NATURAL VEGETATION ZONES WATERBIRDS AND NEARSHORE BIRDS

Dabchick
Tachyboptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe
To 30 cm (12 in.)
Podiceps cristalUs
Also called little grebe.
To 50 cm (20 in.)
Jackass Penguin
Spheniscus demersus
To 70 cm (28 in.)
Breeds on islands off
south and west coast.

Red-billed Teal
Anas erythrarhyncha
Spur-winged To 50 cm (20 in.)
Goose The similar cape teal
Plectrapterus has a gray head.
gambensis
To 1 m (40 in.) White-faced Duck
Note pinkish knob Dendracygna viduata
on forehead. To 50 cm (20 in.)

Yellow-billed Duck
Anas undulata
To 58 cm (23 in.)
Broadleaf Forest Note dark saddle
African Pygmy
on yellow bill.
Mediterranean Red-cheeked Goose
Nettapus auritus Egyptian Goose
Grassland Cordon Bleu To 33 cm (13 in.) Alopochen aegyptiacus
To 75 cm (30 in.)
Savannah and/or Scrub Woodland
Note reddish patch
Semi-desert Grasses and Shrubs around orange eye.

Desert Grasses and Shrubs

Undifferentiated River Valley Vegetation
Undifferentiated Mountain Vegetation
No Vegetation
Great Cormorant
There are about 2900 species of birds found in Africa. This guide provides a Phalacrocorax carbo
simplified introduction to species that are familiar, widespread and/or unique to To 1 m (40 in.)
Africa. Most illustrations show the adult male in breeding coloration. Colors and Common in
Reed Cormorant northern Africa.
markings may be duller or absent during different seasons. Measurements refer to Phalacrocorax africanus
the length from bill to tail tip and are approximate. Illustrations are not to scale. To 50 cm (20 in.)
White-breasted
Waterford Press produces reference guides that introduce novices to travel, Note long tail
languages, science and nature. For a catalog, write to Waterford Press Ltd., and red eye. Cormorant
PO Box 4739, Blaine WA 9B231-4739. Publisher information and hundreds Phalacrocorax carbo
of free educational games can be downloaded from our website at: To 1 m (40 in.)
Red-billed
www.waterfordpress.com
Firefinch
Text and illustrationscopyright
e 2000 by Waterford PressLtd. ISBN 158355033- X $5.95 $7.95 Cdn
All rights reserved.
To order, call (800) 434-2555 50595 Sanderling
Calidris alba
For permissions, or to share comments, To 20 cm (8 in.)
e-mail: editor@vvatenordpress.com Runs in and out with
Ruddy Turnstone waves along shorelines.
For information on custom-published
Arenaria interpres Common Snipe
products, call (360) 332-7301.
Gallinago gallinago
To 25 cm (10 in.)
To 30 cm (12 in.)
9 781583 550335
Printed in China 001279 10 9 8 r 6 5 • 3 2 1
WATERBIRDS AND NEARSHORE BIRDS WATERBIRDS AND NEARSHORE BIRDS WATERBIRDS AND NEARSHORE BIRDS

Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocro/alus Caspian Tern
To 1.7 m (5.5 ft.) African Black Crake Sterna caspia
The similar pink-backed Amaurornis flavirostris
To 60 cm (24 in.) African Jacana
pelican is smaller and To 20 cm (8 in.)
Little Egret Great Egret Greater Flamingo has a pinkish bill. Shoebill Note red legs and
Note stout bill and Actophilornis africana
Cattle Egret Ardea alba large size. To 30 cm (12 in.)
Egretta garzetta Phoenicopterus ruber Balaeniceps rex yellow bill.
Bubulcus ibis Long-toed swamp bird
To 65 cm (26 in.) To 95 cm (38 in.) To 1.5 m (5 ft.) To 1.2 m (4 ft.)
To 60 cm (24 in.) walks on the floating
Note black bill Bill is black during Note pink bill. The Inhabits swamps of
and yellow feet. breeding season. east and central Africa. leaves of waterplants.
smaller lesser flamingo
has a dark red bill.

