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Ntsikeni Nature Reserve
Ntsikeni Nature Reserve, in Griqualand East, is the largest wetland and one of the highest above sea level in South Africa. Location The reserve lies in the foothills of the Drakensberg, between the towns of Creighton and Franklin in southern KwaZulu-Natal, north of Kokstad, east of the R617 road, and south of Himeville, Underberg, and the Coleford Nature Reserve. Reserve The reserve covers 9,200 hectares, of which 1,070 consist of a wetland on a very high plateau. This area reaches a height of 1,750 m above sea level, and its highest peak is often shrouded in thick mist, or reaching above it. Snow occurs there annually. The lake drains northward toward the headwaters of the Umzimkulu River, playing a major role in the water supply and conservation methods of the communities downstream. The reserve's remote location has slowed ecological changes to the area, leaving it ideal for hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing. Accommodations are availa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar, Mazandaran, Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed in 1971. Every three years, representatives of the contracting parties meet as the Ramsar Convention#Conference of the Contracting Parties, Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), the policy-making organ of the wetland conservation, convention which adopts decisions (site designations, resolutions and recommendations) to administer the work of the convention and improve the way in which the parties are able to implement its objectives. In 2022, COP15 was held in Montreal, Canada. List of wetlands of international importance The list of wetlands of international importance included 2,531 Ramsar site, Ramsar sites in Februa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wildlife
Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animals and uncultivated plant species which can exist in their natural habitat, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game (hunting), game: those birds and mammals that were trophy hunting, hunted for sport. Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, plains, grasslands, woodlands, forests, and other areas including the most developed urban areas, all have distinct forms of wildlife. While the term in popular culture usually refers to animals that are untouched by human factors, most scientists agree that much wildlife is human impact on the environment, affected by human behavior, human activities. Some wildlife threaten human safety, health, property and quality of life. However, many wild animals, even the dangerous ones, have value to human beings. This value might be economic, educational, or emotio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Purple Heron
The purple heron (''Ardea purpurea'') is a wide-ranging heron species. It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Palearctic. The Western Palearctic populations migrate between breeding and wintering habitats whereas the African and tropical-Asian populations are primarily sedentary, except for occasional dispersive movements. It is similar in appearance to the more common grey heron but is slightly smaller, more slender and has darker plumage. It is also a more evasive bird, favouring densely vegetated habitats near water, particularly reed beds. It hunts for a range of prey including fish, rodents, frogs and insects, either stalking them or standing waiting in ambush. Purple herons are colonial breeders and build a bulky nest out of dead reeds or sticks close to the water' edge among reeds or in dense vegetation. About five bluish-green eggs are laid and are incubated by both birds. The young hatch about four weeks later and fledge six weeks a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Harrier
The black harrier (''Circus maurus'') is a medium-sized African harrier whose range extends from South Africa to Botswana and Namibia. It has a wingspan of and a body length of . When perched, this bird appears all black. However, in flight, a white rump and flight feathers becomes visible. Its morphology is comparable to that of other harriers, with narrow wings, a slim body, and a long tail. Male and female plumages are similar. Juveniles have buff under-parts and heavily spotted breasts. Distribution and Migration In South Africa, the distribution of the black harrier is distinctly polarised in both the Western and Southern coastal plains. Nests are concentrated either along the coastal strip or inland in a more montane habitat. Nests are generally absent from transformed and cultivated lands. There is, however, some evidence from sightings and prey remains that the black harriers do forage in these environments even if they do not breed there. Black harriers are migratory ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Bald Ibis
The southern bald ibis (''Geronticus calvus'') is a large bird found in open grassland or semi-desert in the mountains of southern Africa. Taxonomically, it is most closely related to its counterpart in the northern regions of Africa, the waldrapp (''Geronticus eremita)''. As a species, it has a very restricted homerange, limited to the southern tips of South Africa in highland and mountainous regions. This large, glossy, blue-black ibis has an unfeathered red face and head, and a long, decurved red bill. It breeds colonially on and amongst rocks and on cliffs, laying two or three eggs which are incubated for 21 days before hatching. It is a large bird that feeds and roosts in substantial groups. It feeds on insects, small reptiles, rodents and small birds. They do little vocalizing other than occasional gobbling sounds. The ibises are gregarious long-legged wading birds with long down-curved bills; they form one subfamily of the Threskiornithidae, the other subfamily being th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yellow-breasted Pipit
The yellow-breasted pipit (''Anthus chloris'') is a species of bird in the pipit and wagtail family Motacillidae. Some authorities recognise it as ''Hemimacronyx chloris''. Description The yellow-breasted pipit has a bright yellow breast during breeding plumage, which fades to a buffy breast with a yellowish belly during non-breeding season. It has a scaled, brown back with white outer tail feathers. Unlike most other pipits, it has a grey lower mandible during non-breeding. Taxonomy The taxonomy of the yellow-breasted pipit is currently a rather gray-area. Some authorities classify it as ''Anthus chloris,'' placing it with the other pipits. Other authorities place it in its own genus (''Hemimacronyx''). It has been proposed through phylogenetic work that it should actually be placed in the genus ''Macronyx'', with the longclaws. They also propose that the Sharpe's Longclaw (''Macronyx sharpei'') is its sister species. Distribution and habitat It is endemic to southern Af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bearded Vulture
