463. Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri
Identification
110 cm. Sexes differ slightly; female has blue patch (variable in size) on bare skin under throat. Some males also have small blue spots on throat, so body and bill size (male larger) also important when separating sexes. Bare red skin on upper neck inflatable and all-white primary feathers normally only visible in flight.
Juvenile: Browner than adult. Facial skin initially pale grey-brown, turning yellow within a year, flecked red by 2 years, orange by 3 years and only fully red by 4-6 years.
© Toko
H4-2
© Flutterby
© Dewi
H1-3
© harrys
H1-6
© nan
23.5.2011
© Bush Brat
Juvenile. Near Phalaborwa Gate
© Amoli
H1-4 June 2012
© Duke
S119
© Tina
H1-2
© Mel
© ExFmem
H5 - Mpondo Dam area
© Amoli
Juvenile. Near Mooiplaas Picnic Spot December 2012
© Lisbeth
Southern Kruger
© Super Mongoose
October 2012, H1-4
© leachy
S21
© Richprins
H-14
© Pooky
S100
© Dindingwe
H1-3
© harrys
Kruger National Park Bird Challenge - Battle of the Sexes
473. Crested Barbet - 20 Points
473. Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii
Identification
24 cm; sexes fairly similar. Largest barbet in the area and only one that is sexually dimorphic. Yellow face speckled with red, black crest and chest band make it easily identifiable. Yellow and red underparts, and black back blotched in white. Female less brightly coloured.
Juvenile: Resembles female but browner on wings and has less red streaking below.
© Toko
Tamboti
© Flutterby
Biyamiti Weir
© Dewi
S56
© harrys
Lower Sabi camp
© nan
4.5.2011
© Bush Brat
Lower Sabie
© Duke
S119
© Tina
S 3
© ExFmem
Tamboti
© Mel
Tamboti
© steamtrainfan
Skukuza
© mposthumus
S65 – Waterhole Rd – 8/6/2009
© Super Mongoose
October 2012, Satara
© Lisbeth
Ntandanyathi Hide (S28)
© leachy
Lower Sabie
© leachy
Chick, Sabie River
© DIndingwe
Tamboti
© harrys
Letaba Camp
© Klipspringer
Identification
24 cm; sexes fairly similar. Largest barbet in the area and only one that is sexually dimorphic. Yellow face speckled with red, black crest and chest band make it easily identifiable. Yellow and red underparts, and black back blotched in white. Female less brightly coloured.
Juvenile: Resembles female but browner on wings and has less red streaking below.
© Toko
Tamboti
© Flutterby
Biyamiti Weir
© Dewi
S56
© harrys
Lower Sabi camp
© nan
4.5.2011
© Bush Brat
Lower Sabie
© Duke
S119
© Tina
S 3
© ExFmem
Tamboti
© Mel
Tamboti
© steamtrainfan
Skukuza
© mposthumus
S65 – Waterhole Rd – 8/6/2009
© Super Mongoose
October 2012, Satara
© Lisbeth
Ntandanyathi Hide (S28)
© leachy
Lower Sabie
© leachy
Chick, Sabie River
© DIndingwe
Tamboti
© harrys
Letaba Camp
© Klipspringer
486. Cardinal Woodpecker - 20 Points
486. Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens
Identification
15 cm; male larger than female. Conspicuously barred back and overall black and white appearance.
Male: Red crown and brownish forecrown. Heavily streaked cheeks and throat eliminate confusion with male Bennett's Woodpecker.
Female: Hind crown and nape black, not red.
Juvenile: Duller and greyer than adult; both sexes have red patch in centre of crown.
© Toko
Female, Timbavati picnic spot
© Dewi
Afsaal
© Duke
© Tina
Orpen
© Super Mongoose
October 2012, Satara
© ExFmem
Afsaal area
© leachy
© nan
22.3.2011
© Lisbeth
Southern Kruger 2012
Identification
15 cm; male larger than female. Conspicuously barred back and overall black and white appearance.
Male: Red crown and brownish forecrown. Heavily streaked cheeks and throat eliminate confusion with male Bennett's Woodpecker.
Female: Hind crown and nape black, not red.
Juvenile: Duller and greyer than adult; both sexes have red patch in centre of crown.
© Toko
Female, Timbavati picnic spot
© Dewi
Afsaal
© Duke
© Tina
Orpen
© Super Mongoose
October 2012, Satara
© ExFmem
Afsaal area
© leachy
© nan
22.3.2011
© Lisbeth
Southern Kruger 2012
522. Wire-tailed Swallow - 20 Points
522. Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
Identification
14.5 cm (streamers = 4 cm); sexes similar. Bright reddish-chestnut crown with dark mask through eyes and all-white breast, blue upperparts with darker flight feathers. Black vent band conspicuous in flight; outer tail feathers long, slender and wire-like (shorter in female).
