Birds

 (Formerly known as "Heuglin's Robin") Cossypha heuglini (Genus: Cossypha = Greek name for the European Blackbird, a singing bird; Species: heuglini = after Theodor von Heuglin (1824-1876),…

"A female European Honey Buzzard Bird was fitted with a satellite tracking system in Finland recently and was of particular interest…

Scientific Name: Passer diffusus (Genus: passer = Latin sparrow; Species: diffusus = Latin diffuse, extensive, referring to grey-washed head and neck) Shona Name:  I cannot find in my usual sources a…

Bubulcus ibis (Latin bubulcus = a cowherd;Greek ibis = an ibis [generally, a wading bird]) Kafudzamombe (Shona ka = little, kufudza = to herd, mombe = cattle, i.e. "little herder of cattle") These…

('Pied' means 'coloured in patches of different colours', especially black-and-white.) Scientific name: Corvus albus (Genus Corvidae = Latin 'crow or raven'; species albus = Latin 'white')Shona name: Gunguwo…

Scientific name:  Genus Melierax (from Greek melos = 'song' + hierax = 'hawk'); species Gabar ('gabar' probably of 'Hottentot' origin, though the meaning is uncertain)Shona name: Rukodzi (generic name for small hawk) Sound: http://www.xeno-canto.org/126226…

Scientific name: Genus Uraeginthus (Greek = like a finch) Species angolensis (Latin = from Angola)Shona names: Kasiisii, kadhiidhii, chisiisii, katstiitsii (all these names sound onomatopieic, reflecting the…

Ciconia abdimii (Ciconia Latin = Stork: abdimii after El Ernaut Abdimm Bey, Egyptian Governor of the Wadi Halfa area of Sudan 1821-1825); Shuramurove (Shona = generic name…

Genus Turdoides (Latin = 'thrush-like', 'like a thrush' i.e. another type of bird) species jardineii (named after Sir William Jardine) Shona: Dywedywe or hochahocha.  (Both of these sound…

Hamerkop (from the Afrikaans for "hammer-head"); Scopus umbretta (Genus Scopus (Latin = a broom or brush, alluding to the bird's crest OR Greek =…