28-12-2023 NJAU, GAMBIA - NAMAQUA DOVE (JUVENILE)

The Namaqua dove (Oena capensis) is a small pigeon. It is the only species in the genus Oena. It is found over much of Sub-Saharan Africa as well as Arabia and Madagascar.

The Namaqua dove is a tiny sparrow-sized pigeon, typically 22 cm in length with a 28–33 cm wingspan, and weighing 40g. It has a very long black tapered tail, and the size and shape have led to comparison with the budgerigar. The plumage is mostly grey apart from a white belly, and chestnut primary feathers which are visible in flight.

The adult male has a yellow and red beak and a black face, throat and breast. The adult female lacks the black and has a red-based grey bill. Young birds are dark blotched on the wings and shoulders, and otherwise resemble the females.

The song is a quiet, short, double hoo, higher on the longer second note kuh-whooo, mournful and frequently repeated.

28-12-2023 NJAU, GAMBIA - CHESTNUT BACKED SPARROW LARK (Eremopterix leucotis) (FEMALE)

The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark (Eremopterix leucotis) is a passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark was originally placed in the genus Loxia. It was later moved to the Lark family Alaudidae under the genus Eremopterix which includes all other sparrow-lark species. Alternate names for this species include: chestnut-backed finch-lark and white-cheeked sparrow-lark.

Five subspecies are recognized:

Senegal chestnut-backed finch-lark (E. l. melanocephalus) - (Lichtenstein, MHK, 1823): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Alauda. Found from Senegal and Gambia to central Sudan

E. l. leucotis - (Stanley, 1814): Found in southern and eastern Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and northwestern Somalia

East African chestnut-backed finch-lark (E. l. madaraszi) - (Reichenow, 1902): Found from southern Somalia and Kenya to northern Malawi and northern Mozambique

E. l. hoeschi - White, CMN, 1959: Found from southern Angola and northern Namibia to western Zimbabwe

South African chestnut-backed finch-lark (E. l. smithi) - (Bonaparte, 1850): Found from southern Zambia and southern Malawi to eastern South Africa.

This is a small lark at 11 cm. The male is striking, with solid black underparts and head apart from brilliant white patches on the nape and behind the eyes. The upperparts and wings are chestnut with some dark streaking. The thick bill is grey.

The female chestnut-backed sparrow-lark is a drabber bird with heavily streaked buff-white underparts and head, and a white nape collar. The upperparts are chestnut with mottling. Young birds are like the female.

This lark is a bird of open dry habitats such as open grassland and arid savanna, preferring recently burned turf, open fields, and gravel plains. They shuffle along in bare patches foraging for seeds and insects. They are both resident and nomadic, although movements are poorly understood. It is often found in mixed flocks with Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark where their ranges overlap in NE Africa.

28-12-2023 NJAU, GAMBIA - SPUR WINGED LAPWING (Vanellus spinosus)

The spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae.

It is one of several species of wader supposed to be the "trochilus" bird said by Herodotus to have been involved in an unattested cleaning symbiosis with the Nile crocodile.

The spur-winged lapwing breeds around the eastern Mediterranean, and in a wide band from sub-Saharan west Africa to Arabia. The Greek and Turkish breeders are migratory, but other populations are resident. The species is declining in its northern range, but is abundant in much of tropical Africa, being seen at almost any wetland habitat in its range. The spur-winged lapwing is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds applies.

In eastern and southern Africa the species has seen a range increase, entering Zambia for the first time in 1999 and spreading south and west.

These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are medium-large waders with black crown, chest, foreneck stripe and tail. The face, the rest of the neck and belly are white and the wings and back are light brown. The bill and legs are black. Its striking appearance is supplemented by its noisy nature, with a loud did-he-do-it call. The bird's common name refers to a small claw or spur hidden in each of its wings.

This species has a preference for marshes and similar freshwater wetland habitats. The food of the spur-winged lapwing is insects and other invertebrates, which are picked from the ground.

It lays four blotchy yellowish eggs on a ground scrape. The spur-winged lapwing is known to sometimes use the wing-claws in an attack on animals and, rarely, people, who get too close to the birds' exposed offspring.

