Grey-headed Kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
Roberts No. 436



Photo's taken by BBE-Ann from Feb. 20 from Petes Pond, Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana




Photos taken by eiguoc on Dec. 23, 2009, Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive


The Grey-headed Kingfisher has a height of 22 cms and weighs around 45 gms. The head is coloured grey while the bill is coloured carmine. The Halcyon leucocephala has a white coloured throat, red legs and a black coloured back. The eyes are brown.
The Halcyon leucocephala attacks its prey aerially and feeds on wing or takes the prey to a secluded venue where it is killed, torn into small pieces and eaten(1)

References:
(1) http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/halcyonleucocephala.htm
(2) Photo : http://www.kenyabirds.org.uk/fish_gh.htm

Red-knobbed Coot
Fulica cristata
Roberts No. 228



Screencapture taken by Skipper on February 25, 2009, Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive

Video:
Red-knobbed Coot (1 minute, 3 seconds)
Taken by 'CJ' on February 25, 2009, at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive

"The Red-knobbed Coot has a height of 42 cms and weighs around 825 gms. The head is coloured black while the bill is coloured white. The Fulica cristata has a white coloured throat, green legs and a black coloured back. The eyes are grey."(1)

References:
(1) http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/fulicacristata.htm
(2) Photo: http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/pic ... 124-2.html

Bird of prey from the Thursday morning drive at Djuma, possibly a Pallid Harrier:

Dusky Indigobird (Roberts 7th ed.)
Black Widowfinch (Roberts 6th ed.)
Vidua funerea
Roberts No. 864

OR

Purple Indigobird (Roberts 7th ed.)
Purple Widowfinch (Roberts 6th ed.)
Vidua purpurascens
Roberts No. 865

Here is a picture and video of the Widowfinch now called Indigiobird from the WildEarth game drive on 28 Feb 2009. Marc was the presenter and did not give it a specific name of 'Widowfinch:'



Indigobird [Widowfinch] ~~ appx. 36 sec.

There are two it could be. One is the Dusky Indigobird and the other is the Purple Indigobird. The main difference is the color of their feet. One has red/orange legs and feet and the other has whitish pink ones. From the video it is really hard to tell and we did not get a good close-up picture of it. At first I thought it was the Dusky because of the map locations given and labeled the photo and video but replaying the video and trying to get a better photo, there was no way to be certain.

References:
(1) Sinclair & Hockey, The Larger Illustrated Guide to Birds of Southern Africa, 2005.
(2) Photo - Dusky Indigobird: http://www.mangoverde.com/wbg/picpages/pic194-6-1.html (They call this one a Variable Indigobird but the scientific name is the same.)
(3) Photo - Purple Indigobird: http://www.hardaker.co.za/purpleindigobird1.htm

Chinspot Batis
Batis molitor
Roberts No. 701




Taken by eiguoc-Pat-April 3 & April 4, 2009, at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive

The Chinspot Batis is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Malaconotidae bird family group which includes birds such as Bush-shrikes, Puffbacks, Tchagras, Boubous, Helment-shrikes, Batises, Wattle-eyes.

The description for the Chinspot Batis (Latin name Batis molitor) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Batis molitor can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 701 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 716. You will find a picture of the Chinspot Batis on page 720

These are small black and white coloured birds which are usually found singly or in pairs. They have a characteristic call which can be interpreted as saying 'three blind mice'. They will have a territory of around 5 hectares in which they live. They will feed on insects which they search for in trees. They will breed from August to February and both the male and female will build the nest. The female will incubate for about 16-18 days.

References:
(1) http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/spec/spec143-19.html
(2) http://www.pc-zoo.com/birds/chinspot_batis.htm
(3) http://www.tanzaniabirds.net/African_birds/Batis_chin_spot/chin-spot_batis.htm
(4) http://www.flickr.com/photos/anymotion/2083614321/

Black collared barbet
Lybius torquatus
Roberts No. 464


taken by eiguoc at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive April 12/09

The Black-collared Barbet has a height of 20 cms and weighs around 58 gms. The head is coloured red while the bill is coloured black. The Lybius torquatus has a red coloured throat, black legs and a brown coloured back. The eyes are red.(1)

