Bulletin 378 - Uganda #22 - Falcons, Turacos

 After the week in the Capetown area, the guide Casper Badenhorst, and I flew to Uganda and met a local guide. We started at Entebbe Airport on the southeast corner of Uganda and made a diagonal trip to Murchison Falls NP in the northwest corner. From there, we proceeded south through a chain of nature preserves and parks to the southwest corner at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We finished along the southern border back to the airport.

The worldwide 19" Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) is well known to all birders as the fastest flyer in the world in its dives. This is the subspecies south of the Sahara Desert, (F p minor). It is listed as uncommon in East Africa. We did not see it until the last morning.

Peregrine Falcon

There were 3 smaller falcons. The first is the 13" Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). It is a fierce looking all brown falcon with black streaking on the breast. He has the typical moustache like most falcons.

Common Kestrel

The 13" Gray Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus) is all gray with bare yellow skin around the eye.

Gray Kestrel

Lastly is the 14" Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo). This bird resembles our American Kestrel. It is a winter migrant to Africa.

Eurasian Hobby

Turacos are a small family of large, long-tailed, showy birds endemic to Africa. 3 of them are national birds. The 19" Bare-faced Go-away Bird (Corythaixoides personata) has a white head, neck and breast, a black face and the rest of the bird is brown. There is a large crest and a long tail.

Bare-faced Go-away Bird

The 20" Eastern Plantain-eater (Crinifer zonurus) is charcoal colored with some spots, a long tail and bushy crest.

Eastern Plantain-eater

Next is the fantastic 30" Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata). This is an enormous blue bird with a crest and long tail. It is an easy ID.

Great Blue Turaco

Lastly is the stunning 21" Ross's Turaco (Turaco rossae). This is a royal blue bird with a yellow beak and facial skin and a red crest. It is an easy ID and it was the most spectacular bird for the whole trip.

Ross's Turaco

I put the different bird and mammal families in single folders for easy viewing

I have photos of 17 of the 65 species of falcons

I have photos of 7 of the 23 species of  turacos

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald

dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2021 David McDonald

To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.