NFA Bird Podcast

The bird who knows how to cut corners

>>Listen to the story about Tullberg's woodpecker
Cannot listen? Download the sound file from here!

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Tullberg's woodpecker
(Campethera tullbergi)

Photo by Nick Athanas
Enjoy his impressive photos from http://antpitta.com/


How long is the woodpecker's tongue??



The woodpecker's tongue is long enough to reach insects in side of the tree and
even the edge of the tongue has rough surface to catch insects.



Where can I find
Greater Honeyguide in Uganda?



This bird can be found in Echuya forest reserve.



Press "read more" for the full Script of the program
21. Tullberg's Woodpecker

NFA bird Podcast: I am Johnnie Kamugisha. The bird for today is Tullberg's Woodpercker
This a plain olive-green above with a red cap variably mottled blackish on the crown.
The sides of the face and throat are grey with very fine dark barring.
The rest of the underparts are yellowish-green barred all over with dark olive.
It is 19 cm long.
Woodpeckers, Piculets, Wrynecks, and Sapsuckers are a family, Picidae, of near passerine birds.
Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar and a few other areas.
Most of them live in forests or woodland habitats, save for a few known to leave in treeless areas, like rocky hillsides and deserts.
Woodpeckers range from highly antisocial solitary species that are aggressive to other members of their species, to spp that live in groups.
The woodpecker diet consist of mainly insects and their grubs taken from living and dead trees, fruit, nuts and sup from live trees.
The insects prey most commonly taken are those found inside tree trunks, whether alive, dead or rotten.
Woodpeckers have got barbed tongues which they use to excavate their prey.
These may be obtained either by gleaning or, most famously, by excavating wood.
They nest in tree cavities and they excavate their own nests.
The nest is usually only lined from the wood chips produced as the hole was made.
Many woodpecker species excavate one hole per breeding season, and it takes about a month to finish the excavation.
Tullberg's Woodpecker is said to have been split into two Uganda remaining with the one called Fine-banded Woodpecker.
It can be found in forests like Bwindi, Echuya among others.
The bird for today is Tullberg's Woodpecker and am Johnnie Kamugisha.

The bird who knows how to cut corners

>>Listen to the story about Greater Honeyguide
Cannot listen? Download the sound file from here!

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Greater Honeguide
(Indicator indicator)

Photo by Tomo Akiyama
Enjoy his awesome photos from http://www.wildlifejapan.com/wildlifejapan/



Where can I find
Greater Honeyguide in Uganda?

This bird can be found in forest all over Uganda.







Press "read more" for the full Script of the program
19. Greater Honeguide
(Indicator indicator)

NFA bird Podcast: I am Johnnie Kamugisha. The bird for today is a Greater Honeyguide
This bird has got an interesting scientific name (Indicator Indicator)
The male Greater Honeyguide has a pinkish bill, a dark crown and throat and white ear coverts.
It feeds primarily on the contents of bee colonies (hives): bee eggs, larvae and pupae; waxworms; and beeswax.

Honeyguides are among the few birds that can digest wax.
Like other honeyguides, the Great Honeyguide enters hives while bees are torpid to the early morning.

Greater Honeyguide also scavenges at hives that man or any other animal honey badger has been looking for honey before.
Most remarkably, they also guide man to hives in exchange for honey.
Greater Honeyguide is one of the two Honeyguides that instinctively lead man to beehives the other being the Scaly-throated Honeyguide.
It guides by attracting man's attention with interesting or call it aggressive sounds as it flies towards the hive since they know where they are within their territory.
All Honeyguides have white outer tail feathers, which these flutter in front of the person in persuasion to follow them to the beehives.
It is said that, the honeyguide must be thanked with a gift of honey; otherwise, it may lead you to a lion a snake or any other wild animal to punish you.

All Honeyguides are brood parasites, and the Greater Honeyguide is no exception.
During the breeding season the male sits in the canopy and sings until a female in breeding condition responds.
The female lays between four and eight eggs in a season, and breaks an egg of the host bird for each one she lays.
They generally lay only one egg per host nest.
It is about 20cm long and weigh up to 47 gm.

