Crimson-breasted Shrike - Laniarius atrococcineus - Near Endemic - is a Near Endemic in Southern Africa. The head, bill and back are black while the underparts are entirely scarlet. The sexes have the same colouration and are indistinguishable from each other. A yellow-breasted form is occasionally seen. Young birds have a mottled and barred buff-brown appearance with a pale bill.

This striking shrike occurs in a band across southern Africa from Northern South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The striking colour combination reminded Germans in South West Africa, [Namibia], of their homeland flag and it therefore became the Reichsvogel or "Empire bird".

Its preferred habitat is drier thornbush areas, in thickets and riparian scrub. It makes small seasonal migrations, preferring lower altitudes during cold periods.

Food consists of invertebrates, especially beetles, ants and caterpillars and also small fruits. 

The main call is loud and fast tyotyo or quipquipand variations thereof.

The breeding season is from August to January and peaks between October and November. Both sexes construct the nest which is a neat cup of bark strips, bound with cobweb and lined with grass and rootlets. It is normally positioned about 2m above the ground. These shrikes lay 2 to 3 eggs and are incubated by both sexes for 15 to 17 days. The chicks are brooded and fed by both parents.

It is widespread and common in its range and does not seem to be threatened in anyway.

This striking bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

African Red-eyed Bulbul - Pycnonotus nigricans - Near Endemic - Red-eye ring, pale belly. A common resident. This cheerful bulbul can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Acacia Pied Barbet - Tricholaema leucomelas - Near Endemic - White underparts, streaked yellow back, crown red in front. Black bib. A common resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves KZN Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Tour / Safari.

Cape Turtle-Dove - Streptopelia capicola - Grey plumage, slightly darker on the back, black collar on hindneck. Eye dark. An abundant resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Eastern Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves KZN Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Tour / Safari.

Crowned Lapwing - Vanellus coronatus - Black and white rings around black cap, belly white, neck and breast brown. Bill and legs red.A very common resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Eastern Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves KZN Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Tour / Safari.

Cape Sparrow - Passer melanurus - Head and breast black, with white C on sides of head, Back and rump chestnut, wingbar and belly white. A ver common resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Eastern Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves KZN Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Tour / Safari.

Double-banded Courser - Rhinoptilus africanus - A pale couser with scaled upperparts and a speckled head. Two black rings around the neck. Legs whitish. A fairly common nomad and resident. This beautiful bird can be seen on the Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari. 

Lanner Falcon - Falco biarmicus - Rufous crown, back blueish/grey/brown, vertical dark smudge below the eye. underparts buff to pinkish white, sparsely spotted on the flanks. Fairly common resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Eastern Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves KZN Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Tour / Safari.

Northern Black Korhaan - Afrotis afraoides - White wing tips, bill bright orange, legs yellow, white ear patches. A common resident. Can be seen on the Aves Arid Tour / Safari.  This striking Korhaan can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver - Plocepasser mahali - Broad white eyebrow and white rump. Dark crown and brown back. A locally common resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Yellow / Crimson-breasted Shrike - Laniarius atrococcineus - is a Near Endemic in Southern Africa. The head, bill and back are black while the underparts are entirely scarlet. The sexes have the same colouration and are indistinguishable from each other. A yellow-breasted form is occasionally seen. Young birds have a mottled and barred buff-brown appearance with a pale bill.

This striking shrike occurs in a band across southern Africa from Northern South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The striking colour combination reminded Germans in South West Africa, [Namibia], of their homeland flag and it therefore became the Reichsvogel or "Empire bird".

Its preferred habitat is drier thornbush areas, in thickets and riparian scrub. It makes small seasonal migrations, preferring lower altitudes during cold periods.

Food consists of invertebrates, especially beetles, ants and caterpillars and also small fruits. 

The main call is loud and fast tyotyo or quipquipand variations thereof.

The breeding season is from August to January and peaks between October and November. Both sexes construct the nest which is a neat cup of bark strips, bound with cobweb and lined with grass and rootlets. It is normally positioned about 2m above the ground. These shrikes lay 2 to 3 eggs and are incubated by both sexes for 15 to 17 days. The chicks are brooded and fed by both parents.

It is widespread and common in its range and does not seem to be threatened in anyway.

This striking bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Photographed by P. Sievers.

Black-faced Waxbill – Estrilda erythronotos – A reddish brown waxbill, with black facial mask, barred wings, red belly, flanks and rump. Vent black. A fairly common resident. This beautiful bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris : -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Noth East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Photographed by P. Sievers

Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk [ Juvenile] - Melierax canorus - Near Endemic - A large pale grey goshawk, with yellow eyes and orange/ yellow cere and legs. A common resident. This beautiful raptor can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours / Safaris : -

Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Birding Tour / Safari.

