Tag: #DurbanvilleNatureReserve

Rumex crispus, the curly dock, curled dock or yellow dock, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia

Description:

The plant produces an inflorescence or flower stalk that grows to 1.5 meters (5 feet) high. It has smooth leaves shooting off from a large basal rosette, with distinctive waved or curled edges; these can grow to 14–24 centimeters (5+1⁄2–9+1⁄2 inches). On the stalk, flowers and seeds are produced in clusters on branched stems, with the largest cluster being found at the apex. The seeds are shiny, brown and encased in the calyx of the flower that produced them. This casing enables the seeds to float on water and get caught in wool and animal fur, and this helps the seeds spread to new locations. The root structure is a large, yellow, forking taproot.

Rumex crispus has a number of subspecies with distinctive habitat preferences. R. crispus ssp. crispus occurs on waste and cultivated ground. R. crispus ssp. littoreus has a coastal distribution, and R. crispus ssp. uliginosus occurs on tidal estuarine mud.

Habitat:

Curly dock grows in a wide variety of habitats, including disturbed soil, waste areas, roadsides, fields/meadows, shorelines, and forest edges. It is widely naturalized throughout the temperate world and has become a serious invasive species in many areas, including throughout South Africa, North America, southern South America, New Zealand and parts of Australia. It spreads through the seeds contaminating crop seeds, and sticks to clothing. It is classified as an “injurious weed” under the UK Weeds Act 1959.In the United States, it is classified as a noxious weed in the states of Arkansas and Iowa. It is often seen in disturbed soils at the edges of roadsides, railway beds, and car parks.

Medicinal and other Uses:

It can be used as a wild leaf vegetable; the young leaves should be boiled in several changes of water to remove as much of the oxalic acid in the leaves as possible or can be added directly to salads in moderate amounts. Once the plant matures it becomes too bitter to consume.

Dock leaves are an excellent source of both vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as a source of iron and potassium.

Curly Dock leaves are somewhat tart due to the presence of high levels of oxalic acid, and although quite palatable, this plant should only be consumed in moderation as it can irritate the urinary tract and increase the risk of developing kidney stones. It should be used with care during lactation, as it may cause a laxative effect in the infant.

In Western herbalism, the root is often used for treating anemia, due to its high level of iron. The plant will help with skin conditions if taken internally or applied externally to things like itching, scrofula, and sores.

The Zuni people apply a poultice of the powdered root to sores, rashes and skin infections, and use infusion of the root for athlete’s foot.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Rumex crispus, the curly dock, curled dock or yellow dock, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia

Description:

The plant produces an inflorescence or flower stalk that grows to 1.5 meters (5 feet) high. It has smooth leaves shooting off from a large basal rosette, with distinctive waved or curled edges; these can grow to 14–24 centimeters (5+1⁄2–9+1⁄2 inches). On the stalk, flowers and seeds are produced in clusters on branched stems, with the largest cluster being found at the apex. The seeds are shiny, brown and encased in the calyx of the flower that produced them. This casing enables the seeds to float on water and get caught in wool and animal fur, and this helps the seeds spread to new locations. The root structure is a large, yellow, forking taproot.

Rumex crispus has a number of subspecies with distinctive habitat preferences. R. crispus ssp. crispus occurs on waste and cultivated ground. R. crispus ssp. littoreus has a coastal distribution, and R. crispus ssp. uliginosus occurs on tidal estuarine mud.

Habitat:

Curly dock grows in a wide variety of habitats, including disturbed soil, waste areas, roadsides, fields/meadows, shorelines, and forest edges. It is widely naturalized throughout the temperate world and has become a serious invasive species in many areas, including throughout South Africa, North America, southern South America, New Zealand and parts of Australia. It spreads through the seeds contaminating crop seeds, and sticks to clothing. It is classified as an “injurious weed” under the UK Weeds Act 1959.In the United States, it is classified as a noxious weed in the states of Arkansas and Iowa. It is often seen in disturbed soils at the edges of roadsides, railway beds, and car parks.

