Africa Wild

274. Little Stint Calidris minuta

Identification
13 cm; 23 g. Sexes alike. Most common small wader in region. Very small with a short bill, and wings that project beyond tail.
Non-breeding adult: Back mottled greyish brown. In flight, centre of tail and rump black, sides of rump white; narrow white wingbar. Bill and legs black.
Beeding adult: On arrival, and just before departure, some birds can be seen in partial breeding dress: upperparts washed rufous (including upper breast) but throat whitish.
Juvenile: Centre of crown buffy contrasting with whitish supercilium; feathers of upperparts fringed rufous.

by nan
Lijersdraai 22.9.2012

by Michele Nel
With Sanderling (bird on left), Nossob - Oct 2013

136. Booted Eagle Aquila pennata

Identification
Size medium; tarsus heavily feathered (booted appearance); tail square or slightly rounded, often flexed from side to side when soaring; white patches (´landing lights´) on leading edge of wing near body diagnostic in all plumages; white band at base of tail; pale wedge at bend of wing.
Two forms, pale and dark (80% and 20% of population respectively). Pale form: Above brown; below white; streaked on breast; throat dark, often divided by pale line; broad buff band on upperwing. Dark form: Uniform dark brown, except for buff band on upperwing, white patches on front of wing and white at base of tail.
Immature: Pale form washed below with rufous; dark form same as adult; wing pattern as in adults. .

Pale form:

Kannaguass, 29.03/2015

© Michelle Nel
Craig Lockhart - 2011

Dark form:
by nan
2.2.2017 near Grootkolk

by ExFmem - dark form by ExFmem - dark form

703. Pririt Batis Batis pririt

Identification
The adult male's crown is dark grey as is its back; it has a white throat and a black eye mask. Its tail and rump are black, its wings are black with white edging to the flight feathers, and it has a white shoulder patch. Its underparts are white with a black breastband. The female and juveniles have no black breast band and the throat and breast are buff.


Female in a tree in front of the communal kitchen at Grootkolk, 03/11/2014

by Michele Nel
Nossob Jan 2016
by Dindingwe

94. Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia Hagadash

Identification
Waterbird with typical decurved ibis bill. Appears dull brown. 76 cm long, stocky, dark brown ibis with a white "moustache", wings glossy in either greenish or purple, large black bill with a red stripe on upper mandible, and blackish legs.
Juvenile: Duller than ad, lacking metallic sheen.


Nossob river 28.10.2014

by Michele Nel
Near Twee Rivieren - Jan 2008

563. Southern Pied Babbler Turdoides bicolor

Identification
26 cm; sexes alike. All-white body with brownish-black wings and black tail. Black bill and feet. Reddish-orange to orange-yellow eyes.
Juvenile: Pale brown underparts and dark brown upperparts. White plumage develops on underparts first, ad plumage attained at 4-6 months.


Nossob 23.09.2014

167. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus

Identification
40-50 cm.
Male: Very pale blue-grey above. Greyish-white head and upper breast. White underparts. Off-white, indistinct rump. Small, black wedge at primaries.
Female: Brown above, small white V-shaped rump. Underparts streaked with brown. Most often a noticeable pale collar separating the streaked neck (dark boa) from the unstreaked head.

by nan

not a good one... but still an Harrier... in Kgalagadi

by Michele Nel

December 2019

367. Rosy-Faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis

Identification
Small green parrot with pink face and horn coloured bill.


Mata Mata 30.09.2014

© Michele Nel
KTC 07/01/2023

746. Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus

Identification
Medium-size, mainly yellow bushshrike. 23 cm. Crown and nape grey, back and upper wing coverts olive green. Eyebrow, chin and throat yellow; throat bordered by a broad black gorget; belly yellow.


South of Houmoed 06.10.2014

by Nan
Kieliekrankie, 17.1.2016
by Lisbeth - Kielie Krankie, Nov. 2017

741. Brubru Nilaus afer

Idenitifcation
Small: 14 cm, pied bushshrike with chestnut flanks. Sexes similar. Female with sooty brown (not black) upperparts and paler rufous flanks. Typical shrike appearance with broad white eyebrow and conspicuous rufous flank stripe. Dark eye separates it from smaller but similar batises.
Juvenile:Upperparts mottled brown and buff, wing stripes buff, underparts cream, barred brown.


South of Houmoed 06.10.2014

by Michele Nel
Mata Mata Camp - Dec 2014
by Dindingwe

115. Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos

Identification
67 cm; In flight lacks white on forewing and has more white on underparts than Spur-winged Goose.
Breeding male: Large laterally compressed knob (comb) on forehead. Orange-buff on head, neck and undertail variable.
Non-breeding male: Comb much reduced and loses orange-buff coloration.
Female: Duller than male, bill grey and lacks comb.
Juvenile: Dark brown upperparts, light brown underparts, head becoming mottled brown with white eye-stripe.
Juveniles at Kamfersboom, 10/04/2015