article thumbnail

Fur and Fangs rather than Feathers and Beaks

10,000 Birds

On my 21-day Kenyan safaris we reckoned to find around 600 species of birds and around 60 mammals, both impressive totals. One of my most memorable outings was a night-time game drive in Kenya when we saw an aardvark and a zorilla, so we ticked off both the first mammal in the field guide’s index, and the last.

Fur 178
article thumbnail

Birdy Boating in Baringo

10,000 Birds

I wrote previously about the prolific birding that is to be had in the small town of Baringo, Kenya. Drifting slower and looking closer, we observed a tiny Malachite Kingfisher hunting in the sheltered shallows. It was even pumping its tail, much like the New World species I am accustomed to. Squacco Heron. Common Sandpiper.

Kenya 154
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Uganda’s Hard To Miss Monkeys

10,000 Birds

Kibale National Park, in the west of the Central African nation of Uganda, is home to a 13 primate species, from Common Chimpanzees to bush-babies. The species has a reputation for being an obligate leaf eater, but actually has a wider diet than that, although leaves certainly form a large part of the diet.

Monkeys 166
article thumbnail

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. Elephant The big – two species of elephant are now recognized as occuring in Africa, the smaller and more secretive Forest Elephant and the larger, more familiar African or Bush Elephant.

Buffalo 197
article thumbnail

Tribes and Birds of the Lower Omo Valley by Adam Riley

10,000 Birds

Its great diversity of habitats hosts an incredible bird count of over 900 species, including Africa’s 2nd highest list of endemics and near-endemics (after South Africa). Ethiopia, a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa, has firmly established itself as one of Africa’s top birding destinations. Yellow-billed Stork.

Ethiopia 237
article thumbnail

Birds and People: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

We worship birds, we hunt birds, we protect birds, and, yes, we eat birds. Additional back of the book material includes a Glossary, Biographical Details, a Select Bibliography, Notes, Credits, an Index to Species and a General Index. The beautiful Bee-eater family, with its 26 species, is covered in a little less than two pages.

Birds 207
article thumbnail

Africa’s endangered species

10,000 Birds

More than 150 bird species are known to have become extinct over the past 500 years, and many more are estimated to have been driven to extinction before they became known to science. The Gray Crowned-Crane is a new addition to the list of the world’s Endangered species, creeping up a category from Vulnerable.