The Black-collared barbet is one of the most common barbets in Africa, being found from the DRC to Kenya, extending south to southern Africa, occurring in a variety of habitats. It eats mainly fruit, with the rest of its diet composed of insects and nectar. Both sexes excavate the nest, which is a hole usually on the underside of dead branches of trees, preferably softwood trees like Ficus (wild fig). It lays 2-5 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes, for roughly 18 days. The chicks stay in the nest for about 33-36 days, and are fed fruit and insects by both parents.(2)

References:
1. http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/lybiustorquatus.htm
2. http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/birds/lybiidae/lybius_torquatus.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-collared_Barbet
4. http://birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=thumbview&af_bf_id=67&af_bs_id=1029

White-breasted Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
Roberts No. 55





These photos were taken by RobertIA on Aug. 30, 2009 from Petes Pond, Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

The head is coloured brown while the bill is coloured grey. it has a white coloured throat, grey legs and a brown, black coloured back. The eyes are brown. This bird has a specially adapted bill which helps it hunt for fish, crabs, shrimp and other aquatic animals in the water. (1)

Adults can be identified by large size and white underparts (2)

Other names for it include: White-necked Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Large/Common Black Cormorant, European Cormorant (3) And can be confused with the African Darter.

References
(1) http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/phalacrocoraxlucidus.htm
(3) Photo http://www.kenyabirds.org.uk/great_cormorant.htm
(2) http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_whit ... orant.html

Posted for RobertIA by BBE (Aug. 31, 2009)

Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Accipiter ovampensis
Roberts No. 156


taken by eiguoc at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive Sept 25/09

The Ovambo Sparrowhawk is a bird about the size of a Francolin now called Spurfowl. The height of the Ovambo Sparrowhawk is about 40 cms and its weight is about 140 gms
The male and female Ovambo Sparrowhawk have the same plumage and colours
Head is grey. Eye is brown, red. Bill is black. Throat is white. Back is grey.Legs are black, red.(1)

References:
1. http://www.thekruger.com/knpbirds/accipiterovampensis.htm
2. http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/accipiterovampensis.htm
3. http://www.birding.co.za/gallery/ovsparr.htm
4. http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Africa/South_Africa/photo22664.htm

Great White Pelican (Roberts 7th ed.)
White Pelican (Roberts 6th ed.)
Pelecanus onocrotalus
Roberts No. 49


Taken by eiguoc on Oct 15/09 at Petes Pond, Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

"The Great White Pelican has a height of 140 cms and weighs around 11000 gms. The head is coloured white while the bill is coloured yellow. The Pelecanus onocrotalus has a grey coloured throat, yellow legs and a white coloured back. The eyes are brown."(1)

References:

1. http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/pelecanusonocrotalus.htm
2. http://www.kenyabirds.org.uk/gw_pelican.htm
3. http://birdquest.net/afbid/birdspecies.php?func=thumbview&af_bf_id=13&af_bs_id=105

African Openbill (Roberts 7th ed.)
Openbilled Stork (Roberts 6th ed.)
Anastomus lamelligerus
Roberts No. 87


Taken by eiguoc-Pat at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive Dec 20/09

"The African Openbill has a height of 60 cms and weighs around 1100 gms. The head is coloured black while the bill is coloured brown. The Anastomus lamelligerus has a grey, black coloured throat, black legs and a black coloured back. The eyes are brown."(1)

A slender, chocolate-brown stork with an extraordinary pincer-like bill. This is a completely aquatic stork which feeds almost exclusively on snails and freshwater mussels. Contrary to popular thought, these shelled molluscs are not smashed in nutcracker style (which the stork's bill strongly suggests) but are extracted from their intact shell by the razor sharp lower mandible which slices off the strong attaching muscle, while the upper mandible holds the shell fast. The snails and mussels live in sediment or mud, so have to be searched for by the storks which have been observed to follow in the wake of hippos (and even to ride on the backs of these huge mammals) which habitually churn up the mud and expose the birds' preferred prey.

References:

1. http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/anastomuslamelligerus.htm
2. http://www.kenyabirds.org.uk/stork-ob.htm

We have now officially moved to our new home ~ this thread will remain but you may only view it.

I am working on transferring all of the posts of the birds that have been seen in the Sabi Sands area of South Africa on the 'new' forum. You may post your new sightings of Sabi Sands birds there.

You can find all of the wonderful animals, birds, and other creatures of the Sabi Sands area of South Africa at our new home here:

http://www.hancockwildlife.org/forum/index.php?forum=26

I want to thank all of you for your participation in making this a great source of information for all of the members and I hope all of you will make the move and enjoy the new forum

Connie