Striped Kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti)

Striped Kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti)

It is a small, elegant kingfisher known for its powder-blue flight and tail feathers, dark-eye band, barred brown, and creamy white color. Solitary bird or pairs occurs in savannas, woodland, and thornveld. It catches attention with its exuberant “trreeerr-trreeerr-trreeerr” and resonant “teep-tiii-rrrrr” calls. Read further to know more about the Stripped Kingfisher. … Read more

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

Rock Pigeon

It is a large dove common in farmland and cities around the world. Wild counterparts often thrive on cliffs, while the feral groups have quickly adjusted nesting on infrastructures, such as bridges and skyscrapers. Both domestic and feral birds come in color varieties, ranging from gray to white, orangey-brown, and black. Read … Read more

Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens)

Pink-backed Pelican

It is small compared to its pelican cousins, yet it is still a large bird. This species occurs in open water wetlands habitats with slow-moving water, usually in small groups. It is generally pale gray, with a pinkish bill, and a pink back, where it got its name. Read further to know … Read more

Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo africanus)

Spotted Eagle-Owl

It is a large-grayish brown owl, with erect ear-tufts, and striking yellow eyes, and is the commonest large-owl in its range, thriving in thinly-wooded habitats. It has a finely-spotted lower breast and belly, and known for their distinct, soft, ringing, “whooo-whooo’ call, seemingly sounding like “whooo are you?” Read further to know … Read more

Pel’s Fishing Owl (Scotopelia peli)

Pel's Fishing Owl

It is a large, round-headed, rufous-brown owl, with a murky, spots, bars, spots, covering its plumage. Quite timid, this nocturnal bird forages at night, while day-roosting secludedly on huge trees nears swamps and rivers with dense vegetation. Its call is a hollow, horn-like “ooommm” call, accompanies by a chain of grumbles. Read … Read more

Swamp Nightjar (Caprimulgus natalensis)

Swamp Nightjar (Caprimulgus natalensis)

It is a fairish-sized, common nightjar characterized by bold scaly markings on its backs. A wide, dull patch occurs on the outer tail, buff in female while whitish in males.  It thrives in open and palm savannas, and wet grasslands. Like its cousins, this bird is nocturnal or crepuscular, hunting from night … Read more