Gabar Goshawk – Melierax gabar  – A small raptor with grey and black barred tail. Cere and legs are orange/red. A common resident. Can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Photographed by P. Sievers

Kalahari Scrub-Robin – Cercotrichas paean – Near Endemic – A sandy colored scrub-robin with pale underparts, rufous rump and part of tail. Tail has broad black bar and white tip. A common resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris : -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Photographed by P. Sievers

Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus caeruleus - is a small raptor with a wide distribution in Africa, Madagascar, Iberia and Tropical Asia. It is found in varied habitats, from desert to open woodland, being most common in open grassland.

A small almost Owl-faced raptor, with large head, long pointed wings that project beyond the tip of the tail which is short and square-ended. Genders look alike but females are slightly larger.

Adults have pale grey upperparts, crown and nape, the wings grey with diagnostic black shoulder patch. The leading edge of the inner wing is black. They have a white foreheads, eyebrow, sides of head and underparts. The eye is red, bill black, cere and legs yellow. Juveniles have a rusty brown head, upper breast, and the back and wings are mottled buff or brown with prominent white tips. The young birds eyes are brown.

Black-shouldered Kites are generally silent, except in the breeding season. They utter a clear whistled 'chee, chee, chee' in flight and while hovering, or a hoarse wheezing 'skree-ah' when perched.

They roost and nest in trees and is on the wing early in the morning. It spends most of each day perched often on telegraph posts and dead trees. "Tail flicking" on landing. The tail is flicked up and lowered and the movement repeated persistently is thought to be a possible territorial display.

Black-shouldered Kites live almost exclusively on mice, foraging from either a perch or by hovering. Once they spot something they drop down in stages. They also feed on Insects, Lizards and small Birds.

Aerial courtship displays involve single and mutual high circling flight, and the male may fly around slowly with stiff exaggerated flaps. Courting males dive at the female, feeding her in mid-flight.  Females select males based on the quality of his territory. They form monogamous pairs, with a breeding season is throughout the year, peaking Spring and Autumn. Both sexes build the nest, which is a untidy shallow cup of sticks usually in the foliage near the top of trees. Between 2 and 6 eggs are laid, which are mainly incubated by the female for about 30 days. The chicks are brooded mainly by the female, while the male brings the food. The young make their first flights after 33 days and become fully independent after about 60 days.

Black-shouldered Kites are not threatened in Southern Africa, in fact they have greatly benefited from agriculture and the introduction of alien trees used for nesting in otherwise treeless areas.

This striking small kite can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours / Safaris / Adventures: -

Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Aves Eastern Cape Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves Western Cape Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves West Coast Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill – Tockus leucomelas – Near Endemic – Large yellow bill and bare red facial skin. Black and white patterning on the upperparts. A common resident. This conspicuous hornbill can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours / Safaris : -

Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari.

Namaqua Dove – Oena capensis – A small dove, identified by long pointed tail, male has black face, neck and breast with red bill with yellow tip. A common resident. This beautiful dove can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours / Safaris / Adventures: -

Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari / Adventures.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari / Adventures.

Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari / Adventures.

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari / Adventures.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari / Adventures.

Aves Western Cape Birding Tour / Safari / Adventures.

Aves West Coast Birding Tour / Safari / Adventures.

Secretarybird

The Secretarybird - Sagittarius serpentarius - is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey Endemic to Africa. It is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah in sub-Saharan Africa. The majestic Secretarybird is in serious decline and is now classified as Globally Vulnerable.

The Secretarybird is instantly recognizable as having an eagle-like body on crane like legs. They have rounded wings and in flight it resembles a crane more than a bird of prey. The bird gets its name from its crest of long feathers that look like the quill pens of 19th century office workers used to tuck behind their ears. It is basically dove-grey in color, with black on the wings, thighs and elongated central tail feathers. It has an eagle like head with a short, down-curved bill is backed by an area of bare, red and yellow skin. The tail has two elongated central feathers that extend beyond the feet during flight. Sexes exhibit very little sexual dimorphism, although the male has longer head plumes and tail feathers.

The Secretary bird walks well on its long legs, and will walk roughly 40km per day. It finds most of its food on the ground and will stamp on grass tussocks to scare up lizards, grasshoppers, and small mammals or birds.

Adults hunt in pairs, stalking through the habitat with long strides. Prey consists of insects, snakes, other reptiles, amphibians, tortoises, rats and other small mammals as well as young game birds. It also waits near fires, eating anything it can that is trying to escape. Secretary Birds have two distinct feeding strategies that are both executed on land. They can either catch prey by chasing it and striking with the bill, or stamping on prey until it is rendered stunned or unconscious enough to swallow.

Secretary birds pair for life and are remarkably faithful to their nest site. The nest is generally placed on top of a tree, usually an acacia. During courtship, they exhibit a nuptial display by soaring high with undulating flight patterns and calling with guttural croaking. Males and females can also perform a grounded display by chasing each other with their wings up and back, much like the way they chase prey.

