Newsletter / Blog
2011-06-20 National Birds - Lesotho and South Africa.
Lesotho: -
The Southern Bald Ibis - Geronticus calvus - is found in open grassland in the mountains of Southern Africa.
This large, glossy, blue-black Ibis has an unfeathered red face and head, and a long, decurved red bill. It breeds colonially on cliffs, laying 2-3 eggs which are incubated for 21 days before hatching. It feeds on insects, small reptiles, rodents and small birds.
South Africa: -
The Blue Crane - Anthropoides paradiseus - is the national bird of South Africa. It is a tall, ground-dwelling bird, but is fairly small by the standards of the crane
family. It is pale blue-grey in colour with a white
crown, a pinkish bill, and long, dark grey wingtip feathers.
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