Birds of Africa

Very often people don't remember, when speaking or thinking about Africa, how many varieties of birds it is possible to find there. The first thought goes to the vast number of different mammals, plunderers, perhaps snakes but rarely to birds. The flora of Africa has an enormous number of colorful and fascinating bird species. We want to share some of the views that we found to be the most impressive.

Before you download this screensaver, we want to give you a sample of the pictures which you will find in it. You will find some information about the species of these birds, where the pictures were taken, the usual habitat and the kind of food eaten by each one.

Lilac Breasted Roller on a branch
 Serengeti
 Tanzania

Medium size colorful bird with forked tail, in the most cases common resident, in some areas present only in summer and winter.Present from South Africa (except South and West) to Angola and Ethiopia.
Habitat: savanna and open Woodland.
Food: insects, frogs, small snakes, lizards, rodents and smaller birds

African Fish Eagle in flight
Okavango Delta
Botswana

Large size bird common in the whole Africa in the vicinity of water, but rare in desert zones.
Habitat: Lakes , rivers, pans, lagoons and estuaries.
Food: fish and amphibians, also carrion and eggs of waterbirds.

A crowd of Vultures
surround a fallen buffalo
Moremi National Park
Botswana

Large size bird, locally common in Zimbabwe (south and West) and Botswana(except north).
Habitat: open woodland:
Food: Carrion, bone fragments.

Red and Yellow Barbet - (female)
Oulduvai Crater
 Tanzania

Small size brightly colored bird. Common resident in Ethiopia, Somalia , Kenya and north eastern Tanzania.
Habitat: semi-arid bush and thornbush areas.
Food:insects and fruit.

Lesser flamingos
Empakaai Vulcano crater
Tanzania

Large size bird with dark red bill. Highly nomadic, present from South Africa (except Kalahari ) to East Africa and Red Sea, along the coasts of West Africa and Madagascar.
Habitat: saline inland and coastal waters.
Food: microscopic blue green algae and diatoms

Trumpeter Hornbill
 Ngorongoro Crater
Tanzania

Medium size Black bird common resident in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola, Tanzania, Kenya, Congo.
Habitat: Forest, river banks, bushveld and woodland.
Food: large insects, fruit.

Marabou stork
Mweya National Park
Uganda

Large size bird with a gular air sac. Common in Africa south of the Sahara. Abundant near towns or large colonies. Rare in South Africa due to habitat destruction.
Habitat: bushveld, fishing villages,lakes and semi-arid woodland.
Food: Carrion, Insects,rodents, birds, fish, young crocodiles,lizards,snakes and frogs.

Crowned Crane
 near Serngeti
Tanzania

Large size bird with a spiky straw-colored crest. Common resident from South Africa to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Habitat: grasslands,swamps and cultivated fields.
Food: insects, reptiles and frogs

Little Bee Eater With Insect
near Serngeti
Tanzania

A small size, colorful bird. Common resident in South Africa,Botswana,Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Habitat: Savanna,bushveld and streams.
Food: flying insects

Yellowbilled Hornbill on the Ground
near Etosha
 Namibia

A medium size bird. Common resident in South Africa and Namibia.
Habitat: Savanna, bushveld and thornveld.
Food: insects, rodents, seeds and fruit