The rarest bird...

[Game Warden]

What's the rarest bird in Africa you've seen, and did you manage to photograph it?

[TZBirder]

Easy one there = Beesley's lark - world population about 50. No pics yet but I'l take the camer next time...

[Super LEEDS]

'r lass!

[Jochen]

In my case it's Hyacinth Macaws in Brazil.

 

[Game Warden]

What's the rarest bird in Africa...

Nice photo though.

[Jochen]

In my defense; it was a long time ago. Probably around that time that Africa was still connected to South America...

 

[wilddog]

In my defense; it was a long time ago. Probably around that time that Africa was still connected to South America...

 

 

but at least you have been there and seen them, even if it was in the Dark Ages!

Edited April 6, 2012 by wilddog

[tracker]

Long-crested Turaco

 

Can anybody find this bird in your books, don’t really know how rare they are in the wild?

 

Back in Oct. of 2005 we were on the rim of the crater (Tanzania) when I heard a very loud bird and only got a glimpse of it. I sat there for quite a while before it returned when this photo was taken (very low light, Canon EOS xt, f/5.6, exp. 1/320, ISO 400 @ 300mm, photo has been lightened).

I didn’t fine it in any of the books that I could get my hands on but knew it was a Turaco.

I found a web site International Turaco Society UK: http://www.turacos.org/ were David from the society identified it as a sub-species of “Schalow’s”, common name; “Long crested Turaco

 

 

You can go to Dave's site and click on his picture in the upper left hand corner to hear a "Schalow's" Turaco call:My link

Tracker

Edited April 6, 2012 by Game Warden

[Rainbirder]

Nice image!!!

 

This is a Schalow's Turaco -it is monotypic ( no subspecies) though was previously lumped with Livingstone's Turaco at which time the birds now known as Schalow's were sometimes referred to as Long-crested as they have a longer crest than typical Livingstone's Turaco. They have a patchy distribution in Tanzania being found mainly in the west of the country but can also be found around the crater area; TZ Birder will be able to advise better than me. In Kenya they are confined to the riparian forests along the Mara and Talek rivers and are often found in the grounds of the camps (I have photographed them at Mara Intrepids and Kichwa Tembo). In fact we had three birds in a fig tree above the open-air breakfast bar at Kichwa Tembo in July 2011.

 

I have better images somewhere (still on unprocessed cards) but here is an old image from above our tent at the Mara Intrepids camp. Though shy they are curious and are attracted towards deep throaty hooting (this comes naturally to a Scotsman - especially after a few sundowners!).

[tracker]

Nice image!!!

 

This is a Schalow's Turaco -it is monotypic ( no subspecies) though was previously lumped with Livingstone's Turaco at which time the birds now known as Schalow's were sometimes referred to as Long-crested as they have a longer crest than typical Livingstone's Turaco. They have a patchy distribution in Tanzania being found mainly in the west of the country but can also be found around the crater area; TZ Birder will be able to advise better than me. In Kenya they are confined to the riparian forests along the Mara and Talek rivers and are often found in the grounds of the camps (I have photographed them at Mara Intrepids and Kichwa Tembo). In fact we had three birds in a fig tree above the open-air breakfast bar at Kichwa Tembo in July 2011.

 

I have better images somewhere (still on unprocessed cards) but here is an old image from above our tent at the Mara Intrepids camp. Though shy they are curious and are attracted towards deep throaty hooting (this comes naturally to a Scotsman - especially after a few sundowners!).

 

 

Rainbirder,

Thanks, for the info; the only thing about the picture I took is there is no white below the eye as the Schalow’s Turaco has.

 

PS thanks G.W. for the post edit, what was I doing wrong?

 

Tracker

[Game Warden]

Hi Tracker, you were linking to the thumbnail on your gallery page, instead of opening the full image and linking to that one

[Rainbirder]

Nice image!!!

 

This is a Schalow's Turaco -it is monotypic ( no subspecies) though was previously lumped with Livingstone's Turaco at which time the birds now known as Schalow's were sometimes referred to as Long-crested as they have a longer crest than typical Livingstone's Turaco. They have a patchy distribution in Tanzania being found mainly in the west of the country but can also be found around the crater area; TZ Birder will be able to advise better than me. In Kenya they are confined to the riparian forests along the Mara and Talek rivers and are often found in the grounds of the camps (I have photographed them at Mara Intrepids and Kichwa Tembo). In fact we had three birds in a fig tree above the open-air breakfast bar at Kichwa Tembo in July 2011.

 

I have better images somewhere (still on unprocessed cards) but here is an old image from above our tent at the Mara Intrepids camp. Though shy they are curious and are attracted towards deep throaty hooting (this comes naturally to a Scotsman - especially after a few sundowners!).

 

 

Rainbirder,

Thanks, for the info; the only thing about the picture I took is there is no white below the eye as the Schalow’s Turaco has.

 

PS thanks G.W. for the post edit, what was I doing wrong?

 

Tracker

 

 

Hi Tracker,

 

According to the Handbook of the Birds of the World Schalow's Turaco is monotypic and though several races have been described for the Eastern populations including those of northern Tanzania none of these races are currently accepted. The HBW also states: "white line under eye present in most individuals, but may be greatly reduced or even absent on North Tanzanian birds."

 

Cheers,

Steve

[tracker]

Rainbirder & G.W.

 

Thanks with your help-Happy Easter!

 

Tracker

[DaveM]

For me its probably Pels Fishing Owl. So hard to find these birds and quite hard to get nice photos of them. I had a nice shot of an adult with chick but can't seem to find it now

Also seen Livingstones Turaco - very localised but not sure how rare they are?

Ground Hornbill are pretty scarce nowadays.

[Knowafrica]

Photo of Pel's Fishing Owl at Jacana camp in Okavango Delta . . . and how I got to it !

Photo of Ground Hornbill with catch that I took in Kruger.

[Anomalure]

I'm not a birder by any stretch, but Gray-necked Picathartes would certainly win.

 

The two turacos I've seen (Great Blue in CAR and Schalow's in Kenya) and African Gray Parrot (CAR) were beautiful too...

[ZaminOz]

Dodo... still haven't seen one, but I keep lookin' ...

[Peter Connan]

I don't really know, but judging by the commotion it caused when I showed the photo, it's probably this:

 

[ZaminOz]

I don't really know, but judging by the commotion it caused when I showed the photo, it's probably this:

 

 

"this" being...?

[Game Warden]

@@ZaminOz You mean you don't know?

[ZaminOz]

@@Game Warden

the Lesser Red Headed Spotty Bird?

[Game Warden]

I don't know either, come on birders, help us out with an id... or, perhaps its a new candidate for this topic...

[Geoff]

@@Game Warden @@ZaminOz

 

I think it is a Green Twinspot.

[Peter Connan]

@@Game Warden @@ZaminOz

 

I think it is a Green Twinspot.

Jip. And it's probably not very rare either, just very difficult to see.