African Birds 14 - African Black Oystercatcher, South Africa: The African Black Oystercatcher also known as African oystercatcher, is a large wader which is a resident breeder on the rocky coasts and islands of southern Africa. It can be very difficult to identify a bird especially when you only see it it at a distance or for a short time only. South Africa is known the world around for its abundance of wildlife, not least of all its many birds. Here I'll limit myself to a maximum of 5 shots per species, showing (if possible) male, female and juvenile/immature birds. Good bird fact: House Sparrows live in organized, military-like units that are led by the male with the biggest black patch. In fact, there is an established avi-tourism industry that invites birding enthusiasts from all over the world to indulge in top-class bird-watching. Hi everyone I photographed this bird on the 3rd of October in Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa. To be seen on rocky coasts and beaches and at lagoons and estuaries. The red-winged starling (Onychognathus morio) is a bird of the starling family Sturnidae native to eastern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape in South Africa.An omnivorous, generalist species, it prefers cliffs and mountainous areas for nesting, and has moved into cities and towns due to … Listed as an endangered bird the black oystercatcher has a population of less than 5,000 adults Hoopoes - Common in park-like savannah and suburban hotel gardens, the African hoopoe is a distinctive orange ground bird with a curved bill, prominent crest, and black and white wings. Black and white bird, South Africa. Field Notes The African Black Oystercatcher is considered to be a vulnerable species, although fairly common along the coast of South Africa and Namibia. Listen to the House Sparrow's call below, and learn more about its range and behaviors here. This is not supposed to be a permanent gallery as I'll replace shots here as soon as I have better photos available. Currently all shots are from South Africa and Kenya. There are well over 900 species of birds in Southern Africa many of which are endemic to the region. SouthAfrica.co.za provides informative, educational content on many South African bird species that orthologists and bird-watchers would enjoy in all 11 official languages. Southern Africa is defined as the region south of the rivers Cunene and Zambezi. So next time you see a group, look for the bird with the most black on its breast and you’ve likely found the leader. Meet vivacious South African pop trio, BlackByrd Made up of three talented, dynamic and vivacious ladies, BlackByrd is one of Mzansi's most versatile trios. More photos can be found in the species gallery. How to identify that bird you saw in the Kruger National Park. Colours Used in Roberts 7th to Identify Birds. One of the most abundant birds across North America, and one of the most boldly colored, the Red-winged Blackbird is a familiar sight atop cattails, along soggy roadsides, and on telephone wires. It was about … The African Black Oystercatcher is widely distributed along the southern African coast, yet very sparingly in places. Table showing colours to use for searching for unidentified birds. Glossy-black males have scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches they can puff up or hide depending on how confident they feel. This search facility has been created to make it easier for you.