Medicinal and other Uses:

It can be used as a wild leaf vegetable; the young leaves should be boiled in several changes of water to remove as much of the oxalic acid in the leaves as possible or can be added directly to salads in moderate amounts. Once the plant matures it becomes too bitter to consume.

Dock leaves are an excellent source of both vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as a source of iron and potassium.

Curly Dock leaves are somewhat tart due to the presence of high levels of oxalic acid, and although quite palatable, this plant should only be consumed in moderation as it can irritate the urinary tract and increase the risk of developing kidney stones. It should be used with care during lactation, as it may cause a laxative effect in the infant.

In Western herbalism, the root is often used for treating anemia, due to its high level of iron. The plant will help with skin conditions if taken internally or applied externally to things like itching, scrofula, and sores.

The Zuni people apply a poultice of the powdered root to sores, rashes and skin infections, and use infusion of the root for athlete’s foot.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Rumex crispus, the curly dock, curled dock or yellow dock, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia

Description:

The plant produces an inflorescence or flower stalk that grows to 1.5 meters (5 feet) high. It has smooth leaves shooting off from a large basal rosette, with distinctive waved or curled edges; these can grow to 14–24 centimeters (5+1⁄2–9+1⁄2 inches). On the stalk, flowers and seeds are produced in clusters on branched stems, with the largest cluster being found at the apex. The seeds are shiny, brown and encased in the calyx of the flower that produced them. This casing enables the seeds to float on water and get caught in wool and animal fur, and this helps the seeds spread to new locations. The root structure is a large, yellow, forking taproot.

Rumex crispus has a number of subspecies with distinctive habitat preferences. R. crispus ssp. crispus occurs on waste and cultivated ground. R. crispus ssp. littoreus has a coastal distribution, and R. crispus ssp. uliginosus occurs on tidal estuarine mud.

Habitat:

Curly dock grows in a wide variety of habitats, including disturbed soil, waste areas, roadsides, fields/meadows, shorelines, and forest edges. It is widely naturalized throughout the temperate world and has become a serious invasive species in many areas, including throughout South Africa, North America, southern South America, New Zealand and parts of Australia. It spreads through the seeds contaminating crop seeds, and sticks to clothing. It is classified as an “injurious weed” under the UK Weeds Act 1959.In the United States, it is classified as a noxious weed in the states of Arkansas and Iowa. It is often seen in disturbed soils at the edges of roadsides, railway beds, and car parks.

Medicinal and other Uses:

It can be used as a wild leaf vegetable; the young leaves should be boiled in several changes of water to remove as much of the oxalic acid in the leaves as possible or can be added directly to salads in moderate amounts. Once the plant matures it becomes too bitter to consume.

Dock leaves are an excellent source of both vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as a source of iron and potassium.

Curly Dock leaves are somewhat tart due to the presence of high levels of oxalic acid, and although quite palatable, this plant should only be consumed in moderation as it can irritate the urinary tract and increase the risk of developing kidney stones. It should be used with care during lactation, as it may cause a laxative effect in the infant.

In Western herbalism, the root is often used for treating anemia, due to its high level of iron. The plant will help with skin conditions if taken internally or applied externally to things like itching, scrofula, and sores.

The Zuni people apply a poultice of the powdered root to sores, rashes and skin infections, and use infusion of the root for athlete’s foot.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Persicaria longiseta is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names Oriental lady’s thumb, bristly lady’s thumb, Asiatic smartweed, long-bristled smartweed, low smartweed, Asiatic waterpepper, bristled knotweed, bunchy knotweed, and tufted knotweed. It is native to Asia (China, India, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, etc.), and it is present in North America and Europe as an introduced species and often a weed.

Description:

The Oriental lady’s thumb is an annual herb with stems 30 to 80 centimeters (12–32 inches) long, sometimes reaching one meter (40 inches). The hairless, branching stems may root at lower nodes that come in contact with the substrate. The leaves are lance-shaped and up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long by 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide. They have bristly ochrea. The inflorescence is an elongated cluster up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long and contains many pink flowers. The fruit is a small, smooth achene.

