A small but interesting point when it comes to sunbird prey. Sunbirds, when feeding, always insert their bills right to the back of their chicks throats. Most birds with shortish bills simply ‘drop’ food items into the wide open gape of chicks – as seen below with this Eastern Nicator. …. and with this Sombre...
Most of Europe’s birds head south each year around September to escape the northern winter. Some species only migrate as far south as southern Europe. But most cross the Mediterranean Sea to Africa. And many species cross the Sahara Desert to destinations in West Africa such as Nigeria and in East Africa, such as Kenya. Some...
The lives of people and parrots have been entwined for thousands of years. These colourful, charismatic birds are kept as pets all over the world for companionship and entertainment. However, parrot farming is an ever growing threat. Today, nearly one-third of the 400 parrot species globally face the threat of extinction. Among them is the endangered African Grey Parrot....
From afar, the acacia trees look like they have been decorated with grass pom-poms. The birds have been busy, building shelters of straw and grass. Up close the real shape of the “pom-poms” becomes clear: grass tubes in the form of an upside down “U”, with an opening at each end. These structures are the...
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...
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....
