World Image Magazine Issue 31 April 2016 | Page 22

Having looked at the animals of Murchison in previous issues of the magazine, next on the agenda are the birds. I will begin with those seen on the ferry trip along the Victoria Nile to the Murchison Falls then move into the rest of the park. Of the 15 species of kingfisher in East Africa this is one of the few that feeds on fish, most of the others feed on insects in woodlands. It took a few minuites to realise that the wings were being held slightly open so this could be either. Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) male The female is distinguished by having a single chest bar while the male has two and they nest in the sandy banks of the river where the sand is exposed vertically. Red-Throated Bee-Eater (Merops bulocki) While there are many varieties of birds, the next most abundant species along the banks of the Nile are the Bee-Eaters. The most common being the Red-Throated Bee-Eater (Merops bulocki). As its name suggests, bees are its main diet with beetles close behind, interestingly it nests in the same way as the kingfisher, burrowing in near to the top of a perpendicular rise in the ground. Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), Female The two kingfishers pictured above are males, the next image is a bit confusing as no black banding is visable. Website = www.worldimagemag.com Here on the Nile at Murchison they share the accomodations adjacent to the kingfishers. While the kingfishers are out over the water the bee-eaters stay close to the shoreline to hunt and feed. Page 22 email = [email protected]