Tuesday, 12 April 2022
18-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWEE - YELLOW BELLIED GREENBUL (Chlorocichla flaviventris)
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The Yellow-bellied Greenbul, with its scientific name Chlorocichla flaviventris, is a charming songbird belonging to the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. This species exhibits a delightful contrast of colors with its yellow underparts and greenish upper body, making it a visual treat for birdwatchers.
When trying to identify the Yellow-bellied Greenbul, look for its distinctive yellow belly which gives this bird its name. The greenish hue of its feathers blends seamlessly with the foliage, providing excellent camouflage in its natural habitat.
The Yellow-bellied Greenbul thrives in a variety of environments, including subtropical or tropical dry forests, moist lowland forests, and the dry savanna. These diverse habitats provide the bird with ample opportunities for foraging and nesting.
This species is widely distributed across eastern, southern, and west-central Africa. Its presence is a testament to the adaptability of the species across a range of African landscapes.
Observing the Yellow-bellied Greenbul in its natural setting, one might note its active foraging behavior and the agility with which it moves through the understory, a behavior typical of many bulbul species.
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The vocalizations of the Yellow-bellied Greenbul are characteristic of its family, contributing to the rich tapestry of sounds that one might experience in the African forests and savannas.
Information on the breeding habits of the Yellow-bellied Greenbul is essential for understanding its life cycle and ensuring the protection of its nesting sites.
The Yellow-bellied Greenbul may be confused with other bulbuls, but its unique coloration and distribution help to distinguish it from its relatives. Careful observation and familiarity with its characteristics can aid in proper identification.
The diet of the Yellow-bellied Greenbul is not specified, but as with many bulbuls, it likely includes a variety of insects and fruits, which are abundant in its habitats.
The IUCN Red List classifies the Yellow-bellied Greenbul as Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face immediate threats to its survival. However, continued monitoring is essential to ensure that it remains a thriving member of the avian community.
18-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - SMITH'S BUSH SQUIRREL (Paraderus Cepapi)
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Smith's bush squirrel (Paraxerus cepapi), also known as the yellow-footed squirrel or tree squirrel, is an African bush squirrel which is native to woodlands of the southern Afrotropics.
It is found in Angola, Botswana, the DRCongo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is a common rodent which is diurnal by nature.
Its total length is 350 mm (14 in), half of which is tail; weight 200 g (7.1 oz). The coat colour varies throughout the region. In the western and arid parts of its range, it is pale grey, and in the eastern localities, more brown. Its head and legs are a rusty colour. Colouration on the chest varies from yellowish to buff in the east, to white in the west. This squirrel's belly is white. These alert and ever busy creatures carry their long tails extended backwards.
Smith's bush squirrels are primarily vegetarian, but like most rodents, they take insect prey and use their front feet to manipulate food items when feeding. They scatter-hoard seeds next to tree trunks or grass tufts, thereby facilitating tree regeneration.
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Essentially arboreal animals, they also spend a great deal of time on the ground, foraging for food. When disturbed, Smith's bush squirrels always seek the refuge of trees. At night, territorial family groups nest together in holes in trees. Offspring become sexually mature between six and nine months old, when they are forcibly evicted by the breeding pair. The males are mainly responsible for territorial defense, although females also chase intruders when they care for dependent pups. To promote group cohesion, a common scent is shared by mutual grooming, which is an important facet of the social fibre of this species. Smith's bush squirrels are diligent in their grooming and a mother tree squirrel holds her offspring down with her fore legs while grooming it with licks, nibbles, and scratches with her claws.
A conspicuous feature of their behaviour when under threat is 'mobbing': all the members of the colony make harsh clicking sounds while they flick their tails, building up momentum and gradually getting louder. In some areas, they are solitary, or are found in small family groups; a lone tree squirrel relies on its wits when in danger and always keeps a branch or the trunk of a tree between it and the enemy. Smith's bush squirrels are always alert, and when alarmed, run away with great speed, making for the nearest tree where they lie motionless, flattened against a branch.
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19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - 19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - GLOOMY ANTLION MOTH Lachlathetes moestus)
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Lachlathetes moestus, also known as the Gloomy Antlion, is a very large insect from southern Africa that is one of the biggest antlions in the world. Key facts include its impressive size (wingspan up to 160mm), distinct appearance with a grey, hairy thorax and reddish-pink legs, and its large, black larvae that live freely in the soil. It is common in northern South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, with adults active in late summer (March to April).
Identification and appearance
Size: Very large, with a wingspan up to 160mm. It is one of the largest antlion species globally.
Thorax: Grey and very hairy, with a lighter coloration on top compared to the sides.
Abdomen: Dark grey.
Legs: Dull to bright reddish-pink.
Wings: Long and broad-tipped.
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Monday, 11 April 2022
20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - WESTERN GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea ssp. cinerea)
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The term "western grey heron" is a variation of Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), a large, long-legged wading bird found in wetlands across much of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It has grey upperparts, a white head with black stripes leading to a crest, and a yellowish-pink bill. Known for its calm foraging behavior, it hunts by standing still and striking quickly at fish, amphibians, and small mammals.
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Appearance
Plumage: Ashy-grey on the back and wings, with a greyish-white underside.
Head: White with a black stripe running from above the eye to the back of the head, where it forms a crest.
Neck: Light colored with dark streaks on the front.
