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Yellowbilled Hornbill
Geelbekneushoringvoėl
(Tocus leucomelas) |
Hornbills are
particularly noted for their unique nesting behaviour, which will
begin once the first rains have fallen in early summer to provide
mud for the female to close her nest in the tree. During the
incubation period the male feeds the female through the hole; she
remains in the nest until it becomes too crowded and then breaks out
to assist the male in the feeding of the chicks. |
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Guineafowl
Gewone Tarentaal
(Numida meleagris) |
The Helmeted
Guineafowl
is a large bird with a round body and
small head. The body is grey-black spangled with white. Like other
guineafowl, this species has an unfeathered head, in this case
decorated with a dull yellow or reddish bony knob, and red and blue
patches of skin. The helmeted
guineafowl is capable of strong flight, but it is mainly terrestrial
often choosing to run rather than fly. They
spend most of their daylight hours searching for food. During the
daytime, they stay on the ground walking around in flocks, but fly
into the trees in evening to find safety from the many carnivores. |
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Ostrich
Volstruis
(Struthio
camelus) |
Ostriches are the
largest living birds in the world. Native to Africa, ostriches are
flightless, and are very well adapted to desert life, getting water
from the plants they eat. These huge birds,
which sometimes reach a height of 2.6 m and a weight of
135 kg, cannot fly, but are very fast runners.
Ostriches use their wings for aggressive display and
courtship rituals. Males have contrasting bright white and black
plumage. Females' plumage is grey and drab. |
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Blue waxbill
Gewone Blousysie
(Uraeginthus
angolensis) |
The blue waxbill is a common resident in drier areas
of mixed woodland. The powder-blue face, breat and tail makes this
species unmistakable. They can frequently be seen on the ground
looking for food. |
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European bee-eater
Europese byvreter
(Merops
apiaster) |
The European Bee-eater
breeds in southern
Europe and in
parts of north
Africa and
western
Asia. It is
migratory,
wintering in Africa . It is a richly-coloured,
slender bird. It has brown and yellow upper parts, whilst the wings
are green and the beak is black. This
is a bird which breeds in open country in warmer climates. Just as
the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat
insects,
especially
bees,
wasps and
hornets,
which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. Before
eating its meal, the Bee-eater removes the
sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface. It eats
some 250 bees daily. |
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African Hoopoe
Hoephoep
(Upupa
epops) |
Their habitat is open cultivated ground with
short grass or bare patches. They spend much time on the ground
hunting
insects and
worms.
This black, white and pink bird is
quite unmistakable, especially in its erratic flight, which is like
that of a giant
butterfly.
The crest is erectile, but is mostly kept closed. It walks on the
ground like a
starling. |
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Crested barbet
Kuifkophoutkapper
(Trachyphonus
vaillantii) |
The shaggy crest, yellow face speckled with red, and
yellow underparts and a broad black breast-band makes this bird
unmistakable. It is a common resident in woodland, savanna and
riverine forest. The male utters a "trrrrrrrrr...." sound and
the female responds with a repeating "puka-puka" sound. |
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Natal Francolin
Natalse Fisant
(Francolinus
natalensis) |
The Natal Francolin is a common resident and is
near-endemic. It is founded in wooded areas, especially in
bush thickets. It is generally brown above and speckled black and
white below. It's call is a screeching sound. |
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Cape white-eye
Kaapse Glasogie
(Zosterops
pallidus) |
The Cape White-eye is a small
passerine
bird in the
white-eye
family. It is an endemic resident breeder in forests,
woodland and savannas. It is
partially
migratory,
with some seasonal movements. This species is
about 12 cm long with rounded wings, and a conspicuous ring of white
feathers round the eyes. The upperparts plumage is green, and the
throat and vent are bright yellow, a grey
breast and belly. The Cape White-eye feeds mainly on insects, but
also soft fleshy flowers, nectar, fruit and small grains |
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