Africa Wild Bird Book

Discussions and information on all Southern African Birds
User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26619
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

Africa Wild Bird Book

Post by Toko »

All entries will be updated and information and photos can be added! This is an Africa Wild team effort and work in progress!

Please note: All entries will be edited and updated (additional photos and information will be added by moderators). New entries will be posted according to taxonomic order and the post date does not reflect the actual date of new posts.


Alphabetical Bird Index

Image


User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26619
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

Index to Bird Orders & Families

Post by Toko »

The Africa Wild Bird Book classification below follows mostly the I O C World Bird List classification and taxonomic order proposed by the International Ornithological Congress.

ORDER STRUTHIONIFORMES
Family Struthionidae Ostriches

ORDER ANSERIFORMES
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese and Swans

ORDER GALLIFORMES
Family Numididae Guineafowl
Family Phasianidae Pheasants and allies

ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES
Family Spheniscidae Penguins

ORDER PROCELLARIIFORMES
Family Diomedeidae Albatrosses
Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters
Family Hydrobatidae Storm Petrels
Family Pelecanoididae Diving Petrels

ORDER PODICIPEDIFORMES
Family Podicipedidae Grebes

ORDER PHOENICOPTERIFORMES
Family Phoenicopteridae Flamingos

PHAETHONTIFORMES
Family Phaethontidae Tropicbirds

ORDER CICONIIFORMES
Family Ciconiidae Storks

ORDER PELECANIFORMES
Family Threskiornithidae Ibises, Spoonbills
Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
Family Scopidae Hamerkop
Family Balaenicipitidae Shoebill
Family Pelecanidae Pelicans

ORDER SULIFORMES
Family Fregatidae Frigatebirds
Family Sulidae Gannets, Boobies
Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
Family Anhingidae Anhingas, Darters

ORDER ACCIPITRIFORMES
Family Sagittariidae Secretarybird
Family Pandionidae Osprey
Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks and Eagles

ORDER FALCONIFORMES
Family Falconidae Falcons

ORDER OTIDIFORMES
Family Otididae Bustards

ORDER GRUIFORMES
Family Heliornithidae Finfoots
Family Sarothruridae Flufftails
Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes and Coots
Family Gruidae Cranes

ORDER CHARADRIIFORMES
Family Turnicidae Buttonquail
Family Burhinidae Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
Family Chionidae Sheathbills
Family Haematopodidae Oystercatchers
Family Dromadidae Crab-plover
Family Recurvirostridae Stilts, Avocets
Family Charadriidae Plovers
Family Rostratulidae Painted-snipes
Family Jacanidae Jacanas
Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
Family Glareolidae Coursers, Pratincoles
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns and Skimmers
Family Stercorariidae Skuas

ORDER PTEROCLIFORMES
Family Pteroclidae Sandgrouse

ORDER COLUMBIFORMES
Family Columbidae Pigeons, Doves

ORDER MUSOPHAGIFORMES
Family Musophagidae Turacos

ORDER CUCULIFORMES
Family Cuculidae Cuckoos

ORDER STRIGIFORMES
Family Tytonidae Barn Owls
Family Strigidae Owls

ORDER CAPRIMULGIFORMES
Family Caprimulgidae Nightjars

ORDER APODIFORMES
Family Apodidae Swifts

ORDER COLIIFORMES
Family Coliidae Mousebirds

ORDER TROGONIFORMES
Family Trogonidae Trogons

ORDER CORACIIFORMES
Family Coraciidae Rollers
Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
Family Meropidae Bee-eaters

ORDER BUCEROTIFORMES
Family Upupidae Hoopoes
Family Phoeniculidae Wood Hoopoes
Family Bucerotidae Hornbills
Family Bucorvidae Ground Hornbills

ORDER PICIFORMES
Family Lybiidae African Barbets
Family Indicatoridae Honeyguides
Family Picidae Woodpeckers

ORDER PSITTACIFORMES
Family Psittacidae African & New World Parrots
Family Psittaculidae Old World Parrots

