Wednesday 3 February 2016

Birds in My Friends' Garden in Johannesburg, South Africa

These are more birds that I photographed from my friends' garden in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2014.


Laughing Dove
22–24 cm

A fairly small, pinkish-buff dove with no collar. Black mottling on rich rufous upper breast, coupled with blue-grey greater and median coverts and rump are diagnostic.  In flight, cinnamon-coloured back contrasts with blue-grey forewings; outer-tail tips white. Female paler. Juv. has pale feather fringes and poorly marked breast. Voice: Rising and falling ‘uh hu hu huu hu', rather like a subdued laugh, hence the common name.  Abundant resident and nomad in a wide range of habitats, including urban areas; avoids forests. Males have a high, towering display flight.




Karoo Thrush
22-24 cm


A woodland thrush, very similar to Olive Thrush but typically found in drier habitats; told by duller underparts, yellow (not dark) eye-ring and richer orange bill that lacks a dark saddle around the nares.  Locally common resident, mostly in riparian woodland in semi-arid Karoo and introduced woodland on the highveld; common garden bird. Occurs singly or in pairs, but semi-gregarious




Village Weaver
22 cm


A large, heavy-billed, masked weaver with a mottled black-and-yellow back; eyes dark red. Extent of black on br. male's head varies: crown mostly yellow. Back dull, mottled, greyish; eyes redbrown.   



                  Voice: Buzzy, swizzling song; throaty ‘chuck-chuck' call. 


         Common resident in savanna, fields and gardens; often in large flocks.


      Breeds in large, marge multiple-male colonies in reeds or in tall trees; 
    builds a large, coarsely-woven nest with short entrance tube; polygynous.




 Female Village Weaver and non-br. male have prominent yellow supercilium, throat and breast, and whitish belly. 

Thanks you for visiting and also to all those who leave comments.

13 comments:

  1. Great photos! What a gorgeous birds!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like the laughing dove's name much, much better than America's mourning dove.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That's a nice variety in the garden. Hope you're having a great time on your travels.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello Margaret, sweet doves. I love the weavers, they are beautiful. Enjoy your day and the week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That Turaco below is an impressive bird. You're probably enjoying some Costa Rica varieties at the moment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice collection of different birds!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lovely feathered friends to make your day bright!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such interesting birds.it is nice to see birds from other countries.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The thrush is shaped very much like the American Robin. Very interesting and thorough species accounts.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Interesting to me...the thrush is really interesting, and I love the Village Weaver. I love its name, too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Margaret. The Karoo Thrush looks very much to me like a light coloured Blackbird. The Weaver is such a beautiful colour.

    ReplyDelete
  12. ¡Gran variedad!
    Me encantan todos.

    ReplyDelete