28-4-2022 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - YELLOW CROWNED GONALEK (Laniarius barbarus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/8209-Laniarius-barbarus

18-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - AFRICAN GREY HORNBILL (Lophoceros nasutus)

The African grey hornbill (Lophoceros nasutus) is a member of the hornbill family of mainly tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World. It is a widespread resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa and the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. The African grey hornbill has escaped or been deliberately released into Florida, USA, but there is no evidence that the population is breeding and may only persist due to continuing releases or escapes.

18-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - RAINBOW SKINK (Trachylepis margaritifera)

The Rainbow Skink, or Five-lined Skink, is an active lizard occurring in rocky terrain in savanna habitats from Kwazulu-Natal, through the Lowveld and Limpopo Valley to as far north as Kenya. They feed primarily on insects and other invertebrates. Males are territorial. Females lay one, perhaps two, clutches of 6-10 eggs in summer, with the baby skinks emerging around two months later.

Females, adolescents and immature males exhibit the distinct lines and brilliant blue tails associated with this species, while the adult males have an olive base-colouration speckled with tiny white spots. Adults may grow to 20cm in length, including the tail. The IUCN lists the Rainbow Skink as being of least concern.

The Rainbow Skink (trachylepis margaritifera) is found in southern Africa, from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa to southern Malawi. Some isolated populations occur in central to southeastern Tanzania and southern Kenya. 

12-4-2022 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GEOMETER MOTH (Charissa mucidaria)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/325525-Charissa-mucidaria

18-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWEE - WHITE CRESTED HELMUTSHRIKE (Prionops plumatus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/117070-Prionops-plumatus

18-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWEE - YELLOW BELLIED GREENBUL (Chlorocichla flaviventris)

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.

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)

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.

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.

18-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - FORK TAILED DRONGO (Dicrurus adsimilis)

The fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), also called the common drongo or African drongo, is a small bird found from the Sahel to South Africa that lives in wooded habitats, particularly woodlands and savannas. They are part of the family Dicruridae and have four recognized subspecies, D. a adsimilis, D. a. apivorus, D. a. fugax and D. a. jubaensis. Like other drongos, the fork-tailed is mostly insectivorous; its diet mainly consists of butterflies, termites, and grasshoppers.

Physically, this species is characterized with a narrow fork-shaped tail, red-brownish eyes, and black plumage throughout all of its body.

The fork-tailed drongo is known for its ability to deceptively mimic other bird alarm calls in order for a certain animal to flee the scene so it can steal their food (kleptoparasitism). They are also notorious for displaying an aggressive and fearless behaviour by attacking and chasing off much larger animals, including birds of prey, when their nest or young are threatened. Due to its extensive range and stable population, the fork-tailed drongo is classified by the IUCN Red List as a least-concern species.

The fork-tailed drongo is a common and widespread resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara. These insect-eating birds are usually found in open woodland, savanna and forest edge and are tolerant of arid climates. Its range was formerly considered to include Asia, but the Asian species is now called the black drongo (D. macrocercus). The bird can be found at heights as high as 2200 meters.

The bird has a robust black beak and red eyes. Young birds are born without feathers, with reddish skin, an orange mouth, yellow gape flanges, brown eyes and a black beak. Adolescent birds are dark brown with a few buff-colored feather tips, less defined tail fork, brown or grey eyes, and a pale-colored mouth. They look similar to adults but lack shine on the lower body and have pale feathers on certain parts. Both males and females have black bodies with a blue-green sheen on certain areas. The belly and lower body are entirely black in contrast to the glossy black-blue upper body. The long tail is deeply forked and black. The tail measures around 115–126 mm in length and 19–23 mm in depth. They have short legs and a wingspan of 134 mm. These birds have a bill depth of 0,4 mm and a bill length of 2.8 mm.

After breeding, adult birds undergo a full molt, typically occurring from December to March in Southern Africa and varying months in other regions. Young birds retain their immature plumage until the next breeding season. The post-juvenile molt is a partial process that begins before the growth of new wing and tail feathers after the nesting period. Leucism has been spotted in the fork-tailed drongo.

19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - 19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - GLOOMY ANTLION MOTH Lachlathetes moestus)

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. 

19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN GREATER KUDU (FEMALE) (Tragelaphus Strepsiceros)

The Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found in Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, Greater kudus are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching.

Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish-grey to reddish-brown. They possess between 4 and 12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head is usually darker in color than the rest of the body and exhibits a small white v-shaped mark that runs between the eyes. Bulls tend to be much larger than cows, and vocalize much more; they also have beards running along their throats and large horns with two and a half twists.

