It has a brownish head with black streaks, beautiful turquoise wings and a completely red bill. The male has a black back whereas the females and juveniles have brown backs. Below is a video I filmed of a pair of Kingfishers: Brown Hooded Kingfisher Size: It weighs around 50g to 75g and the size is…Read More
Tag: Birding Planet Video
Black-Capped Chickadee
How to identify a Black-Capped Chickadee As the name suggests the black-capped chickadee has a black “cap” over his head. This is the most distinguishing feature of the bird. The cap reaches just under his black eyes. It is also has white cheeks on the side of his face and a black “bib” over his…Read More
African Paradise Flycatcher – Diving for Insects Video
I filmed this African Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis) while we were hiking at the Kleinrivier Game Reserve near Uitenhage. It’s a chestnut coloured bird with striking blue eye-rings and a blue bill. The sexes look very similar, but the biggest difference is the length of the tail; the two central tail feathers of the male…Read More
Cape Robin-Chat: Close up videos of eating habits
South Africa has five Robin-Chats and the Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha natalensis) is identifiable by its dark back and short, white supercilium. It has a pale orange throat, upper breast and rump. They have black legs, which differentiates them from the juveniles of Chorister Robin-Chat. They are found in a wide range of habitats including thickets,…Read More
Olive Woodpecker pecking bark and finding insects (video)
This is a male Olive Woodpecker I filmed in East London, South Africa. I filmed him from my yard as part of the #LockdownBirdingChallenge in our Facebook Group. He was pecking away at the bark and seemed to find a small feast of ants and insects. He has a grey head, olive body and red…Read More
Pale Chanting Goshawk Videos of Eating Prey
I filmed this Pale Chanting Goshawk for during our hike through the Kleinrivier Wilderness. It has long, orange legs, pale yellow eyes and a pinkish orange cere (upper bill). They like to perch high up on tree tops or telephone poles (as this one was when I filmed it) scanning the ground for prey. They…Read More
Dark Backed Weaver Video
The Dark Backed Weaver is a Forest Weaver with black-brown upperparts and a striking golden breast and belly. They have a grey-coloured throat and can often be confused with the Olive Headed Weaver. They are monogamous, territorial and generally can be found in forest areas. Below is the HD video I filmed of the Dark…Read More
Bronze Mannikins balancing while eating grass seeds in the wind
I filmed these Bronze Mannikins at my local estuary. While the Mannikins are very common, I just enjoyed being able to see them pick the grass seeds off at such a close range. I marveled at how well they balanced on such a slender stem of grass which was swaying so much in the wind.…Read More
Cape Batis on Birding Planet
Cape Batis video
This was another lifer for me; the Cape Batis. It is a Flycatcher-like bird which is closely related to helmetshrikes and bushrikes. It has a large head and a thick, black eye-mask and golden eyes (female’s eyes are reddish). It has a black breast band. HD Video of the male Cape Batis:
Buff-Spotted Flufftail bathing and drinking (HD Video)
This Buff-Spotted Flufftail was a very exciting bird for to me film as it was a lifer for me; the first time I had ever seen it. When I first saw it in the shrubbery I thought it was perhaps a juvenile spurfowl or some type of Frankolin. But once it made its way into…Read More
Long Crested Eagle Video – East London
I filmed this Long Crested Eagle at our local estuary. I have filmed one before in the Drakensburg, one at Chintsa and a few times in Stutterheim, but this was the first time I had captured him on film in East London. It is one of the more sluggish eagles and spends most of its…Read More
Crowned Hornbill eating a grasshopper HD Video
I filmed this Crowned Hornbill eating a grasshopper or locust at Mansfield Game Reserve in Port Alfred, South Africa. There were another two hornbills in close proximity, but this guy was refusing to share! Watch the Crowned Hornbill video in HD below: It is a dark brown hornbill with a white belly and long, red…Read More
Spectacled Weaver taking a bath on Birding Planet
I filmed this Spectacled Weaver taking a bath at a local nature reserve. It is bright yellow with an olive green back which is similar to many of the other Weaver species. The Spectacled Weaver is easily identified by the black “spectacles” around its eyes. Spectacled Weaver info They are monogamous and are usually seen…Read More
Video of Crows divebombing Crowned Eagle at International Cricket Match
I recently took this video of a group of 3 to 4 Crows chasing a Crowned Eagle at international cricket match between South Africa and Bangladesh. The Eagle later got one of the chicks and we saw it flying away with the small bird in it’s talons. Excuse the quality of the footage – I…Read More
