the encyclopedia of birds a

[...]... prey CREATURE COMPARISONS As its name implies, the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) has a white tail, but lacks the distinctive white head of the African fish eagle Weighing in at 7–14 lbs the whitetailed is heavier than the African fish eagle and, in both species, females are larger than the males .The white-tailed eagle inhabits Europe and Asia, but rarely Africa Like the African fish eagle,... certain times of year, when trees are fruiting, it’ll visit wooded areas of savannah In the eastern Congo, the parrot frequents upland forest at 6,600'; it also occurs at sea level, in mangrove swamps along the West African coast The African gray is an adaptable species and takes advantage of large oil palm plantations in West Africa The plantations provide nesting sites and a rich and reliable food source:... the African pygmy falcon and is one of the smallest of the raptors .The collared falconet has a glossy black back with white on its forehead, collar and sides of face; it has a chestnut chin and belly, compared to the pygmy falcon, which is mostly gray above and white underneath Unlike the African pygmy falcon, which inhabits the semiarid and arid savannah, the collared falconet is mainly found at the. .. danger As are all members of the hawk family, the African harrier hawk is protected by law from hunters and is not allowed to be kept without a permit .The African harrier hawk and the other member of its genus, the Madagascar harrier hawk (Polyboroides radiatus), are both listed in Appendix II of CITES (Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and are not allowed... intruders HABITAT Whether lake, river or creek, water always abounds in the African fish eagle’s territory Near Lake Victoria or the lakes of Kenyan Rift Valley, a pair of eagles may require less than 1 sq mile of water to find enough food If the pair inhabits an area next to a small river, however, they may need 15 miles of water The African fish eagle spends most of the day perched in a large tree that overlooks... south to the Congo–Angola border African Gray Parrot 9 L IFECYCLE BEHAVIOR Although the African gray parrot is one of the most familiar of all cagebirds and is kept in captivity the world over, much of its behavior in the wild remains a mystery HABITAT The African gray parrot lives in dense lowland rainforest and areas of open (secondary) forest, spending nearly all its time in the treetops At certain times... Female easily distinguished from the male by her deep chestnut back • Small raptor with powerful talons and a hooked beak for hunting prey WHERE IN THE WORLD? Found exclusively in eastern and southern Africa: parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Transvaal, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa African Pygmy Falcon 17 L IFECYCLE BREEDING Unlike other birds of prey that build a large... solitary nest, the African pygmy falcon lives alongside a friendly host, the sociable weaver, and adopts a chamber in the weaver nest HABITAT UNWANTED HOUSEGUEST The African pygmy falcon lives in two distinct and widely separated populations in Africa: one in the southwestern part of the continent and the other in the northeast In either part of the continent, the pygmy falcon inhabits the arid and... Because of their small size, African pygmy falcons are able to share the nest colony of sociable weavers These huge nests provide a safe, weatherproof environment for the falcons The falcons do not bother the weavers beyond the eviction of 1–2 pairs and occasionally killing a chick when other food is scarce While the falcon pairs enjoy the benefits of the weavers’ work, the weavers gain a pair of bodyguards... of Madagascar, the Madagascar harrier hawk is sometimes considered to be just a subspecies of the African harrier hawk 14 African Harrier Hawk The African harrier hawk’s most unusual behavior is that it blushes Whereas most raptors have feathered faces, this hawk’s face is unfeathered to assist it in probing into holes for food Unexpected disturbances, such as a branch snapping, can trigger the face . in all their variety, from the forests of North America, to the beaches of South America, to the mountains of Europe and the plains of Australia, share certain common features of anatomy and physiology. twice the average lifespan of one in the wild. • The call of the African fish eagle is so widely heard that it is known as the voice of Africa.” ᮡ SOARING SEARCH An African fish eagle soars high above. 25 American coot 29 American harpy eagle 33 American redstart 37 American robin 41 American swallow-tailed kite 45 Andean Condor 49 Anhinga 53 Arctic tern 57 Atlantic puffin 61 Bald eagle 65 Bananaquit