As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Friday 21 September 2012

Leucistic Hammerkop in Zambia


Leucistic/white hammerkop
Safari guide Tyrone Mckeith sent us this image of a leucistic hammerkop from the Busanga Plains in Zambia. 

Busanga Plains
The huge (750 km2) Busanga Plains are regarded as the Jewel of the Kafue, depending on the time of year you visit (The flood season is from March through to May) you may need to travel by Mokoro (traditional dug-out canoes) to access the plains. This area is synonymous with the large herds of Red lechwe and buffalo which bring with them interest from the Kafue's impressive carnivore diversity. Being submerged for most of the year, the seasonal flood waters attract great flocks of Open Billed storks, which spiral in the thermals over the plains. Crowned and the rare Wattled cranes are seen searching through the grass for insects and beetles. 


More information on the hammerkop (Scopus umbretta):

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