Copyright: AW/monacoeye • All rights reserved • Kinshasai

Bird name: Palm Nut Vulture
Latin: Gypohierax angolensis
Other: Vulturine Fish Eagle
Family: Accipitridae • Old World Vultures, Birds of Prey
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar: African Fish Eagle

The Palm-nut Vulture feeds mainly on the fruit of the oil-palm supplemented with crabs, molluscs, locusts, and fish. It is found in sub-Saharan.

The Palm-nut Vulture is not shy, and can be seen in hotel gardens, as above. Thanks to Alexia for this shot from Kinshasa. This bird is not an adult - the yellow facial skin of the juvenile turns red in the adult.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission. Kinshasa, Dec 2010

Bird name: Blue Waxbill
Latin: Uraeginthus angolensis
Other: Blue-breasted Cordon Bleu • Southern Cordon-bleu
Family: Estrildidae • Cordon-bleus

Many of the African birds seem to go by several English names. This little guy is known as the Southern Cordon-bleu, or Blue-breasted Cordon-bleu, or Blue Waxbill.

Above, near a waterfall near Kinshasa, DRC. (It looks very similar to female Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu but Blue Waxbill is the common type in Kinshasa)

Below, a Blue Waxbill, seen in the hotel grounds in Luanda Angola.

More photos...

Copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Kinshasa • December 2010

Bird name: Woodland Kingfisher
Latin: Halcyon senegalensis
Other:
Family: Alcedinidae • Kingfishers
Range: Tropical Africa
Similar:

A beautiful Woodland Kingfisher seen in the hotel grounds in Kinshasa. Identification: Black eye-stripe, red bill, lower part black, white underparts, blue back and tail, wings blue and black. Head here greyish.

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Kinshasa, DRC, Dec 2010

Bird name: Bronze Mannikin
Latin: Lonchura cucullata
Other: Bronze Munia
Family: Estrildidae • Munias
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa

This Bronze Mannikin was seen with Weavers and Cordon-Bleus, near a waterfall near Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bronze Mannikin is the name used by the IOC, but Bronze Munia is also very common.

It has a small emerald patch on the shoulder.More photos...

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

Bird name: Lesser Masked Weaver
Latin: Ploceus intermedius
Other:
Family: Ploceidae • Weavers

This probable Lesser Masked Weaver was seen at Lake Victoria in Tanzania.

The IDs of these yellow weavers should probably be treated with care - there are quite a number of possibles and significant variations in breeding, non-breeding, juvenile and female plumages.

Below, in “more photos”, more examples from Congo.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Kinshasa • Nov 2009

Bird name: Black Necked Weaver
Latin: Ploceus nigricollis
Other:
Family: Ploceidae • Weavers
Range: Tropical Africa, Angola to Tanzania

Another female Black-necked Weaver, above, here seen in Kinshasa in the Congo in December, others seen in Brazzaville. This one seems more orange than the yellower ones seen in Angola, below in “more photos”.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Kinshasa • Dec 2010

Bird name: Pin Tailed Whydah
Latin: Vidua macroura
Other:
Family: Viduidae • Whydahs
Range: Tropical Africa, Angola to Tanzania

The above photo is probably a transitional Pin-Tailed Whydah, but the adult plumage is quite different. Seen in Kinshasa in the DRC.

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Kinshasa, Dec 2010

Bird name: African Grey Parrot
Latin: Psittacus erithacus
Other:
Family: Psittacidae • Parrots
Range: West & Central Africa: Ivory Coast, Kenya, Tanzania, DRC Congo, Angola etc

This pair of African Grey Parrots were flying freely around this building in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Beautiful long-lived birds, often kept as pets, unfortunately, for their remarkable speaking abilities. The African Grey Parrot is often thought of as one of the most intelligent of birds.

Since they are normally forest birds, perhaps these two had escaped.

This subspecies is P. e. erithacus is known as the Congo African Grey Parrot. It has a bright red tail, light grey feathers, and black bill.

Near-threatened on IUCN Red List 3.1.More photos...