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Do you know that this boldly-colored bird will risk everything to protect its young? The lapwing (or plover) will attack raptors, rollers, or even an elephant perceived as threat!
Its call--"tink, tink, tink"--sounds like the hammer of a blacksmith, hence the name: the Blacksmith lapwing (Vanellus armatus).
Why do hippos yawn?
Maybe because they are sleepy?
Unlikely.
It is a display of aggression ("back off"), dominance ("my lawn"), or display ("look what a handsome fellow I am!).
On safari I learned that hippos can spread their jaws wide open, 180 degrees. That's a serious stretch! Look at those teeth!
I already knew to keep my distance. Hippos are one of the most dangerous animals on the Serengeti. Wowzer.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a shot of two vultures sitting on the ground by a kill. Here's another one sitting on a dead tree in the Serengeti.
A mature Rüppell's griffon vulture (Gyps rueppelli) is huge. Individuals like this can have a wingspan of 8 feet and live up to 50 years!
I know he's not very cuddly, but he needs help. This species is considered critically endangered.
(HT to Ken Gawne for his photo assistance!)
Glamping should never be confused with camping. We glamp on safari in the Serengeti.
Counting co-workers as dear friends is a blessing. I can't say enough good things about Godwin (L), Ellie (R), Simon (not pictured), and the front office of the Africa Travel Bureau (ATB) in Arusha, Tanzania. Arusha is the "safari capital" of the world; the ATB plays at the highest levels of that game.
Easy there, big boy!
This photo doesn't offer a sense of scale, but realize that this dude is more than a meter tall! That makes the Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) the largest flying bird in Africa (the ostrich is bigger, but doesn't fly). Mature bustards can weigh 40 pounds and are possibly the heaviest creature capable of flight today.
Kori Bustards are rare outside of protected areas. The species is considered "vulnerable" on the endangered list. I was delighted to find this one striding along (like a T-Rex!) looking for a meal on the edge of Lake Magadi (Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania).
The stream of wildebeests and zebras flowed north toward the Kenyan border. We followed it.
A pack of banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) crossed the track in front of our vehicle. There were probably twenty or thirty of these feisty individuals scurrying from one termite mound to another. These little guys eat about anything in their path including bugs and birds and (as every Kipling reader knows) snakes!
The banded mongoose--named for the backside stripes-- is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Some believe it is mentioned in Leviticus 11:30 (Heb. koach) in a list of "unclean animals."
Bird in poo: another unexpected beauty.
Look at the iridescent color of Rüppell's glossy-starling (Lamprotornis purpuroptera). Isn't he magnificent?
I believe that finding joy in the extravagance of creation is an aspect of worship. Do you agree?
The Did-dik is a tiny antelope, maybe 12" at the shoulder. It is uniquely built for life in the African savannah. It has a nose that functions like a bellows, cooling the blood as it circulates. It has huge eyes and excellent vision to spot approaching predators. It even has a special gland just below its eye that secretes a sticky substance used to scent-mark territory.
I think this one is Kirk's Dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii). He found us in the central Serengeti (Tanzania).
Mom and them (see the littlest one?).
Since African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana) are the largest land animal on earth, it shouldn't surprise you that they also have the longest gestation period of any creature: almost two years!
Hard to say; easy to love!
Many names have been given to this majestic antelope of the Serengeti. The one that has stuck is the topi. Damaliscus lunatus has patches of blue-black and yellow on its legs and flank, making it easy to identify.
Sadly, one-fourth of antelope species in the world today are threatened with extinction. This includes the African topi.
"Shaddup with the 'pretty bird' already!"
The Lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus) has attitude. You can hear it in its harsh, "Rak, rak, rak!" vocalization.
I think the roller is among the most colorful creatures of the Serengeti. Don't you agree?
Duck. Duck. Goose.
The "Egyptian Goose" (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is actually a member of the duck family. It walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and perches in trees like a duck.
It will attack you like a goose, however, so look out! They are very territorial.
This duck-duck-goose is pictured in ancient Egyptian art, hence the name.
The black and white plumage of this African waterfowl makes it easy to identify. This includes the bright red of the skin, visible when the Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) raises a wing.
The "sacred" label arises because of the presence of this bird in Egyptian mythology. It is personified in Thoth, the god of wisdom, magic, and writing.
As a footnote, the Egyptian name Thutmose (assigned to several pharaohs) means "born of Thoth."
That's not so flattering, given this bird's pinheaded appearance!
So we're out of Africa now and working at home on the photos. I'm flipping through the set, sorting, labeling, and identifying species. I'll keep posting some of the better ones here. Enjoy.
Mom and baby elephant trundling off in the central Serengeti.
Come on a Tanzanian safari!
These guys stand motionless until they spear their prey in a flash. Came across a flock of Black-headed herons (Ardea melanocephala) hanging out in a tree. The Serengeti, Tanzania.
Found this handsome fella. He is a native to the scrub areas of east Africa. Males of this species have a colorful red bill; females have black bills. Say hey to Von der Decken’s hornbill.
