Pilanesberg Birds – 2
Hamerkop
- It gets its name from the shape of its head.
- They build very large nests usually in the fork of a tree.
- They walk in shallow water looking for prey which consists of amphibians, fish, shrimp, insects and rodents.
White-fronted bee-eater
- They nest in small colonies, digging holes in mud banks
- Their diet is made up primarily of bees but they also eat other insects
- They will catch a bee and then rub it against a branch in order to remove the sting
Pin-tailed whydah
- The males have a long tail and striking black and white colouration in order to attract females.
- They don’t build their own nests as they are brood parasites laying their eggs in the nests of other birds such as waxbills.
- Even though they are small they can be quite cheeky and will chase other birds away from a food source.