Secretary birds lay two to three oval, rough textured, pale-green/white eggs over the course of two to three days. The eggs are incubated primarily by the female for 45 days. Both the parents feed the young and are fed liquefied and regurgitated insects directly by the male or female and are eventually weaned to small mammals and reptile fragments regurgitated onto the nest. At 60 days, the young start to flap their wings, and by 65 to 80 days are able to fledge.

The Secretary Bird has traditionally been admired in Africa for its striking appearance and ability to deal with pests and snakes. Africans sometimes call it the Devil's Horse. As such it has often not been molested, although this is changing as traditional observances have declined.

Conservation Status: - Globally Vulnerable.

These majestic birds can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -

Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Aves Eastern Cape Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves Western Cape Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves West Coast Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Lappet-Faced Vulture

The Lappet-faced Vulture, African eared vulture or Nubian Vulture - Aegypius tracheliotos - is the largest, and among the rarest, of all of the African vultures. This large, long and square-winged vulture is black-looking with white thighs and white bar running across leading edge of underwing in flight. Like many vultures, it has a bald head which is pink/reddish with loose folds of skin which look like ears. It has the strongest beak of any vulture. They are the most powerful and aggressive of the vultures and other  vultures will usually cede a carcass to them.

The species inhabits dry savannah, arid plains, deserts and open mountain slopes.

The Lappet-faced Vulture is a scavenging bird, feeding mostly from animal carcasses, focusing on the skin, tendons and ligaments of these carcasses. It is also known to hunt, taking a variety of small reptiles, fish, birds and mammals, and has been observed group-hunting flamingo chicks.  

The nest is built by both sexes and is usually placed at the top of a tree. It consists of a large platform of sticks lined with dry grass, hair and skin. Lappet-faced vultures are monogamous with a life long pair bond. The breeding season in southern Africais from February to October, peaking from May to June. They usually lay a single egg which is incubated by both parents for about 55 days. The chick is brooded almost constantly by both adults for the first four weeks, ceasing completely after another four weeks. It is fed by both parents, leaving the nest at approximately 120 to 128 days and becoming fully independent up to 170 days later.

They breed in Egypt, Senegal, Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen and possibly Libya. The species also occurs in The Gambia, northern Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Central African Republic and southern Angola. The African population is estimated to be in the region of 8,000 and there may be 500 in the Middle East. The total population is in decline.

This species is classified as Vulnerable since only a small, declining population remains, owing primarily to poisoning and persecution, as well as ecosystem alterations.

These large striking vultures can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -

Aves Arid Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure.

Aves Highlands/Tembe Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure.

Aves KZN Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure.

Aves North East Birding Tour/Safari/Adventure.

Aves North West Tour/Safari/Adventure.  

Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk - Meierax canorus - Mostly light grey, rump broadly white, belly finely barredgreyand white. Cere and legs red, underwing plain white. A very common resident. This bird can be seen on the following Aves Tours / Safaris: -

Aves Arid Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Tour / Safari.

Barn Swallows – Hirundo rustica- is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. Adults migrate long distances to their wintering grounds. An abundant summer visitor to Southern Africa. Adults may live to10 years. Its preferred habitat is open country with low vegetation, such as pasture, meadows and farmland, preferably with nearby water.

Description

The adult male has steel blue upperparts and a rufous forehead, chin and throat, which are separated from the off-white underparts by a broad dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated; giving the distinctive deeply forked "swallow tail." There is a line of white spots across the outer end of the upper tail.

The female is similar in appearance to the male, but the tail streamers are shorter, the blue of the upperparts and breast band is less glossy and the underparts paler. The juvenile is browner and has a paler rufous face and whiter underparts. It also lacks the long tail streamers of the adult.

Call

The song of the Barn Swallow is a cheerful warble, often ending with su-seer with the second note higher than the first but falling in pitch. Calls include witt or witt-witt and a loud splee-plink when excited.

Food

Mainly insects caught on the wing. A diverse range of insects including Mosquitoes, flies and moths. These swallows also drink on the wing, dipping beaks into the water in flight.

Breeding

The male Barn Swallow returns to the breeding grounds before the females and selects a nest site, which is then advertised to females with a circling flight and song. The breeding success of the male is related to the length of the tail streamers, with longer streamers being more attractive to the female.

Females build cup shaped nests out of mud and grasses usually against a hard vertical surface, such as eaves of buildings or under bridges.  They often choose the same nest site year after year.  Females lay three to five eggs that they incubate for two to three weeks.  After hatching, the chicks will remain in the nest for another three to four weeks before fledging. Adults will rear two broods each year, depending on the weather and supply of insects. 

Birdwatching 

This beautiful swallow can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours / Safaris/Adventures: -

Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves Eastern Cape Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Birding Tour / Safari.