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Hornbills of South Africa

10,000 Birds

But for now, I still have the hornbills I saw in South Africa a few years ago. When breeding, the female finds a cavity in a tree and seals the entrance. As the female similarly relies on the male to feed it during incubation (being locked in a cavity), the death of the male is a major reason for breeding failure.

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Cyprus Delights – Part III

10,000 Birds

Perhaps the most curious thing about the Great Spotted Cuckoo is its distribution, for it is both a non-breeding Palearctic migrant to Africa, and a trans-Africa migrant. I wonder whether birds that breed in Europe ever meet up with those nest in southern Africa?

Cyprus 230
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The return of the Old Man

10,000 Birds

According to Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills of the World , a handsome volume written by James Hancock, James Kushan and Philip Kohl and published by Academic Press in 1992, Geronticus eremita “once nested in the mountains of central Europe, across northern Africa and into the Middle East. But this range is now much reduced.

Morocco 235
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Birding Shanghai in June 2023

10,000 Birds

Fortunately, there are a few more such breeding species than most Shanghainese are aware of. While the HBW states that it breeds at 300 – 2450 meters, in Shanghai – where such elevations are not available outside of the upper floors of a few highrises – it makes to with an altitude of about 0 meters as well.

Birds 130
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Birding the Kruger Park (4): Letaba area

10,000 Birds

So, it sometimes comes to South Africa to relax and enjoy relative anonymity. However, it is kind of sophisticated in that the females lay very individualized eggs in order to be able to detect the added eggs of parasite cuckoo finches. ” That is why cross-country pairings among this species are almost never successful.

Zimbabwe 147
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Birding Chongming Island in summer

10,000 Birds

I do not get too many comments on my blog posts, but it seems that whenever I write about jacanas – whether in Africa, Australia, or Asia – there is an unusually high number of reactions (well, maybe one or two rather than the usual zero) from female readers. This is ok as birds do not have teeth anyway). How efficient.

Birds 162
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The Changing Fortunes of Europe’s Vultures – Part 1

10,000 Birds

Griffon Vultures have a long breeding season. The chicks need six months to develop so the adults lay their eggs in January. Isn’t it a bit late to breed? Why bother with such a risky journey if you aren’t going to breed? So why are these Griffons arriving now? They have to get out.

Africa 245