| Ciconiiformes |
| Birds are a very large family of animals, so many, that they are broken down into groups by order, according to the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy- a new and increasingly approved taxonomy based on DNA analysis, as opposed to the older taxonomy, which was more based on appearance, geography, and behavior. |
| Black-Headed Heron |
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Species:
Ardea melanocephala Length: 33-36" (1m) |
| Malanja Depression | |
| The Black-Headed Heron is common throughout much of Africa. It is a wading bird, and feeds in shallow water spearing fish or small frogs with its sharp bill. We saw this one in the Malanja Depression on our short walking safari, in the midst of zebras and wildebeest. |
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| Sacred Ibis |
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Species:
Threskiornis aethiopicus Length: 25-32" (60-80cm) |
| Ngorongoro | |
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The Sacred Ibis was a revered bird in Egypt. Thought
to represent the god Thoft, the Ibis was frequently mummified by the
ancients. The ibis typically hangs around marshy areas, as is visible in the lower picture. They eat fish and frogs, as well as various insects. |
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| Secretary Bird |
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Species:
Threskiornis aethiopicus Length: 49-59" (75-150cm) |
| Serengeti | |
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The Secretary Bird is a bird of prey- a raptor. It is well-adapted to killing in pedestrian mode, as it has weak claws, so cannot swoop so easily and pick up it's prey. They feed on insects, snakes, lizards, small mammals, young birds and eggs. |
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| Marabou Stork |
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Species:
Leptoptilos crumeniferus Length: 50" (150cm) Wingspan: Up to 10.5' (3.2m) |
| Serengeti | |
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Along with the Andean Condor, the Marabou Stork has the longest
wingspan of any land bird. It's an unmistakable bird, due to it's
size, coloring, and odd head. This wading bird is a scavenger, frequently feeding with vultures (this one was just a few meters away from some vultures when I photographed it). |
| Yellow-Billed Stork |
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Species:
Mycteria ibis Length: 38-42" (~1m) |
| Malanja Depression | |
| We saw this Yellow-Billed Stork on our foot safari in the Malanja Depression. It was flying for quite a while, so I got quite a few shots of it flying and gliding in for a landing. In the picture to the right, you can see in the backdrop the wall of the bowl that is the Malanja Depression, which sits just outside Ngorongoro Crater. |
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| This it the same Yellow-Billed Stork gliding in for a landing, amongst several of it's kind. | |
| Rüppell's Griffon Vulture |
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Species:
Gyps rueppellii Length: 38-42" (~1m) |
| Serengeti | |
| These seem to be Rüppell's Griffon Vultures, based on diagrams
in my guidebook, and there aren't that many vultures to choose from. The only conflict is that they lay their eggs in cliffs, or lacking those, in trees. Our guide said the one on the left was incubating eggs. If that's the case, it's unusual for any vulture. |
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| White-Backed Vulture |
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Species:
Gyps africanus Length: 35-39" (~1m) |
| Serengeti | ||
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These appear to be White-Backed Vultures, which primarily roost in trees, and are very common in the Serengeti. |
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Here were two White-Backed Vultures on the road just in front of us.
There were just a few meters from the Marabou Stork, described above,
which frequently feeds with them on dead carcasses. The shot on the left shows a very nice wing pattern, with flared tips as it comes in for a landing on the road. |
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