The "spur-winged plover" was identified by Henry Scherren as the "trochilus" bird said by the Greek historian Herodotus[3] to be involved in what would now be called a cleaning symbiosis with the Nile crocodile. However, there is no reliable evidence that this or any other species in fact has such a relationship, although Cott does record that spur-winged plovers are the birds that most often feed around basking crocodiles, and are tolerated by them.

28-12-2023 NJAU, GAMBIA - NAMAQUA DOVE (Oena capensis)

The Namaqua dove (Oena capensis) is a small pigeon. It is the only species in the genus Oena. It is found over much of Sub-Saharan Africa as well as Arabia and Madagascar.

The Namaqua dove is a tiny sparrow-sized pigeon, typically 22 cm in length with a 28–33 cm wingspan, and weighing 40g. It has a very long black tapered tail, and the size and shape have led to comparison with the budgerigar. The plumage is mostly grey apart from a white belly, and chestnut primary feathers which are visible in flight.

The adult male has a yellow and red beak and a black face, throat and breast. The adult female lacks the black and has a red-based grey bill. Young birds are dark blotched on the wings and shoulders, and otherwise resemble the females.

The song is a quiet, short, double hoo, higher on the longer second note kuh-whooo, mournful and frequently repeated.

The dove is a widespread resident breeding bird in Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar with its range extending into the Arabian Peninsula southern Israel and Jordan. It is found in near desert with acacia and bushes. The namaqua dove is prone to wander out its original range, it is now being recorded south Asian countries. In Pakistan this species is recorded near shore waters off Paradise Point, Karachi on Friday, 14 October 2016. In India, the species has been observed multiple times near Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary.

The dove is quite terrestrial, and usually forages on open ground and roadsides. The food is almost exclusively minute seeds, such as those of grasses, sedges and weeds. It is not gregarious, being encountered singly or in pairs, though they may form larger flocks at waterholes. The flight is fast with clipped beats and a tendency to stay low.

It builds a stick nest in a bush.

It lays two white eggs, which are incubated for 16 days in typical pigeon fashion; the female at night and early morning and the male from mid morning till late afternoon. 

28-12-2023 NJAU, GAMBIA - GREATER PAINTED SNIPE (Rostratula benghalensis)

The greater painted-snipe or goudsnip (Rostratula benghalensis) is a species of wader in the family Rostratulidae. They are widely distributed across Africa and southern Asia. The birds are found in a variety of wetland habitats, including swamps and the edges of larger water bodies such as lakes and rivers.

Greater painted-snipe are very widely distributed; in mainland Africa as well as Madagascar and the Seychelles; in India, and Southeast Asia. Within Africa, they are found in the Nile River Valley and in the non-rainforested areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. They are notably absent from the eastern portion of Somalia, from the desert areas of Namibia, and from parts of Botswana and South Africa.uncommon within their range. There are between 31,000 and 1,000,000 mature individuals alive, according to BirdLife International.

28-12-2023 NJAU, GAMBIA - CUT-THROAT FINCH (MALE AND FEMALE) (Amadina fasciata)

The cut-throat finch (Amadina fasciata) is a common species of estrildid finch found throughout Africa; it is also known as the bearded finch, the ribbon finch, the cut throat, and the weaver finch.

The cut-throat finch has plumage that is pale, sandy brown with flecks of black all over. It has a black-brown tail, a thick white chin and cheeks, and a chestnut brown patch on the belly. The legs are a pink fleshy colour. The adult male has a bright red band across its throat (thus the name "cut throat"), while the male juveniles have a slightly duller red band.

It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,300,000 km2. It is found throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the Sahel, eastern and southern parts of the continent.

Cut-throat finches usually use nests constructed by other birds . A clutch usually consists of 3 to 6 white eggs, which hatch after an incubation period of 12-13 days. The chicks leave the nest after 21-27 days but continue to be fed by their parents for a further three weeks. 

