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namibia
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Kurrichane Thrush
The similar African Thrush (T. pelios) also has a pale belly but its bill is yellow, not orange. Note the strong dark malar stripes. This is the pale, yellow-legged race "T. l. verreauxii" (formerly T. l. chobiensis). Its common name is based on a former town in northern South Africa where the...- jmorlan
- Media item
- kurrichane thrush namibia turdus libonyana
- Comments: 3
- Category: Africa
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Pied Barbet
Sometimes called Acacia Pied Barbet and occasionally lumped with the Miombo Barbet (T. frontata) and the Red-fronted Barbet (T. diademata) of East Africa. The three form a superspecies. All the barbets were formerly classified in the family Capitonidae. However recent studies have found that...- jmorlan
- Media item
- namibia tricholaema leucomelas
- Comments: 4
- Category: Africa
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Helmeted Guineafowl
A small-headed game bird with neat rows of hundreds of white spots. The head grows a bone-like casque and warty facial skin, which is colored white, blue, or red depending on the subspecies. This is presumably the race "N. m. papillosus" (formerly damarensis) characterized by a taller casque and...- jmorlan
- Media item
- helmeted guineafowl namibia numida meleagris
- Comments: 1
- Category: Africa
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Damara Dik-Dik (Madoqua damarensis)
One of the smallest African antelope, identified at the time as Kirk's Dik-Dik (Madoqua kirkii). However I have been advised that Kirk's has been split and the race "M. k. damarensis" elevated to a full species now called Damara Dik-Dik. Note the short front legs, flexible long pointed snout and...- jmorlan
- Media item
- damara dik-dik madoqua damarensis namibia
- Comments: 1
- Category: Wild Mammals
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African Pipit
This is the most common pipit in the area. Sometimes called Grassland Pipit (or Grassveld Pipit). Taxonomy remains unsettled and is a bit of a nightmare. Formerly considered a race of the widespread "A. novaseelandiae" including Richard's Pipit (A. richardi) and several others. Distinguished...- jmorlan
- Media item
- african pipit anthus cinnamomeus namibia
- Comments: 2
- Category: Africa
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Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Like a small version of a Pied Barbet. Tinkerbirds, formerly called Tinkerbarbets, are warbler-sized, inconspicuous barbets which tend to stay high in the canopy. This one was no exception and I was surprised that my effort resulted in a recognizable image. They are named for their metallic...- jmorlan
- Media item
- namibia pogoniulus chrysoconus yellow-fronted tinkerbird
- Comments: 2
- Category: Africa
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Martial Eagle
Africa's largest raptor, it is unique being the only member of the genus "Polemaetus." This adult looks similar to the adult Black-chested Snake-Eagle but Martial is much larger and has spotted underparts. Martial Eagle has always been scarce but it has declined seriously in recent years largely...- jmorlan
- Media item
- martial eagle namibia polemaetus bellicosus
- Comments: 4
- Category: Africa
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Red-billed Spurfowl
The most common of the Spurfowl in this area, so named for the spurs on the rear of their legs used in combat. This is an adult male. Females are similar but have only a rudimentary spur. Immatures are duller with a dull red bill. The combination of broad yellow eyering and reddish bill and feet...- jmorlan
- Media item
- namibia pternistis adspersus red-billed spurfowl
- Comments: 0
- Category: Africa
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Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Formerly known as Green-spotted Wood-Dove, this small terrestrial dove's iridescent emerald wing spots show only when the light hits them just right. In flight they show lots of rust in the wings reminding me of New World Ground Doves (genus Columbina).- jmorlan
- Media item
- emerald-spotted wood-dove namibia turtur chalcospilos
- Comments: 2
- Category: Africa
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Red-backed Scrub-Robin
Often called White-browed Scrub-Robin and formerly classified in the thrush family (Turdidae) but now considered a member of the old world flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). Scrub-robins are in the genus "Cercotrichas" (formerly "Erythropygia") and are sometimes called "Bush Chats." They have an...- jmorlan
- Media item
- cercotrichas leucophrys namibia red-backed scrub-robin
- Comments: 2
- Category: Africa
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Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
An adult male showing his bright vermilion colored bill. Females and juveniles are pale and streaked below with a dull red bill. This is the nominate race with larger white wing patches cf. the population in East Africa. They are called buffalo-weavers because of their habit of following African...- jmorlan
- Media item
- bubalornis niger namibia red-billed buffalo-weaver
- Comments: 1
- Category: Africa
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Meyer's Parrot
Sometimes called Brown Parrot, this is one of the most cryptic birds I have ever seen. It was incredibly difficult to spot among the twigs with its mixture of green, dark-gray and yellow coloration. Here in northern Namibia we have the race "P. m. damarensis" characterized by lack of yellow on...- jmorlan
- Media item
- brown parrot meyer's parrot namibia poicephalus meyeri
- Comments: 4
- Category: Africa
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Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Females such as this have a faint dark moustache and dark crown with red only toward the back of the head. Males have a reddish crown and moustache. In this part of Namibia, the expected race is "C. a. anderssoni" which is grayer above and has heavier ventral markings coalescing on the throat...- jmorlan
