View allAll Photos Tagged birdsofkenya
Bateleur [Female and Male (on nest)], Terathipius ecaudatus, 70cm / 28in. Widespread and often COMMON in a wide variety of open grassland, bushland and woodland. Target bird.
Maasai Mara, Narok, Rift Valley, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Double-toothed Barbet, Lybius bidentatus aequatorialis, Pogonornis bidentatus, 23 cm. / 9 in. Widespread and COMMON in a range of woodland, wooded grassland, gardens and cultivation with scattered fig trees at 900 - 2300 m / 2953 - 7546 ft.
Kisumu, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Secretarybird, Sagittarius serpentarius, 150cm / 59in. Locally COMMON in open bushed and wooded grasslands. Only member of its family.
Maasai Mara, Narok, Rift Valley, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
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The long-tailed widowbird is a medium-sized bird and one of the most common in the territories it inhabits.
When flying, male long-tailed widowbirds are readily visible due to their extremely long tails. Between six and eight of their twelve tail feathers are approximately half a metre (approximately 20 inches) long. The tail during flight display is expanded vertically into a deep, long keel below the male as he flies with slow wingbeats 0.5 to 2 metres (20 to 78 inches) above his territory.
-wikipedia
Secretarybird, Sagittarius serpentarius, 150 cm. / 59 in. Locally COMMON in open bushed and wooded grasslands from sea level to 3000 m. / 9843 ft.
Sole member of it's family, SAGITTARIDAE.
Maasai Mara, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Gray Crowned-Crane, Grey Crowned-Crane, Balearica regulorum gibbericeps, 112 cm. / 44 in. Widespread and COMMON in a wide variety of wetter habitats.
Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa.
©bryanjsmith.
Natural History: Birds
Over the years I have walked many a mile over the countryside and seashore. I have also taken some bird photos, these are just a few.
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The pin-tailed whydah is 12–13 cm in length, although the breeding male's tail adds another 20 cm to this. The adult male has a black back and crown, and a very long black tail. The wings are dark brown with white patches, and the underparts and the head, apart from the crown, are white. The bill is bright red. The female and non-breeding male have streaked brown upperparts, whitish underparts with buff flanks, and a buff and black face pattern. They lack the long tail extension, but retain the red bill. Immature birds are like the female but plainer and with a greyish bill.
-wikipedia-
Pangani Longclaw, Macronyx aurantigula, 20 cm / 8 in. COMMON locally in generally dry, bushy grassland of the East.
Shimba Hills National Park, Kwale, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
A compulsive singer, the Rattling Cisticola cannot go unnoticed, especially given its habit of singing from a visible perch. There are lots of Cisticola species and identifying any of them can be challenging. I trust I got this one right.
Northern Black-Flycatcher, Melaenornis ardesiacus lugubris, 18cm / 7in. Widespread and COMMON in woodlands, dry bush habitats and cultivated areas.
Maasai Mara, Narok, Rift Valley, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, 25 cm / 10 in. COMMON and widespread residents at all types of water.
Mzima Springs, Tsavo West National Park, Taita Taveta, Coast, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Male Black-bellied Bustard, Lissotis melanogaster melanogaster, 63cm / 25in. COMMON and widespread in wetter, open bushed and wooded grassland.
Maasai Mara National Reserve, Trans Mara, Rift Valley, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Female Buff-crested Bustard, Eupodotis gindiana, Lophotis gindiana, 53 cm / 21 in. COMMON in arid and semi-arid bushland.
Tsavo East National Park, Coast, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
D'Arnaud's Barbet, Usambiro Barbet, Trachyphonus darnaudii usambiro, Trachyphonus usambiro, 19cm / 7.5in. Widespread and COMMON in bushed and wooded grassland. One for "Lumpers" and "Splitters", but definitely different from nominate D'Arnaud's.
Maasai Mara, Narok, Rift Valley, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Female Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Rhodophonus cruentus cathemagmanus, 23 cm / 9 in. COMMON in semi-arid bush habitat. Handheld.
Tsavo East National Park, Coast, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Wattled Lapwing, Vanellus senegallus senegallus, 34cm / 13.5in. Widespread, but not numerous in damp grassland and marsh edge.
Maasai Mara National Reserve, Trans Mara, Rift Valley, Kenya.
©bryanjsmith.
Little Bee-eaters are often seen hunting in paris. I cannot tell male from female, but may an expert might. I marvel at their ability to catch bees and flies in the middle of the air for subsequent eating when back on their perch. If the prey is a bee, it will first beat it against the perch to remove the sting before consumption.