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Birding the Eshowe area, South Africa

10,000 Birds

While it also eats dead meat and carcasses like its relatives, its favorite food is palm nuts. The Purple-crested Turaco is the national bird of Eswatini, which given that this country is the last absolute monarchy in Africa and the country with the world’s highest HIV prevalence is probably not much of an honor.

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Stamps in a Weathered Passport

10,000 Birds

From the border check station, you can turn to the right and go to the “Highest Bar in Africa” or continue into the unknown. Our local guide, Stuart, informed us that the small flags flying in front of some structures advertised what they sold: white for dairy, yellow for homemade wine, and red for meat.

Lesotho 232
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A few Barbets

10,000 Birds

The Crested Barbet (Kruger Park, South Africa) looks a bit like a pointillist painting gone wrong. Lucia, South Africa) will be your favorite. Unfortunately, I have so far seen only a few of them, and none of the ones in the Americas … but here are ten that I have seen and got halfway decent photos of. Probably jazz.

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Ivory Bigger than Drugs in Africa

Critter News

Trafficking in ivory and game meat has become one of the most lucrative illegal trades in Africa due to rising demand in Asia, experts said on Friday. "In Tags: wildlife crime ivory africa trafficking asia elephants. And even with all the public education and media attention, there is just no abatement in demand. From the AFP.

Africa 100
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Nyala, Southern Africa’s Stunning Antelope

10,000 Birds

I’m a big fan of the antelopes, a group that is most commonly associated with Africa but which also occurs in Asia and, if you stretch the term to be cladistically meaningful, Europe and North America. By this I mean applying the term antelope to cover all of the family Bovidae, which would include the sheep, goats and ox.

Africa 170
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The Crocodile Safari (Botswana)

10,000 Birds

What happens when you put a naturalist in a kayak, adrift in Africa? I have read canoeing articles from Africa and knew that the Nile Crocodile ( Crocodilus niloticus ) pays no attention to the boat and, in theory, as long as I’m inside I’m safe. There are no crocs around here,’ said a smiling bartender. Oh, my big mouth! Grey Heron 4.

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Birding the Kruger Park (2): Bateleur area

10,000 Birds

The African Spoonbill is one of the six global spoonbill species, and the main African one (there are also some Eurasian Spoonbills in Africa). While the species is listed as Least Concern, there are some papers suggesting it may not be as common as assumed, at least in South Africa. “ The diet includes seeds, nuts, and nectar.

Ostriches 147