Bill: Long, strong, and yellowish-pink, becoming brighter in the breeding season.
Legs: Long and brownish.
Size: Stands about 1 meter tall with a wingspan of around 1.75 meters.
Behavior and diet
Foraging: Stalks or stands motionless in the water, waiting for prey to come close.
20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - PANAFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL (Motacilla aguimp ssp. vidua)
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The African pied wagtail, or African wagtail, (Motacilla aguimp) is a species of bird in the family Motacillidae.
A striking black and white wagtail with black upperparts contrasting with white underparts, it has a white supercilium and a white patch in the folded wing. Juvenile birds are greyer, while birds of the nominate subspecies show grey flanks. They are 20 cm (7.9 in) long.
The African pied wagtail is found in sub-Saharan Africa from the Eastern Cape north to extreme southern Egypt and from Guinea to western Eritrea and Somalia. It is a vagrant to Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mauritania, and the Western Cape.
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The African pied wagtail inhabits subtropical or tropical, seasonally wet or flooded, lowland grassland, rivers, and sometimes freshwater marshes. In some areas, it is commensal with humans in towns and villages.
In Malawi, African pied wagtails start breeding before the rains and continue to breed into the rainy season; they breed during six months, peaking in March and October. Both the males and females participate in nest building, but only the females incubate, and both sexes feed the young. The mean clutch in Malawi was found to be 3.9 eggs.
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The African pied wagtail is monogamous; the cup-shaped nest is lined with grass and feathers and is usually situated near water in a convenient tangle of sticks. In settlements, the nest may be located on buildings. The nests of the African pied wagtail are parasitised by the red-chested cuckoo Cuculus solitarius and the diderick cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius. The chicks have been recorded as prey of Burchell's coucal Centropus burchellii.
The African pied wagtail is mainly insectivorous, but also feeds on other invertebrates, grass seeds, tadpoles, small fish, and scraps of human food.
Among the wagtails, the African pied wagtail is most similar in appearance to the recently discovered Mekong wagtail, and genetic evidence suggests that the two are each other's closest relatives and are each just as related to other black-and-white wagtails such as the white wagtail M. alba complex or the white-browed wagtail M. maderaspatensis.
20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - AFRICAN DARTER (Anhinga rufa)
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The African darter is a waterbird native to sub-Saharan Africa, known for its long neck and ability to dive and hunt fish. It is also called a "snakebird" because it swims with only its S-shaped neck and head visible above the water. The African darter's specialized feathers allow it to remain submerged, and it can immediately take flight after emerging from the water.
Physical characteristics
Size: They range from about 80 to 95 cm long and weigh 1 to 1.4 kg.
Plumage: Adult males are glossy black with a rusty-orange neck and a white stripe from the eye down the side of the neck. Females and juveniles are duller brown.
Bill: They have a long, dagger-like bill with tiny, backward-pointing notches to help hold onto prey.
Feet: Their webbed feet have four toes and are set far back on their body, making them excellent swimmers but clumsy on land.
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Sunday, 10 April 2022
19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - BROWN CROWNED TCHAGRA (Tchagra australis)
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The brown-crowned tchagra (Tchagra australis) is a species of bird in the family Malaconotidae.
It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Eswatini, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and dry savanna.
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19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - WHITE BROWED SPARROW WEAVER (Plocepasser mahili)
The white-browed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali) is a predominantly brown, sparrow-sized bird found throughout central and north-central southern Africa. It is found in groups of two to eleven individuals consisting of one breeding pair and other non-reproductive individuals.
The white-browed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali) is a predominantly brown, sparrow-sized bird found throughout central and north-central southern Africa. It is found in groups of two to eleven individuals consisting of one breeding pair and other non-reproductive individuals.
During his expedition to the interior of southern Africa in 1834–35, Andrew Smith collected specimens of the white-browed sparrow weaver at the Modder River, which he described in 1836, giving it the scientific name Plocepasser mahali.
19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - LAUGHING DOVE (Streptopelia senegalensis)
The Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) is a small, graceful pigeon with a long tail, known for its gentle, unassuming presence across a vast range. Exhibiting a pinkish-brown underside with a lilac-tinged head and neck, this dove carries an air of delicate beauty. The species is recognized by its pinkish head and underparts, transitioning to buff on the lower abdomen. Adults boast a distinctive chequered rufous and grey patch on the neck, composed of split feathers, while the upper parts are brownish with a bluish-grey wing band.
When observing the Laughing Dove, look for its slim profile, about 25 cm in length, and the graduated tail with white-tipped outer feathers. Both sexes appear similar, making field identification by gender challenging. Juveniles can be identified by the absence of the chequered neck markings. The red legs are another characteristic feature to note.
This species thrives in dry scrub and semi-desert regions, often seen in pairs as they forage on the ground. It has adapted well to human habitation, becoming quite tame in areas where people are present.
The Laughing Dove has a broad range that includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Western Australia. It is a resident breeder in these areas, with some populations showing sedentary behavior, while others may exhibit local movements.
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10-4-2022 TARRAGONA, SPAIN - SAVI'S WARBLER (Locustella luscinioides)
The "song"ⓘ is a monotonous mechanical insect-like reeling, often given at dusk. It is similar to the song of other species in the group, but is generally faster and deeper and bears a strong resemblance to that of Roesel's bush-cricket.
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