium castaneum) have been previously recorded from Semliki Forest in the late 1960s, they have no confirmed sightings in recent years. The project's core aim is to address this knowledge gap by conducting focused searches using a team of researchers and local bird guides.

The project's key strategies include field surveys, mist-netting, and acoustic monitoring over a period of 30 days. The activities will involve hiring cars, covering fuel and accommodation for a research team, and providing training for the local bird guides. The project's outcome will not only help rediscover these species but also raise awareness and provide data for future conservation actions.

Proposed activities

1. Conduct a thorough review of previous ornithological surveys and publications from Semliki Forest.

2. Review museum collections of specimens from the Semliki area, targeting both confirmed specimens and potentially misidentified individuals.

3. Train at least 10 local bird guides in mist netting and bird ringing to build capacity for long-term monitoring in the Semliki region

4. Carry out an intensive field survey in Semliki Forest, targeting habitats where these species were historically recorded, and conspecific species are known to occur.

5. Prepare a scientific manuscript detailing the results of the literature review, museum specimen analysis, and field surveys

Key Personnel Leading the Project

Jonathan Onongo

Jonathan is an ornithologist working to document the ecology of the Fox's Weaver (Ploceus spekeoides) Uganda's only endemic bird species. He is currently, pursuing MSc Zoology (Wildlife Ecology and Management) at Makerere University focusing on mapping key habitats of the Fox's Weaver and Karamoja Apalis in North-eastern Uganda. Prior to this he has worked with Nature Uganda, the Birdlife International Partner in Uganda to coordinate the International Common Bird Monitoring Surveys, Waterbird Monitoring Surveys, and Road Raptor Counts across Uganda. He is currently a Volunteering at BirdLife International to improve the Datazone website and also with eBird as a regional reviewer and hotspot editor for Uganda.

Judith Mirembe

She is well trained with vast experience on bird population surveys using different methods. She has a master’s degree in Environment and Natural Resources from Makerere university where she carried out research on the Shoebill, a globally threatened species. She has worked with Nature Uganda, a Birdlife International Partner in the past and her major role was to carry out and coordinate common bird monitoring and waterbird monitoring across Uganda. She currently works with Ecological Trends Alliance where she is the programs coordinator.

Dr. Dianah Nalwanga

She has worked with Nature Uganda, the Birdlife partner in Uganda on a number of studies involving research on single species as well as carried out bird population monitoring. She is a licensed bird ringer and will be instrumental in training the bird guides this much needed skill to be used on the project. She has vast knowledge on bird related studies from her PhD research on birds on agricultural landscapes.

Alex Turyashemererwa

He is a trained ranger guide with vast knowledge on birds and animal behavior. Alex has been based at Semliki National Park for over 6 years and has gathered knowledge and experience of the birds in the forest. He has worked with different researchers in the park and will therefore be a resource to the team.