Birds

Raptors are among the biggest and most easily spotted birds in our countryside. They are also perhaps the most dramatic and exciting.  The…

Apalis thoracica (apalis = soft [Greek], thoracica = of the chest [Latin] Call (duet by male and female) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmFWxXq9Ygs This is the only Apalis in the…

(a.k.a. Yellow-throated Sparrow) Petronia superciliaris (Genus: petronia, Latin = to do with rocks, referring to the habitat of the Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia; species: superciliaris, Latin:…

Euplectes macroura (Genus: Euplectes, Greek = woven, referring to the nests; Species: macroura, Latin = large-tailed)Euplecte a dos d'or (French);  Viuva-de-manto-amarelo (Portuguese) Call/song:  http://www.xeno-canto.org/309964 Zimbabwe seems…

Alopochen aegyptiaca (apolochen = Greek: "fox goose" probably because of the bird's colour; aegyptiaca = Latin: "Egyptian") Call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-lkSJPOrok The Egyptian Goose is not, in fact,…

Lybius torquatus (Genus: Lybius, Greek = bird mentioned by Aristotle and Aristophanes, possibly allied to the woodpeckers; Species: torquatus, Latin = adorned with a…

Crithagra mozambica (Derivation obscure, possibly from krith = barley [Greek], mozambica = of Mozambique [Latin]) Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrB_Nm7D9uU This colourful and cheerfully vocal bird is a pleasure to…

Amaurornis flavirostra (amaurornis = Greek: dark, dim or obscure bird; flavirostra = Latin: yellow bill)Nhapata (Shona) Call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0ileMpkzm0 (Black Crake Bird Call Kruger National Park |…

Lamprotornis Chalybaeus (lamprotornis: Greek = a bright or shiny bird; chalybaeus: Latin = steely blue) Song: https://ebird.org/species/gbesta1 One has to have several pictures of…

Euplectes ardens (Genus: Euplectes, Greek = woven, referring to their woven nests; Species: ardens, Latin = glowing (type description based on an inaccurate illustration…