Zambia birds

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Zambia Bird Tours, Lusaka, Zambia. 608 likes. Welcome to Zambia Bird Tours! Unforgettable birdwatching adventures across Zambia. Discover diverse Zambia birds; Offline access enabled Print Zambia birds Common birds to look for in Zambia . All 83; Taxonomy; 12 Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies Order

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Birds of Zambia - Birds in Zambia, Birding in Zambia

Of the most dangerous species in Zambia.Mozambique Cobras are nervous and quick to attack when they feel threatened. They rear up, lifting up to two-thirds of their body off the ground, spreading their hood, and spitting at their attacker’s eyes. They can spit 1.8-2 m (6-7 ft) with surprising accuracy. If their attacker gets close, they strike with a vicious bite.Their venom contains both cytotoxins and neurotoxins. If the venom gets into a victim’s eyes, it can cause permanent damage and blindness. In addition, bites cause severe pain, swelling, necrosis, vomiting, respiratory distress, and dizziness. Without immediate medical attention, the symptoms can be deadly.Mozambique Cobras are incredible predators that feed on birds, amphibians, eggs, small mammals, carrion, and other snakes. Most incredibly, these dangerous cobras will even attack the notorious Black Mamba and have developed an immunity to their venom.Did you know that snakes are considered venomous, NOT poisonous?There currently is a common misconception between poisonous and venomous, one is ingested, and the other is injected. So, for example, If you eat something that makes you sick, then it is considered “poisonous.” But if an animal, like a snakes, delivers its toxins when it bites, then it’s considered “venomous.”Learn more about animals found in Zambia in these ID Guides:The Most Common Birds Found in ZambiaCommon Spiders That Live in Zambia39 Amazing ANIMALS to see in Zambia! (ID guide w/ pics)Which of these venomous snakes have you seen before in Zambia?Leave a COMMENT below! Lindsey has been writing at Bird Watching HQ since 2021. She loves sharing her enthusiasm for birds and other wildlife. She is especially passionate about planting native plants in her yard to attract birds naturally. Lindsey is lucky enough to live next to a pond, where she regularly attracts many types of water birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Zambia has 782 bird species recorded to date. This is a very respectable tally for a land-locked country of this size. Two species are endemic to Zambia (Chaplin’s Barbet and Black-cheeked Lovebird) while the taxonomy of a third potential endemic (White-chested Tinkerbird) is unresolved, and the Zambian (Papyrus) Yellow Warbler is near-endemic to Zambia. Many more species are endemic to the Zambezian ecoregion and best seen in Zambia. The vast wetlands and national parks hold internationally important populations of many large species such as Wattled and Grey Crowned Crane, Shoebill, African Skimmer and four vulture species. Other sought-after species include African Pitta and Pel’s Fishing Owl.We aim to soon provide detailed “where to watch” information for all Zambian species. For now, we refer you to the official Checklist for Zambia and it’s IBAs and NP's, managed by Frank Willems for BirdWatch Zambia, and the 2019 Birds of Zambia app (download/details available from the Resources page of this website).

