30. Birds of Ghana

The number of unusual birds we saw in Ghana was quite amazing. This Hornbill is quite prolific and can be seen everywhere, flying around with its peculiar criss-cross movement calling out loudly. 

African Hornbill

This funny looking duck is domesticated

swallow

Malachite Kingfisher babies

Senegal Coucal

Laughing Dove

Northern Grey headed Sparrow

The ubiquitous Pied Crow

Laughing Dove

BIRDS IN THE MOLE NATIONAL PARK

The very first bird we saw in Mole National Park was this beautiful and amazing large bird. It is called the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill. Our guide told us that many ornithologists come to the park to see just this bird. Lucky, lucky!! 

Abyssinian Ground Horn Bill

This is one of the two most massive species of Hornbill, the other being, the Southern Ground Hornbill. The male has a red throat pouch and the female has a blue throat pouch. Modified feathers form long eye-lashes, which protect their eyes from dust. 

Their diet consists of small vertebrates and invertebrates including tortoises, lizards, spiders, beetles and caterpillars. It can also eat carrion and fruits, seeds and groundnuts.

Kwame our boatman up the Mole River, called this one Bataleur eagle but I have my doubts

African Fish Eagle

  The African Fish Eagle resembles an American Bald eagle and is the National Bird of Zimbabwe and Zambia. The male of this species has a wing span of about 2 metres (6 feet), while females can stretch upto 2.4 metres (8 feet), the female being larger than the male.

Violet Turaco

  The Violet Turaco also known as Violaceous Plantain Eater. They are 45 cm long, including a long tail, the plumage is glossy violet except for the yellow forehead and chestnut crown. The bill is thick and red. The violet Turaco’s crimson primary flight feathers contrast with the violet plumage. It feeds on fruit, especially figs and some seeds.

Guinea Fowl

Francolin

Purple Glossy Starling

Western Grey Plantain Eater

 The Western Grey Plantain Eater is a large member of the Turaco family. It is a group of large arboreal, near – passerine birds restricted to Africa. A Resident bird, it breeds in open Woodland Habitats in tropical West Africa, laying two or three eggs in a tree platform nest.They are 50 cm long. Including a long tail. The plumage is mainly grey spotted with brown. The head, erect crest, neck and breast are brown streaked with silver. The under-parts are whitish heavily streaked with brown. It has a thick bright yellow bill and shows a white wing bar in flight. The sexes are identical, but juveniles have a black woolly head without silver streaking. It feeds on fruit especially figs, seeds and other vegetables.

Europian Roller

The Red Throated Bee Eater nests in the ground.

A whole lot of bee eaters were nesting in these holes and flew out when I inadvertently disturbed them.

Red throated Bee Eater

Grey Headed Kingfisher

      

                                   Giant Kingfisher

Hammercock

BulBul

Senegal coucal

Black Billed Wood Dove

  Black billed wood dove is a wide spread resident pigeon. They are abundant near deserts, scrubs and the Savannah.

African Yellow wattled Lapwing

Woolly necked stork

Malachite Kingfisher

Yellow Billed Oxpecker sitting on a wild boar

Grey Heron

Whistling Ducks

Grey Kestrel

Dusky Munia?

Red billed firefinch (female)

BIRDS OF THE CAPE COAST

We saw a variety of the most endearing weaver birds weaving nests at an arm's distance

                                                                                                        

Village weaver

                                                                                                    
                                                                                                  

The Weavers

                                                                   Vieillot's Black Weaver

                                                                                The nests

                                                                                          Roller

                                                                                   Pied Kingfishers

                                                      Hooded Vulture with a Pied Crow

                                                                   African Pied Wagtails

                                                                                        African Jacana

                                                                   African  Jacana with chicks

                                                                         Egrets roosting

                                                                   African Pied Wagtail

                                                                          Yellow Billed Kite

                                                          Yellow Billed Kite in flight

                                                      Northern Grey headed Sparrow

 Some other lovely creatures 

                                                                                                            The colourful female rock lizard and below her bold and beautiful mate

  Links:    

1)  Adinkra Symbols of Ghana, West Africa

2) Bosumchwe Crater Lake

3)Trip to El Mina Slave Castle/Fort

4) History of Coins & Currency of Ghana

5) Mole National Park, Northern Region, Ghana

6) Larabanga Mosque & the Mystic Stone

7) Funerals are a celebration in Ghana

8) Food, Culture & Music in Ghana

9) A visit to Ghana

10) A game of Oware: the National Game of Ghana