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Birds

Birds are like flowers, which continuously change their location.
If you give them water, they delight you with their appearance.

Especially during dry season, animals in Africa can not find water. We have set up some bird bath near the house. There they visit us several times a day and quench their thirst and splashing happily.

I have identified more than 65 different bird species so far. Sometimes I discover birds, which I have never seen here in the garden before.


Here are 65 species of birds that I have seen on the farm so far.

Grey-headed kingfisher after dipping into the bird bath

Woodland kingfisher (Dendroaspis angusticeps)

Grey headed kingfisher (Dendroaspis angusticeps)
Afrikan firefinch (Lagonosticta rubricata haematocephala)
Red-billed firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)
Peter‘s twinspot (Hypargos niveoguttatus)
Common waxbill (Estrilda astrild)

Crimson-rumped waxbill (Estrilda rhodopyga)
Red-cheeked cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus)
Brown-backed mannekin (Lonchura nigriceps)
Greater honey guide (Indicator indicator)
Northern carmine bee-eater (Merops nubicus)
White-throated bee-eater (Merops albicollis)
Dark-capped bulbul (Pycnonotus (barbatus) tricolor)
Yellow-bellied greenbul (Chlorocichla flaviventris centralis)
Sombre greenbul (Andropadus importunus)
Narina trogon (Apaloderma narina)
Emerald-spotted wood dove (Turtur chalcospilos)
Tambourine dove (Turtur tympanistria)
Namaqua dove (Oena capensis capensis)
African green pigeon (Treron calvus)
Ring-necked dove (Streptopelia capicola)
Mourning collared dove (Streptopelia decipiens)
Eurasian golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Eastern black-headed oriole, juvenile (Oriolus larvatus reichenowi)
Speckled mousebird (Colius striatus)
Scaly babbler (Turdoides squamulata)
Bare-eyed thrush (Turdus tephronotus)
Spotted palm thrush (Cichladusa guttata)
Rufous chatterer (Turdoides rubiginosa)
White-browed robin-chat (Cossypha heuglini)
Tawny-flanked prinia (Prinia subflava melanorhyncha)
Parrot-billed sparrow (Passer gongonensis)
Black-throated wattle-eye (Platysteira peltata)
Pale batis (Batis soror)
African paradise flycatcher (f) (Terpsiphone viridis)
African paradise flycatcher (m) (Terpsiphone viridis)

Grey-headed bush shrike (Malaconotus blanchoti)
Long-tailed fiscal (Lanius cabanisi)
East-coast boubou (Laniarius sublacteus)
White-crested helmet shrike (Prionops plumatus vinaceigularis)
Collared sunbird (Hedydipna collaris)
Olive sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea)
Amethyst sunbird (m) (Chalcomitra amethystina)
Amethyst sunbird (f) (Chalcomitra amethystina)
White-browed coucal (Centropus superciliosus)
Klaas's cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas)
Levaillant's cuckoo (Clamator levaillantii)
Green malkoha, (Ceuthmochares australis)
European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)
African pied wagtail (Motacilla aguimp)
Pale white-eye (Zosterops f. flavilateralis)
Black-bellied starling, (Notopholia corruscus)
Black-winged red bishop (Euplectes hordeaceus)
Red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea)
Spectacled weaver (Ploceus ocularis suahelicus)
Golden palm weaver (Ploceus bojeri)
Black-headed weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus)
Brown-headed parrot (Poicephalus cryptoxanthus)
East african scops-owl (Otus senegalensis)
Southern white-faced owl (Ptilopsis granti)
Giant eagle owl (Bubo lacteus)
Lizard buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus)
Little sparrowhawk (Accipiter minullus)
Eurasian honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
African goshawk (Accipiter tachiro)
African goshawk, juvenile, (Accipiter tachiro) )
Banded snake eagle (Circaetus cinerascens)
Helmet guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

More photos and information

White-throated Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
 
White-throated bee-eater
(Merops albicollis)
 

 
Northern carmine bee-eater
(Merops nubicoides)
 

Nightjar or goatsucker (Caprimulgus europaeus)

Today is my departure back to Germany. About 9 o'clock my gardener calls me to a strange bird, which we have never seen before. It does not sit like all birds across the trunk or branch, but along the length.

He still seems to be asleep. Slowly I stalk closer and take one-two photos. To get him even better on the lens I sneak closer, unfortunately, he then felt disturbed, took off and disappeared in the dense undergrowth.

It is called nightjar or goatsucker. These migratory birds are dawn and night active.

They have quite big eyes and ability to see at night probably corresponds to the owls.

In the night they fly very cleverly and silently and use their large wide beak like a landing net to catch insects. During the day they usually rest on the shady ground or sit in longitudinal direction on low branches.

The predominantly brown plumage coloring benefits them, which they camouflage perfectly.

Nightjars breed on the ground. 1 or 2 whitish, brown-gray spotted eggs are simply laid between plants and roots under bushes or trees on soft forest floor.


