STARLINGs & their Allies - Bird of the Month: April 2013

[Lisbeth]

[Richprins]

By flying cheetah 2012:

https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... 6&start=30

But today I want to show you some pics of a special bird kill..a Starling who had caught a Scorpion It took the bird nearly 10 minutes of hopping around and shaking the Scorpion before he finally could swallow it. I took plenty of pics but most of them were blurred because the bird never stood still Here are the best ones:

[Richprins]

Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
29m29 minutes ago

09:00
2 Leucistic Cape Glossy starlings on the stoep area in front of the shop
"A nice one for us birders."
H1-3, Tshokwane picnic site
Vis 5/5
Tinged by Gillian Soames

[Dindingwe]

It is not a leucistic Cape Glossy Starling, but a "normal" female Wattled Starling, with the pink bill, dark eye and black primaries. The overall morphology is quite different between these 2 species.

[Lisbeth]

[Richprins]

But the woman says she is a birder!

[Lisbeth]

SHE says so

Maybe she only means that she like birds and is looking for birds

[Flutterby]

I also thought it was a Wattled starling but I know that Gillian Soames is an avid birder and would be surprised if she got it wrong.

[Lisbeth]

Well, this time she is Red legs and the colours are typical....and the silhouette of the head and bill. There is even a slight small spot of yellow behind the eye.

[Flutterby]