Groundscraper Thrush (Psophocichla litsitsirupa) Gevlekte Lyster
Groundscraper Thrush (Psophocichla litsitsirupa) Gevlekte Lyster

Many different bird species have been observed around our Estate. Some just casual visitors, such as the Giant Kingfisher! Waking up one morning about half past four from very loud and never-heard-before bird sounds coming from the balcony, I opened the curtain but could only see a very wet-looking bird sitting on the balcony rail. Before I could have a proper look, it flew away. Having never heard that particular sound, we tried finding it on the Roberts Bird Guide CD. However, not knowing what kind of bird to look for, we gave up. The next morning the same thing happened, and curiously, but carefully, we opened the curtain and saw two big, very wet birds on the balcony rail. This time we knew better what to look for as we now not only knew its sound, but also what it looked like.

Going down for breakfast we noticed our big fishpond had been churned-up and the fish were not coming towards the side of the pond for their pellets as usual, but rather tried to hide under plants. We then realised this is why we had an unexpected and rather opportunistic, visit from the Giant Kingfisher! We had to quickly find some temporary solution and the next morning when again the bird paid us a visit, it was not soaking wet as other mornings but sitting dry as a stake and looking surprised at not being able to get to the very convenient restaurant!

Another time, passing our goldfish pond coming from an early morning walk, this huge dark and very wet bird flew out of the pond, giving me the fright of my life! I am always looking out for snakes when walking, but never did I have to duck and dive for unexpected birds flying out of our fishponds! This was a Reed Cormorant who happened to notice some yummy goldfish swimming around and of course left us but one, lonely fish! We also noticed a Hamerkop near our sewage dam at some stage and after eating a few frogs it decided its not so interesting around here after all! At some stage a Secretary Bird started making a nest near Wicus’s dam but after a day or two also decided this was not for him – I think in this case the guy who looked after some sheep scared it away.

Amazingly, our area is not supposed to be the habitat of many of these birds (according to birding guides), yet, they come for a visit and some even stay! I think with urbanisation and the changing of the climate we will see a lot more of this type of thing happening in the animal kingdom.

Herewith a list of birds observed to date; more will be added with time and new sightings. Any Sterkfontein residents who can add to the list and provide photos, are welcome to e-mail us! The names appear in English, followed by the scientific name and then the Afrikaans name.