Birding Zambia – Birds of Zambia

Dig new burrows every year, such that the cliff face becomes riddled over time with hundreds of holes, many of which will be unused. Whilst Red-throated Bee-eaters are strongly gregarious, which is a necessity of dense colonial living, they also indulge in a lot of neighbourly bickering when observed at their nesting holes. Like most bee-eaters, this species catches and eats a wide variety of flying insects apart from bees and wasps, including beetles, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets and dragonflies. However, their preferred and most frequent food source is the honeybee, which is believed to make up around a quarter of the bird's average intake. ​Although I consider all bee-eaters to be lovely looking birds, I feel that this particular species is the most beautiful of all the varieties that I've been fortunate enough to have seen and photographed. We visited two nesting sites during our trip to The Gambia in 2018 - Bansang Quarry in Fuludu West and Wassu in Niani on the northern Senegal side of the river. My Flickr album (see the link at the bottom of the article) includes a few varied shots from these locations.​​Whereas the Red-throated Bee-eater was a bird of the northern tropics, the closely related White-fronted Bee-eater is from the southern tropics with a range that stretches from Gabon and Angola in the west across to southwest Kenya and then south down through Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe into southern Mozambique and northeast South Africa. ​Their preferred habitat is much the same as the Red-throated variety including dry riverbeds and eroded gullies as those you'll often find in Zambia, but they will always be in an area where there are perennial rivers and seasonal streams with wooded banks.​White-fronted Bee-eater [Merops bullockoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaWhite-throated Bee-eater [Merops albicollis]Whilst the White-fronted Bee-eater has no formally recognised subspecies, birds from southern Tanzania are slightly darker with their hindneck and belly washed with cinnamon - some authorities list this particular regional variant superficially as ssp.randorum. I have a rather nice picture of one of these birds, but the difference in colour isn't noticeable enough to warrant the inclusion of another photo.​​The White-throated Bee-eater is unusual in that its breeding and winter habitats are so vastly different. In the summer they breed in the driest savanna and arid regions of the Sahel just south of the Sahara, and then in the winter migrate south to the rainforests.​White-throated Bee-eater [Merops albicollis] | Makasutu Forest, The GambiaBöhm's Bee-eater [Merops boehmi]Whilst most bee-eaters feed predominantly on bees and wasps, the White-throated Bee-eater's intake mainly consists of flying ants and flies.​The Böhm's, or Boehm's, Bee-eater has a restricted range that essentially confines it to just two particular regions of East Africa, thereby making it one of the most sought after species to photograph. The first area is between Lake Rukwa in Tanzania and the middle Kafue River in Zambia, and the other running from coastal Tanzania through Malawi to the Lower Zambezi. ​Böhm's Bee-eater [Merops boehmi] | Selous Game Reserve, TanzaniaGreen. Zambia Bird Tours, Lusaka, Zambia. 608 likes. Welcome to Zambia Bird Tours! Unforgettable birdwatching adventures across Zambia. Discover diverse Zambia birds; Offline access enabled Print Zambia birds Common birds to look for in Zambia . All 83; Taxonomy; 12 Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies Order

