Kingfishers - Alcedinidae in East Africa Kingfishers are in the order – Coraciiformes together with Bee-eaters, Rollers, Motmots and Todis. The 2 last are not in Africa. Most are colourful birds. Another characteristic are syndactyly feet which means that toe 3 and 4 are fused together. This enlarges the sole…
Hornbill, Ground Hornbill, Hoopoe & Wood-Hoopoe 4 different families of different characteristics are in the order BucerotiformesOrder Bucerotiformes – Hoopoes, Wood-hoopoes, Scimitarbills, Ground Hornbills, HornbillsFamily Upupidae – Hoopoes. They are distributed in Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Asia and India. They forage for insects and insect larvae on the ground and in dead wood. The long curved bill…
Swifts, Mousebirds and Trogons Due to the small seize of the 3 orders we combine them on this page.Trogons are the most colourful among themSwifts – Order Apodiformes, Family Apodidae are highly aerial birds and not seen on the ground, on wires, on fences or trees like swallows. But they…
Nightjar species of East Africa Order Caprimulgiformes, Family Caprimulgidae - NightjarsTheir scientific name derives from the old believe that the Eurasian Nightjar milks milk from the udder of goats. Capri = goat, mulgere = milking.In Africa you find the subfamily Caprimulginae with the genus Caprimulgus. Some are residents others intra African or Eurasian migrants.The medium…
Owls, Eagle-Owls, Scops-Owls, Owlets Nocturnal predators surrounded by mythology and superstition In old Egypt the owl stood for the letter m. It was the only hieroglyph of a creature facing the reader. They stood for wisdom but were also feared. In China during the Shang or also knows as Yin…
Cuckoos, malkohas and coucals Order Cuculiformes - Cuckoos has 1 family - Cuculidae. The other family Hoatzins are not in Africa.The family of Cuckoos has 140 species which are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones on all continents except Antarctica. To this family belong: Cuckoos and Coucals as well as others not found…
Turacos, Go-away-birds and Plaintain-eaters Order Musophagiformes - Turacos and Plaintain Eaters, suborder Musophagae, family Musophagidae. These are medium-seized to large arboreal birds, living in noisy groups or pairs. They have quite long tails and some are very colourful. They are loved by photographers. Their flight is quite weak so often they more glide from tree…
Sandgrouses, Doves and Parrots Order Pterocliformes - Sandgrouses has 1 family Sandgrouse – Family Pteroclidae has 16 species in Africa and Asia. They are short-legged, cursorial birds of arid and semi-arid grassland and savanna. Flocks fly to water at fixed times every day – so if you are lost in the bush follow the Sandgrouses. Males have…