29-12-2023 BAKAU, GAMBIA - ABYSSINIAN ROLLER (Coracias abyssinicus)

The Abyssinian roller (Coracias abyssinicus), or Senegal roller, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa in a belt south of the Sahara, known as the Sahel. It is resident in the southern part of its range, but northern breeding populations are short-distance migrants, moving further south after the wet season.

The Abyssinian roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a jackdaw at 28–30 cm (11–12 in). It has a warm brown back, with the rest of the plumage mainly blue. Adults have 12 cm (4.7 in) long tail streamers. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult. Abyssinian roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings contrasting with the brown back and the long tail streamers trailing behind. The call of the Abyssinian roller is a harsh crow-like gak sound, or a screeched aaaargh. 

29-12-2023 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - RAINBOW AGAMA (Agama agama)

Rainbow lizards can occupy urban, suburban and wild areas that supply enough vegetation for reproduction and insects for food.

The agama lizard is characterized by its whitish underside, buff brown back limbs and tail with a slightly lighter stripe down the middle and six to seven dark patches to the side of this stripe. There is some sexual dimorphism. The subordinate males, females, and adolescents possess an olive green head. A blue body and yellow tail and head characterize the dominant male. A. agama has a large head separated from the body, a long tail, well-developed external ear openings and eyelids. This lizard also has acrodont, heterodont teeth. The lizard possesses both caniniform incisors for grasping and molariform cheekteeth for crushing. The maximum size for male lizards is twenty-five centimeters and female lizards is twenty centimeters (Harris 1964).

Females reach sexual maturity at age fourteen to eighteen months, males at two years. A. agama reproduces during the wet season although they are capable of reproducing nearly year round in areas of consistant rainfall(Porter et al. 1983). The male will approach the female from behind and head bob to her. If she accepts then she will arch her back with her tail and head raised. The male walks to her side and grasps her neck and puts his leg on the female's back, the pair swivel 90 degrees in order to bring their cloacas together and thrusts his tail onto her cloaca inserting his right or left hemipenes (depending on side location). This mating ritual usually lasts one to two minutes when the female will scurry away and the male also after several minutes (Harris 1964).

The female lays her eggs in a hole she digs with her snout and claws. The hole is five centimeters deep and is found in sandy, wet, damp soil that is exposed to sunlight nearly all day and covered by herbage or grasses. The eggs are usually laid in clutches ranging from five to seven ellipsoidal eggs. A. agama is a thermoregulated embryo species resulting in all males at twenty-nine degrees Celsius and all females at twenty-six to twenty-seven degrees Celsius (Crews et al. 1983). The eggs will hatch within eight to ten weeks. Hatchlings will be between 3.7 and 3.8 centimeters snoutvent plus their 7.5-centimeter tail. They will almost immediately start eating rocks, sand, plants, and insects. The adolescent will remain solitary for the first two months and by four months live in a gregarious group with a dominant male (cock), several females and some subordinate adolescent males (sub-males). The dominant male has mating distinction within his territory. If a sub-male or intruder tries to mate with his females then there is a challenge or fight. To gain territory males must establish a new territory with no cocks or dispose of the current cock (Harris 1964).

 

28-12-2023 NJAU, GAMBIA - EASTERN PARADISE WHYDAH (Vidua paradisaea)

The long-tailed paradise whydah or eastern paradise whydah (Vidua paradisaea) is from the family Viduidae of the order Passeriformes. They are small passerines with short, stubby bills found across Sub-Saharan Africa. They are mostly granivorous and feed on seeds that have ripen and fall on the ground. The ability to distinguish between males and females is quite difficult unless it is breeding season. During this time, the males molt into breeding plumage where they have one distinctive feature which is their long tail. It can grow up to three times longer than its own body or even more. Usually, the whydahs look like ordinary sparrows with short tails during the non-breeding season. In addition, hybridization can occur with these paradise whydahs. Males are able to mimic songs where females can use that to discover their mate. However, there are some cases where females don't use songs to choose their mate but they use either male characteristics like plumages or they can have a shortage of options with song mimicry. Paradise whydahs are brood parasites. They won't destroy the eggs that are originally there but will lay their own eggs in other songbirds nest. Overall, these whydahs are considered least concerned based on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.

