Copyright: TC/monacoeye • Tanzania, July 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Black Headed Heron
Latin: Ardea melanocephala
Other: Héron mélanocéphale (Fr)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar
Similar: Grey Heron

The Black-headed Heron is a large African Heron similar to the Grey Heron but with black or very dark grey top of head and back of neck.
More photos...

copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Serengeti, Oct 2009

Bird name: Marabou Stork
Latin: Leptoptilos crumeniferus
Other:
Family: Ciconiidae • Storks
Range:
Similar:

The Marabou Stork is a huge bird, with a wingspan of about three and a half metres. It often scavenges at rubbish tips and at carcasses with vultures. This rather grizzly-looking bird is sometimes called the undertaker bird.

Marabou Storks are found in sub-Saharan Africa. André took these photos in Amboseli and Serengeti National Parks in east Africa.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Lake Nakuru, Oct 2009

Bird name: Red Billed Oxpecker
Latin: Buphagus erythrorhynchus
Other:
Family: Buphagidae • Oxpeckers

Red-billed Oxpeckers picking ticks off White Rhino at Lake Nakuru in Kenya.

Red-billed Oxpeckers live in East Africa.

Oxpeckers have been classed in Sturnidae, the Starlings, in the past, but here are placed in their own family the Buphagidae.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: White Backed Vulture
Latin: Gyps africanus
Other: African White-backed Vulture
Family: Accipitridae • Old World Vultures, Birds of Prey
Range:
Similar:

The adult White-backed Vulture has a white collar, white downy feathers on neck, and dark bill, the latter differentiating it from the Rüppel’s Vulture. I understand the darker birds are juvenile White-backed Vultures.

The lowest photo in “more photos” shows two Lappet-faced Vultures on left, with White-backed Vultures on right.

The White-backed Vulture has recently moved to Near-Threatened status on IUCN Red List.More photos...

Photos copyright: AS/monacoeye • Masai Mara • Oct 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Rüppel's Vulture
Latin: Gyps rueppellii
Other: Rueppel’s Vulture • Ruppel’s Vulture • Rüppel’s Griffon
Family: Accipitridae • Old World Vultures, Birds of Prey
Range:
Similar:

Rüppel’s Vulture is found in central Africa, and photographed here in the Masai Mara in Kenya.

Rüppel’s Vulture is a large bird, a metre in length, with a wingspan of 2.6 metres. It has a white-brown underside, white collar, yellowish bill, white fluff on neck. The light bill distinguishes it from the similar White-backed Vulture.

It was recently moved to Near-Threatened status on IUCN Red List.More photos...

Photos copyright: AS/monacoeye • Lake Nakaru • Oct 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Lesser Blue Eared Glossy Starling
Latin: Lamprotornis chloropterus
Other: Lesser Blue Eared Starling
Family: Sturnidae • Starlings

This is probably a Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-starling but there is a similar, larger, bird: the Greater Blue-eared Starling.More photos...

Photos copyright: AS/monacoeye • Masai Mara • Oct 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Holub's Golden Weaver
Latin: Ploceus xanthops
Other:
Family: Ploceidae • Weavers

Holub’s Goden Weaver is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Seen here in the Masai Mara, Kenya.

There are many similar-looking yellow weavers, so caution should be used with this photo ID. This looks like a male Holub’s Golden Weaver from the dark bill.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Kenya • Oct 2009

Bird name: Ostrich
Latin: Struthio camelus
Other:
Family: Struthionidae • Ostrich

The Ostrich is the largest ratite, an ancient group of flightless birds originating in Gondwanaland. They have no keel on their sternum (ratis is Latin for raft), so would not be able to fly even with more developed wings.

Ostriches are native to many parts of tropical Africa, particularly east Africa. Males are generally black and white and females brown.

These ostriches were photographed in Amboseli and the Serengeti.

More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Kenya • Oct 2009

Bird name: Lappet Faced Vulture
Latin: Torgos tracheliotus
Other: Nubian Vulture
Family: Accipitridae • Old World Vultures, Birds of Prey
Range:
Similar:

These Lappet-faced Vultures were photographed in the Masai Mara in Kenya and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.

I am less certain of the ID of the juvenile below (in “more photos”), so really need confirmation.