ORDER PASSERIFORMES
Family Family Calyptomenidae African and Green Broadbills
Family Pittidae Pittas
Family Platysteiridae Wattle-eyes, Batises
Family Malaconotidae Bushshrikes
Family Vangidae Helmetshrikes
Family Campephagidae Cuckooshrikes
Family Laniidae Shrikes
Family Oriolidae Orioles
Family Dicruridae Drongos
Family Monarchidae Monarch Flycatchers
Family Corvidae Crows
Family Chaetopidae Rockjumpers
Family Stenostiridae Fairy Flycatchers
Family Paridae Tits
Family Remizidae Penduline Tits
Family Nicatoridae Nicators
Family Alaudidae Larks
Family Pycnonotidae Bulbuls
Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
Family Macrosphenidae Crombecs, African Warblers
Family Erythrocercidae Yellow Flycatchers
Family Phylloscopidae Leaf Warblers
Family Acrocephalidae Marsh/Reed Warblers and Tree Warblers
Family Locustellidae Grassbirds and Allies
Family Cisticolidae Cisticolas and Allies
Family Leiothrichidae Laughingthrushes, Babblers
Family Sylviidae Sylviid Babblers
Family Zosteropidae White-eyes
Family Promeropidae Sugarbirds
Family Hyliotidae Hyliotas
Family Certhiidae Treecreepers
Family Sturnidae Starlings
Family Buphagidae Oxpeckers
Family Turdidae Thrushes
Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
Family Nectariniidae Sunbirds
Family Passeridae Old World Sparrows
Family Ploceidae Weavers, Widowbirds
Family Estrildidae Waxbills and Allies
Family Viduidae Indigobirds, Whydahs
Family Motacillidae Wagtails, Pipits
Family Fringillidae Finches
Family Emberizidae Buntings


User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26619
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

ORDER STRUTHIONIFORMES Family Struthionidae (Ostrich)

Post by Toko »

ORDER STRUTHIONIFORMES
This is a small order with some very remarkable birds in it. It includes 5 families all of which were until recently given ordinal status in their own right, however, modern DNA information and cladistic analyses have brought them all together in one order. These five families are called Ratites and are all flightless birds without a keeled breastbone. They are all primarily herbivorous to omnivorous.
Other things that all members of the order have in common are nesting on the ground and incubation of the eggs mostly or entirely by the male.

Family Struthionidae (Ostrich)
There is only one species of Ostrich, Struthio camelus. Ostriches are distinguished from other ratites by having only 2 toes, instead of 3, remaining on their feet.

Struthio camelus Common Ostrich 001


User avatar
Dewi
Posts: 9147
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 7:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Common Ostrich

Post by Dewi »

001. Common Ostrich Struthio camelus (Volstruis)
Order: Struthioniformes. Family: Struthionidae

Common Ostrich.jpg

Image
Adult female. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Description
Unmistakable. The largest and heaviest of all living birds, with long bare neck; legs flesh-pink becoming brighter during the breeding season.
Males are black with white wings and with white tails, sometimes rufous tipped, and white leggings. Females smaller and browner.
Juvenile resembles female, but smaller. Chicks unmistakable with 'hedgehog' down.

Distribution
Natural distribution is in the drier regions of Africa, including southern Africa, the Sahel, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.

Image

Habitat
Open arid savanna woodland, shrublands and desert plains.

Diet Feeds on grasses, seeds and leaves. In dry areas succulent plants are also taken. Takes sometimes insects and small vertebrates.
Forages in groups, browsing close to ground.

Breeding
The breeding season and strategy of the ostrich vary with location. Where food is scarce, breeding pairs tend to be monogamous, but elsewhere breeding groups usually form, consisting of a territorial male together with a main or “major” hen and several secondary, “minor” hen. At the start of the breeding season, the male scrapes out a nest, a mere depression in the ground, and then attempts to attract females using an elaborate courtship display, which involves dropping to the ground, opening the wings and tail, shaking each wing alternately, and moving the tail up and down, while swaying the head and neck from side to side. The male will then approach the female with the wings open and the brightly coloured neck puffed out, while stamping the feet. After mating, the main female lays up to 11 creamy white eggs, while the other females lay around 2 to 6 eggs each, in the same nest, and may also lay eggs in other nests. The egg of the ostrich is the largest in the world, although relatively small in relation to the size of the bird, at around 16 cm in length and 1.5 kg in weight, with a 2 mm thick shell. Incubation is performed only by the male and the main female, and lasts between 42 and 46 days. Males incubate at night and females mostly by day. Any surplus eggs which the pair cannot cover are pushed out of the nest by the female, who is somehow able to recognise and retain her own, leaving about 20 eggs in total. The young are buff-coloured with black lines and specks, and leave the nest within the first three days. The pair may sometimes take chicks from other broods, and large crèches often form, escorted by one or more adults.