Viduidae species differ from one another in size, in breeding plumage and color, and in the songs used for mating. These long-tailed paradise whydahs are hard to distinguish between males and females. Usually these paradise whydah finches grow to about 13 centimeters in length and weigh about 21 grams. Female whydahs tend to have a grey bill and feathers that are greyish-brown with blackish streaks along with their under tail feather being more white. Similarly, males during the non-breeding season tend to have mostly browner plumage with black stripes on the crown, black parts along the face, and deeper brown color for the chest and creamer color for the abdomen However, breeding males have black heads and back, the rusty colored breast, a bright yellow nape, and white abdomen with broad, elongated black tail feathers that can grow up to 36 centimeters or more.

The long-tailed paradise whydahs are found in grassland, savanna and open woodland where they live in bushed grassland around cultivation. Majority of the time, these whydahs stay away from surface waters.

The long-tailed paradise whydah are known to be brood parasites where they would lay their eggs in nests of other songbirds. Furthermore, they usually roost together in flocks during both breeding and non-breeding seasons. Males develop the ability to mimic songs of their host. Studies showed that female whydahs respond more strongly to songs mimicked by males of their own species than they do to closely related species. Females use this mimicry to eliminate among potential mates and prefer those raised by the same host species. Researchers discovered that hybridization can occur when female whydahs do not choose mates based on their song mimicry but instead on male traits such as plumage and flight displays if it is more important to them than song, or is restricted by the availability of males singing the appropriate host songs or if males is involved with unsolicited copulation with females of other parasitic species. Researchers discovered that these paradise whydahs mimic the songs of Melba Finch.

27-12-2023 KOTU CREEK, GAMBIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

The common greenshank (Tringa nebularia ) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name Tringa is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle. The specific nebularia is from Latin nebula "mist". Like the Norwegian Skoddefoll, this refers to the greenshank's damp marshy habitat. 

Its closest relative is the greater yellowlegs, which together with the spotted redshank form a close-knit group. Among them, these three species show all the basic leg and foot colours found in the shanks, demonstrating that this character is paraphyletic. They are also the largest shanks apart from the willet, which is altogether more robustly built. The greater yellowlegs and the common greenshank share a coarse, dark, and fairly crisp breast pattern as well as much black on the shoulders and back in breeding plumage.

This is a subarctic bird, breeding from northern Scotland eastwards across northern Europe and east across the Palearctic. It is a migratory species, wintering in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Australasia, usually on fresh water. It breeds on dry ground near marshy areas, laying about four eggs in a ground scrape.

Common greenshanks are brown in breeding plumage, and grey-brown in winter. When in water, they can appear very similar to marsh sandpipers but are distinguished by the shape of the lower bill which gives it an upturned appearance to the bill. They have long greenish legs and a long bill with a grey base. They show a white wedge on the back in flight. They are somewhat larger than the related common redshank. The usual call is a rapid series of three short fluty notes syllabilized as teu-teu-teu.

Like most waders, they feed on small invertebrates, but will also take small fish and amphibians.

28-12-2023 TENDABA, GANDIA - RUFOUS CROWNED ROLLER (Coracias naevius)

The name "purple roller" can also refer to the azure dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) of Indonesia.

The purple roller (Coracias naevius), or rufous-crowned roller, is a medium-sized bird widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared with other rollers its colours are rather dull and its voice harsh and grating.

The purple roller was formally described in 1800 by the French zoologist François Marie Daudin under the binomial name Coracias naevia. Daudin's description was based on a specimen collected in Senegal. The specific epithet is from Latin naevius meaning "spotted" or "marked". A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that the purple roller was most closely related to the racket-tailed roller (Coracias spatulatus).

The name "purple roller" can also refer to the azure dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) of Indonesia.

The purple roller (Coracias naevius), or rufous-crowned roller, is a medium-sized bird widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared with other rollers its colours are rather dull and its voice harsh and grating.

The purple roller was formally described in 1800 by the French zoologist François Marie Daudin under the binomial name Coracias naevia. Daudin's description was based on a specimen collected in Senegal. The specific epithet is from Latin naevius meaning "spotted" or "marked". A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that the purple roller was most closely related to the racket-tailed roller (Coracias spatulatus).

