Birds of Rift Valley Academy(RVA)/AIM/AIC Compound
Kijabe, Kenya

All observations by Jeff Davis unless otherwise stated
Compiled by Jeff Davis
copyright - February, 2008

Reformatted by Dick Swinney

Jeff Davis is a teacher at Rift Valley Academy, on the Africa Inland Mission (AIM) Mission Compound at Kijabe. The birds recorded here were observed by Jeff Davis between 2006 and 2008 amidst his busy schedule and responsibilities at RVA. Jeff would love to have time to actually devote to birding.

RVA is a boarding school at one of the largest missionary compounds in the world. The school includes kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school began in 1906 by Charles Hurlburt. It is now a branch of Africa Inland Mission International, for children of missionaries. The school enrollment is approximately 450 students.
The Kijabe Hospital began under the name of Theodore Hospital and is also located on the compound. It is an AIC (African Inland Church) healthcare center which began around 1915. AIC is the largest protestant denomination in Kenya. Staff now perform 5,00 surgeries per year. This 210 bed hospital is approximately 40 miles north-west of Nairobi.

Acreage of the RVA Compound: 16 acres.
Acreage of the Hospital & Lower Compound: approx. 14 acres
Altitude: 7,500 feet
Lat.: 0 deg. 55 min. 60 sec. S
Long.: 36 deg. 34 min. 0 sec. E
Av. precipitation: 35 in. per year

Common and scientific names conform to the following text:
Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania; Dale A. Zimmerman, et. al, Christopher Helm, London, copyright 1999

* observations by Dick Swinney - January, 2008

Family Pelecanidae Pelicans

Pelecanus rufescens Pink-backed Pelican

Family Ciconiidae Storks

Mycteria ibis Yellow-billed Stork

Family Threskiornithidae Ibises and Spoonbills

Bostrychia hagedash brevirostris Hadada or Hadeda Ibis

Family Accipitridae Vultures, Eagles, Hawks, Kites, and Allies

Milvus migrans Black Kite
Polyboroides typus typus African Harrier Hawk or Gymnogene
Accipiter tachiro African Goshawk
Accipiter rufiventris rufiventris Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk
Accipiter melanoleucus melanoleucus Great Sparrowhawk
Buteo buteo vulpinus Common or Steppe Buzzard
Buteo augur augur Augur Buzzard
Lophaetus occipitalis Long-crested Eagle
Stephanoaetus coronatus African Crowned Eagle

Family Phasianidae Quail and Francolins

Coturnix delegorguei delegorguei Harlequin Quail

Family Columbidae Pigeons and Doves

Columba arquatrix Olive Pigeon
Columba guinea guinea Speckled Pigeon
Streptopelia semitorquata Red-eyed ;Dove
Streptopelia capicola Ring-necked Dove
Streptopelia lugens lugens Dusky Turtle Dove

Family Psittacidae Parrots and Lovebirds

Poicephalus gulielmi massaicus Red-fronted parrot

Family Musophagidae Turacos

Tauraco hartlaubi Hartlaub’s Turaco

Family Cuculidae Cuckoos and Coucals

Cuculus solitarius solitarius Red-chested Cuckoo
Cuculus gularis African Cuckoo

Family Apodidae Swifts

Schoutedenapus myoptilus myoptilus Scarce Swift
Apus aequatorialis aequatorialis Mottled Swift
Apus affinis affinis Little Swift

Family Coliidae Mousebirds

Colius striatus Speckled Mousebird

Family Trogonidae Trogons

Apaloderma narina Narina Trogon

Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers

Halcyon leucocephala Grey-headed Kingfisher

Family Meropidae Bee-eaters

Merops apiaster Eurasian Bee-eater
Merops bullockoides bullockoides White-fronted Bee-eater
Merops oreobates Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

Family Bucerotidae Hornbills

Tockus alboterminatus Crowned Hornbill
Bycanistes brevis Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Family Capitonidae Barbets and Tinkerbirds

Pogoniulus leucomystax Moustached Green Tinkerbird
Pogoniulus bilineatus Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird

Family Indicatoridae Honeyguides

Indicator meliphilus Pallid Honeyguide
Prodotiscus zambesiae ellenbecki Eastern or Green-backed Honeybird

Family Picidae Woodpeckers and Wrynecks

Dendropicos fuscescens Cardinal Woodpecker
Dendropicos goertae Grey Woodpecker

Family Motacillidae Wagtails, Pipits and Longclaws

Motacilla aguimp vidua African Pied Wagtail
Anthus trivalis Tree Pipit
Anthus cervinus Red-throated Pipit

Family Hirundinidae Swallows and Martins

Riparia paludicola ducis Plain Martin or African Sand Martin
Hirundo rustica rustica Barn Swallow
Hirundo daurica emini Red-rumped Swallow
Hirundo senegalensis Mosque Swallow
Hirundo fuligula fusciventris Rock Martin
Delichon urbica urbica Common House Martin
Psalidoprocne holomelas Black Saw-wing or Rough-wing
Psalidoprocne albiceps albiceps Whie-headed Saw-wing or Rough-wing