  1. African Hoopoe (Upupa africana) Hoephoep
  2. African wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) Lelkiewiet
  3. Blacksmith Lapwing (Vanellus armatus) Bontkiewiet
  4. Crowned Lapwing (Vanellus coronatus) Kroonkiewiet
  5. Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus) Gewone Mossie
  6. African Mourning Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) Rooioogtortelduif
  7. Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea) Kransduif
  8. Southern Masked-weaver (Ploceus velatus) Swartkeelgeelvink
  9. Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) Geelbekneushoringvoël
  10. Black-chested Snake –Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) Swartborsslangarend
  11. Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus) Blouvalk
  12. Black-collared Barbet (Lybius torquatus) Rooikophoutkapper
  13. Crested Francolin (Dendroperdix sephaena) Bospatrys
  14. Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis) Gewone Dikkop
  15. Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris) Gewone Tarentaal
  16. Northern Black Korhaan (Afrotis afraoides) Witvlerkkorhaan
  17. Ant-eating Chat (Myrmecocichla formicivora) Swartpiek
  18. Red-winged Starling (Omychognathus morio) Rooivlerkspreeu
  19. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Veereier
  20. African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) Skoorsteenveër
  21. Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala) Swartkopreier
  22. African Grass-Owl (Tyto capensis) Grasuil
  23. Reed Cormorant (Phalacrocorax africanus) Rietduiker
  24. Green Wood-Hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) Rooibekkakelaar
  25. Red-collared widowbird (Euplectes ardens) Rooikeelflap
  26. Cape Wagtail (Motacilla capensis) Gewone Kwikkie
  27. Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) Rooivink
  28. Pied Starling (Spreo bicolour) Witgatspreeu
  29. Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Indiese spreeu
  30. Amathyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina) Swartsuikerbekkie
  31. Bokmakierie (Telaphorus zeylonus) Bokmakierie
  32. Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) Hadeda
  33. Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) Hamerkop
  34. Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra) Gewone Janfrederik
  35. Pied Crow (Corvus albus) Witborskraai
  36. Grey go-away-bird (Corythaixoides concolor) Kwêvoël
  37. Southern Fiscal (Lanius collaris) Fiskaallaksman
  38. Secretary Bird (Saggittarius serpentarius) Sekretarisvoël
  39. Groundscraper Thrush (Psophocichla litsitsirupa) Gevlekte Lyster
  40. Cape Longclaw (Macronyx capensis) Oranjekeelkalkoentjie
  41. Mountain Wheatear (Oemanthe monticola) Bergwagter
  42. Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) Piet-my-vrou
  43. Dark-capped Bulbul (Pycnonotus tricolor) Swartoog Tiptol
  44. Common Swift (Apus apus) Europese windswael
  45. Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) Rooibek kwelea
  46. Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima) Reusevisvanger
  47. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Europese Swael
  48. Cape Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis nitens) Klein Glansspreeu
  49. Red-headed Finch (Amadina erythrocephala) Rooikopvink
  50. Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura) Koningrooibekkie
  51. Laughing Dove (Streptophelia senegalensis) Rooiborsduifie
  52. African Grey Hornbill (Tockus nasutus) Grysneushoringvoël
  53. Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) Oostelike Rooipootvalk
  54. Rufous-naped Lark (Mirafra africana) Rooineklewerik
  55. Yellow-crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer) Goudgeelvink
  56. White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Placepasser mahali) Koringvoël
  57. Swainson’s Spurfowl (Pternistis swainsonii) Bosveldfisant
  58. Mocking Cliff-chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) Dassievoël
  59. Red-throated Wryneck (Jynx ruficollis) Draaihals
  60. Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata) Geelbekeend
  61. Egyptian Goose (Alopochen  aegyptiaca) Kolgans
  62. White-winged Widowbird (Euplectes albonotatus) Witvlerkflap
  63. Crested Barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii) Kuifkophoutkapper
  64. Orange River Francolin (Scleroptila levaillantoides) Kalaharipatrys

