An Initial Checklist of Birds of the A Rocha Dakatcha Nature Reserve and its Surrounding Area, Kenya, 2022

Study Extent

All the birds were observed within the boundaries of the projected ARDNR across all habitats found within it between March 2019 and December 2021.

Sampling

All birds recorded within the project area were collated and summarised to create this list. This included a combination of records generated from Timed Species Counts (TSCs), Bird atlassing and ad hoc observations. TSCs involved steady 60-minute walks conducted between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. where the observer recorded all species seen or heard in ten-minute blocks of time. The bird atlassing protocol followed that of the Kenya Bird Map / African Bird Atlas Project which involves spending a minimum of two hours observing over five days within a five minute by five minute grid across all habitat types (Underhill 2016). All species seen or heard were identified and recorded in the order encountered. The data were collected using the BirdLasser mobile device app which allows records to be exported to csv files. These were then aligned according to Darwin Core (DwC) standards. All ad hoc observations which could be traced were also included in the dataset. In order to ensure maximum coverage of the whole reserve area for all taxa of biodiversity, a grid of 30 seconds by 30 seconds (approx. 0.9 x 0.9 km) was overlaid on the study area to use as a guide for coverage. Grids were visited at least once for bird records and at least one hour of observing carried out within the grid. Visits were timed to ensure that both wet and dry seasons were covered.

Quality Control

Surveys and identification were done by experienced birders who were familiar with the local avifauna. The list of species was cleaned by experts who know the coastal distribution of species. Any records which were in question were left out pending verification. Open-refine (https://openrefine.org/) was used in data cleaning. Data were aligned according to Darwin Core (DwC) standards.

Method steps

1. Ad hoc and Kenya Bird Map records were simply sourced or downloaded and included in the species list once confirmed. The ‘Dakatcha Biodiversity Atlas’ was designed with the intention of mapping the distribution of a range of taxa, including birds, across the A Rocha Dakatcha Nature Reserve area at a relatively fine scale grid of 30 seconds by 30 seconds. The study area was thus divided into 140 survey grids each measuring approximately 0.9 km x 0.9 km and aligning with the lines of latitude and longitude. The aim is to thoroughly survey each of the 140 cells and record all the bird species encountered. The data can then be queried for which grids a given species has been recorded and from this determine its distribution across the study area. Expeditions focussing on collecting biodiversity data were carried out over four days monthly between March 2019 and December 2021. Different localities were selected for the campsite for each expedition. Surveys for birds were carried out from dawn in the vicinity of the campsite for each expedition. All subsequent records of birds seen during the assessment of habitats and landscape that were carried out as part of the expeditions. All birds seen or heard were identified and then documented with its geolocated point using the BirdLasser app. Data from the app were later exported and aligned according to DwC standards. Both vernacular and scientific names in this dataset follow that of the IOC World Bird List v11.2. Taxon identifiers were taken from GBIF.

The data were collected in and around the A Rocha Dakatcha Nature Reserve (ARDNR) which is a small block (c.7,000 ha) of the larger Dakatcha Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) which is around 180,000 ha in size. The central point of the Dakatcha KBA is located c.45km to the northwest of Malindi town (S-2.884° E39.833°) which is more-or-less where the ARDNR is also located within the KBA – i.e., centrally. The coordinates below give an approximate location of the ADNR where data were collected: