Comparative avian biodiversity of five mountains in northern Cameroon and Bioko

Endemism among birds is widespread in the montane forests of western Cameroon and the Gulf of Guinea. The region includes some of the rarest and most threatened species in Africa. We conducted avian surveys of four previously unsurveyed montane sites in northern Cameroon, including Mt. Ngang-Ha, Hosere Vokre, Tchabal Gandaba, and Tchabal Mbabo, as well as the northern slope of Caldera de Luba on the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea. We report here on avian species richness and relative abundance, and evaluate the conservation potential of each site based on avifaunal richness. The montane forest on both Tchabal Mbabo and Caldera de Luba is extensive, while on the other mountains, the vegetation is not characteristic of montane forest, and consists primarily of small gallery forests embedded in savanna. Tchabal Mbabo and Caldera de Luba had the greatest species richness and abundance of montane birds, while Tchabal Gandaba had the greatest overall avian species richness and abundance. Few montane species were noted on Mt. Ngang-Ha and Hosere: Vokre, and avian abundance was quite low on both mountains. Of the mountains surveyed, Tchabal Mbabo and Caldera de Luba exhibit the greatest potential for conservation based on extent of montane forest, and montane species richness and abundance.