29-12-2023 BAKAU, GAMBIA - 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.

At 45–51 cm (18–20 in) in length, the African grey hornbill is a large bird, although it is one of the smaller hornbills. Its plumage is grey and brown, with the head, flight feathers and long tail being of a darker shade. There is a white line down each side of the crown and another down the back which is only visible in flight. Their long curved bills feature a small casque along the upper culmen, which is more prominent in males than females. A dark upper mandible with creamy-yellow mark or horizontal stripe is diagnostic of males, whereas females have tricoloured, red-tipped mandibles. The plumage of the male and female is similar. That of juveniles doesn't differ much from adults, but their bills are initially uniformly blackish. The flight is undulating. The similarly sized red-billed hornbills occur in similar savannah habitats but have pied plumage.

This conspicuous bird advertises its presence with a piping pee-o pee-o pee-o call.

African grey hornbill is widespread over much of sub-Saharan Africa. It prefers open woodland and savannah.

The female lays two to four white eggs in a tree hollow, which is blocked off during incubation with a cement made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just large enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks. When the chicks and female outgrow the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall, after which both parents feed the chicks.

The African grey hornbill is omnivorous, taking insects, fruit and reptiles. It feeds mainly in trees. 

27-12-2023 BRUFUT FOREST - LONG TAILED NIGHTJAR (Caprimulgus climacurus)

The long-tailed nightjar (Caprimulgus climacurus) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in multiple African countries including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda .

It is favoured habitat on the ground where litters of trees, weeds and bushes providing suitable condition matching with its colour.

A slim nightjar with a very elongated tail. Varies geographically; plumage usually rufous-brown or gray-brown, but locally dark brown. Both sexes have a large pale mark in the outer wing and along the sides of the tail, white in males and buff in females. Molting and non-breeding birds can have a shorter, though still elongated tail. Found in a wide variety of savanna and other open habitats. Similar to Slender-tailed Nightjar, but usually longer-tailed, and plumage is more rufous in the area where their ranges overlap. Call is a very fast, mechanical trill, higher-pitched than similar calls of other nightjars. Also gives a “chiow” call, often in flight.

A slim nightjar with a very elongated tail. Varies geographically; plumage usually rufous-brown or gray-brown, but locally dark brown. Both sexes have a large pale mark in the outer wing and along the sides of the tail, white in males and buff in females. Molting and non-breeding birds can have a shorter, though still elongated tail. Found in a wide variety of savanna and other open habitats. Similar to Slender-tailed Nightjar, but usually longer-tailed, and plumage is more rufous in the area where their ranges overlap. Call is a very fast, mechanical trill, higher-pitched than similar calls of other nightjars. Also gives a “chiow” call, often in flight.

25-12-2023 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - VINACEOUS DOVE (Streptopelia vinacea)

The vinaceous dove (Streptopelia vinacea) is a bird species in the pigeon family Columbidae that widely resident across the Sahel and Sudan (region).

The vinaceous dove is a small, stocky pigeon, typically 25cm in length. Its back, wings, and tail are pale brown. When flying, it shows a blackish underwing. The head and the underparts are pale pinkish-grey, and it has a black hind-neck patch edged with white. The legs are red, with white in the tail. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults. The call is a fast coo-cu-cu-coo.

The vinaceous dove is a common bird that is found in central and western African countries such as Senegal, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Nigeria.

This species is abundant in scrub and savannah. It builds a stick nest in a tree, often an acacia, and lays two white eggs. Its flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings is characteristic of pigeons in general. Vinaceous doves eat grass seeds, grains, and other vegetation. They are quite terrestrial, and usually forage on the ground. Unlike several other species in this genus, they are very gregarious and often feed in large group, frequently with other doves. 

25-12-2023 BAKAU, GAMBIA - YELLOW BILLED KITE (Milvus migrans ssp. parasitus)

The yellow-billed kite (Milvus aegyptius) is the Afrotropic counterpart of the black kite (Milvus migrans), of which it is most often considered a subspecies. However, DNA studies suggest that the yellow-billed kite differs significantly from black kites in the Eurasian clade, and should be considered as a separate, allopatric species.

