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. 

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