Comparison photo with White-backed Vulture here.

The Lappet-faced Vulture is classed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lake Nakuru • Oct 2009

Bird name: Superb Starling
Latin: Lamprotornis superbus
Other:
Family: Sturnidae • Starlings

The aptly named Superb Starling lives in East Africa, seen here above at Lake Nakuru in Tanzania.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Masai Mara • Oct 2009

Bird name: Black Headed Oriole
Latin: Oriolus larvatus
Other: African Black Headed Oriole
Family: Oriolidae • Orioles

The Black-headed Oriole lives in sub-Saharan Africa, seen here in the Masai Mara.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Kenya • Oct 2009

Bird name: Pied Crow
Latin: Corvus albus
Other:
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range:
Similar:

These Pied Crows were on a roof top near the border of Kenya and Tanzania.

The Pied Crow is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Mount Kenya • Oct 2009

Bird name: White Eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Latin: Melaenornis fischeri
Other:
Family: Muscicapidae • Flycatchers

A nice photo of the White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, which lives in the highlands of East Africa.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lake Nakuru • Oct 2009

Bird name: Rufous Crowned Roller
Latin: Coracias naevia
Other: Purple Roller
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers

The Rufous-crowned Roller lives in sub-Saharan Africa. These photos were taken by André near Lake Nakuru in Kenya.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Mount Kenya • Oct 2009

Bird name: African Pied Wagtail
Latin: Motacilla aguimp
Other:
Family: Motacillidae • Wagtails

An African Pied Wagtail spotted here by André at his lodge near Mount Kenya.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lake Nakuru • Oct 2009

Bird name: Speckled Pigeon
Latin: Columba guinea
Other: Rock Pigeon
Family: Columbidae • Pigeons

The Speckled Pigeon is a sub-Saharan Pigeon, photographed here near Lake Nakuru by André.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: African Hoopoe
Latin: Upupa africana
Other: Upupa epops africana • Eurasian Hoopoe
Family: Upupidae

The African Hoopoe is often thought a subspecies of Eurasian Hoopoe.

Nice shots here sent in by André and taken in Amboseli National Park.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: African Jacana
Latin: Actophilornis africanus
Other:
Family: Jacanidae • Jacanas

The African Jacana breeds throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Like all Jacanas it is able to walk over floating lily pads and other floating vegetation.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Red Capped Lark
Latin: Calandrella cinerea
Other:
Family: Alaudidae • Larks

The Red-capped Lark lives in the highlands of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the East.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: African Fish Eagle
Latin: Haliaeetus vocifer
Other: African Sea Eagle
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Sea Eagles, Birds of Prey
Range:
Similar:

The African Fish Eagle is found across sub-Saharan, near lakes and rivers. It is a large powerful bird with a two-metre wingspan.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Northern Black Flycatcher
Latin: Melaenornis edolioides
Other:
Family: Muscicapidae • Flycatchers

The Northern Black Flycatcher…More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Helmeted Guineafowl
Latin: Numida meleagris
Other:
Family: Numididae • Guineafowl

The Helmeted Guineafowl is native to Africa but has been domesticated around the world.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: African Spoonbill
Latin: Platalea alba
Other:
Family: Threskiornithidae • Spoonbills

The African Spoonbill has a red face and legs, unlike the Eurasian Spoonbill. It is one of six Spoonbill species in the world.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Bateleur
Latin: Terathopius ecaudatus
Other:
Family: Accipitridae • Eagles, Birds of Prey
Range:
Similar:

The Bateleur is a strongly marked medium-sized eagle, with a very short tail, which makes it easy to identify in flight.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Greenshank
Latin: Tringa nebularia
Other:
Family: Scolopacidae • Waders

A presumed Greenshank in Amboseli National Park.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Crowned Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus coronatus
Other: Crowned Plover
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Crowned Lapwing is easily identifiable by the white band on its crown.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Long Toed Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus crassrostris
Other:
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Long-toed Lapwing photographed here by André in Amboseli, Kenya. There are 24 species of Lapwing in the world.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Spur Winged Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus spinosus
Other: Spur-winged Plover
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Spur-winged Lapwing has shoulder spurs, which it uses to charge down predators and intruders, much like its South-American cousin the Southern Lapwing.More photos...