Sunday, 20 March 2022
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Saturday, 19 March 2022
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Tuesday, 15 March 2022
6-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - BLUE BILLED TEAL (Spatula hottentota)
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The blue-billed teal, spotted teal or Hottentot teal (Spatula hottentota) is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Spatula. It is migratory resident in eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia west to Niger and Nigeria and south to South Africa and Namibia. In west Africa and Madagascar it is sedentary.
The blue-billed teal breed year round, depending on rainfall, and stay in small groups or pairs. They build nests above water in tree stumps and use vegetation. Ducklings leave the nest soon after hatching, and the mother's parenting is limited to providing protection from predators and leading young to feeding areas. This species is omnivorous and prefers smaller shallow bodies of water.
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The blue-billed teal is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The status of the blue-billed teal on the IUCN Red List is Least Concern.
Several authorities still refer to this species as the Hottentot teal, however, as the word "Hottentot" is an offensive term for the Khoisan people, there has been a movement to change the vernacular name.
Blue-billed teal is considered monotypic, with no subspecies being recognised.
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Adult males have dark brown crown contrasting with paler face, throat, breast and side except for a blackish thumb-shaped patch on the ear region. The back of the neck is spotted with black and this spotting extends down through the neck and become intensively spotted on the breast, the spots appear to be larger and less obvious on the light brown flanks and abdomen, and the posterior underparts and under tail coverts becoming vermiculated with black. The scapulars and tail are dark brown to black, the upper wing surface is blackish as well, with the coverts giving a greenish gloss. An iridescent green speculum exists on the secondaries, bounded posteriorly by narrow black and terminal white bars. The iris is brown, the legs and feet are bluish gray, and the bill is light bluish gray with a blackish culmen and nail.
Females have browner crowns, they have less contrasting facial markings and more rounded scapulars, the under tail coverts are not vermiculated, and the wing is less glossy and colorful than that of an adult male.
Juveniles resemble adult females but are duller throughout the body and less distinctively marked with spots. Ducklings have grayish brown underparts and yellowish grey below, the cheeks is paler with pinky puff wash and grey-brown ear patch.
Monday, 14 March 2022
6-6-2019 MOREMI, BOTSWANA - LUAPULA CISTICOLA (Cisticola luapula)
The Luapula Cisticola (Cisticola luapula) is a small, streaky, long-tailed bird of African wetlands, known for its bright rufous (reddish-brown) cap and wings in breeding plumage, contrasting with its grey back and pale belly, inhabiting marshes, reedbeds, and floodplains from Zambia to Botswana and Namibia, feeding on insects and building intricate grass nests. They're best identified by their distinctive "pleek-chek" songs and aerial displays, often confusingly similar to other Cisticolas like the Chirping Cisticola, but separable by sound and slight visual differences.
Key Facts:
Habitat: Thrives in tropical wetlands, river edges, floodplains, and dambos (seasonal wetlands).
Appearance: Mid-sized with a long tail; breeding plumage shows rufous crown/wings, grey back; non-breeding is browner.
Sound: Distinctive song: "pleek" notes followed by lower "chek" sounds, plus aerial display calls.
Diet: Insects, gleaning from reeds and vegetation.
Nesting: Female builds an oval grass nest with plant down, often above water, laying 2-3 eggs.
Distribution: Central and Southern Africa (Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe).
Behavior: Year-round resident, vocal during rainy season, territorial.
Sunday, 13 March 2022
5-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - AFRICAN JACANA (Actophilornis africanus)
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The African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) is a wader in the family Jacanidae. It has long toes and long claws that enables it to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, its preferred habitat. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. For the origin and pronunciation of the name, see Jacanidae.
The African jacanas is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird. It measures 23 to 31 cm (9.1 to 12.2 in) in overall length. As in other jacanas, the female is on average larger than the male. Males can weigh from 115 to 224 g (4.1 to 7.9 oz), averaging 137 g (4.8 oz) and females from 167 to 290 g (5.9 to 10.2 oz), averaging 261 g (9.2 oz). Alongside the similarly-sized Madagascar jacana, this appears to be the heaviest jacana species. They have chestnut upperparts with black wingtips, rear neck, and eyestripe. The underparts are also chestnut in the adults, only in juveniles they are white with a chestnut belly patch. The blue bill extends up as a coot-like head shield, and the legs and long toes are grey.
5-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - MARABOU STORK (Leptoptilos crumenifer)
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Marabou Storks possess hollow leg and toe bones. In such a large bird, this is an important adaptation for flight.
These birds secure much of their food by scavenging. They are attracted to lion kills, domestic stockyards, plowed fields, and rubbish piles.
Marabou Storks are also attracted to grass fires and will march in front of the advancing fire to grab any fleeing animals.
These storks may associate with herds of large mammals in order to catch insects disturbed by their movements.
These birds have been known to feed on adult flamingoes.
These storks need to eat more than 700 g (1.6 lbs.) of food a day.
The pouch on their throat is not used for food storage and may be used during courtship.
Marabou Storks nest in the dry season when carrion and evaporating pools that contain the natural prey necessary to raise their young are available.
Marabou Storks are known to consume carrion. They break through the thick hides of large, deceased mammals with their powerful beak. This helps to speed up the decomposition process and allows for other weaker scavengers to have access to the carcass. In addition, they are important predators, frequently seen standing on termite mounds ingesting swarming insects. In turn, these birds themselves are prey for large carnivores.
This species is hunted and traded at traditional medicine markets in Nigeria.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognizes Busch Gardens Tampa Bay as the first to successfully breed this species.
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