Birds of Zambia App - Birding Zambia

Their backs and pale on their belly with dark streaks.This bird can grow to 10.2cm in length and weigh just under 10g. They have slender bills.Distribution: Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Amazon Basin, Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada.Migratory: No42. Diademed TanagerDiademed TanagerDiademed Tanager (Stephanophorus diadematus) is purple-blue with a white crown. They can grow to around 19cm and weigh up to 41g. They are robust birds and colorful in the right light.They appear black with a pale crown patch and short bills.Distribution: Southeastern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and southeastern Paraguay.Migratory: Possibly migratory in Uruguay and Argentina.43. Blackish-blue SeedeaterBlackish-blue SeedeaterThe Blackish-blue Seedeater (Amaurospiza moesta) can grow to 12.5cm in length and weigh up to 14g. Males are dark blue with darker blue faces and bellies. Females are brown with pale bellies.These birds are found on woodland edges and in the undergrowth, in elevations that range from sea levels to 1,600m.Distribution: Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina.Migratory: No44. Blackish RailBlackish RailThe Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans) belongs to the coot family. They grow to 29cm in length and can weigh up to 2178g. The males and females are very similar with green-yellow bills and pink legs.They are dark brown on their backs with white chins and throats. The face and belly are dark gray. They are medium-sized, plump, and chicken-like marsh birds found in wet landscapes, including heavily vegetated waterways, rice fields, lightly wooded swamps, marshes, and wet grasslands.Distribution: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Bolivia.Migratory: No45. Meves’s StarlingMeves’s StarlingThe Meves’s Starling (Lamprotornis mevesii) is a medium-sized bird with a long tail. They are iridescent blue and purple. They are seen in groups, flocks, and pairs in broadleaf woodlands and savannas. It is common to see them walking along on the ground or sitting in low trees as they search for insects to feed on.They can grow to 30cm in length with a weight of 70g.Distribution: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and ZimbabweMigratory: No46. Square-tailed Drongo-CuckooSquare-tailed Drongo-CuckooThe Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is easily identified with its downcurved beak and white outer section under the tail. These birds have a white wing stripe when they fly, which is visible from below.These birds can grow to 25cm in length and weigh up to 43.6g. They are slim and black with curved tails. Adults have white bars in the under tail section. They hide in vegetation on the edge of lowlands and foothill forests, In Spain as they were in an insect-rich pasture and farmland area where the fences around the fields were ideal for perching. Their preferred habitat is a warm open landscape with access to water and a good supply of insects and, in the breeding season, somewhere with sandy soil where they can nest. This makes central Spain ideal. We were there in May 2017 about four weeks or so after the birds arrived. They would be there for five months at most before making the long journey south back to Africa for the winter.​​Previously considered a single species with a northern and southern race, the Carmine Bee-eater is now formally split into two separate species - the Northern Carmine [Merops nubicus] and the Southern Carmine [Merops nubicoides]. Unfortunately, I only had a fleeting glimpse of the northern variety when I was in The Gambia and don't have any photos to compare the two, but the difference is that it has a green-blue throat the same colour as its head, whereas the Southern Carmine Bee-eater's is a darker colouration of its pink body colour. ​Southern Carmine Bee-eater [Merops nubicoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaThe Southern Carmine is found across sub-equatorial Africa from Uganda, south to Mozambique and Botswana, and west to Sudan. Between September to November they congregate in large numbers to nest, following which the birds distribute widely - the Luangwa Valley in Zambia is one of their main breeding areas.​Southern Carmine Bee-eater [Merops nubicoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaThey return to the same nesting site, as they've been doing here on the the Luangwa River, year after year until the sandy bank is so riddled in old nesting holes that it starts to collapse. They will then just move to another area a little upstream or downstream of the same spot. Their tunnels are more or less straight and horizontal and are about 1-2m long and around 60mm in diameter. This particular nesting site is in a high, near vertical, sandy bank and is reputedly the only place in Africa where you can photograph the species from the comfort of a floating hide that is carefully moved into position and anchored mid-channel each September. If you get your timing right there can be a lot of activity at a nesting colony with birds continually coming and going. You'd think that would give you a lot of photographic opportunities, which in a way it does, but with so much happening it's not that straightforward, as getting clean shots of individual birds proved quite challenging. I'm glad we had the experience, but I would have been happier if the floating hide had been positioned a bit further away from the bank as that would have provided a far better chance of getting some decent flight shots. ​Southern Carmine Bee-eater [Merops nubicoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaIt's not uncommon to witness minor disputes in the colony with so many birds occupying such a tightly packed nesting site, but I'm not so sure that was the

Birding Zambia – Birds of Zambia - Pinterest

Table Of Contents Additional InformationOriginal Lyrics in EnglishEnglish Translation of the LyricsSupporting LinksDownload National Anthem Music The Zambia national anthem, “Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free,” is a symbol of national pride and unity. Below are the original lyrics in English.Additional InformationAnthem Name: Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and FreeWritten Date: 1964Lyricist: Multiple contributorsComposer: Enoch Sontonga (melody), arranged by various artistsOfficial Adoption Date: 1964Original Lyrics in EnglishStand and sing of Zambia, proud and free,Land of work and joy in unity,Victors in the struggle for our rights,We’ve won freedom’s fight.All one, strong and free.Africa is our own motherland,Fashioned with and blessed by God’s good hand,Let us all her people join as one,Brothers under the sun,All one, strong and free.One land and one nation is our cry,Dignity and peace ‘neath Zambia’s sky,Like our noble eagle in its flight,Zambia, praise to thee.All one, strong and free.English Translation of the LyricsThe Zambia national anthem is already in English and does not require a translation. “Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free” reflects the pride and unity of Zambia.Supporting LinksFor a more detailed and original content about the Zambia national anthem, please visit:The Significance and Relevance of the Zambia National AnthemZambia National Anthem History – WikipediaThese links provide additional details on the lyrics, historical context, and significance of the Zambia national anthem, “Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free.”Download National Anthem MusicTo download the audio file please click right on the player and select “Save Audio As”. Post navigation