Gray Heron
Ardea cinerea Squacco Heron
Ardeola ral/oides
To 95 cm (38 in.)
To 40 cm (16 in.)
White wings are
conspicuous in flight.
Black-crowned
Night-Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Hammerkop
Scopus umbretta
To 70 cm (28 in.)
To 55 cm (22 in.)
Head is hammer-shaped.
Sacred Ibis
Threskiornis aethiopica Cape Gannet
To 90 cm (3 ft.) Common Moorhen Morus capensis
Gal/inula chloropus To 1 m (40 in.)
To 35 cm (14 in.) The similar northern
Note white stripe on flank. gannet occurs along Common Tern
Hadeda Ibis Sterna hirundo
Bostrychia hagedash northern coasts.
African Spoonbill To 3B cm (15 in.)
To 90 cm (3 ft.)
Goliath Heron Platalea alba Note black cap and
Ardea goliath To 90 cm (3 ft.) Note red mark on bill and forked tail. Orange
white facial crescent. Call
To 1.3 m (52 in.) Bill has a spoon- bill is black-tipped.
shaped tip. is a loud - ha-de-dah.
African Skimmer
Rynchops flavirostris
To 38 cm (15 in.)
Blue Crane Feeds by flying
Anthropoides paradisea with its lower bill
To 1.1 m (42 in.) Gray-headed Gull cutting the
Gray-crowned National bird of Larus cirrocephalus
water's surface.
Crane South Africa. To 45 cm (18 in.)
Balearica regulorum
To 1.1 m (42 in.)
Black-headed QUAIL, OSTRICH, ETC.
Heron Marabou Stork
Ardea melanocephala
Leptoptilas crumeniferus
To 1 m (40 in.) To 1.5 m (5 ft.)
White Stork Scavenging bird
Ciconio ciconia competes with
To 1.2 m (4 ft.) vultures for carrion.

Crowned Plover
Vanel/us coronatus
1)
Three-banded
Plover
Blacksmith Plover
Vanel/us armatus
To 30 cm (12 in.)
Named for its call - klink,
klink - which sounds like
African Darter
Anhinga rufa
To 90 cm (3 ft.)
Found on inland
lakes and waterways.
Black-capped
Avocet
Recurvirostra
avosetta
To 45 cm (18 in.)
JP Helmeted
Guineafowl
Numida meleagris
Red-necked Francolin
Francolinus afer
To 35 cm (14 in.)
Note red on Ostrich
To 55 cm (22 in.)
To 30 cm (12 in.) Charadrius tricol/aris a hammer hitting an anvil. throat and face. Struthio camelus
Black cap is encircled To 20 cm (8 in.) To 2.7 m (9 ft.) in height
by a white ring. Note red eye ring. Is the largest and
heaviest bird on earth.
Kori Bustard
Choriotis kori
Red-knobbed Coot Saddle-billed Stork To 1.3 m (52 in.) Common
Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
Fulica cristata One of the world's heaviest Quail
Crocodilebird To 45 cm (18 in.) To 1.5 m (5 ft.)
flying birds. The smaller Coturnix coturnix
Pluvianus aegyptius Two red forehead knobs Bill has a yellow saddle.
black bustard has a black To 18 cm (7 in.)
To 20 cm (8 in.) are prominent during
Rumored to clean the
Black-winged Stilt head, neck and undersides Note streaked
breeding season. Himantopus himantopus and a white ear patch. pattern on face.
teeth of crocodiles.
To 38 cm (15 in.)
 BIRDS OF PREY &: VULTURES BIRDS OF PREY &: VULTURES DOVES, CUCKOOS, ETe.