They can be found in woodland, savannah, and even cultivated areas among others.
The bird for today is Greater Honeyguide and am Johnnie Kamugisha.

The bird, which carry XXX!

>>Listen to the story about Yellow-billed Barbet

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Yellow-billed Barbet
(Trachyphonus purpuratus)

Photo by Ronald Donovan
Enjoy his fabulous photos from http://www.ronandonovan.com/



Where can I find
Yellow-billed Barbet in Uganda?

This bird can be found in forest all over Uganda.



Press "read more" for the full Script of the program



18. Yellow-billed Barbet Trachyphonus purpuratus

NFA bird Podcast: I am Johnnie Kamugisha. The bird for today is a Yellow-billed Barbet.
Yellow-billed Barbet is a unique large barbet, glossy purple-black with yellow bill, face and chest.
Oh should I say a striking long-tailed forest barbet with a yellow bill and large patch of bare yellow skin around the eyes; but can be seen in wooded habitats as well.
They are about 25cm long, plump-looking, with large heads.
Their heavy bill is fringed with bristles.
The Yellow-billed Barbet call is heard often during their breeding season; that is Sept/Oct.
Yellow-billed Barbets are not selfish because they have been seen sharing nesting grounds (Dead trees) with other birds like Grey-throated Barbet, Narrow-tailed Starlings, Tinkerbirds etc.
Parents alternate to feed the chicks and as one goes to look for food, the other remains in the nest (cavity).
Sex look the same and so not that easy to which one is female or male.
They feed on a variety of fruits both in the forest and in cultivated.
They swallow the whole fruit and later regurgitate the indigestible material such as seed pits.
They are important seed dispersal agents.
Seed dispersal is likely to have several benefits for plant species. First, seed survival is often higher away from the parent plant.
Seed dispersal also allows plants to reach specific habitats that are favorable for survival, a hypothesis known as directed dispersal.
In the case of fleshy-fruited plants, seed-dispersal in animal guts (endozoochory) often enhances the amount, the speed, and the asynchrony of germination, which can have important plant benefits

They supplement the fruits with insects and once in a while, they may feed on lizards and frogs too.
They lay 2 - 4 eggs that are incubated for about half a month.
Yellow-billed Barbet Can be found almost in all forests like Budongo, Kibale among others.
The bird for today is a Yellow-billed Barbet and am Johnnie Kamugisha.

References:
-Bird of East Africa (Book),
-IUCN Red list http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22684021/0
-The Birder's Handbook (Paul Ehrlich, David Dobkin, and Darryl Wheye. 1988. Simon and Schuster, New York)

Child neglect? No, no this is how we survive!


>>Listen to the story about African Emerald Cuckoo
Cannot listen? Download the sound file from here!

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African Emerald Cuckoo
(Chrysococcyx cupreus)

Photo by Tomo Akiyama
Enjoy his beautiful photo from here (Wildlife Japan)



Where can I find
African Emerald Cuckoo in Uganda?

This bird can be found in forest all over Uganda.





Press "read more" for the full Script of the program18. African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus

NFA bird Podcast: I am Johnnie Kamugisha. The bird for today is the African Emerald Cuckoo.
They are 23cm long that is from the beak to the tail.
An adult male of this bird is a stunning emerald-green above and yellow on the belly unlike any other bird.
I remember seeing it in very good light with my friend Patrick Cardwell and his better half Marie-Louise Cardwell and we all agreed it looked varlvet.
In flight, it shows black and white underwing coverts and dark flight feathers.
The female African Emerald Cuckoo is barred rufous and green above and barred white and green below.
The African Emerald Cuckoo lives a solitary life, but is wide spread and a common resident of moist forest.
I can say it has got a stable population trend since there is no evidence for any declines or substantial threats even though it has never been quantified.
It has got a very distinctive call that can't be mistaken for any other bird often translated as Hel-lo geor-gie.
They prefer patching up and calling from the canopy and it may take you a few minutes to the bird even though they are brightly coloured.
They are brood parasites like any other cuckoo.
They tend to parasitise Robins and Thrushes.
It is said that they are able to feed on hairy caterpillars because they pill off the stomach skin full of the hairs, push it out and a new one grows.
The African Emerald Cuckoo can be found almost in all forests like Budongo, Kibale, Echuya among others.
The bird for today is the African Emerald Cuckoo and am Johnnie Kamugisha.