Family Plycnonotidae Bulbuls

Pycnonotus barbatus Common or Dark-capped Bulbul

Family Timaliidae Babblers, Chatterers and Illadopses

Pseudoalcippe abyssinica abyssinica African Hill Babbler

Family Turdidae Thrushes, Chats and Relatives

*Sheppardia (Cossypha) polioptera Grey-winged Robin or Robin-chat
polioptera
Cossypha caffra iolaema Cape Robin-chat or Cape Robin
Oenanthe lugubris schalowi Abyssinian Black or Schalow’s Wheatear
Myrmecocichla aethiops cryptoleuca Northern Anteater Chat
Monticola rufocinereus rufocinereus Little Rock Thrush
Turdus olivaceus Olive Thrush

Family Muscicapidae Flycatchers

Muscicapa striata Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa adusta African Dusky Flycatcher
Melaenornis fischeri White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

Family Sylviidae Warblers

Sylvia communis Common Whitethroat
Sylvia borin Garden Warbler
Sylvia atricapilla Blackcap
Phylloscopus collybita abietinus Chiffchaff
Phylloscopous trochilus Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus umbrovirens mackenzianus Brown Woodland Warbler
Cisticola cantans Singing Cisticola
Cisticola hunteri Hunter’s Cisticola
Cisticola brunnescens Pectoral-patch Cisticola
Camaroptera brachyura Grey-backed Camaroptera or Bleating Warbler
Apalis flavida Yellow-breasted Apalis
Apalis porphyrolaema porphyrolaema Chestnut-throated Apalis
Apalis cinerea cinerea Grey Apalis
Sylvietta whytii Red-faced Crombec
Parisoma lugens jacksoni Brown Parisoma

Family Zosteropidae White-eyes

Zosterops poliogaster Montane White-Eye

Family Paridae Tits

Parus albiventris White-bellied Tit

Family Monarchidae Monarch Flycatchers

Terpsiphone viridis African Paradise Flycatcher

Family Platysteiridae Batises, Wattle-eyes and Relatives

Batis molitor Chin-spot Batis

Family Laniidae Shrikes

Lanius collaris humeralis Common Fiscal

Family Malaconotidae Bush-shrikes

Tchagra australis Brown-crowned Tchagra
Laniarius aethiopicus Tropical Boubou
Dryoscopous cubla Black-backed Puffback

Family Campephagidae Cuckoo-shrikes

Campephaga flava Black Cuckoo-shrike
Camephaga quisqualina martini Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike
Coracina caesia pura Grey Cuckoo-shrike

Family Oriolidae Orioles

Oriolus oriolus oriolus Eurasian Golden Oriole

Family Corvidae Crows and Allies

Corvus albus Pied Crow

Family Sturnidae Starlings and Oxpeckers

Onychognathus morio Red-winged Starling
Lamprotornis superbus Superb Starling
Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Violet-backed or Plum-coloured Starling
Cinnyricinclus femoralis Abbott’s Starling
Cinnyricinclus sharpii Sharpe’s Starling

Family Nectariniidae Sunbirds

Nectarinia verticalis viridisplendens Green-headed Sunbird
Nectarinia amethystina Amethyst Sunbird
Nectarinia senegalensis Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Nectarinia venusta Variable Sunbird
Nectarinia preussi kikuyuensis Northern Double-collared Sunbird
Nectarinia mediocris Eastern Double-collared Sunbird
Nectarinia tacazze jacksoni Tacazze Sunbird
Nectarinia kilimensis kilimensis Bronze Sunbird
Nectarinia reichenowi Golden-winged Sunbird
Nectarinia famosa cupreonitens Malachite Sunbird

Family Passeridae Sparrows and Petronias

Passer griseus Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer rufocinctus Rufous Sparrow
Passer domesticus indicus House Sparrow

Family Ploceidae Weavers and Relatives

Plocepasser mahali melanorhynchus White-browed Sparrow-weaver
Ploceus baglafecht Baglafecht or Reichenow’s Weaver
Ploceus spekei Speke’s Weaver

Family Estrildidae Waxbills
Subfamily Estrildinae

Lagonosticta senegala ruberrima Red-billed Firefinch
*Uraeginthus bengalus Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
Uraeginthus ianthinogaster Purple Grenadier
Estrilda quartinia kilimensis Yellow-bellied Waxbill
Estrilda erythronotus delamerei Black-faced Waxbill

Family Fringillidae Seedeaters, Canaries and Relatives

Serinus striolatus striolatus Streaky Seedeater
Serinus canicollis flavivertex Yellow-crowned Canary
Serinus citrinelloides African Citril

Family Emberizidae Old World Buntings

Emberiza tahapise tahapise Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting
Emberiza flaviventris kalaharica Golden-breasted Bunting