Hamerkop
Hamerkop (from the Afrikaans for "hammer-head"); Scopus umbretta (Genus Scopus (Latin = a broom or brush, alluding to the bird's crest OR Greek =…
Southern Masked Weaver
Scientific Name: Ploceusvelatus (Genus: ploceus [Greek = weaver]; species: velatus [Latin = masked]); Shona Names: Jesa, Nzvidya, Dombwa; Other Names: Tisserin à tête…
Dark-Capped Bulbul
Dark-capped Bulbul, formerly known as the Black-eyed Bulbul. (In Southern Africa , it is also often called by its Afrikaans nick-name, which…
Yellow-bellied Sunbird
Yellow-bellied Sunbird (a.k.a. Variable Sunbird) Cinnyrus (Greek = shining) Venustus (Latin = beautiful, charming or graceful); [Family Name = Nectariniidae, eaters of nectar] (A…
Red-billed Wood Hoopoe
Phoeniculus purpureus (Greek: phoen- = red, -iculus = billed; Latin: purpureus = purple, referring to the iridescence) Shona: Shavi-shavi OR haya - according to Dale's dictionary. According to Hannan's…
Cape Turtle Dove
Latin: Streptopelia capicola (streptopelia = Greek 'a collared dove'; capicola = Latin 'an inhabitant of the Cape')Shona: Njiva (generic name for doves) Call: http://www.xeno-canto.org/382937 There are two doves we…
Laughing Dove
Latin: Streptopelia senegalensis (streptopelia = a collared dove; senegalensis = from Senegal) Shona: Njiva. This is a very common bird around us,…
African Hoopoe
Scientific name: Upupa Africana ("Upupa": imitating the bird's call; "Africana" plus Latin = 'from Africa') Shona: mhupupu or chigubhubhuNB All these names - 'hoopoe', 'upupa', 'mhupupu, 'chigubhubhu' - are onomatopoeic,…
What Bird Is That?
Each week a common Zimbabwean garden bird will be added to this site with some notes on its appearance and habits.…
Links to articles – birds
Vultures https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/13/the-vultures-arent-hovering-over-africa-and-thats-bad-news-aoe Rare Flufftails https://www.birdingecotours.com/searching-for-africas-most-skulking-bird-family-the-incomparable-flufftails/ Kingfisher nesting sequence https://youtu.be/D61djLCc_GY Bird flight sound comparison https://youtu.be/d_FEaFgJyfA Cuckoo epic migration story https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/26/cloud-cuckoo-land-how-one-birds-epic-migration-stunned-scientists-onon-aoe Military "mother"…