Birding Zambia Birds of Zambia - SafariBookings

PLoS ONE 2014, 9, e91144. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] Figure 1. The model of FGS data analysis determines the prevalence and burden in different geographic locations over multiple years. Figure 1. The model of FGS data analysis determines the prevalence and burden in different geographic locations over multiple years. Table 1. Prevalence of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) among the total samples collected in Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania. Table 1. Prevalence of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) among the total samples collected in Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania. Data SourceTotal SamplesTotal FemalesPositive Females (S. haematobium Prevalence *)Negative Females (S. haematobium Prevalence *)Ghana 20139039 (43%)31 (79.5%)8 (20.5%)Zambia 201613380 (60%)46 (57.5%)34 (42.5%)Zambia 201711060 (54.5%)45 (75%)15 (25%)Tanzania 201810470 (67.3%)43 (61.4%)27 (38.6%) Table 2. Prevalence of FGS based on the DNA concentrations of PCR-positive individuals in Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania. Table 2. Prevalence of FGS based on the DNA concentrations of PCR-positive individuals in Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania. DNA Concentration (ng/μL)DNA Concentration Total Females in Ghana 2013Total Females in Zambia 2016Total Females in Zambia 2017Total Females in Tanzania 2018Gr. A (0.5–3)Low9 (29.04%)42 (91.30%)40 (88.89%)41 (95.35%)Gr. B (4–10)Medium 16 (51.61%)4 (8.70%)3 (6.67%)0 (0%)Gr. C (10–above)High6 (19.35%)0 (0%)2 (4.44%)2 (4.65%) Table 3. Infection prevalence of FGS based on hematuria, urine filtration, and the PCR diagnostic test. -- = absence of positive or negative samples. Table 3. Infection prevalence of FGS based on hematuria, urine filtration, and the PCR diagnostic test. -- = absence of positive or negative samples. Data SourceHematuriaUrine FiltrationPCR PositiveNegativePositiveNegativePositiveNegativeGhana 20138 (18.6%)35 (81.4%)----31 (79.5%)8 (20.5%)Zambia 20163 (3.7%)79 (96.3%)082 (100%)46 (57.5%)34 (42.5%)Zambia 20177 (11.7%)53 (88.3%)3 (5%)57 (95%)45 (75%)15 (25%)Tanzania 2018--------43 (61.4%)27 (38.6%) Table 4. Comparison among females and males detected as positive for S. haematobium, S. mansoni, and dual infections. Male = M, Female = F. Table 4. Comparison among females and males detected as positive for S. haematobium, S. mansoni, and dual infections. Male = M, Female = F. LocationTotal Female Total MaleFemaleMaleS. haematobiumS. mansoniCo-OccurrenceS. haematobiumS. mansoniCo-OccurrenceGhana 2013394731 (36%)33 (38%)27 (69%)39 (45%)41 (47.7%)35 (74.5%)Zambia 2016805146 (35%)61 (46.6%)33 (41.3%)32 (24.4%)34 (26%)20(39%)Zambia 2017605045 (41%)47 (42.8%)47 (78%)37 (33.6%)38 (34.6%)31 (62%)Tanzania 2018703443 (41.4%)54 (52%)37 (52.9%)24 (23.1%)28 (27%)23 (67.7%) Table 5. Prevalence of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) among different female age groups. -- = absence of positive or negative samples. Table 5. Prevalence of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) among different female age groups. -- = absence of positive or negative samples. Location Total FemalesS. haematobium PositiveGr. A (0–10 years) Gr. B (11–20. Zambia Bird Tours, Lusaka, Zambia. 608 likes. Welcome to Zambia Bird Tours! Unforgettable birdwatching adventures across Zambia. Discover diverse