Habitat:

It grows in moist habitat types such as wetlands, as well as dry and upland habitat. It can be found in meadows, marshes, mudflats, riverbanks, floodplains, levees, and lowland and upland forests. It is invasive in some areas.

Medicinal Uses:

Several Native American nations used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. It is traditionally used in poultices to relieve rheumatic pain, to heal wounds, to arrest bleeding or in infusion to help relieve stomach ache.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Persicaria longiseta is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names Oriental lady’s thumb, bristly lady’s thumb, Asiatic smartweed, long-bristled smartweed, low smartweed, Asiatic waterpepper, bristled knotweed, bunchy knotweed, and tufted knotweed. It is native to Asia (China, India, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, etc.), and it is present in North America and Europe as an introduced species and often a weed.

Description:

The Oriental lady’s thumb is an annual herb with stems 30 to 80 centimeters (12–32 inches) long, sometimes reaching one meter (40 inches). The hairless, branching stems may root at lower nodes that come in contact with the substrate. The leaves are lance-shaped and up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long by 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide. They have bristly ochrea. The inflorescence is an elongated cluster up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long and contains many pink flowers. The fruit is a small, smooth achene.

Habitat:

It grows in moist habitat types such as wetlands, as well as dry and upland habitat. It can be found in meadows, marshes, mudflats, riverbanks, floodplains, levees, and lowland and upland forests. It is invasive in some areas.

Medicinal Uses:

Several Native American nations used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. It is traditionally used in poultices to relieve rheumatic pain, to heal wounds, to arrest bleeding or in infusion to help relieve stomach ache.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Persicaria longiseta is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names Oriental lady’s thumb, bristly lady’s thumb, Asiatic smartweed, long-bristled smartweed, low smartweed, Asiatic waterpepper, bristled knotweed, bunchy knotweed, and tufted knotweed. It is native to Asia (China, India, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, etc.), and it is present in North America and Europe as an introduced species and often a weed.

Description:

The Oriental lady’s thumb is an annual herb with stems 30 to 80 centimeters (12–32 inches) long, sometimes reaching one meter (40 inches). The hairless, branching stems may root at lower nodes that come in contact with the substrate. The leaves are lance-shaped and up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long by 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide. They have bristly ochrea. The inflorescence is an elongated cluster up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long and contains many pink flowers. The fruit is a small, smooth achene.

Habitat:

It grows in moist habitat types such as wetlands, as well as dry and upland habitat. It can be found in meadows, marshes, mudflats, riverbanks, floodplains, levees, and lowland and upland forests. It is invasive in some areas.

Medicinal Uses:

Several Native American nations used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. It is traditionally used in poultices to relieve rheumatic pain, to heal wounds, to arrest bleeding or in infusion to help relieve stomach ache.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Persicaria longiseta is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names Oriental lady’s thumb, bristly lady’s thumb, Asiatic smartweed, long-bristled smartweed, low smartweed, Asiatic waterpepper, bristled knotweed, bunchy knotweed, and tufted knotweed. It is native to Asia (China, India, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, etc.), and it is present in North America and Europe as an introduced species and often a weed.

Description:

The Oriental lady’s thumb is an annual herb with stems 30 to 80 centimeters (12–32 inches) long, sometimes reaching one meter (40 inches). The hairless, branching stems may root at lower nodes that come in contact with the substrate. The leaves are lance-shaped and up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long by 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide. They have bristly ochrea. The inflorescence is an elongated cluster up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long and contains many pink flowers. The fruit is a small, smooth achene.

Habitat:

It grows in moist habitat types such as wetlands, as well as dry and upland habitat. It can be found in meadows, marshes, mudflats, riverbanks, floodplains, levees, and lowland and upland forests. It is invasive in some areas.

