10 
Bulletin of the EANHS 29< 1/2) 
dominated by Acacia tortilis. A reficitns, A milifra 
and A elatior . ranging from tall trees in the south to 
arid thomveld on rocky ground in the west (Stevenson, 
undated). The climate is hot and drv with a variable 
annual rainfall averaging 656 mm per war. most of 
which falls between April and August The mean daily 
temperature ranges from an average minimum of 16 7° 
C and average maximum of 32.5° C (data from 1957- 
1980, Kenya Meteorological Department records) 
There are several rows of basalt cliffs on the eastern 
and western sides of the lake. This study focused on 
the cliffs west of the lake (Figure I) There are three 
separate rows of cliff, with the longest next to the 
Mangat-Loruk road (cliff I) (Figure 2). There is a 
smaller cliff (cliff 2) approximately I km to the west 
while the third (cliff 3) was not included in this survey 
as it was considered too small and broken to be suitable 
for breeding raptors A single west facing cliff in the 
south was also included in the survey 
Ihe survey’ was conducted between 3 and 21 October 
1995 The survey consisted of two components I) a 
set of habitat characteristics were collected at set limes 
of the day from a number of equidistant positions along 
cliff I (Figure 21. 2) notes were made on all raptors 
seen while in the vicinity of both clift 1 
thorn veld and 12% low scrub and the bush was higher 
than 3 meters in 47% of the area surveyed. 
Approximately half of the surveyed area had dense 
ground cover (53%) and the overall structure of the 
bush was also dense (59%). 
Human presence was high in the vicinity of the cliff 
with people fetching water from the river below the 
cliff, herdboys attending slock, tourists birdwatching 
and numerous people walking up paths through the less 
steep sections of cliff to their houses on the tlat area 
above die cliffs Human presence was considered low 
in 47% of the cliff surveyed and paths up the cliff were 
recorded at 5 of the 17 survey points. 
A total of 90 bird species were recorded during the 
survey On average. 19 species were seen during the 
hour at each survey point (minimum = 8. maximum = 
29) and on average. 81 individuals per hour were 
recorded (minimum = 12. maximum = 267). 
Birds of prey densities along the cliffs 
Seven species of birds of prey were recorded during 
the survey Common Kestrels and Shikras Acnpittr 
had i us were recorded at 8 (16 individuals) and 7 (10 
individuals) of the survey points respectively. Individual 
and 2. 
Wc recorded a number of parameters 
relating lo the cliff, the surrounding habitat, 
human disturbance, and bird diversity and 
abundance that could possibly affect raptors 
using the cliff. Birds were counted for I 
hour, either during the early morning 
(before 9:30) or the late afternoon (after 
15:30) unless disrupted by heavy rainfall 
Results 
Cliff survey 
The surveyed cliff was 9,300 m long 
running roughly in a north-south direction 
Fifteen of the 17 survey points were along 
this line of cliff, and the remaining iw\> 
were on two extensions of this cliff to the 
south of approximately 500 m each The 
average height of the cliff was 43 m (s.d. 
14 9 S n= 17) and the cliff at 16 of the 17 
surveyed points faced cast Twelve (71%) 
of the sample cliffs were vertical and 5 
(29%) were broken and therefore accessible 
lo mammals or humans Trees were 
relatively common on the cliff (53%) and 
Vcrvci Monkeys were sometimes seen 
foraging in these trees A river ran at the 
base of 65% of the cliff of which water 
was present only for 12% The river 
sometimes caused a gully (24%) which may 
have made the cliff unsuitable for species 
that prefer an open view from the cliff. 
The habitat surrounding the cliff 
consisted of 47% riverine bush. 41% 
I 
( 
\ 
\ Loruk 
Figure 1 A map of Lake Baringo showing Ihe location of the 
mfrasturcture and cliff line The area in figure 2 is highlighted by a 
stippled boit 