Zambia's top bird species - Birding Zambia

Nest alone. Similar variations occur with the way they feed and even the type of bee, or indeed other insect, that they normally prey on. ​Little Bee-eater [Merops pusillus]​The Little Bee-eater is one of the most common and widespread bird species in Africa, occurring throughout much of the sub-Saharan region except for heavily forested areas and deserts - their preferred habitat being grassy savannas and bushy open country. There are five recognised subspecies, of which I've seen and photographed two. The bird in the first photo is the nominate, ssp.pusillus, which is found across the central Sahel belt from The Gambia and Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. In East Africa I've photographed ssp.meridionalis in both Tanzania and South Luangwa in northern Zambia​Little Bee-eater [Merops pusillus] | Kotu Rice Fields, Kombo North, The GambiaAt first glance these birds look the same, but on closer inspection you'll see a noticeable difference in respect of their facial markings as the East African race has a clearly visible blue superciliary stripe above the eye, which the nominate lacks. And, although it's not quite as clear, ssp.meridionalis has a thin, similarly coloured line between it's throat and gorget. The other subspecies have similar minor differences.​Little Bee-eater [Merops pusillus, ssp.meridionalis] | Ruaha NP, TanzaniaRed-throated Bee-eater [Merops bulocki]Unlike most of the other bee-eater species, the Little Bee-eater is a solitary nester. A couple will pair up and stay together year round. They will breed, nest-build, hunt and feed as with a pair, but will gather with other birds at night for both safety and warmth when they will sleep bunched closely together on a suitable leafy twig. Little Bee-eaters often hunt from a low perch usually no more than a metre or so off the ground alongside bare ground, or alternatively from high in a tree if feeding in open grassland. As well as bees, they eat many other types of flying insect dependent on the habitat in which they're feeding. Whilst Little Bee-eaters do not migrate as such, they will move around in pursuit of water, which in turn makes their abundance within a given area quite seasonal, all subject to the weather and availability of insects. ​​The Red-throated Bee-eater is a species from the northern tropics with a range that stretches from Gambia and Senegal in the west across to Uganda, southern Sudan and Ethiopia in the east. There are two recognise subspecies - the nominate race, ssp.bulocki that's found in the western and more central areas of its range and ssp.frenatus that inhabits southern Sudan, western Ethiopia, northwest DR Congo and northern Uganda.This species favours a habitat where there are bushy areas or lightly wooded savannas with small rivers or streams. They are highly sedentary, with individual birds seldom found more than a couple of miles from their nesting site.​Red-throated Bee-eater [Merops bulocki] | Wassu, Niani, The GambiaWhite-fronted Bee-eater [Merops bullockoides]The Red-throated Bee-eater is a colonial breeder that form their nests in suitable vertical banks of sand where they will

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User8570

Of the most dangerous species in Zambia.Mozambique Cobras are nervous and quick to attack when they feel threatened. They rear up, lifting up to two-thirds of their body off the ground, spreading their hood, and spitting at their attacker’s eyes. They can spit 1.8-2 m (6-7 ft) with surprising accuracy. If their attacker gets close, they strike with a vicious bite.Their venom contains both cytotoxins and neurotoxins. If the venom gets into a victim’s eyes, it can cause permanent damage and blindness. In addition, bites cause severe pain, swelling, necrosis, vomiting, respiratory distress, and dizziness. Without immediate medical attention, the symptoms can be deadly.Mozambique Cobras are incredible predators that feed on birds, amphibians, eggs, small mammals, carrion, and other snakes. Most incredibly, these dangerous cobras will even attack the notorious Black Mamba and have developed an immunity to their venom.Did you know that snakes are considered venomous, NOT poisonous?There currently is a common misconception between poisonous and venomous, one is ingested, and the other is injected. So, for example, If you eat something that makes you sick, then it is considered “poisonous.” But if an animal, like a snakes, delivers its toxins when it bites, then it’s considered “venomous.”Learn more about animals found in Zambia in these ID Guides:The Most Common Birds Found in ZambiaCommon Spiders That Live in Zambia39 Amazing ANIMALS to see in Zambia! (ID guide w/ pics)Which of these venomous snakes have you seen before in Zambia?Leave a COMMENT below! Lindsey has been writing at Bird Watching HQ since 2021. She loves sharing her enthusiasm for birds and other wildlife. She is especially passionate about planting native plants in her yard to attract birds naturally. Lindsey is lucky enough to live next to a pond, where she regularly attracts many types of water birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

