article thumbnail

South Africa’s endemic birds

10,000 Birds

In 1996, several pipit specimens were collected for DNA analysis and it turned out that there was not one, but two new species to science in this sample! Another near-endemic, shared only with tiny Lesotho and Swaziland is the bizarre Southern Bald Ibis. A dancing Blue Crane , South Africa’s national bird.

article thumbnail

Birding the Kruger Park (3): Malelane area

10,000 Birds

We had been driving through Eswatini (Swaziland) for a few hours during the day, coming from Ndumo. I usually do not write much about traveling to and from birding places but my friend and I arrived in Malelane in the afternoon. Eswatini must have the worst paved roads I have ever experienced.

Swaziland 147