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Pink in Africa

10,000 Birds

Its mostly found on the ground in thickets or the edges of dense vegetation and usually in small family parties. Great White Pelicans showing the pink flush of breeding plumage. They are nomadic, especially in the non-breeding season and flocks are most easily found at waterholes when they appear to quench their thirst.

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Birding the Kruger Park (4): Letaba area

10,000 Birds

As the national bird of Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the African Fish Eagle is usually very busy whenever it stays in these countries, giving speeches, opening shopping centers, etc. While hoopoes are in their own family, DNA studies suggest that the hoopoe diverged from hornbills, and the wood-hoopoes and scimitarbills from the hoopoe.

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The Storks of Africa

10,000 Birds

Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. During breeding season, their white plumage turns a delicate pink color, a lovely sight indeed. The Saddle-billed Stork has a similar Africa-wide distribution as the Marabou.

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“Peacocks and Picathartes: Reflections on Africa’s Birdlife”

10,000 Birds

This book is essentially about those birds that breed on the continent south of the Sahara, a topic few birders are familiar with. Simply, many birders liked the idea of birding Africa but did not know enough to choose a single country (or two neigbouring countries, such as Malawi and Zambia).

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What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

The species are taxonomically divided into two families: Tytonidae, Barn-Owls, and Strigidae, Owls, encompassed in one order, Strigiformes. The chapters on courtship and breeding and roosting and migration are the longest, which isn’t surprising. They are also hunted. This is a great summer read.

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The Bee-eaters of Africa

10,000 Birds

The wonderful family Meropidae contains 27 dazzling species, of which Africa is endowed with no less than 20 species, the balance occurring across Asia and with one as far afield as Australia. Carmine bee-eaters occur throughout most of Subsaharan Africa, and many populations migrate widely post breeding.

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South Africa’s endemic birds

10,000 Birds

Their taxonomic affinities have caused great confusion and debate amongst ornithologists; they were originally assigned to the thrush family, then Old World warblers before being shifted to babblers (the last mentioned a common dumping-ground for any aberrant passerines).