Bataleur Tawny Eagle Egyptian Vulture

Terathopius ecaudatus
Polemaetus be/ficosus
To 60 cm (24 in.)
Note short tail.
Underwings are white
with a black trailing
edge.
Martial Eagle Aquifa rapox
To 75 cm (30 in.)
To 80 cm (32 in.) Plumage on legs and
underparts is is shaggy.
.;I: Malachite Kingfisher
Afcedo cristata
Pied
Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Halcyon chelicuti
Hooded Vulture Neophron percnopterus White-headed Ceryle rudis Ta 18 cm (7 in.)
To 15 cm (6 in.)
Necrosyrtes monachus To 65 cm (26 in.) Vulture To 25 cm (10 in.)
To 75 cm (30 in.) Tool-using bird breaks open Aegypius occipitalis The similar giant
ostrich eggs with rocks. To 80 cm (32 in.) kinqtisher is much larger
1'6 and has a rufous breast.
Note red and blue bill.

Namaqua Dove
Oena capensis

African Fish-Eagle
Black Eagle
Aquila verreauxii
To 85 cm (34 in.)
African Hawk Eagle
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
To 55 cm (22 in.)
Several variants exist.
Notched tail is key field
mark.
Augur Buzzard
Buteo augur
To 1.3 m (52 in.)
Note reddish tail.
Secretarybird
Crowned Eagle
Sagittarius serpentarius
Haliaeetus vocifer Spuaetus coronatus
To 1.3 m (52 in.)
To 80 cm (32 in.) To 1.5 m (5 ft.)
Hunts along the ground
Note head crest.
and often kills prey by
stamping it with its feet.
DOVES, CUCKOOS,
Hieraaetus spilogaster
To 65 cm (26 in.)
White breast is
heavily streaked.
Great Blue
Turaco
Corythaeola cristata
To 75 cm (30 in.)
Inhabits tropical forests
in west and central Africa.
White-bellied
GO-Away-Bird
Corythaixoides leucogaster
Black-shouldered Kite
Efanus caeruleus To 50 cm (20 in.)
To 35 cm (14 in.) Named for it sheep-like
Note all-white tail. bleating call - go-wayeer.
~.f To 30 cm (12 in.)
Note long tail Rock Dove
White-backed Columba livia
lappet-faced Vulture Vulture To 35 cm (14 in.)
Torgos tracheliotus Gyps africanus The common
To 1 m (40 in.) To 95 cm (38 in.) urban 'pigeon'.
Heavy-billed vulture The similar cape vulture
dominates other birds inhabits mountainous Rock Pigeon
at animal carcasses. regions of southern Africa. Columba guinea
To 30 cm (12 in.)
Also called speckled
ETC. pigeon.
Ring-necked
Dove
Streptopelia capicola
To 30 cm (12 in.)
Call is a continuous -
work-HARD-er.
laughing Dove
Streptopelia senegalensis
To 25 cm (10 in.)
Note spots on neck.
Diederik Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx caprinus
To 18 cm (7 in.)
Call is a clear -
Narina Trogon Yellow-fronted Speckled
dee-dee-deederik. Apoloderma narina
Tinkerbird Mousebird
To 30 cm (12 in.)
Pogoniulus chrysoconus Colinus striotus
Forest bird draws
To 13 cm (5 in.) To 35 cm (14 in.)
attention to itself The similar red-fronted Alpine Swift
with its loud call - Bill is black above,
tinkerbird has a red Tachymarptis melba
hoot-hoot. ... hoot-hoot. white below.
forehead patch. Call is a To 23 cm (9 in.)
clinking - poop-poop.

Giant
Eagle-Owl
BUDo lacteus
To 65 cm Red-billed
(26 in.) Wood-Hoopoe
Call is a pig- Crested Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus Bearded
like grunt. Upupa epops Gray Parrot To 38 cm (15 in.) Crested Barbet Woodpecker
Barn Owl Psittacus erithacus Travels in small flocks Thripias namaquus
To 30 cm (12 in.) Trachyphonus vaiffantii
Tyto alba To 33 cm (13 in.) through savanna
African Scops Owl Head crest is erect when To 25 cm (10 in.) To 25 cm (10 in.)
To 45 cm (18 in.) woodlands.
Otus seneqatensis alarmed. Call is a soft Tropical species common Call is a loud -
Face is heart-shaped.
To 20 cm (8 in.) repeated - hoop-hoop. in west and central Africa. wicka-wicko-wkko.
 HORNBILLS, BEE-EATERS, ETC. PERCHING BIRDS PERCHING BIRDS

