OBSERVATIONS ON THE BREEDING OF THE GREATER FLAMINGO, PHOENICOPTERUS-RUBER ROSEUS, IN THE BANC DARGUIN NATIONAL-PARK, MAURITANIA

Breeding by the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) in West Africa is essentially restricted to the Mauritanian coast and in part icular to the Banc d'Arguin National Park (PNBA). Here we document the reproduction of the Greater Flamingo in the PNBA in 1991 and 1992. In 1991, 2,222 chicks were observed an the island ''Petite Kiaone'' and in 1992, 1,240 chicks were counted on the neighboring ''Grande Kiaone. '' Laying took place from late April to early May in 1991 and in the s econd half of April in 1992. However, observation of a five-month old juvenile in the north of Mauritania in June 1992 indicated that breedi ng had taken place somewhere else this year, presumably in West Africa . This is confirmed by observations of other juveniles in Senegal in J une-July. We discuss breeding in Mauritania in relation to breeding in other parts of the species' range.