The A - Z April Challenge: S

For today's letter S, I offer more amazing African birds...

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S is for Secretary Bird

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The Secretary bird is a large terrestrial predator, with an eagle-like body on crane-like legs. It is one of the few birds who prey on foot, feeding on insects, lizards, snakes and small birds. These birds do not hunt larger herbivores, although there have been reports of them killing young gazelles.

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In mongamous pairs, they prowl for food on the savannah most of the day, covering as much as twenty miles. Just before dark, they return to the safety of their roosts high in the thorny acacia trees.

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The Secretary bird has traditionally been admired for its striking appearance and ability to deal with pests. In South Africa, they are sometimes kept in captivity to destroy snakes and rats. As a result of this tolerance, they are in little threat from humans but are adversely impacted by deforestation and loss of habitat. 

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The Secretary Bird is the National Emblem of Sudan and is prominently featured on the South African Coat of Arms.

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S is also for Superb Starling

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Also not threatened with extinction are the Superb Starlings, found in great numbers in East Africa, especially in Kenya. Glossy and bright with distinctive white eyes, they are easy fellows to spot.

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These photos were taken just outside our cabin at the Samburu National Reserve, an altogether fine thing to see first thing in the morning as they come down to bathe in the ornamental pools.

Though it has a most discordant call, its wonderful colours and ease of training makes this Starling a popular bird for home aviaries. The white bands you see around the chest, indicate that they are adults.

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Superb Starlings generally inhabit wooded areas and grasslands, but have clearly adapted well to human settlement.

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For more A - Z posts, be sure to pop by Arlee Bird's site and see what others have done with the letter S...

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http://www.tossingitout.blogspot.com/2011/01/very-special-and-exciting

The A - Z April Challenge: J

J is for Jackal

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The silver-backed East African Jackal is related to wolves and domestic dogs. Though small and lightly built, it is a fiercely aggressive animal capable of taking down prey many times its own weight.

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Jackals are monogamous, generally living and hunting as pairs in their own territory.

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They are most active at dawn and dusk. On an evening drive through Kenya's Samburu Game Reserve, we came across this fellow feeding on his latest kill. In the interest of discretion, I’ll post only these shots that show off his handsome demeanour highlighted by the setting sun….

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For more A - Z posts, be sure to pop by Arlee Bird's site and see what others have done with the letter J...

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http://www.tossingitout.blogspot.com/2011/01/very-special-and-exciting.