Malagasy bird & lemur guide, Julien Anselme, talks Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, how God was fooled by a drongo, and which species tourists flock to see. Which is your favourite Malagasy bird? The Crested Drongo. It is clever and mischievous. The legend is there was a great fire on the island. The animals were doing what...
The Manica Highlands, spanning Zimbabwe and Mozambique, are a birding paradise characterised by exceptional levels of floral and faunal endemism. This region serves as a vital habitat for several iconic species, including the samango monkey, Blue Swallow, and blue duiker. Among these species, the Blue Swallow stands out as a critically endangered intra-African migratory bird,...
African Birdlife last conducted a comparative binocular review in the March/April 2013 issue. One of the best models was the Zeiss Conquest, which sits between Zeiss’s top-end Victory and entry-level Terra series. Costing only half the price of the premium Swarovski, Leica and Zeiss Victory models, the Conquest combined excellent optics with a robust, no-nonsense...
The Okavango Delta is a captivating destination for The Rollers. Despite our numerous visits, this group of eight bird fanatics and adventurers have yet to encounter the swamp-like terrain that initially captured our interest. This endorheic basin is facing significant challenges despite being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to a diverse range of...
The Common Chaffinch, a species native to Europe and known for its song, has a vocalisation known as the “rain call.” This call, often described as a soft, repetitive “pink-pink” or “fink-fink,” has intrigued ornithologists for centuries. The rain call has historically been believed to predict rain, a belief deeply rooted in European folklore. Introduced...
Birds with abnormal plumage colours that are caused by genetic mutations such as leucism, albinism and melanism, are considered very rare in wild birds. One published study suggested that only one in every 30 000 birds suffers from these abnormalities! Another even rarer plumage mutation is known as a ‘fawn’ or non-eumelanic mutation. This is illustrated in...
Bird photography is considered one of the most challenging genres of wildlife photography. Capturing birds in their natural habitat, especially in flight, requires a combination of technical skill, patience, and creativity. They are fast-moving and unpredictable, making it difficult to capture sharp, well-composed images. A thorough understanding of your camera settings is needed, and you...
The African rail (Rallus caerulescens) is a handsome bird, with a blueish breast, red legs, eyes and bill, prominent barring on the flanks, chestnut upper parts, and long toes. It also has a characteristic trilling call. This wetland dweller is only found in sub-Saharan Africa, with a concentration in South Africa’s Western Cape province. The species is one of...
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a protected nature reserve at the southern edge of the Kalahari desert in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. It’s an arid area with high daytime temperatures and unpredictable rainfall. One of the species that lives in this harsh environment is the White-browed Sparrow-Weaver. They live here in social groups of up to 12 birds....