Juvenile: Crown ashy brown, underparts buffy, outer tail feathers short.
© Toko
Sunset Dam
© Dewi
Babalala
© Flutterby
Sunset Dam
© nan
16.4.2011
© Duke
Luvuvhu Bridge
© BluTuna
© ExFmem
Lower Sabie Bridge
© Bush Brat
Lower Sabie Low-level Bridge
© steamtrainfan
Lower Sabie low level bridge
© Tina
Lake Panic
© leachy
Luvuvhu bridge
© Amoli
H14
© Dindingwe
Sand River Low-level Bridge
© harrys
Near Tshokwane
© Richprins
Luvhuvhu Bridge
Identification
14.5 cm (streamers = 4 cm); sexes similar. Bright reddish-chestnut crown with dark mask through eyes and all-white breast, blue upperparts with darker flight feathers. Black vent band conspicuous in flight; outer tail feathers long, slender and wire-like (shorter in female).
Juvenile: Crown ashy brown, underparts buffy, outer tail feathers short.
© Toko
Sunset Dam
© Dewi
Babalala
© Flutterby
Sunset Dam
© nan
16.4.2011
© Duke
Luvuvhu Bridge
© BluTuna
© ExFmem
Lower Sabie Bridge
© Bush Brat
Lower Sabie Low-level Bridge
© steamtrainfan
Lower Sabie low level bridge
© Tina
Lake Panic
© leachy
Luvuvhu bridge
© Amoli
H14
© Dindingwe
Sand River Low-level Bridge
© harrys
Near Tshokwane
© Richprins
Luvhuvhu Bridge
554. Southern Black Tit - 20 Points
554. Southern Black Tit Melaniparus niger, formerly Parus niger
Identification
16 cm; sexes similar. Noisy and easily detected species. Black bird with white shoulder-patch and white wing-feather edges; white-barred undertail coverts; black bill and legs. Brown eye. Female slightly duller and with greyer underparts.
Juvenile: Like female but buffier grey below and tail with narrower white tip.
© Toko
Male, Letaba camp
© nan
© Duke
Male, Biyamiti
© Lisbeth
Southern Kruger
© Dindingwe
Lower Sabie
© Flutterby
Near Letaba
© ExFmem
Mopani Area
Identification
16 cm; sexes similar. Noisy and easily detected species. Black bird with white shoulder-patch and white wing-feather edges; white-barred undertail coverts; black bill and legs. Brown eye. Female slightly duller and with greyer underparts.
Juvenile: Like female but buffier grey below and tail with narrower white tip.
© Toko
Male, Letaba camp
© nan
© Duke
Male, Biyamiti
© Lisbeth
Southern Kruger
© Dindingwe
Lower Sabie
© Flutterby
Near Letaba
© ExFmem
Mopani Area
568. Dark-capped Bulbul - 20 Points
568. Dark-capped Bulbul (formerly known as Black-eyed Bulbul) Pycnonotus tricolor
Identification
20 cm; sexes alike, male larger than female. Brown upperparts and white underparts, head being darker, breast brown. The vent is yellow. The eye is dark brown with a narrow black eye-ring.
Juvenile: Upperparts have rusty wash; otherwise similar to adult.
© Toko
Lower Sabie
© Flutterby
Lower Sabie Camp
© Dewi
Mahonie Loop
© Amoli
H1-2 April 2014
© Duke
Lower Sabie
© BluTuna
© nan
4.11.2009
© Mel
Lower Sabie Camp
© ExFmem
Satara
© steamtrainfan
© Tina
H 4-1
© Lisbeth
Southern Kruger
© leachy
Letaba Camp
© Dindingwe
Lower Sabie
© Richprins
Bateleur Camp
© Klipspringer
Lower Sabie
Identification
20 cm; sexes alike, male larger than female. Brown upperparts and white underparts, head being darker, breast brown. The vent is yellow. The eye is dark brown with a narrow black eye-ring.
Juvenile: Upperparts have rusty wash; otherwise similar to adult.
© Toko
Lower Sabie
© Flutterby
Lower Sabie Camp
© Dewi
Mahonie Loop
© Amoli
H1-2 April 2014
© Duke
Lower Sabie
© BluTuna
© nan
4.11.2009
© Mel
Lower Sabie Camp
© ExFmem
Satara
© steamtrainfan
© Tina
H 4-1
© Lisbeth
Southern Kruger
© leachy
Letaba Camp
© Dindingwe
Lower Sabie
© Richprins
Bateleur Camp
© Klipspringer
Lower Sabie
576. Kurrichane Thrush - 20 Points
576. Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana
Identification
23 cm; sexes alike. Pale grey upper parts, throat pale buff, malar region heavily streaked dark brown. Upper breast brown, grading to orange on sides of breast and flanks; belly and vent white. Bill, eye-ring, legs and feet orange.
