Africa Wild

508. Pink-billed Lark Spizocorys conirostris

Identification
Length 12-13 cm. A small stocky Lark with a short, stout pink bill. The chin and throat are white, the breast is rufous-buff, streaked dark brown, and the belly and undertail coverts are rufous-buff.


Pink-billed Lark - Leijersdraai waterhole - Jan 2016

180. Amur Falcon (Eastern Red-footed Kestrel) Falco amurensis

Identification
Small kestrel; wings shorter than those of true falcons. Length 28-30 cm; females larger than males. Cere, eye-ring and legs are red.
Male is dark gray, with rufous lower belly and vent and white underwing coverts.
Female: grey on the top of the head, upperparts grey, underparts whitish, streaked and chevroned with black on upper breast and barred black on the lower belly.
Juvenile: similar to adult female but with rufous edging to feathers of upperparts.


14th Borehole Loop - Dec 2015

168. Black Harrier Circus maurus

Identification
Length 48-53 cm, females larger than males. Adult: Black above with a white rump. The tail is grey with black bars, and the wings are black, white and grey. The underparts are mostly black.

by Michele Nel
Urikaruus - Dec 2015

by Nan
Nossob river, before Kij Kij

375. African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis

Identification
Fast-flying, long-tailed, accipiter-like gray cuckoo. Length 32-34 cm
Similar to the Common Cuckoo but has more yellow at the base of the bill, the outer tail is barred (rather than spotted), and the vent is more boldly barred.


African Cuckoo - Mata Mata - Dec 2015


(c) nan -Mata Mata 21.11.2017 18:27
by Lisbeth - Mata Mata, Nov. 2017

486. Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens

Identification
Size: 15 cm. Conspicuously barred back and overall black and white appearance; not as green. Golden-tailed Woodpecker (much larger) only other woodpecker in region with streaked underparts.
Male: Red crown and brownish forecrown. Heavily streaked cheeks and throat eliminate confusion with M Bennett's Woodpecker. Green-backed Wood­pecker has red forecrown.
Female: Hind crown and nape black, not red.
Juvenile: Duller and greyer than ad; both sexes have red patch in centre of crown.
Dikbaardskolk - Jan 2016- Michele Nel

by nan
Adult

by nan
Juvenile - Mata Mata Nov. 2017

by Lisbeth - Mata Mata, Nov. 2017
by Dindingwe

483. Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni

Identification
Size: 21 cm. Sexes similar. Streaked, not blotched or barred underparts and greenish upperparts.
Male: Malar stripe dark red with black speckling; forehead and crown grey-black, speckled with crimson; nape crimson.
Female: Malar stripe absent in some subspecies; others black, speckled white. Forehead and crown black, speckled with white; nape crimson.
Juvenile: Similar to ad but duller, sexes resembling respective parents.
by Michele Nel
Golden-tailed Woodpecker - Mata Mata - Jan 2016

by nan
27.2.2016 Twee Rivieren

066. Great Egret (Great White Egret) Ardea alba

Identification
95 cm; 1.1 kg; sexes alike. Largest white egret, as tall as Grey Heron. Legs extend beyond tail in flight. Dark line below eye extends to at least 1 cm behind eye (in Yellow-billed Egret, dark line ends at level of eye); legs all black (yellow at top of tibiotarsus in Yellow-billed Egret).
Breeding adult: Bill black, eyes red and lores and eye-ring emerald green; develops long white plumes. Yellow bill of non-breeding adult much longer and slimmer than that of Yellow-billed Egret
Non-breeding adult: Bill yellow.
Juvenile: Like non-breeding adult.

by nan
Grootkolk "beach" 20.1.2016

by Michele Nel
Moravet Dec 2011

137. African Hawk-Eagle Aquila spilogaster

Identification
Large; above black; below white, heavily streaked black; leg feathering plain white; underwing black in front, white behind with black trailing edge; undertail pale, narrowly banded, with broad black terminal band.


21.1.2016 - between Grootkolk and Union End

796. Orange River White-eye Zosterops pallidus

Identification
Length 12 cm. Rounded wings, strong legs, marked eye-ring of white feathers. Upperparts olive-green; throat and vent are bright yellow.


Twe Rivieren Camp - June 2009

65. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea

Identification
80 cm. Slim, slender build, dark, elegant heron with a frail-looking neck. Adult is above brownish grey with black crown and rufous neck, striped black at sides; below rufous and black; legs and bill look yellowish in the field; in flight neck has distinct downward bulge.
Immature: Browner than adult, mottled and streaked; crown rufous; stripes on neck faint or absent.

by nan
Kamqua 1.2.2016