2025-04-05
User6040

Zambia has 782 bird species recorded to date. This is a very respectable tally for a land-locked country of this size. Two species are endemic to Zambia (Chaplin’s Barbet and Black-cheeked Lovebird) while the taxonomy of a third potential endemic (White-chested Tinkerbird) is unresolved, and the Zambian (Papyrus) Yellow Warbler is near-endemic to Zambia. Many more species are endemic to the Zambezian ecoregion and best seen in Zambia. The vast wetlands and national parks hold internationally important populations of many large species such as Wattled and Grey Crowned Crane, Shoebill, African Skimmer and four vulture species. Other sought-after species include African Pitta and Pel’s Fishing Owl.We aim to soon provide detailed “where to watch” information for all Zambian species. For now, we refer you to the official Checklist for Zambia and it’s IBAs and NP's, managed by Frank Willems for BirdWatch Zambia, and the 2019 Birds of Zambia app (download/details available from the Resources page of this website).

2025-03-27
User9567

Dig new burrows every year, such that the cliff face becomes riddled over time with hundreds of holes, many of which will be unused. Whilst Red-throated Bee-eaters are strongly gregarious, which is a necessity of dense colonial living, they also indulge in a lot of neighbourly bickering when observed at their nesting holes. Like most bee-eaters, this species catches and eats a wide variety of flying insects apart from bees and wasps, including beetles, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets and dragonflies. However, their preferred and most frequent food source is the honeybee, which is believed to make up around a quarter of the bird's average intake. ​Although I consider all bee-eaters to be lovely looking birds, I feel that this particular species is the most beautiful of all the varieties that I've been fortunate enough to have seen and photographed. We visited two nesting sites during our trip to The Gambia in 2018 - Bansang Quarry in Fuludu West and Wassu in Niani on the northern Senegal side of the river. My Flickr album (see the link at the bottom of the article) includes a few varied shots from these locations.​​Whereas the Red-throated Bee-eater was a bird of the northern tropics, the closely related White-fronted Bee-eater is from the southern tropics with a range that stretches from Gabon and Angola in the west across to southwest Kenya and then south down through Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe into southern Mozambique and northeast South Africa. ​Their preferred habitat is much the same as the Red-throated variety including dry riverbeds and eroded gullies as those you'll often find in Zambia, but they will always be in an area where there are perennial rivers and seasonal streams with wooded banks.​White-fronted Bee-eater [Merops bullockoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaWhite-throated Bee-eater [Merops albicollis]Whilst the White-fronted Bee-eater has no formally recognised subspecies, birds from southern Tanzania are slightly darker with their hindneck and belly washed with cinnamon - some authorities list this particular regional variant superficially as ssp.randorum. I have a rather nice picture of one of these birds, but the difference in colour isn't noticeable enough to warrant the inclusion of another photo.​​The White-throated Bee-eater is unusual in that its breeding and winter habitats are so vastly different. In the summer they breed in the driest savanna and arid regions of the Sahel just south of the Sahara, and then in the winter migrate south to the rainforests.​White-throated Bee-eater [Merops albicollis] | Makasutu Forest, The GambiaBöhm's Bee-eater [Merops boehmi]Whilst most bee-eaters feed predominantly on bees and wasps, the White-throated Bee-eater's intake mainly consists of flying ants and flies.​The Böhm's, or Boehm's, Bee-eater has a restricted range that essentially confines it to just two particular regions of East Africa, thereby making it one of the most sought after species to photograph. The first area is between Lake Rukwa in Tanzania and the middle Kafue River in Zambia, and the other running from coastal Tanzania through Malawi to the Lower Zambezi. ​Böhm's Bee-eater [Merops boehmi] | Selous Game Reserve, TanzaniaGreen