Juvenile has mottled underparts and buffy tips to underwing coverts.
© Toko
Tshokwane picnic spot
© Flutterby
H4-1
© Dewi
Bateleur Camp
© nan
14.11.2011
© Duke
Pretoriuskop
© Mel
Tamboti
© Amoli
Tsendze Campsite
© Dindingwe
S50
© harrys
Letaba Camp
© ExFmem
Letaba Area
Identification
23 cm; sexes alike. Pale grey upper parts, throat pale buff, malar region heavily streaked dark brown. Upper breast brown, grading to orange on sides of breast and flanks; belly and vent white. Bill, eye-ring, legs and feet orange.
Juvenile has mottled underparts and buffy tips to underwing coverts.
© Toko
Tshokwane picnic spot
© Flutterby
H4-1
© Dewi
Bateleur Camp
© nan
14.11.2011
© Duke
Pretoriuskop
© Mel
Tamboti
© Amoli
Tsendze Campsite
© Dindingwe
S50
© harrys
Letaba Camp
© ExFmem
Letaba Area
593. Mocking Cliff Chat - 20 Points
593. Mocking Cliff Chat (formerly known as Mocking Chat) Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
Identification
22 cm. Distinctive bright plumage unlikely to be confused with any other species, especially with characteristic habit of tail lifting.
Male: Black head and shoulders, white shoulder patch and rufous underparts.
Female is a dull grey-brown with rufous underparts, lacks white patch on wing.
Juvenile: Duller than adult.
© Toko
Female, Mlondozi picnic spot
© Flutterby
Male, Masorini Picnic Spot
© Richprins
Mlondozi
© mposthumus
H4-2 - 11/6/2009
© Tina
Female, Mlondozi
© leachy
Mlondozi
© nan
29.10.2009
© Dindingwe
Matambeni
Identification
22 cm. Distinctive bright plumage unlikely to be confused with any other species, especially with characteristic habit of tail lifting.
Male: Black head and shoulders, white shoulder patch and rufous underparts.
Female is a dull grey-brown with rufous underparts, lacks white patch on wing.
Juvenile: Duller than adult.
© Toko
Female, Mlondozi picnic spot
© Flutterby
Male, Masorini Picnic Spot
© Richprins
Mlondozi
© mposthumus
H4-2 - 11/6/2009
© Tina
Female, Mlondozi
© leachy
Mlondozi
© nan
29.10.2009
© Dindingwe
Matambeni
600. Red-capped Robin-Chat - 40 Points
600. Red-capped Robin-Chat (Formerly known as Natal Robin) Cossypha natalensis
Identification
16-18 cm. This orange-headed species is distinguished from all other robin-chats by its powder-blue back and wings, russet-brown crown and nape and bright red-orange face.
Juvenile: Upperparts are mottled buff on dark brown.
© Toko
Mopani camp
© Dewi
Shingwedzi
© steamtrainfan
Skukuza Camp
© leachy
Pafuri
© Richprins
Mopani Camp
Identification
16-18 cm. This orange-headed species is distinguished from all other robin-chats by its powder-blue back and wings, russet-brown crown and nape and bright red-orange face.
Juvenile: Upperparts are mottled buff on dark brown.
© Toko
Mopani camp
© Dewi
Shingwedzi
© steamtrainfan
Skukuza Camp
© leachy
Pafuri
© Richprins
Mopani Camp
602. White-throated Robin-Chat - 40 Points
602. White-throated Robin-Chat Cossypha humeralis
Identification
16 cm; sexes alike. Above slate grey; rump dull orange; face, sides of neck and wing black; eyebrow and wingstripe white (diagnostic; no other robin has white wingstripe); below white, shading to orange-buff on flanks and undertail; tail orange with black centre and tip.
Juvenile: Spotted buff and dark brown above and below.
© Toko
Sirenhi camp
© ExFmem
Tamboti
© leachy
Letaba rest camp
© Flutterby
Lower Sabie Camp
© Klipspringer
S22
Identification
16 cm; sexes alike. Above slate grey; rump dull orange; face, sides of neck and wing black; eyebrow and wingstripe white (diagnostic; no other robin has white wingstripe); below white, shading to orange-buff on flanks and undertail; tail orange with black centre and tip.
Juvenile: Spotted buff and dark brown above and below.
© Toko
Sirenhi camp
© ExFmem
Tamboti
© leachy
Letaba rest camp
© Flutterby
Lower Sabie Camp
© Klipspringer
S22