AW Challenge - Bird Check list of Rietvlei Nature Reserve

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733. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio

Identification
18 cm.
Male unlikely to be confused with any other shrike in region, with combination of brick red back and wings and grey head.
Female duller than male; lightly scalloped underparts and fine vermiculations on crown.
Juvenile: Similar to female but more heavily vermiculated above.


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Male

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Female

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Female

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203. Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris

Identification
56 cm; sexes alike. Bony casque on head, red facial skin and blue upper neck.
Juvenile: Browner body with reduced helmet; upper neck and throat feathered.


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520. White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis

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601. Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra

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143. Black-chested Snake-Eagle (Black-breasted Snake-Eagle) Circaetus pectoralis

Identification
66 cm; sexes alike. Unspotted white underparts, scaled (not feathered) lower legs, round head and conspicuous large yellow eyes. In flight easily differ­entiated by white (not brown) underwings with narrow black bars across secondaries.
Juvenile: Upperparts variable from pale to darkish brown, sometimes flecked with white. Underparts more rufous brown than juv Brown Snake-Eagle, becoming whiter with age. In flight, underwing coverts brown, flight feathers pale with 3 distinct narrow bars. Eyes yellow.


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732. Common Fiscal (Fiscal Shrike) Lanius collaris

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746. Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus

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713. Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis

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074. Green-backed Heron Butorides striatus

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Immature

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Immature

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595. Ant-eating Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora

Identification
18 cm; sexes aimilar. Dark brown plumage, with distinctive white wing patches in flight. Small white shoulder patch on male often not visible. Female lacks white shoulder patch, and is slightly paler brown.
Juvenile: Rusty wash and less white in wings.


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