The range of Greater kudu extends from the east in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritrea, and Kenya into the south where they are found in Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Other regions where they occur are the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Swaziland, and Uganda. These antelopes live in mixed scrub woodlands and bush on abandoned fields and degraded pastures, mopane bush, and acacia in lowlands, hills, and mountains. They will occasionally venture onto plains only if there is a large abundance of bushes but normally avoid such open areas to avoid becoming an easy target for their predators.

19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana)

The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one of two extant species of African elephant. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with fully grown bulls reaching an average shoulder height of 3.04–3.36 metres (10.0–11.0 ft) and a body mass of 5.2–6.9 tonnes (5.7–7.6 short tons); the largest recorded specimen had a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) and an estimated body mass of 10.4 tonnes (11.5 short tons). The African bush elephant is characterised by its long prehensile trunk with two finger-like processes; a convex back; large ears which help reduce body heat; and sturdy tusks that are noticeably curved. The skin is grey with scanty hairs, and bending cracks which support thermoregulation by retaining water.

The African bush elephant inhabits a variety of habitats such as forests, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and agricultural land. It is a mixed herbivore feeding mostly on grasses, creepers, herbs, leaves, and bark. The average adult consumes about 150 kg (330 lb) of vegetation and 230 L (51 imp gal; 61 US gal) of water each day. A social animal, the African bush elephant often travels in herds composed of cows and their offspring. Adult bulls usually live alone or in small bachelor groups. During the mating season, males go through a process called musth, a period of high testosterone levels and heightened aggression. For females, the menstrual cycle lasts three to four months, and gestation around 22 months, the longest of any mammal.

Since 2021, the African bush elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is threatened foremost by habitat destruction, and in parts of its range also by poaching for meat and ivory. Between 2003 and 2015, the illegal killing of 14,606 African bush elephants was reported by rangers across 29 range countries. Chad is a major transit country for smuggling of ivory in West Africa. This trend was curtailed by raising penalties for poaching and improving law enforcement. Poaching of the elephant has dated back to the 1970s and 80s, which were considered the largest killings in history. In human culture, elephants have been extensively featured in literature, folklore and media, and are most valued for their large tusks in many places.

Savanna elephants live in a rather complex social hierarchy. These animals gather into family units, consisting of about 10 females and their offspring. Reaching maturity, male calves usually leave the family unit, forming bachelor herds or living solitarily. As a general rule, males socialize with these family groups only when mating. Meanwhile, several family herds may gather together, making up a 'clan'. Each clan is dominated by a female matriarch and can consist of as many as several hundred elephants. African bush elephants are very careful and protective animals. Allomothering is a common practice in this species: females can raise calves of other females of their herd.

They protect and care for the calves of the herd, while all adults are sleeping. If a calf strays too far, these allomothers are responsible for retrieving the baby. These active animals are constantly on the move. These elephants forage during the daytime hours, wandering the home range of their herd. Savanna elephants freely communicate with conspecifics both verbally and non-verbally.

The African bush elephant is the largest and heaviest living land animal. Under optimal conditions where individuals are capable of reaching full growth potential, fully grown mature males are about 3.20 m (10.5 ft) tall at the shoulder and weigh 6.0 t (6.6 short tons) on average (with 90% of fully grown males under optimal conditions being between 3.04–3.36 m (10.0–11.0 ft) and 5.2–6.9 t (5.7–7.6 short tons).

 Mature fully grown females are smaller at about 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in) tall at the shoulder and 3.0 t (3.3 short tons) in weight on average under optimal growth conditions (with 90% of fully grown females ranging between 2.47–2.73 m (8 ft 1 in – 8 ft 11 in) and 2.6–3.5 t (2.9–3.9 short tons) in optimal conditions).

The maximum recorded shoulder height of an adult bull is 3.96 m (13.0 ft), with this individual having an estimated weight of 10.4 t (11.5 short tons). Another individual with a similar weight of more than 10 t (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons) was found in Kenya in 2025, making it one of the largest elephants ever recorded. Elephants attain their maximum stature when they complete the fusion of long-bone epiphyses, occurring in males around the age of 40 and females around 25 years of age.

20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - WESTERN GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea ssp. cinerea)

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. 

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)

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.

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.

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)

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. 

