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Africa’s Big Five and Little Five

10,000 Birds

Originally a hunting term, the Big Five were the most dangerous and prized targets of the great white hunters on safari. Prime destinations for seeing African Elephant in the wild include Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Uganda. Black Rhinos are best sought in South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania.

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White-backed Vultures are Proper Birds

10,000 Birds

The populations remain stable in Ethiopia, Tanzania and southern Africa, but have collapsed in West Africa and have declined in other parts as well. They are threatened by hunting for traditional medicine, veterinary drugs, and poachers who poison them to conceal their poaching activities. Word spreads.

Africa 176
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The Storks of Africa

10,000 Birds

A Marabou Stork arriving at its roost tree, Serengeti, Tanzania by Adam Riley We’ll start off with the largest and ugliest of them all (measuring up to 60in (152cm) in height, a weight of 20 lb (9 kg) and a wingspan of up to 12ft), the Marabou Stork. They are often found roosting in small groups along the edges of lakes and riverine sandbars.

Africa 249
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Birding the Kruger Park (4): Letaba area

10,000 Birds

Interestingly, the HBW gives different contact calls depending on the country in which the flycatcher lives: “Contact call a simple ‘zeet, zwayt’ (South Africa), ‘ti-twit tee-twit’ (Gabon), ‘zi’zk’zk’ (Tanzania).” Or at least an “angry-looking bird” ( source ). ” ( source ) .

Zimbabwe 147
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The Bee-eaters of Africa

10,000 Birds

These charismatic, colorful and finely formed birds are favorites amongst birders from experts to novices, and lie within the group of birds whose beauty even non-birders really appreciate. After breeding they also disperse over the rainforests and savannas of West and Central Africa, where they hunt for aerial insects.

Africa 266
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Africa’s Barbets

10,000 Birds

Barbets are a group of medium sized, chunky, generally colorful, frugivorous, hole-nesting near-passerines, that are popular targets for anyone birding in the tropics. The four Gymnobucco species are Africa’s least observed group of barbets as they are restricted to the less visited tropics of central and west Africa.

Ethiopia 248