Africa Wild

805. Yellow-throated Petronia (Yellow-throated Sparrow) Petronia superciliaris

Identification
15cm. The dark head with its broad, creamy white eyebrow stripe is the best field character. The yellow throat spot is not often seen except at close range. It may be distinguished from the much larger Whitebrowed Sparrow-weaver by the lack of white on the rump. Sexes are alike; juveniles lack the yellow on the throat.

602. White-throated Robin-Chat Cossypha humeralis

Identification
17cm. The only robin in the region with a white wing bar and a white throat and breast. The rufous tail with a dark centre also differs from the tails of other robins in having black tips to all the feathers. Sexes are alike; juveniles are sooty coloured, heavily mottled with buff and brown above and below. They lack the white wingbar but have the rufuous and black tail.

by Flutterby


by Toko

739. Crimson-breasted Shrike (Crimson-breasted Boubou) Laniarius atrococcineus

Identification
22 cm. This is one of the most striking birds in Pilanesberg and is unlikely to be confused with any other species. The male and female have brilliant crimson underparts, with black backs and white stripes in the wings. The sexes are alike. Immature birds have a mottled and barred buff-brown appearance with a pale bill.

by Toko

by Flutterby

by Amoli

by Riley

568. Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor

Identification
20cm. The bill is fairly short and thin, with a slightly downcurving upper mandible. The bill, legs and feet are black and the eye is dark brown with a dark eye-ring, which is not readily visible. Mostly greyish-brown above and whitish-brown below, with a distinctive dark head and pointy crest on top of the head. The back of the head merges into the brown of the back, and the chin is also blackish. The underparts are grey-brown apart from white around the vent which is yellow. The black eye-ring easily separates it from the African Red-eyed and Cape Bulbuls. Sexes are alike; juveniles are similar to adults but the upperparts have a rusty wash.


by Amoli
2012

by Flutterby

by Riley

by Toko

824. Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix

Identification
10–11 cms. Breeding males are brightly coloured with red (occasionally orange) and black plumage. The forehead, face and throat are black and the rest of the head is red. The upperparts are red apart from the brown wings and tail. The upper breast and under tail-coverts are red while the lower breast and belly are black. The non-breeding male and female have streaky brown plumage, paler below. Females are smaller than the males.

Breeding males
by Amoli

by Flutterby

by Riley

473. Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii

Identification
24 cm. With its thick bill and very colourful plumage the Crested Barbet is unmistakable. This small bird has a speckled yellow and red face with a small black crest. The belly is yellow with red speckles, wings are black with white specks and it has a broad black band on its neck. Yellow head and body with black and white feathers, red markings on end of body, its colour blends well in the bush. Sexes are similar; juveniles lack the red face.

by Amoli

by Flutterby

by Riley

by Toko

884. Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris

Identification
15–16 cms. The adult male has a striking head pattern with a white crown, black lateral crown stripes, white supercilium and black-bordered white ear coverts. The underparts are orange-yellow becoming yellow on the throat and whitish on the lower belly. The upperparts are chestnut with a grey rump. The browner wings have two conspicuous white wing bars. The sexes are very similar, but females may have a buff tone to the white head markings and browner head stripes, and the back may have dark streaks. Young birds are duller and paler than the females.

by Amoli

by Flutterby

391. Burchell's Coucal Centropus burchelli

Identification
40-41 cms. Very similar to the slightly smaller Senegal and Whitebrowed Coucals but this species has fine, rufous barring on the rump and the base of the tail. Sexes are alike; juveniles have a white eyebrow and streaking on a brownish crown.

by Amoli

by Flutterby

by Toko

438. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster

Identification
27-29 cms. Combination of yellow throat, black neck-ring, turquoise underparts and brown and yellow back are unmistakable. Has two elongated central tail feathers. Sexes are alike; juveniles lack the tail streamers, the black neck-ring is less distinct and overall duller and greener.

by Amoli

by Flutterby

by Riley

844. Blue Waxbill Uraeginthus angolensis

Identification
12.5 cm; sexes similar, female with paler and less extensive blue on face and underparts. Only small waxbill in region with pale blue underparts, tail and rump. Extremely rarely, males have scarlet cheek patches.
Juvenile: Blue restricted to face, throat, breast, rump and tail.

by Amoli

by Riley

by Flutterby

by Toko