11-4-2022 GANDIA MARJAL, VALENCIA - MALLARD (FEMALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/6930-Anas-platyrhynchos

11-4-2022 GANDIA MARJAL, VALENCIA - DOMESTIC MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos var. domesticus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/236935-Anas-platyrhynchos-domesticus

11-4-2022 GANDIA MARJAL, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13858-Passer-domesticus

11-4-2022 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea eugeniata)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/318960-Idaea-eugeniata

19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - BROWN CROWNED TCHAGRA (Tchagra australis)

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.

19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana)

The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one of two extant species of African elephant. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with fully grown bulls reaching an average shoulder height of 3.04–3.36 metres (10.0–11.0 ft) and a body mass of 5.2–6.9 tonnes (5.7–7.6 short tons); the largest recorded specimen had a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) and an estimated body mass of 10.4 tonnes (11.5 short tons). The African bush elephant is characterised by its long prehensile trunk with two finger-like processes; a convex back; large ears which help reduce body heat; and sturdy tusks that are noticeably curved. The skin is grey with scanty hairs, and bending cracks which support thermoregulation by retaining water.

19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - SMITH'S BUSH SQUIRREL (Paraderus Cepapi)

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.

20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN RED BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus rufirostris)

The southern red-billed hornbill (Tockus rufirostris) is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae, which is native to the savannas and dryer bushlands of southern Africa. It is replaced by a near-relative, the Damara red-billed hornbill, in the arid woodlands of western Namibia. All five red-billed hornbills were formerly considered conspecific.

The sexes are similar, but males are larger and heavier. Males also have somewhat longer bills, with the lower mandible coloured black to a variable extent. It is distinguishable from other red-billed hornbills by the combination of yellow iris and pale orbital skin (pink to greyish), and the ample blackish plumage streaking from the ear coverts to the side of the neck. The throat is white, and the wing coverts clearly spotted.

The call consists of an accelerating series notes, kuk kuk kuk ... which ends in a crescendo of double notes, kuk-we kuk-we. Unlike other red-billed hornbills, Southern red-billed hornbills do not raise their wings in display.

It is found from Malawi and Zambia to southern Angola, northeastern Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, eastern Eswatini and northern South Africa (Transvaal and northern KZN province). It occurs in the upper Zambezi valley of Mozambique, but is mostly absent from the eastern lowlands.

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.

19-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN DARK CAPPED BULBUL (Pycnonotus barbatus ssp. layardi)

The Dark-capped Bulbul (Pycnonotus tricolor), also known as the Black-eyed Bulbul or Common Bulbul, is a widespread and conspicuous bird found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. 

Key Facts

Appearance: A medium-sized (around 20 cm) bird with grayish-brown upperparts and a distinctive dark head that has a short, pointy crest. The underparts are a paler greyish-white, but a key feature is its bright yellow vent (undertail coverts). Sexes look similar in plumage.

Habitat: Highly adaptable, it thrives in a variety of wooded and bushy environments, including riverine forests, orchards, parks, and suburban gardens. It avoids only dense, evergreen forests or treeless deserts.

Diet: Omnivorous and highly flexible in its diet. It primarily feeds on fruits, berries, seeds, nectar, and flower petals, but also hawks for insects and small invertebrates, especially when breeding.

Behavior: It is a social and noisy bird, typically seen in pairs or small groups. They are known for being alert and are often one of the first species to sound an alarm when a predator is spotted. Their flight is described as bouncy.Vocalization: Possesses a loud, cheerful, and varied call, which has been transcribed as "doctor-quick doctor-quick be-quick be-quick" or a phrase sounding like "Wake-up, Gregory". They also have harsh chattering alarm calls.

Breeding: They are monogamous and territorial during the breeding season. The female builds a neat, cup-shaped nest well-concealed in dense foliage using twigs, grass, and roots. She typically lays a clutch of two to three eggs, which she incubates for about two weeks. The male brings food to the female at the nest and helps feed the chicks after they hatch. Their nests are sometimes parasitized by the Jacobin Cuckoo. 

10-4-2022 TARRAGONA, SPAIN - SAVI'S WARBLER (Locustella luscinioides)

This small passerine bird is found in reed beds, usually with some bushes. Three to six eggs are laid in a nest in reeds. The adult has an unstreaked grey-brown back, whitish grey underparts and a lack of throat streaks, which is a distinction from the river warbler. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are yellower below. Like most warblers, it is insectivorous. This is not a shy species, but can be difficult to see in the reeds except sometimes when singing.

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.

10-4-2022 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - YELLOW BELLIED SLIDER TERRAPIN (Trachemys scripta)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/39793-Trachemys-scripta-scripta