BLACK-HEADED ORIOLE

254               BLACK-HEADED ORIOLE               Oriolus larvatus

South Africa       (17)

Range n and e of South Africa. Resident in mature woodlands, forest edge and exotic plantations.  Possible movement to coastal areas in winter. found in pairs.

BATELEUR

253                   BATELEUR                           Terathopius ecaudatus

South Africa           (16)

55-70 cm, 1.9-2.9 kg, wingspan 1.7-1.8 m. Common in savanna and open woodlands, increasingly confined to large protected areas due to poisoning in agricultural lands. Pairs occupy area tear round. Often grounded on rainy days because use thermals to get air borne. Range narrowly into n of South Africa.




















 

CRESTED BABET

252                 CRESTED BABET               Trachyphonus vaillantii

South Africa          (15)

24 cm, 60-80 g. Common in woodlands savanna, riverine forest and gardens. Range over ne South Africa.

YELLOW-FRONTED CANARY

251            YELLOW-FRONTED CANARY             Crithagra mozambica

South Africa    (14)

11 cm, 9-16 g. Common in open woodlands, savanna and gardens. Often in flocks with other seed feeders. Found down eastern side of South Africa.

AFRICAN FISH EAGLE

250          AFRICAN FISH EAGLE          Haliaeetus vocifer

South Africa                 (13)

63-73 cm, 2-3.8 kg, wingspan 1.9 m. Range most of South Africa except central west. Pairs live year round defending territory on large rivers, lakes, estuaries and lagoons.Preys mainly on fish but will also savage on carcasses, steals ducklings, steal fish from other waterbirds.

TAWNY EAGLE

249              TAWNY EAGLE            Aquila rapax

South Africa         (12)

56-76 cm, 1.6-2.5 kg, wingspan 1.7-2 m. Range across northern South Africa. Common, especially in semi-arid savannah, scare in arid grasslands and eastern Karoo, decreasing outside conservation areas due to persecution and poisoning. Pairs defend territory year round.

RED-BILLED FIREFINCH

248         RED-BILLED FIREFINCH              Lagonosticta senegala

South Africa          (11)

10 cm, 7-10 g. Found ne and central South Africa. Common in semi-arid woodland, especially near water, also in gardens. Brood host for Village Indigobird.

Red-billed Firefinch, female

YELLOW-BELLIED GREENBUL

247             YELLOW-BELLIED GREENBUL                Chlorocichla flaviventris

South Africa      (10)

20-23 cm, 32-50 g. Range ne South Africa. Found in coastal and ravine forests, dense woodlands and thickets, gardens and mangroves. Usually groups of 5-6 birds.

TAWNY-FLANKED PRINIA

246         TAWNY-FLANKED PRINIA          Prinia subflava

South Africa          (9)

13 cm, 9 g. Common resident in broadleafed woodlands, especially along watercourses. Solitary or in pairs.

BLUE WAXBILL

245                BLUE WAXBILL              Uraeginthus angolensis

South Africa         (8)

Common in dry woodlands, savanna and gardens. Breeds singly or in loose colonies. 12 cm, 8-13 g. Range ne South Africa.

RED-FRONTED TINKERBIRD

Red-fronted Tinkerbird, photographed at Mkhuze.

244                RED-FRONTED TINKERBIRD              Poloniulus pusillus

South Africa            (7)

Also known as Tinker Barbet. 13 cm, 13-20 gms. Found in coastal forest. Range across se South Africa.

MARTIAL EAGLE

Martial Eagle

243               MARTIAL EAGLE            Polemaetus bellicosus

South Africa          (6)

78-86 cm, 2.4-5.2 kgs, wingspan 1.9-2.4 m. Found in savanna, grasslands, semi-dessert and Karoo. Spends most time alone, soaring at heights, eats small mammals.

PIED CROW

242         PIED CROW           Corvus albus

South Africa             (5)

46-50 cm, 410-610 gms. Widespread across most of South Africa, often in flocks, roosts communally, sometimes in thousands, familiar along roadsides, often feeding on roadkill and nesting on telegraph poles.