The bearded vulture (''Gypaetus barbatus''), also known as the lammergeier and ossifrage, is a very large bird of prey in the Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus ''Gypaetus''. The bearded vulture is the only known vertebrate whose diet consists of 70–90% bone. Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a separate minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian vulture (''Neophron percnopterus''), its closest living relative. It is not much more closely related to the Old World vultures proper than to, for example, hawks, and differs from the former by its feathered neck. Although dissimilar, the Egyptian and bearded vulture each have a Lozenge (shape), lozenge-shaped tail—unusual among birds of prey. It is vernacularly known as ''Huma bird, Homa'', a bird in Iranian mythology. The bearded vulture population is thought to be in decline; in 2004, it was classified on the IUCN Red List as least concern but has been listed as near threatened since 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cape Vulture
The Cape vulture (''Gyps coprotheres''), also known as Cape griffon and Kolbe's vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to southern Africa, and lives mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and in some parts of northern Namibia. It nests on cliffs and lays one egg per year. In 2015, it had been classified as endangered species, Endangered on the IUCN Red List, but was down-listed to Vulnerable species, Vulnerable in 2021 as some populations increased and have been stable since about 2016. Description This large vulture is of a creamy-buff colour, with contrasting dark flight and tail feathers. The adult is paler than the juvenile, and its underwing coverts can appear almost white at a distance. The head and neck are near-naked. The eyes are yellowish, and the bill is black. Juveniles and immatures are generally darker and more streaked, with brown to orange eyes and red necks. It closely resembles the white-backed vulture, however it is lar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African Grass Owl
The African grass owl or simply grass owl (''Tyto capensis'') is a species of owl in the barn owl family, Tytonidae. Description The African grass owl resembles the Western barn owl, barn owl and has a heart shaped whitish-cream facial disc, with a narrow yellowish-buff rim which is densely spotted dark. The eyes are brownish-black, and the bill is whitish to pale pink. The entire upperparts from the crown to the lower back and wing-coverts are a uniform sooty blackish-brown, with scattered small white spots and greyish flecks. The primary feathers and secondary feathers are pale brownish-grey with dark bars and yellow bases. The short tail has uniform brown central feathers fading to paler, almost white, outer feathers which show about four dark bars. The underparts vary in colour from whitish to buff marked with dark spots. The legs have whitish feathers which extend to the lower third of the tarsi. The lower leg and feet are slightly bristled and coloured pale yellowish-grey. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flufftail
Flufftails (genus ''Sarothrura'') are small birds related to rails and finfoots. There are nine species, seven of which are distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, with the remaining two in Madagascar. The genus was long placed with the rail family Rallidae, but is now placed in the family Sarothruridae, along with three other species of wood rails (genus '' Canirallus''). Description The group's common name is derived from the short tail which has degraded fluffy feathers. All species except the white-winged flufftail display sexual dimorphism in their plumage but not their size. The bodies of males are mostly black, with each species having a characteristic pattern of white spots or streaks. The heads of males are chestnut-colored. Female plumage is predominantly black or brown, paired with the same characteristic patterns. There are some exceptions, however, such as the white-spotted females that also carry the chestnut coloration of their males. Diet White-winged flufftail ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African Rail
The African rail (''Rallus caerulescens''), sometimes also Kaffir rail, is a small wetland bird of the rail family that is found in eastern and southern Africa. Taxonomy The African rail was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's ''Systema Naturae''. He placed it with all the other rails in the genus ''Rallus'' and coined the binomial name ''Rallus caerulescens''. Gmelin based his description on the "blue necked rail" from the Cape of Good Hope that had been described in 1785 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his book ''A General Synopsis of Birds''. The naturalist Joseph Banks had provided Latham with a water-colour drawing of the rail by Georg Forster who had accompanied James Cook on his second voyage to the Pacific Ocean. The picture was painted in 1773 at the Cape of Good Hope. It is now the holotype for the species and is held by the Natural History Museum in London. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Quail
The common quail (''Coturnix coturnix''), or European quail, is a small ground-nesting game bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is mainly migratory, breeding in the western Palearctic and wintering in Africa and southern India. With its characteristic call of three repeated chirps (repeated three times in quick succession), this species of quail is more often heard than seen. It is widespread in Europe and North Africa, and is categorised by the IUCN as "least concern". It should not be confused with the Japanese quail (''Coturnix japonica)'', native to Asia, which, although visually similar, has a call that is very distinct from that of the common quail. Like the Japanese quail, common quails are sometimes kept as poultry. Taxonomy The common quail was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name ''Tetrao coturnix''. The specific epithet ''coturnix'' is the Latin word for th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