White browed Coucal

White-browed Coucal

White browed Coucal
White-browed coucal
(Centropus superciliosus)

Common Fiskal

Common Fiskal

Common Fiskal

Common fiskal
(Lanius collaris)
 

Paradise flycatcher

Paradise flycatcher

Paradise-Flycatcher

African paradise flycatcher
(Terpsiphone viridis)


Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
(Accipiter nisus)

Masked-Weaver

Masked-Weaver

Masked-Weaver
Masked weaver
(ploceos velatus)

Blue-eared Starling
Blue-eared Starling
Blue-eared Starling
Blue-Eared Starling
(Notopholia corruscus)

Narina Trogon
Narina Trogon
Narina Trogon
Narina Trogon
(Apaloderma narina)

Fork-tailed Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo
Fork-tailed drongo
(Dicrurus adsimilis)

Speckled Mousebird
Speckled Mousebird
Speckled Mousebird
Speckled mousebird
( Colius striatus)

Garden Bulbul
Garden Bulbul
Garden Bulbul
Garden bulbul
(Pycnonotus barbatus)

Olive Thrush
Olive Thrush
Olive Thrush
 
Olive trush
(Turdus olivaceus)
 

White-browed Robin-Chat
White-browed Robin-Chat
White-browed Robin-Chat
White-browed robin-chat
(Cossypha heuglini)

Brimstone Canary
Brimstone Canary
Brimstone Canary
Brimstone Canary
(Serinus sulphuratus)

Red-throated Twinspot
Red-throated Twinspot
Red-throated Twinspot
 
Red-throated twinspot
(Hypargos niveoguttatus)
 

Goshawk Goshawk Goshawk
 
Goshawk
(Accipiter tachiro)
 

Red Cheek courdon-bleu Red Cheek courdon-bleu Red Cheek courdon-bleu
 
Red-cheeked courdon bleu
(Uraeginthus bengalus)
 

Kingfisher Kingfisher Kingfisher
 
Grey-hooded kingfisher
(Halcyon albiventris)
 

Kingfisher C Kingfisher
 
Woodland kingfisher
(Halcyon leucocephala)
 

Blutschnabelweber Blutschnabelweber Blutschnabelweber
 
Red-billed quelea
(Quelea quelea)
 

Lizard buzzard
Lizard buzzard
 
Lizard Buzzard
(Kaupifalco monogrammicus)
 

Brown Backed Mannikin
(Spermestes bicolor nigriceps)

Northern white-faced owl Northern white-faced owl Northern white-faced owl

Northern white-faced owl

The southernthern white-faced owl lives in the African savannas, preferably in light forests and forest edges across the entire continent. They live in pairs and nest in tree cavities, but also use abandoned nests of larger birds. These mid-size owl can grow up to 25 cm. They hunt on arthropods and small mammals. After about 30 days the young can fly and climb out of the nest.

Because of their behavior towards enemies the Northern white-faced Owl is also known as Transformer Owl. Depending on the size of your opponent's they changed their shape. They can appear in three different forms, which then shall act as a deterrent or confusing the enemy.

One day someone brought a young owl to me. It was not yet fledged. Because the young owl was helpless, I brought it in a large safe aviary, because such a young animal would have no chance in the African wilderness to survive.

We fed them several times a day with mice and other meats. She was very friendly and sat on hand without any problems.

After nearly three weeks their wing feathers were already well trained and I thought that she could fly already. On a late afternoon, I place the young owl in a bush. Excited they watched their new surroundings very attentive and responded to every move.

Every time when a bird flew past persecuted the young owl are with alert eye the flight path and moved her head weighing back and forth.

When it was finally dark, she unfolded her young wings, made a few wing beats and flew to freedom. The darkness has devoured quickly and I hope she has found in the woods on Wanderers Farm a new home.

Northern white-faced owl Northern white-faced owl Northern white-faced owl
Southern white-faced owl
(Ptilopsis leucotis)

African Green Pigeon African Green Pigeon African Green Pigeon
African green pigeon
(Treron calvus)

African Golden Oriole African Golden Oriole African Golden Oriole
 
African golden oriole
(Oriolus auratus)
 

White-Throated Bee-Eater White-Throated Bee-Eater White-Throated Bee-Eater
White-throated bee-eater
(Merops albicollis)
 

Rufous Chatterer Rufous Chatterer Rufous Chatterer
 
Rufous chatterer
(Turdoides rubiginosa )
 

Emerald Spotted Wood-Dove Emerald Spotted Wood-Dove Emerald Spotted Wood-Dove
 
Emerald spotted wood-dove
(Turtur chalcospilos)
 

Grey-headed Bush-shrike (Malaconotus blanchoti) Grey-headed Bush-shrike (Malaconotus blanchoti) Grey-headed Bush-shrike (Malaconotus blanchoti)
 
Grey-headed bush shrike
(Malaconotus blanchoti)
 

Chattering Yellowbill (Ceuthmochares aereus) Chattering Yellowbill (Ceuthmochares aereus) Chattering Yellowbill (Ceuthmochares aereus)
 
Green malkoha or whistling yellowbill
(Ceuthmochares australis)
 

Greater honeyguide (juvenile)
(Indicator indicator)


Brown Babbler
Brown Babbler
Brown Babbler
Arrow-marked babbler
(Turdoides jardineii)

African Pied Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail African Pied Wagtail

African pied Wagtail
(Motacilla aguimp)


More birds at Wanderers Farm
Sunbird
Sunbird
Olive sunbird
Collared sunbirds
Sunbird
Red-billed Firefinch

Spotted Palm Trush

Red-billed Firefinch
Helmet Guinea fowl
Drongo Baby

Helmet Guineafowl
Drongo Baby

Snake Eagle
Snake-Eagle
Black-headed weaver
Black headed Oriole
Waxbill

Waxbill

Parrot
Parrot
African Paradise Flycatcher
Bathing pleasure
Bathing pleasure
Bathing pleasure
Bathing pleasure
Bathing pleasure
Bathing pleasure

Birds are happy
   
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