© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Black-necked Weaver
Latin: Ploceus nigricollis
Other: Tisserin à cou noir (Fr)
Family: Ploceidae • Weavers
Range: Tropical Africa, Senegal, Angola to Tanzania
Similar: Spectacled Weaver

Above, my only sighting of a brachypterus Black-necked Weaver in the Gambia, in the bamboo grove at the Senegambia Hotel. Below, a nigricollis female in Kinshasa.

Alexia W - female nigricollis Black-necked Weaver, Kinshasa • Nov 2009

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Bronze Mannikin
Latin: Lonchura cucullata
Other: Bronze Munia. Capucin nonnette (Fr), Kleinelsterchen (De), gewoon ekstertje (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Munias
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

Bronze Mannikins were common at water pots in lodges in the Gambia in February and March, especially at midday. Invariably quite a crowd of them arrive together, sometimes a dozen drinking from the same pot at the same time.

Bronze Mannikins are brown, with barred rump and small emerald patch on the shoulder and some green on head. Adults have a well-delineated white belly and dark chest. Juveniles are all brown. Frequently seen.

Below, Bronze Mannikin drink in group, Marakissa, Gambia, Feb 2013


Below, juvenile Bronze Mannikin on right. Gambia, March 2013
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Mar 2013

Bird name: Red Cheeked Cordon Bleu
Latin: Uraeginthus bengalus
Other: Cordonbleu à joues rouges (fr), Schmetterlingsfink (De), blauwfazantje (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Cordon-bleus
Range: W, C, E Africa
Similar: Blue Waxbill

The Red-cheeked Cordon-Bleu was often found in mixed flocks of similar-sized birds in grasslands in the Gambia, but hard to approach for photos. Often pecking and scratching in dusty ground.

Male Red-cheeked Cordon Bleus have the prominent red cheek, which is absent on females.

I didn’t see any for a week and then saw them very frequently.

Below, female/juvenile Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu. Gambia, Mar 2013.
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© Alexia W - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Kinshasa, Dec 2010

Bird name: Blue Waxbill
Latin: Uraeginthus angolensis
Other: Blue-breasted Cordon Bleu, Southern Cordon-bleu. Cordonbleu d'Angola (Fr)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Cordon-bleus
Range: Southern Africa
Similar: female Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu

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.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • All rights reserved • Kinshasa

Bird name: Palm Nut Vulture
Latin: Gypohierax angolensis
Other: Vulturine Fish Eagle. Palmiste africain (Fr)
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 and nests in palm trees (photos below).

The Palm-nut Vulture is not shy, and can even be seen in hotel gardens, as above. Thanks to Alexia for the first photo from Kinshasa. Juveniles have yellow facial skin. Adult Palm-nut Vultures have red facial skin.

We saw them quite regularly in the Gambia.


Below, close-up of juvenile Palm-nut Vulture, Kinshasa.


Below, Palm-nut Vulture in flight, Gambia, Feb 2013.
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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.

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

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

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...

© AW/monacoeye • all rights reserved • Kinshasa • Dec 2010

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

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
Similar:

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...