Coastal Towns
Inland Towns
Game Parks of the Area
Animals of the area
Birds of the area
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The Eastern Cape is an extraordinarily bio diverse region, and an
indispensable destination for the ecotourist in southern Africa.
Indeed, there is no other area in Africa that offers such a high
level of endemism in such an accessible setting.
Furthermore, this region offers representatives from many of
Africa's ten endemic and near-endemic bird families: Ostrich,
Hamerkop, Guineafowl, Secretarybird, Mousebirds and Woodhoopoes
to name a few. This web site will hopefully be of interest to
guests of Olifantskop Lodge when trying to remember which birds
they saw on their game drives.
Ostrich
Struthio camelus
Of the 8,600 bird species, which exist today, the ostrich is the
largest. They are still found in the wild in certain parts of Africa,
and are very well adapted to desert life, getting water from the
plants they eat.
These huge birds, which sometimes reach a height of 2.6 m and a weight
of 135 kg, cannot fly, but are very fast runners. Their small, flat
heads and long necks are downy and their plump bodies are covered
with soft feathers. The male's body plumage is glossy black, and
the wings and tail feathers are white.
The females and young males are greyish brown. If threatened while
sitting on the nest, which is simply a cavity scooped in the earth,
the hen presses her long neck flat along the ground, blending with
the background. Ostriches, contrary to popular belief, do not bury
their heads in the sand.
The male ostrich has from two to six females in his flock. The eggs
each weigh about 1.5 kg. Ostriches have been raised in captivity as
a source of food.
African Hoopoe
Upapa Africana
The African Hoopoe is distributed throughout Africa, Europe, Tropical
Asia and Madagascar. The African Hoopoe is often found in gardens,
savannah, woodland and bushveld. Often seen on lawns where the hoopoe
uses its long bill to probe for worms and termites.
The African Hoopoe nests in a hole that it finds almost anywhere -
a hole in a tree - a hole in a bank - a hole in the ground. It does
not make the hole itself. The "Hoop-hoop" call made by the Hoopoe
gives it its name.
Woodland Kingfisher
Halcyon senegalensis
The Woodland Kingfisher is a summer visitor to this area. The Woodland
Kingfisher also breeds from November to March making use of holes in
trees. It feeds on insects, lizards, millipedes and frogs. Not often
found eating fish. The Kingfisher habitat is mainly savannah woodland
and dense ravine bush.
Black sunbird
Nectarinia amethystine
The female Black sunbird is brown above and cream below. The sunbird
likes gardens, woodlands and bushveld. It feeds on nectar from
flowering plants, insects and spiders.The nest is made of grass, twigs
and leaves. The inside of the nest is lined with soft materials such
as hair and spiders webs.
Black Crow
Corvus corone
A Black Crow's nest is built in the fork of a tree and is a large
construction of twigs lined with hair and bark. Both birds build the
nest. The duties of incubating the eggs are performed by the female.
The eggs are about 43 mm by 30 mm, smooth and glossy, pale bluish-green
with dark brown and grey markings. Both adults feed the young birds.
Black Crows have a diverse diet: worms, insects, and fruit.
Glossy Starling
Onychognathus morio
The Glossy Starling is a common resident in the African bushveld.
It likes to nest near buildings, mountains, rocky hills and gorges.
The bird is easily recognisable by its shiny blue plumage.
The starling feeds on fruits, ticks (can be seen clinging
to Kudu, Klipspringer, and Impala), insects and lizards.
Glossy Starling breeds during summer in the Northern Province.
The nest is made of mud and twigs lined with hair. The nest is
usually built under an overhang or in a hole or crevice. The female
incubates 1-4 eggs for three weeks. Both parents feed the nestlings.
Forktailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
The Forktailed Drongo is found from south of the Sahara to most of
South Africa except in the Karoo. The Forktailed Drongo likes
savannah woodlands, gardens, farmyards, plantations and open
grasslands. The Drongo perches on dead branches, telephone
poles or fences, where it flies out to catch insects in the air
or on the ground. Drongo feeds on bees, insects and small birds.
The nest is made of twigs bound together with spiders web in the
fork of a tree.
Hadeda Ibis
Bostrychia hagedash
The Hadeda Ibis is a large bird with short legs. It has a metallic
purple-green colour on its wings. The call of this Ibis is a very
loud and harsh "ha-ha-hadeda ".The Hadeda Ibis feeds on insects,
worms and molluscs. It walks slowly probing with its long bill to
find food. It feeds in areas of short grass, especially in areas
of old cattle kraals where worms and insects will be found.
Guineafowl
Numida meleagris
The Guineafowl is about the size of a chicken, slate grey with fine
white spots. A gregarious bird moves about in large flocks when not
breeding, usually in pairs when breeding. Likes open habitats and
farm land.
Guineafowl feeds on seeds, berries, insects, ticks, etc. Guineafowl
find their food by scratching for food with their feet and bill.
Guineafowl make their nests on the ground from November to January,
laying 6 to 20 eggs, which are incubated by the female only, for
between 24 and 30 days.
Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
The Cape Turtle Dove is found throughout Southern Africa in woodlands,
Savannah, parks and urban and rural gardens. Forages for seeds, insects
and grain, on the ground. The Cape Turtle Dove nests on an untidy
platform of twigs in the fork of a tree.
Greenspotted Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
The Greenspotted Dove can be distinguished from the Bluespotted Dove
by its black bill. The Bluespotted Dove has a yellow bill. The
Greenspotted Dove is common in northern parts of South Africa. Likes
to feed in open areas, on roads and on bare ground. The nest is a
sparse bunch of twigs in a bush or small tree.
Crowned Plover
Vanellus coronatus
The Crowned Plover has long red legs. Immature birds (lower picture)
are browner than the adults. The Crowned Plover is a gregarious bird
and sometimes forms large flocks of up to thirty birds. Very vocal,
when approached by intruders, the Crowned Plover with chicks
dive-bombs the intruders screeching loudly to frighten them away.
Crowned Plovers are found throughout South Africa. Habitat is open
grasslands. They are fond of playing fields and airfields and golf
courses. Feed mainly on insects and will dig for worms in soft soil.
The nest is a small scrape in the ground, usually out in the open.
Blackeyed Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
This Bulbul is a very common resident and is found from Arabia to
the Cape. Fond of gardens, bulbuls readily come to feed tables.
Feeds on fruit, insects and nectar. Very vocal, the bulbul gives
loud alarm calls when danger is present. Nest is a neat cup made
of twigs and grass lined with hair or soft materials.
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BIRDS OF THE AREA
