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Tuesday, 2 December 2014

Red-faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus)


Camera : Canon EOS 550D
Taken in my garden (Talrton Gauteng, South Africa)
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The Red-faced Mousebirds (Urocolius indicus) have been visiting my garden every day for the past couple of weeks, sitting in the utmost top branches of my Butterfly bushes (Buddleia Salvifolia) at the other side of my pond, not really allowing me to get any close-up or clear shots. And they also don't sit still for long, always scrambling around the branches or flitting off to the next tree. Their constant calling to one another always has my heart longing for something, know not what, it sounds so plaintiff, as if they are also longing for something.
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These birds occur from southern Angola, Zambia and Malawi to southern Africa and generally prefer Acacia savannah and thickets, gardens, woodland with nearby rivers, strandveld and orchards. I have no idea where they are nesting or why they won’t move into my garden permanently! I have no fruit trees, apart from one peach tree, or any other fruit-bearing plants, so maybe that’s the reason…
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Rooiwangmuisvoël [Afrikaans]


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2 comments:

  1. What a beautiful bird - love the photo you caught of him in flight!
    Kathryn

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    1. Thank you Kathryn! That was pure luck, he was still sitting when I clicked away!

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