Call
Deep booming boo boo boooooh hoo given by male, mainly in breading season (not unlike lion's roar!).
Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common resident.


User avatar
Dewi
Posts: 9147
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 7:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Common Ostrich Photos

Post by Dewi »

001. Common Ostrich Struthio camelus (Volstruis)

Image
Adult male

Image
Adult male with two adult females

Image © nan
Mating pair

Image
Chicks

Image © leachy

Image © ExFmem

Links:
Species Text Sabap1
Sabap2
Rael Loon, Hélène Loon, Sasol Birds: The Inside Story: Putting all their Eggs into one Basket


User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26619
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

ORDER ANSERIFORMES

Post by Toko »

ORDER ANSERIFORMES
Anseriformes is an order of birds. It comprises about 150 living species in three families: Anhimidae (the screamers), Anseranatidae (the Magpie Goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.
All species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at the water surface. All are web-footed for efficient swimming (although some have subsequently become mainly terrestrial).
The ancestors of the Anseriformes developed the characteristic bill structure that they still share. The combination of the internal shape of the bill and a modified tongue acts as a suction pump to draw water in at the tip of the bill and expel it from the sides and rear; an array of fine filter plates called lamellae traps small particles, which are then licked off and swallowed.
All Anseriformes have this basic structure, but many have subsequently adopted alternative feeding strategies: geese graze on plants.

Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans)
The scientific family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. While there is much variation among birds in this family, they all share a variety of common characteristics, including: Well adapted for swimming, floating and diving. Spatulate bill includes a nail on the tip that may or may not be a different color. Relatively round body shape with short legs and longer necks than other types of birds.

Dendrocygna viduata White-faced Whistling Duck 099
Dendrocygna bicolor Fulvous Whistling Duck 100
Thalassornis leuconotus White-backed Duck 101
Cygnus olor Mute Swan
Plectropterus gambensis Spur-winged Goose 116
Sarkidiornis melanotos Comb Duck 115
Alopochen aegyptiacus Egyptian Goose 102
Tadorna tadorna Common Shelduck (exotic)
Tadorna cana South African Shelduck 103
Nettapus auritus African Pygmy-goose 114
Anas undulata Yellow-billed Duck 104
Anas sparsa African Black Duck 105
Anas capensis Cape Teal 106
Spatula hottentota Blue-billed Teal 107
Anas erythrorhyncha Red-billed Teal 108
Anas acuta Northern Pintail 109
Anas querquedula Garganey 110
Spatula clypeata Northern Shoveler 111
Spatula smithii Cape Shoveler 112
Anas platyrhynchos Mallard (introduced)
Netta erythrophthalma Southern Pochard 113
Aythya fuligula Tufted Duck (introduced)
Oxyura maccoa Maccoa Duck 117
Aix sponsa Wood Duck (introduced)


User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

White-faced Whistling Duck

Post by Flutterby »

099. White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata (Nonnetjie-eend)
Order Anseriformes. Family: Dendrocygnidae

White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata.jpg
White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata.jpg (48.07 KiB) Viewed 3081 times

Description
Has a long neck and white face. Black head and neck, black rear head, dark brown to black back and wings, black underparts, fine white barred flanks, chestnut neck, long grey bill. Dark plumage. It stands very erect. Sexes are alike.
Juveniles lack the white face, but have a smudged brown face and throat.

Distribution
Widespread: found in tropical America, sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Within southern Africa, found mainly in Free State, NW Province, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and western Botswana.

Habitat
Inland waters, especially those with extensive shallows and emergent vegetation.

Diet
Aquatic vegetation, seeds, tubers, insects and molluscs.