Red-billed Black-crowned
Tchagra Black-eyed
Hornbill Red-headed Weaver
Tchagra senegala (Common) Bulbul Rufous-naped lark Anaplectes rubriceps
Tockus erythrorhynchus Pycnonotus barbatus
To 45 cm (18 in.) To 23 cm (9 in.) Miralra alricana To 15 cm (6 in.)
To 23 cm (9 in.) To 18 cm (7 in.) Weavers create pendulous
The similar yellow-billed
Note yellow undertail Call is a mournful - nests that dangle from
horn bill has a yellow bill.
feathers. tseep-tseeoo. tree branches.

Greater Honeyguide Gray-headed Spot-backed Weaver

Trumpeter
Indicator indicator
Hornbill
To 20 cm (8 in.)
Ceratogymna bucinator
Guides humans and other
To 65 cm (26 in.)
mammals to bee nests.
One of 23 horn bill species
found in sub-saharan Africa.
Common Gray-headed
Bush Shrike Ploceus cucul/atus
Malaconotus blanchoti Fiscal Shrike To 15 cm (6 in.) Red Bishop Sparrow
Lanius collatis Euplectes orix
Southern Ground To 25 cm (lOin.) The similar masked weaver Passer griseus
To 23 cm (9 in.) To 13 cm (5 in.) To 15 cm (6 in.)
Hornbill Call is a mournful - lacks spots on nape.
Wing bars form a The similar golden Note white wing bar.
Bucorvus caler hooooooooooo.
white 'V' on its back bishop has black and
To 1.1 m (42 in.)
when perching. yellow plumage.

PERCHING BIRDS

Chinspot Batis
Batis molitor
To 13 cm (5 in.) Yellow-billed House Sparrow
White
Females have a chestnut Oxpecker Passer domesticus
breast band and chin patch. Helmetshrike Superb Starling
Buphagus africanus To 15 cm (6 in.)
Prionops plumatus Spreo supetbus
Stonechat To 20 cm (8 in.)
To 23 cm (9 in.) The similar cape
Feeds on the parasites of To 18 cm (7 in.)
Saxicola torquata Yellow wattles sparrow has a black
large grazing mammals. Undertail feathers and
To 13 cm (5 in.) and white head.
encircle the eye. breast band are white.

Sand Martin
Riparia riparia
To 15 cm (6 in.) Malachite
lesser Stri ped Has a dark breast band. Red-winged
Sunbird
Swallow Nectarinia lamosa Starling
Hirundo abyssinica To 25 cm (lOin.) Onycognathus morio
To 15 cm (6 in.) To 28 cm (11 in.)
Underparts are Chestnut primaries
heavily streaked. Yellow-eyed Canary are conspicuous in
Serinus mozambicus flight.
To 13 cm (5 in.) Red-billed Quelea
The similar yellow canary Qealea quealea Wattled Starling
lacks dark facial markings. To 13 cm (5 in.) Creatophora cinerea
Note red bill To 23 cm (9 in.)
and black mask.

African Pied Wagtail
Motacil/a aguimp
To 20 cm (8 in.)
Common
Waxbill
Estrilda astrild
To 13 cm (5 in.)
Yellow Wagtail
Motacil/a flava
To 15 cm (6 in.)
Head may be black, gray or
all-yellow. Wags tail when
foraging on the ground. -
Collared Sunbird
Anthreptes col/aris
To 10 cm (4 in.)
The most widely Red-billed Firefinch
distributed of 81
species of
African sunbirds.
Zosterops seneqoiensis
Lagonosticta senegala
To 10 cm (4 in.)
The only firefinch
with a red bill.
White-necked
African Yellow
Raven
White-eye Corvus albicollis
To 55 cm (22 in.)
To 10 cm (4 in.)
Pied Crow Note massive
The similar cape
Corvus albus white-tipped bill.
white-eye has a
grayish breast. To 50 cm (20 in.)