As suggested by its name, the yellow-billed kite is easily recognized by its entirely yellow bill, unlike that of the black kite (which is present in Africa as a visitor during the North Hemisphere winter). However, immature yellow-billed kites resemble the black kites of the corresponding age.

They are found in almost all habitats, including parks in suburbia, but rare in the arid Namib and Karoo. They feed on a wide range of small vertebrates and insects, much of which is scavenged.

It is mostly an intra-African breeding migrant, present in Southern Africa July–March and sometimes as late as May. It is generally common. There are no threats to this species as stated by the IUCN.

 

26-12-2023 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - BROWN PLAYBOY BUTTERFLY (Deudorix antalus)

Deudorix antalus, the brown playboy, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Africa (including Madagascar) and south-west Arabia.

The wingspan is 22–34 mm for males and 22–40 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round with peaks from September to October and from March to May.

The larvae feed on the fruit of a wide range of plants, including Haplocoelum galiense, Schotia species (including S. afra and Schotia speciosa), Faidherbia albida, Syzygium species (including S. guineense), Ximenia species (including X. caffra, X. poppae), Acacia species (including A. stenocarpa), Prunus species (including Prunus persica ispahanensis), Cassia, Phaseolus lunatus, Sutherlandia, Crotalaria, Dolichos, Nymania capensis, Combretum, Quisqualis, Albizia, Baphia, Bauhinia, Burkea, Caesalpinia, Cajanus, Canavalia, Phaseolus, Pisum, Vigna, Macadamia, Olea, Paphia, Cardiospermum and Capsicum species. 

25-12-2023 ATLANTIC BLV, GAMBIA - BLACK KITE (Milvus migrans)

The black kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species of Accipitridae, although some populations have experienced dramatic declines or fluctuations. Current global population estimates run up to 6 million individuals.

Unlike others of the group, black kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They spend much time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food. Their angled wing and distinctive forked tail make them easy to identify. They are also vociferous with a shrill whinnying call.

The black kite is widely distributed through the temperate and tropical parts of Eurasia and parts of Australasia and Oceania, with the temperate region populations tending to be migratory. Several subspecies are recognized and formerly had their own English names. The European populations are small, but the South Asian population is very large.

Black kites can be distinguished from red kites by the slightly smaller size, less forked tail (visible in flight), and generally dark plumage without any rufous. The sexes are alike though the male is a little smaller and less aggressive (this is the case in most birds of prey). They weigh on average 735 grams. The upper plumage is brown but the head and neck tend to be paler. The patch behind the eye appears darker. The outer flight feathers are black and the feathers have dark cross bars and are mottled at the base. The lower parts of the body are pale brown, becoming lighter towards the chin. The body feathers have dark shafts giving it a streaked appearance. The cere and gape are yellow, but the bill is black (unlike that of the yellow-billed kite). The legs are yellow and the claws are black. They have a distinctive shrill whistle followed by a rapid whinnying call. Males and females have the same plumage but females are longer than males and have a little larger wingspan. Their wingspan is around 150 cm. 

25-12-2023 ATLANTIC BLV, GAMBIA - NILE MONITOR (Varanus niloticus)

The Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) is a large member of the monitor family (Varanidae) found throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in drier regions, and along the Nile River and its tributaries in East Africa. Additionally, there are modern, invasive populations in North America. The population found in West African forests and savannahs is sometimes recognized as a separate species, the West African Nile monitor (V. stellatus). While it is dwarfed by its larger relatives, such as the Komodo dragon, the Asian water monitor or the crocodile monitor, it is still one of the largest lizards in the world, reaching (and even surpassing) Australia’s perentie in size. Other common names include the African small-grain lizard, as well as iguana and various forms derived from it, such as guana, water leguaan or river leguaan (leguan, leguaan, and likkewaan mean monitor lizard in South African English, and can be used interchangeably).