Medicinal Uses:

Several Native American nations used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. It is traditionally used in poultices to relieve rheumatic pain, to heal wounds, to arrest bleeding or in infusion to help relieve stomach ache.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Persicaria longiseta is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names Oriental lady’s thumb, bristly lady’s thumb, Asiatic smartweed, long-bristled smartweed, low smartweed, Asiatic waterpepper, bristled knotweed, bunchy knotweed, and tufted knotweed. It is native to Asia (China, India, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, etc.), and it is present in North America and Europe as an introduced species and often a weed.

Description:

The Oriental lady’s thumb is an annual herb with stems 30 to 80 centimeters (12–32 inches) long, sometimes reaching one meter (40 inches). The hairless, branching stems may root at lower nodes that come in contact with the substrate. The leaves are lance-shaped and up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long by 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide. They have bristly ochrea. The inflorescence is an elongated cluster up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long and contains many pink flowers. The fruit is a small, smooth achene.

Habitat:

It grows in moist habitat types such as wetlands, as well as dry and upland habitat. It can be found in meadows, marshes, mudflats, riverbanks, floodplains, levees, and lowland and upland forests. It is invasive in some areas.

Medicinal Uses:

Several Native American nations used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. It is traditionally used in poultices to relieve rheumatic pain, to heal wounds, to arrest bleeding or in infusion to help relieve stomach ache.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

Persicaria longiseta is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names Oriental lady’s thumb, bristly lady’s thumb, Asiatic smartweed, long-bristled smartweed, low smartweed, Asiatic waterpepper, bristled knotweed, bunchy knotweed, and tufted knotweed. It is native to Asia (China, India, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, etc.), and it is present in North America and Europe as an introduced species and often a weed.

Description:

The Oriental lady’s thumb is an annual herb with stems 30 to 80 centimeters (12–32 inches) long, sometimes reaching one meter (40 inches). The hairless, branching stems may root at lower nodes that come in contact with the substrate. The leaves are lance-shaped and up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long by 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide. They have bristly ochrea. The inflorescence is an elongated cluster up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long and contains many pink flowers. The fruit is a small, smooth achene.

Habitat:

It grows in moist habitat types such as wetlands, as well as dry and upland habitat. It can be found in meadows, marshes, mudflats, riverbanks, floodplains, levees, and lowland and upland forests. It is invasive in some areas.

Medicinal Uses:

Several Native American nations used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. It is traditionally used in poultices to relieve rheumatic pain, to heal wounds, to arrest bleeding or in infusion to help relieve stomach ache.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four-note calls uttered in flight, especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain, particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.

Description:

The hadeda is a large (about 76 cm (30 in) long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis. Males and females are alike in plumage. It has a narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks. This is sometimes called the “mustache,” though it does not reach the mouth corners. The plumage over the wings has an iridescent purple sheen produced by optical microstructures within the feathers. The bird has blackish legs and a large grey-to-black bill, but during the breeding season, it has a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible. The upper surfaces of the toes are of a similar red during the onset of breeding. The powerful, broad wings enable quick take-offs and easy maneuvering through dense tree cover.

It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled or when the birds communicate socially, for example, early in the morning in residential suburbs. While roosting, they produce a single loud “haaaa.” When foraging, their contact call is a low growl similar to a young puppy’s.

Behavior:

Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings. Hadeda feeds on insects, millipedes, and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders, and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.

Flying in South Africa
Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and some other probing feeders, such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda has sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms.

Hadeda has become very common in many African cities and tolerates the closeness of humans. They can judge the direction of the gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.

Hadeda is monogamous, and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape Province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, despite their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.

Interesting facts:

The calls of Hadeda ibises are considered a sign of rain in parts of Lesotho. The Xhosa people use the name ing’ang’ane or ingagane which means black ibis, as opposed to the white sacred ibis. The name in many African languages is onomatopoeic.

It is known as Zililili in Chewa, Chinawa in Chiyao, Chihaha or Mwanawawa in Tumbuka, and Mwalala in Khonde. Colonial hunters considered it a good bird for eating.

The Bantu people of Uganda have an origin story where man and wife starved themselves during a drought while letting their children eat whatever little they had. The man and his wife were then turned into ibises that go by the name of Mpabaana.