- Media item
- campethera abingoni golden-tailed woodpecker namibia
- Comments: 3
- Category: Africa
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Fork-tailed Drongo
We saw this common and conspicuous species almost every day on our recent trip to Namibia. They usually perched in the open near the tops of trees in woodlands and open arid areas. Males and females are similar, but the female's tail is said to be less forked. The red eye indicates this is an...- jmorlan
- Media item
- dicrurus adsimilis fork-tailed drongo namibia
- Comments: 4
- Category: Africa
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Brown-crowned Tchagra
Sometimes called the Brown-headed Bush-shrike and sometimes lumped with the Three-streaked Tchagra (T. jamesi). Tchagras are members of the Bush-Shrike family (Malaconotidae), formerly considered a subfamily of the true shrikes (Laniidae) but their similarity is apparently a consequence of...- jmorlan
- Media item
- brown-crowned tchagra namibia tchagra australis
- Comments: 6
- Category: Africa
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Black-faced Babbler
Very locally distributed in mixed savanna habitats. The combination of pale eye, black lores and dark rump help separate this uncommon species from other babblers. This is presumably the nominate race which is larger billed and has more extensive gray on its forehead. Formerly lumped with...- jmorlan
- Media item
- black-faced babbler namibia turdoides melanops
- Comments: 2
- Category: Africa
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Black-backed Puffback
A distinctive member of the Bushshrike family (Malaconotidae), puffbacks get their name because excited males raise fluffy white feathers on their rumps looking like a puffball. However we did not observe this behavior. This one is a male based on its clean clear-cut appearance with black...- jmorlan
- Media item
- black-backed puffback dryoscopus cubla namibia
- Comments: 1
- Category: Africa
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Yellow Canary
This is a male of the race "C. f. damarensis" which is the brightest yellow and which has the faintest face pattern. Key is the yellow forehead contrasting with a greenish crown and back. Females are very different, gray-brown with grayish streaking and a white forehead. Formerly placed in the...- jmorlan
- Media item
- crithagra flaviventris namibia yellow canary
- Comments: 1
- Category: Africa
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Southern Red-billed Hornbill
The former Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus) has undergone a five-way split. Here in the dry savanna of northern Namibia the Southern Red-billed Hornbill is separated from the similar Damara Red-billed Hornbill by Southern's smudgy gray (not white) face and neck, and a pale (not dark)...- jmorlan
- Media item
- namibia southern red-billed hornbill tockus rufirostris
- Comments: 0
- Category: Africa
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South African Shelduck
Sometimes called Cape Shelduck they are a true Southern African endemic. The gray headed bird in front is a male. The female is in the back sporting a nearly all white head. In most females only the facial area is white, but this one is in a small minority (reportedly ca. 0.35%) where most of...- jmorlan
- Media item
- namibia south african shelduck tadorna cana
- Comments: 3
- Category: Africa
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Red-headed Finch
Another near Southern Africa endemic, this is a male with a red head and throat. Females are uniform gray-brown. They are a member of the waxbill family (Estrilidae) and are common in the pet trade where they are relatively easy to breed. They are also known as Red-headed Weaver, Paradise...- jmorlan
- Media item
- amadina erythrocephala namibia red-headed finch
- Comments: 0
- Category: Africa
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Pink-billed Lark
A combination of a boldly marked face and a small, conical pink bill help identify this species. The Pink-billed Lark has plain unstreaked flanks, while the very similar Botha’s Lark has diffuse streaking on the flanks. Plumage varies from tawny-brown to creamy-gray. This one is presumably the...- jmorlan
- Media item
- namibia pink-billed lark spizocorys conirostris
- Comments: 2
- Category: Africa
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Pale Chanting-Goshawk
This is a juvenile with bold white supercilium, brown back and mottled belly. SASOL and Roberts call this bird the Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk. Clements hyphenates Chanting-Goshawk but other authors do not. This near-endemic is usually considered monotypic, but Roberts recognizes two races...- jmorlan
- Media item
- melierax canorus namibia pale chanting-goshawk
- Comments: 2
- Category: Africa
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Impala (Aepyceros melampus)
This is the race "A. m. petersi" also known as the Black-faced Impala which is restricted to northwestern Namibia and southwestern Angola. It was introduced into Etosha as part of a conservation program. The black markings on its nose and below its eyes as well is its larger size and overall...- jmorlan
- Media item
- aepyceros melampus impala namibia
- Comments: 1
- Category: Wild Mammals
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Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus)
A unique antelope in its own genus. Note the elongated forehead from which the horns grow and the hunched back. These are the subspecies "A. b. caama" usually called "Red Hartebeest." Some authorities split it as a separate species called Cape Hartebeest. Males and females are similar, but the...- jmorlan
- Media item
- alcelaphus buselaphus hartebeest namibia
- Comments: 1
- Category: Wild Mammals