April 1997 
Wc also made a brief visit to Ruma National Park in 
Suba District, a site where the Blue Swallow lias regularly 
been recorded (D A 
Turner, pets, comm) 
Rmrui(0°40'S.''4“l5'p) 
lies in southwest 
Kenya, only a few 
kilometres from the 
shores of Lake 
Victoria. The park is 
predominantly 
grassland interspersed 
with thickets of. icaaa 
and Balanites spp 
Apart form the 
southernmost tip. it is 
completely fenced. 
Die surrounding land 
is mainly cultivated, 
with a little open 
pasture Wc spent 
most of 2 1 August at 
the swallows, the weather was cloudy and dry in the 
morning, wet all afternoon 
Results 
Busia 
Busia has a relatively high human population that is 
evidently growing very fast This has resulted in 
micnsne agricultural activities Tuithermorc. a Nombalc 
Sugar Company is presently being established and tile 
local people have been urged to grow enough sugarcane 
lu warrant tile setting up of u sugar proccssrug plant 
During die survey, we round only four grassland putclies 
largerthanO.5 ha These sites were Mungalsi. Matuvo. 
Sikoma and Mnlanga (see below) According to our 
informants, these sites are on the verge of being 
cultivated. Most areas that we went through on the 
southern pans along ihc Lugulu-Bululn-Buiiula Roads 
were relatively flat and more imensively cultivated 
However, a mosaic of smull patches of unflooded 
grasslands occurred, none of Ihetn more than tl 4 ha m 
No Blue Swallows were tccorded many or these sites 
Ollier hinmdincs were present, including Lesser Striped 
Swallow Hinindo abyssinica. Wire-tailed Swallow 
II smilhn. While-headed Saw-wing Psaliilaprocne 
albtceps and Black Saw- wing /' halnmeltis la all sites 
swallows were active at around lU Ori hand idler 16 00 Ir 
Other species characteristic of flooded grassland were 
also recorded These included Yellow-mantled 
Wtdowbird Euplecics matmurus, Hanlauh s Marsh 
Widow-bird E harilaitbl . Fan-lailcd Widowbird 
1-: axillaris, MaishTcliagra TchagratHlnurn. and Broad- 
tailed Warbler Schoenicala hirvinutrls. Of Ihc species 
wc encountered. Hartlaub's Marsh Widowbird is listed 
as regionally Vulnerable and Grey Crowned Crane 
Balearic a regularum as regionally Near-threatened 
Mungalsi 
Tlus site is located at latitude 0°27'67" N and longitude 
J4°19’69“ E. altitude 
1220 m. 2 km from 
Mungatst market along 
the Mungatsi-Munaim 
Road. It consists of a 
small patch of flooded 
grassland measuring 900 
m by 400 m that slopes 
at a gradient of about 10 
degrees towards a small 
stream, a tributary of 
River Sio. which runs 
along ils length A small 
patch of riverine forest 
and scrub along Ihc 
sireani hatbouts a variety 
of bird species. This 
privately-owned piece of 
grassland is surrounded 
by intensive agriculture, 
wilh inai/r and sugarcane 
Ihc dominant crops; grazing of livestock is also a major 
activity During our visit, maize cultivation was being 
cxiended into Ihc site Very recently, grassland used to 
be more extensive on both sides of the valley (D A 
turner, pets comm. 1 During ihcstuvcy there was a great 
deal of disturbance and noise from tractors that were 
digging up a load by the site This site, wlterc the Blue 
Swallow has been recorded regularly in the past is now- 
under threal from cultivation, overgrazing and road 
consiruclion We were also informed Hun Ihc site was 
soon lo be subdivided into snail pieces for sale, posing 
perhaps the most senuus threat of all. 
T rapping of birds for food, mainly by young boys, is 
very common, especially during April With lire aid of 
the pictures in our guidebook, we established lhal Ihc 
species trapped uicludcd storks and hinindines Wfe were 
told that a bud can be sold for two lo Ihree Kenya 
Shillings. 
Matayo 
This site ts located at latitude 0°23 '(H" N and longitude 
14 “118 '71" E alutude 1200 m. at Ihc point where the 
Kisntmi-Busia road crosses river Sio. Tire site is an 
extensive flat, flooded grassland of about .1000 in by 700 
m, with ils length running along River Sio Calllc are 
grazed to tire site and iLs fringes are intensively cultivated, 
nini/c being the dominant crop. 
Sikoma 
Tlus sue is located at latitude 0°24’96" N and longitude 
14" 1 1 "OV E_ along Ihc Namtalc-Mungalsi Road. This is 
a small patch of about 1 20 m bv 80 m. a flooded grassland 
extending on both sides of a valley This site is fringed 
by intensive agriculture, mainly maize cultivation 
Malanga 
Tills site is loaned at latitudcll°25'9fr N and longitude 
I IX 14' E, aliunde 1220m. and slopes into the 