In Zululand, the name ingqangqamathumba indicates that anyone who mocks the bird will break out in abscesses. When they fly continually, they are said to foretell a rich harvest that year. The saying utahthisele amathole eng’ang’ane which means “he has taken the hadeda’s nestlings,” is an idiom used to indicate that someone has offended a vindictive man and that he would have to be careful

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see, please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae.

Description:

It swims well and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm (25–29 in) long.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds are white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression, the white is conspicuous.

The voices and vocalizations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young.

Behavior:

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial “dogfights”. Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighboring pairs may even kill another’s offspring for their own offspring’s’ survival, as well as for more resources.

This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Egyptian geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, who, being precocial, forage for themselves.

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old-World vultures.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The African Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.

This is a common and widespread species, and is not considered to be threatened. It breeds on freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts.

Description:

This is a small cormorant, 50–55 cm (20–22 in) in overall length with a wingspan of 80–90 cm (31–35 in). It is mainly black, glossed green, in the breeding season. The wing coverts are silvery. It has a longish tail, a short head crest and a red or yellow face patch. The bill is yellow.

The sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner, with white belly. Some southern races retain the crest all year round.

Behavior:

The African Reed cormorant can dive to considerable depths, but usually feeds in shallow water. It frequently brings prey to the surface. It takes a wide variety of fish. It prefers small slow-moving fish, and those with long and tapering shapes, such as mormyrids, catfishes, and cichlids. It will less frequently eat soles (which can be important in its diet locally), frogs, aquatic invertebrates, and small birds.

Two to four eggs are laid in a nest in a tree or on the ground, normally hidden from view by long grass.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The African Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.

This is a common and widespread species, and is not considered to be threatened. It breeds on freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts.

Description:

This is a small cormorant, 50–55 cm (20–22 in) in overall length with a wingspan of 80–90 cm (31–35 in). It is mainly black, glossed green, in the breeding season. The wing coverts are silvery. It has a longish tail, a short head crest and a red or yellow face patch. The bill is yellow.

The sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner, with white belly. Some southern races retain the crest all year round.

Behavior:

The African Reed cormorant can dive to considerable depths, but usually feeds in shallow water. It frequently brings prey to the surface. It takes a wide variety of fish. It prefers small slow-moving fish, and those with long and tapering shapes, such as mormyrids, catfishes, and cichlids. It will less frequently eat soles (which can be important in its diet locally), frogs, aquatic invertebrates, and small birds.

Two to four eggs are laid in a nest in a tree or on the ground, normally hidden from view by long grass.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕

The African Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.

This is a common and widespread species, and is not considered to be threatened. It breeds on freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts.

Description:

This is a small cormorant, 50–55 cm (20–22 in) in overall length with a wingspan of 80–90 cm (31–35 in). It is mainly black, glossed green, in the breeding season. The wing coverts are silvery. It has a longish tail, a short head crest and a red or yellow face patch. The bill is yellow.

The sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner, with white belly. Some southern races retain the crest all year round.

Behavior:

The African Reed cormorant can dive to considerable depths, but usually feeds in shallow water. It frequently brings prey to the surface. It takes a wide variety of fish. It prefers small slow-moving fish, and those with long and tapering shapes, such as mormyrids, catfishes, and cichlids. It will less frequently eat soles (which can be important in its diet locally), frogs, aquatic invertebrates, and small birds.

Two to four eggs are laid in a nest in a tree or on the ground, normally hidden from view by long grass.

Thank you with all my heart for stopping by and looking at my post.

If you like what you see please click on the like button, share, and leave a comment.

Have a Blessed day

Coreen

PS.  I am busy saving for a few upcoming Landscape Photography Trips to Scotland, and Namibia, a few road trips in the USA, including Route 66, and a few local National Parks and Botanical gardens in South Africa. The most important trip is honoring my promise to Dad to return to Scotland and capture the beautiful landscapes and Puffins. Your help to make these trips a reality would be much appreciated in today’s economy.

Please support me on☕ Ko-Fi ☕