2025-04-01
User3871

Their backs and pale on their belly with dark streaks.This bird can grow to 10.2cm in length and weigh just under 10g. They have slender bills.Distribution: Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Amazon Basin, Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada.Migratory: No42. Diademed TanagerDiademed TanagerDiademed Tanager (Stephanophorus diadematus) is purple-blue with a white crown. They can grow to around 19cm and weigh up to 41g. They are robust birds and colorful in the right light.They appear black with a pale crown patch and short bills.Distribution: Southeastern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and southeastern Paraguay.Migratory: Possibly migratory in Uruguay and Argentina.43. Blackish-blue SeedeaterBlackish-blue SeedeaterThe Blackish-blue Seedeater (Amaurospiza moesta) can grow to 12.5cm in length and weigh up to 14g. Males are dark blue with darker blue faces and bellies. Females are brown with pale bellies.These birds are found on woodland edges and in the undergrowth, in elevations that range from sea levels to 1,600m.Distribution: Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina.Migratory: No44. Blackish RailBlackish RailThe Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans) belongs to the coot family. They grow to 29cm in length and can weigh up to 2178g. The males and females are very similar with green-yellow bills and pink legs.They are dark brown on their backs with white chins and throats. The face and belly are dark gray. They are medium-sized, plump, and chicken-like marsh birds found in wet landscapes, including heavily vegetated waterways, rice fields, lightly wooded swamps, marshes, and wet grasslands.Distribution: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Bolivia.Migratory: No45. Meves’s StarlingMeves’s StarlingThe Meves’s Starling (Lamprotornis mevesii) is a medium-sized bird with a long tail. They are iridescent blue and purple. They are seen in groups, flocks, and pairs in broadleaf woodlands and savannas. It is common to see them walking along on the ground or sitting in low trees as they search for insects to feed on.They can grow to 30cm in length with a weight of 70g.Distribution: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and ZimbabweMigratory: No46. Square-tailed Drongo-CuckooSquare-tailed Drongo-CuckooThe Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is easily identified with its downcurved beak and white outer section under the tail. These birds have a white wing stripe when they fly, which is visible from below.These birds can grow to 25cm in length and weigh up to 43.6g. They are slim and black with curved tails. Adults have white bars in the under tail section. They hide in vegetation on the edge of lowlands and foothill forests,

2025-04-15
User7275

In Spain as they were in an insect-rich pasture and farmland area where the fences around the fields were ideal for perching. Their preferred habitat is a warm open landscape with access to water and a good supply of insects and, in the breeding season, somewhere with sandy soil where they can nest. This makes central Spain ideal. We were there in May 2017 about four weeks or so after the birds arrived. They would be there for five months at most before making the long journey south back to Africa for the winter.​​Previously considered a single species with a northern and southern race, the Carmine Bee-eater is now formally split into two separate species - the Northern Carmine [Merops nubicus] and the Southern Carmine [Merops nubicoides]. Unfortunately, I only had a fleeting glimpse of the northern variety when I was in The Gambia and don't have any photos to compare the two, but the difference is that it has a green-blue throat the same colour as its head, whereas the Southern Carmine Bee-eater's is a darker colouration of its pink body colour. ​Southern Carmine Bee-eater [Merops nubicoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaThe Southern Carmine is found across sub-equatorial Africa from Uganda, south to Mozambique and Botswana, and west to Sudan. Between September to November they congregate in large numbers to nest, following which the birds distribute widely - the Luangwa Valley in Zambia is one of their main breeding areas.​Southern Carmine Bee-eater [Merops nubicoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaThey return to the same nesting site, as they've been doing here on the the Luangwa River, year after year until the sandy bank is so riddled in old nesting holes that it starts to collapse. They will then just move to another area a little upstream or downstream of the same spot. Their tunnels are more or less straight and horizontal and are about 1-2m long and around 60mm in diameter. This particular nesting site is in a high, near vertical, sandy bank and is reputedly the only place in Africa where you can photograph the species from the comfort of a floating hide that is carefully moved into position and anchored mid-channel each September. If you get your timing right there can be a lot of activity at a nesting colony with birds continually coming and going. You'd think that would give you a lot of photographic opportunities, which in a way it does, but with so much happening it's not that straightforward, as getting clean shots of individual birds proved quite challenging. I'm glad we had the experience, but I would have been happier if the floating hide had been positioned a bit further away from the bank as that would have provided a far better chance of getting some decent flight shots. ​Southern Carmine Bee-eater [Merops nubicoides] | South Luangwa, ZambiaIt's not uncommon to witness minor disputes in the colony with so many birds occupying such a tightly packed nesting site, but I'm not so sure that was the

2025-04-15

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