Breeding
Monogamous. Nest consists of a scrape in the ground, lined with grass and other vegetable matter, and hidden among long grass, sedges or other vegetation. Nest is usually situated near the water's edge. Breeding season mainly the spring, summer and autumn periods (September to May), with peak in summer. The female lays 4-13 eggs (clutches of up to 16 eggs probably the result of more than one female laying), one egg being laid per day. Incubation probably starts after the clutch has been completed, lasts 26-30 days, and is undertaken by both sexes (but mainly the male). Young are diving for food by 14 days, are able to fly by 63 days, and have adult plumage by about 180 days. The parents accompany the young until even after they have started flying. They are especially protective of the young in their early development and keep them well hidden and attract predators away from the young by using the broken-wing act.

Call
Very vocal, especially in flight; 3 note whistle swee swee sweeu.
Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common resident but highly nomadic; gregarious in non-breading season.


User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

White-faced Whistling Duck Photos

Post by Flutterby »

099. White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata

Image © Flutterby

Image © lowveldboy

Image © leachy

Image © Lisbeth
Juvenile

Image © ExFmem
Juvenile

Image © Lisbeth

Image © Lisbeth

Image © BluTuna

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Oiseaux net


User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Post by Flutterby »

100. Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor (Fluiteend)
Order: Anseriformes. Family: Dendrocygnidae

Fulvous Duck Dendrocygna bicolor.jpg
Fulvous Duck Dendrocygna bicolor.jpg (38.66 KiB) Viewed 3078 times

Description
Size 46-53 cm. It has a long grey bill, long head and longish legs, buff head and underparts, the latter reddish-tinged on the flanks with conspicuous white flank stripes. It has a dark crown, a golden, brown face, with a dark line down the centre of the nape and neck, and dark grey back and wings. The tail and wing patches are chestnut, and there is a white crescent on the upper tail which is visible in flight. Sexes are alike.
Juveniles have less contrasted flank and tail colouration.

Distribution
Widely distributed worldwide: occurs in tropical South America, southern North America, Africa, Madagascar and S Asia. Occurs in patches of India, Pakistan, the Arabian Gulf coast and sub-Saharan Africa, isolated along the coast of West Africa and found from Eritrea and Ethiopia through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Angola to north-eastern parts of southern Africa. In southern Africa, concentrated mainly in Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, N Botswana and Namibia (mainly in the north).

Image

Habitat
Inland water bodies, especially with abundant aquatic vegetation, coastal mudflats, salt works and sewage plants; it breeds on salt pans and saline lakes.

Movements
Highly nomadic and a breading migrant in some areas.

Behaviour
Gregarious in non-breading season.

Diet
It feeds almost entirely on cyanobacteria (blue green algae: Anabeana and Naticula halophila), but it will also eat small insects and crustaceans. Foraging is done in shallow water with its strangely-shaped bill upside-down. Its large tongue pumps water through the filaments (lamellae) on the edge of its bill, which filter out the cyanobacteria.

Breeding
Monogamous, colonial nester, breeding in colonies from tens to thousands. The nest is built by both sexes and consists of a scrape in the ground, lined with grass stems, leaves and reeds, and hidden in long grass within 50 m of water. Makes a more substantial, built-up nest if the site chosen is on marshy ground near the water's edge. Also known to nest up to 0.5 m above the water in thick reeds. Breeding season is virtually any time of year but generally after good rains. The female lays 6-13 eggs (probably laying at most one egg per day) after which she and her partner take turns in incubating them for 24-32 days before they hatch. The male usually incubates them at night. By 52 days the young are able to fly and by 60 days old they have almost complete juvenile plumage.

Call
2-syllabled whistle tooo-ee or tou-ee, usually in flight.
Listen to Bird Call.

Status:
Uncommon to fairly common resident.


User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Fulvous Duck Photos

Post by Flutterby »

100. Fulvous Duck Dendrocygna bicolor

Image © Flutterby

Image © leachy
Kruger National Park, Sunset Dam

Image © PRWIN
Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng

Links:
Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds
Sabap2
Biodiversity Explorer


Post Reply

Return to “Birds”