Here are photos of some of the species listed above…

Click on any of the small pictures to open the full-size photo

African Hoopoe (1)
African Hoopoe (1)
Breakfast at the Sterkfontein Restaurant, a Southern Red Bishop, Caper Sparrows, a Red-headed Finch and a Red-billed Quelea
Breakfast at the Sterkfontein Restaurant, a Southern Red Bishop (27), Cape Sparrows (5), a Red-headed Finch (49) and a Red-billed Quelea (45)
Two Southern Red Bishops and a REd-Billed Quelea
Two Southern Red Bishops (27) and a Red-Billed Quelea (45) hiding behind the Red Bishop on the right-hand side of the picture
A Cape Sparrow (5) and a Ref-headed Finch (49)
A Cape Sparrow (5) and a Red-headed Finch (49)
Red-headed Finches
Red-headed Finches (49)
A Southern Masked-weaver and a Black-collared Barbet
A Southern Masked-weaver and a Black-collared Barbet
a Southern Masked-weaver
A Southern Masked (8)-weaver
Laughing Dove
Laughing Dove (51)
Cape Wagtail
Cape Wagtail (26)
Groundscraper Thrush
Groundscraper Thrush (39)
Barn Swallows - two males and a female (47)
Barn Swallows – two males and a female (47)
Barn Swallow female (47)
Barn Swallow female (47)
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow (47)
Crowned Lapwing
Crowned Lapwing (4)
Minutes old - a Crowned Lapwing hatchling, the first of three to hatch. Note the "egg tooth" (the white dot) of the next chick to hatch barely protruding from the egg right above the newlyborn
Minutes old – a Crowned Lapwing hatchling, the first of three to hatch. Note the “egg tooth” (the white dot) of the next chick to hatch, barely protruding from the egg right above the newlyborn
A slightly older Crowned Lapwing chick
A slightly older Crowned Lapwing chick
Blacksmith Lapwing
Blacksmith Lapwing (3)
African Wattled Lapwing
African Wattled Lapwing (2)
Spotted Thick-knee
Spotted Thick-knee (14)
A Spotted Thick-knee chick
A Spotted Thick-knee chick
Spot the Crested Francolin hen breeding on her eggs. How's that for good camoflage!
Spot the Crested Francolin (13) hen breeding on her eggs. How’s that for good camoflage!
The nest with eggs of the Crested Francolin
The nest with eggs of the Crested Francolin
A pair of Red-winged Starlings on the open door of the photographer's car
A pair of Red-winged Starlings (18) on the open door of the photographer’s car
Cape Glossy Starling
Cape Glossy Starling (48)
Southern Fiscal
Southern Fiscal (37)
A Southern Fiscal nest with the first hatchling
A Southern Fiscal nest with the first hatchling
Grey Go-away-bird
Grey Go-away-bird (36)
Grey Go-away-birds (36)
Grey Go-away-birds (36)
Cape Longclaw
Cape Longclaw (40)
A Cape Longclaw staking out his territory
A Cape Longclaw (40) staking out his territory
A Cape Longclaw showin off in flight
A Cape Longclaw (40) showing off in flight, backlit by the sun above it
Black-headed Heron
Black-headed Heron (21)
Black-headed Heron in flight (21)
Black-headed Heron in flight (21)
Black-shouldered Kite
Black-shouldered Kite (11)
African Grass-owl
African Grass-owl (22)
Hadeda Ibis
Hadeda Ibis (32)
A young Black-chested Snake-eagle
A young Black-chested Snake-eagle (10)
Young Black-chested Snake-eagle (10)
Young Black-chested Snake-eagle (10)
An Adult Black-chested Snake-Eagle landing on its nest
An Adult Black-chested Snake-Eagle (10) landing on its nest
Gotcha! Dark-capped Bulbul
Gotcha! Dark-capped Bulbul (43)
Dark-capped Bulbul (43)
Dark-capped Bulbul (43)
Cape Robin-Chat (43)
Cape Robin-Chat (43)
Cape Robin-chat (34)
Cape Robin-chat (34)
Speckled Pigeon (7)
Speckled Pigeon (7)
Speckled Pigeon (7)
Speckled Pigeon (7)
Amethyst Sunbird (30)
Amethyst Sunbird (30)
African Mourning Dove (6)
African Mourning Dove (6)
African Mourning Dove (6)
African Mourning Dove (6)
Ant-eating Chat (17)
Ant-eating Chat (17)
Ant-eating Chat )17)
Ant-eating Chat (17)
Southern Fiscal (37)
Southern Fiscal (37)
Amur Falcon (53)
Amur Falcon (53)
Amur Falcon female (53)
Amur Falcon female (53)
A female Mocking Cliff-chat (58)
A female Mocking Cliff-chat (58)
The male Mocking Cliff-chat (58)
The male Mocking Cliff-chat (58)
Rufous-naped Lark (54)
Rufous-naped Lark (54)
Rufous-naped Lark
Rufous-naped Lark (54)
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (56)
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (56)
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (56)
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (56)
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (56)
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (56)
...and of course, our Indian immigrants, the Common Mina
…and of course, our Indian immigrants, the Common Myna (29)
Red-throated Wryneck (59)
Red-throated Wryneck (59)
Helmeted Guineafowl (15)
Helmeted Guineafowl (15)
Hi, I'm an Egret! (19)
Hi, I’m an Egret! (19)
...and so are we! (19)
…and so are we! (19)
Two Egyptian Geese (61) and a Black-headed Heron ()
Two Egyptian Geese (61) and a Black-headed Heron (21)
Egyptian Geese enjoying a bath (61)
Egyptian Geese enjoying a bath (61)
White-winged Widowbird (Wirvlerkflap) (62)
White-winged Widowbird (Wirvlerkflap) (62)
Mr and Mrs Crested Barbet
Mr and Mrs Crested Barbet (63)
Crested Barbet. Note how its colours blend in with the sun, shade and bark of the tree!
Crested Barbet. Note how its colours blend in with the sun, shade and bark of the tree! (63)
Pin-tailed Whydah male in flight (50)
Pin-tailed Whydah male in flight (50)
Pin-tailed Whydah male (50)
Pin-tailed Whydah male (50)
Two Pin-tailed Whydah females (50)
Two Pin-tailed Whydah females (50)
Orange River Francolin (64)
Orange River Francolin (64)