10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 23, 2016

There are few families of birds where despite a cosmopolitan distribution I’m always so pleased to see any species of the family. The species is a common one, found from the Gambia to Somalia and from the Sudan to South Africa. Who doesn’t love a good owl? owls aren’t rare, but they are seldom easy.

Owls 223

Owls Somalia Gambia Sudan 223

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2011

Families that are endemic to the continent include such strange birds as Shoebill , Secretarybird , Hamerkop , mousebirds and rockfowl ( picathartes ) and delightful groups including bushshrikes, sugarbirds, rockjumpers, woodhoopoes, turacos and hyliotas.

Papua New Guinea 255

Papua New Guinea Equatorial Guinea Madagascar Tanzania 255

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2012

Gaining independence in 1990, Namibia is one of Africa’s “newer” nations, although not quite as newborn as South Sudan which has yet to celebrate its first anniversary! This family group is performing their loud croaking territorial calls. A family group of Rüppell’s Bustards uttering their croaking territorial calls.

Namibia 272

Namibia Angola Lovebirds South Africa 272

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

Here, in south-west Ethiopia’s awkwardly named “Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region”, bordering Kenya and Sudan, the great Omo River dominates this dry savanna valley, resulting in some of Africa’s most well developed and best preserved arid-zone riverine forests.

Ethiopia 255

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Cattle 255

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. This stork is named in honor of Bey El-Arnaut Abdim, a 19th century Turkish Governor of Wadi Halfa in Sudan.

Africa 250

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 250

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2012

Originally they were all placed in the family Capitonidae , but over time taxonomists have determined that actual relationships between these barbets are far more complex. Gray-throated Barbet is one of the plainer members of the African Barbet family. Note the strange nasal tufts at the base of the bill.

Ethiopia 252

Ethiopia Tanzania Uganda Africa 252