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.

CAPE GLOSSY STARLING

A Cape Glossy Starling joins other birds drinking at the puddle under a tap, photographed at Mkhuze.

241             CAPE GLOSSY STARLING              Lamprotornis nitens

South Africa          (4)

25cm, 65-112 gms.Common in savanna, mixed woodlands and gardens, found in arid regions.

BROWN-HOODED KINGFISHER

Juvenile Brown-hooded Kingfisher photographed at iMfolozi

240          BROWN-HOODED KINGFISHER             Halycon albiventris

South Africa      (3)

20-22 cm, 50-75 gms. Common in woodlands, coastal forests, parks and gardens. Range eastern half of South Africa.

SOUTHERN YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL

239         SOUTH YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL           Tockus leucomelas

South Africa    (2)

Range across northern South Africa. Found in thornveld and dry broadleaf woodlands. 48-60 cm, 145-230 gms.

PURPLE-CRESTED TURACO

238              PURPLE-CRESTED TURACO           Tauraco porphyreolopha

South Africa          (1)

411-43 cm; 220-450 g. Found in broadleaf woodlands, and coastal and ravine forests. Range ne quarter of South Africa.