A feral population of Nile monitors (descended from escaped or intentionally-released pets) has become established in several locations in South Florida. In addition to any illegally-released animals, it is speculated that during particularly intense hurricane seasons in Florida, many reptiles potentially escape when their enclosures are damaged or inadvertently unlocked; as Florida has a semi-tropical to tropical climate, many reptiles are housed outdoors, and poorly-secured enclosures may become damaged during bad storms. Along with Nile monitors, Florida is infamous for its feral populations of agamas, Argentine black and white tegus, Burmese pythons, green iguanas, Madagascar giant day geckos, and panther and veiled chameleons, among others. Many of these species are thought to be descendants of hurricane escapees. 

25-12-2023 ATLANTIC BLV, GAMBIA - RED BILLED FIREFINCH (MALE)

The red-billed firefinch or Senegal firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala) is a small seed-eating bird in the family Estrildidae. This is a resident breeding bird in most of Sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. It was introduced to Egypt, but the population there has become extinct. It was also introduced to southern Algeria where it is currently expanding northward.

The red-billed firefinch is 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. The adult male has entirely scarlet plumage apart from brown wings. The bill is pink, and there is a yellow eye-ring. Females have uniformly brown upperparts and buff underparts. There is a small red patch in front of both eyes, with the bill also being pink.

25-12-2023 ATLANTIC BLV, GAMBIA - HOODED VULTURE (Necrosyrtes monachus)

A small, mostly brown vulture with a small, naked, pink head covered with velvety white flufflike feathers. The slender, drooping, black beak and blue eye-ring are visible at close quarters and diagnostic when seen. Young birds have gray facial skin and brown fluff on the back of the neck. In flight, note rounded tail and silvery flight feathers. Rare and declining but widespread in open country, forest edge, and towns. While scavenging it is easily displaced from carcasses by larger and more aggressive vultures.

 It is the sole member of the genus Necrosyrtes, making this a monotypic genus within the family Accipitridae. This family includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks and they diverged from all other bird species 49.6 million years ago, during the Paleogene period. These birds practice monogamy, where males and females remain with one mate during a mating season, and will co-rear their young together as a team. Like other vultures, this species is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals and waste which it finds by soaring over savannah and around human habitation, including waste tips and abattoirs. They sometimes referred to as the “garbage collector” by locals. 

The major threats to this species include non-target poisoning, capture for traditional medicine and bushmeat – in Nigeria, a survey of medicinal traders found that Hooded Vulture was the most commonly traded species of culture, with 90% of all vulture parts traded belonging to the species, with an estimated 9,000 individuals traded over a six year period in West Africa. Declines have also been attributed to land conversion through development and improvements to abattoir hygiene and rubbish disposal. This species is widespread and found in a large number of protected areas. It is currently being surveyed in parts of its range, with larger scale monitoring planned. The Hawk Conservancy along with the Endangered Wildlife Trust are currently working on providing training and equipment for anti-poisoning teams so that field staff will have the skills and equipment to respond to a neutralise poisoned carcasses.

25-12-2023 ATLANTIC BLV, GAMBIA - RED BILLED FIREFINCH (FEMALE) (Lagonosticta senegala)

The red-billed firefinch or Senegal firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala) is a small seed-eating bird in the family Estrildidae. This is a resident breeding bird in most of Sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. It was introduced to Egypt, but the population there has become extinct. It was also introduced to southern Algeria where it is currently expanding northward.

The red-billed firefinch is 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. The adult male has entirely scarlet plumage apart from brown wings. The bill is pink, and there is a yellow eye-ring. Females have uniformly brown upperparts and buff underparts. There is a small red patch in front of both eyes, with the bill also being pink.

This widespread and abundant species is often found around human habitation, often with other species such as the red-cheeked cordon-bleu. Its soft queet-queet call is a familiar African sound. The song is a rising chick-pea-pea-pea.

The red-billed firefinch is a small gregarious bird which feeds mainly on grain and other seeds. It frequents open grassland and cultivation. The nest is a large domed grass structure with a side entrance, built low in a bush, wall or thatch into which three to six white eggs are laid. The nest of this species is parasitised by the village indigobird.