South African Bird Series: The Big 5 of Birds Stamp issue date: 1 August 2008 South Africa is not only proud of its Big 5 mammals, but also of its largest, most spectacular birds. This Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus): Bearded vultures are usually found in the higher reaches of the Drakensberg Mountain. These vultures normally have long narrow pointed wings and long wedge-shaped tails which make them resemble a falcon. The adult is mainly dark above with rust-coloured under-parts and a black mask across the face. There was a strong decline in the numbers and the range of the species in southern Africa during the 19th and 20th centuries and this resulted in the species being restricted to the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountain. Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri): Southern ground-hornbills are arguably the most amazing birds in southern Africa. They are the largest of the two ground-hornbill species and are found throughout African savannas, woodlands, as well as grasslands. These birds have vivid red patches of bare skin on the face and throat. They live in groups of 5-10 individuals including adults and juveniles and feed on reptiles, frogs, snails and insects. In South Africa, these birds are vulnerable and their population is dramatically declining. Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradiseus): The blue crane is the national bird of South Africa. It is a tall, ground-dwelling bird but fairly small by the standard of the crane family. The blue crane is pale blue-gray in colour with a white crown, pink bill, and long, dark gray wingtip feathers which trail to the ground. This Kori Bustard (Ardeotis Kori): The Kori Bustard is a large, slightly grayish bird with dark brown wavy stripes. The sides of the crown on the head extend into a black crest. The Kori Bastard is normally found in the grasslands and lightly wooded savannas. It is known as Africa’s heaviest bird. The Kori is an omnivorous bird and feeds on berries of plants and small mammals, lizards, snakes and seeds. This species drink water using a sucking motion, unlike other birds that scoop up the water with their bills. Common Ostrich (Struthio Camulus): The ostrich is a large, flightless bird - the largest living bird on earth. When fully grown it weighs over 120kg. The male ostrich has soft black feathers on its back with white primary feathers on its wings and tail, making it easy to spot. Females and young ostriches have brown feathers for camouflage. Both males and females have bare necks and thighs. Ostriches have long necks, small heads, large eyes, long, powerful legs, and two toes on each foot. Ostriches are normally found in low rainfall areas. They are not social in nature and normally travel in singles, when found in pairs they are not cohesive. They have great vision and because of their strong legs, they can run at 70 km per hour. Their life expectancy is more that 40 years. SOURCES: HTTP://VENUES.COM/WILDLIFE/BIRDS_OSTRICH.HTM |