References:
-Bird of East Africa (Book),
-IUCN Red list http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22684021/0
-Orinothorogy -Frank Bgill(Book)

The male bird which can raise his chicks with his milk!

>>Listen to the story about Tanbourine dove
Cannot listen? Download the sound file from here!


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Tanbourine dove
(Turtur tympanistria)

Photo by Ian Fulton
Enjoy more Ian's photo from here


Where can I find
Tambourine dove in Uganda?

This bird can be found in forest all over Uganda.




Press "read more" for the full Script of the program
#17 Tambourine Dove

Turtur tympanistria


NFA bird Podcast: I am Johnnie Kamugisha. The bird for today is a Tambourine Dove.
This is a small plump bird, 22 cm long, from the beak to the tail.
This is a widespread resident breeding bird in woodlands and other thick vegetation (forests).
It is a shy species that is usually seen when flushed whilst feeding on the forest floor.
Dark brown above and white underneath, which is very distinctive in males, you will see the white under the bird, when it flies off.
Distinctive of doves, they tend to builds a frail nest.
Both male and female incubate the eggs although it is the female that mainly does it.
The incubation takes 13 days and it takes 2 weeks for the young to fledge.
It is usually solitary, but is sometimes seen in family groups
It can be found in almost if not all forests in Uganda.
And it is the bird you will hear the calling almost the whole day, which probablly can be used as a clock because some of the birds tend to call right at the end of the hour. For example, Turacos and the Tambourine doves are more or less the same.
The bird for today is a Tambourine Dove and am Johnnie Kamugisha.

The most relaxing sound ever, in this podcast!

>>Listen to the story about Mountain wagtail

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Cannot listen? Download the sound file from here!




　　　　　　　　　　　 　　



Mountain wagtail
(Motacilla clara)

Photo by The Flacks
Visit their website to see their beautiful photos!
The Flacks Photography



Where can I find
African Broadbills in Uganda?

This bird can be found in forest the central and south west of Uganda.






Press "read more" for the full Script of the program


15. Mountain Wagtail

NFA bird Podcast: I am Johnnie Kamugisha.
The bird for today is a Mountain Wagtail.

This is an elegant Wagtail, very beautiful and proportionately longer tailed than other wagtails.
If you listened their calls and songs, it is very musical and completely different from any other wagtail
They are insectivorous birds that feed on the ground.
Pairs are usually seen near rivers in forests as they feed with their characteristic tail waging.
It is 19 cm long.
You can find them in Kibale forest, Bwindi forest among others.

The bird for today is a Mountain Wagtail and am Johnnie Kamugisha.

Look at my display flight!

>>Listen to the story about African Broadbill

Cannot listen? Download the sound file from here!

#13 Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird episode.mp3

　　　　　　　　　　 　　

African Broadbill

(Smithornis capensis)

Photo by Mr. Dave Curtis

Visit his website to see more Ugandan birds' photos

Where can I find

African Broadbills in Uganda?

This bird can be found in forest the central and south west of Uganda.

Press "read more" for the full Script of the program

NFA bird Podcast: I am Johnnie Kamugisha.

The bird for today is the African Broadbill.

African Broadbill is a stocky, short-tailed bird with a distinctive broad, flat bill, which is used for feeding.That shape is specifically for feeding.

It has a black upper mandible and whitish lower mandible.

It is about 14 cm long.

They inhabit the understory (lower vegetation of a forest) of primary, secondary, montane among others.

They feed on insects like caterpillars, ants and butterfly eggs.

They are territorial birds.

They perform elliptical display flights, which is the sound you heard,comes from the wings. When it flies performing its elliptical display the wings make that noise.

But ususlly before it flies off, it goes like, (Johnnie immitating the brid call) and it takes off,display and land at the same spot, or slightly at the same spot but ususllay at the same spot where it took from.

They are found in most forest like Bwindi, Echuya among others.

The bird for today is the African Broadbill and am Johnnie Kamugisha.