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Yellow Billed Kite
milvus aegyptius
-18.5726, 26.3069
Field Notes
Description:
A thirsty kite at a water hole supplied by a borehole in the hot, dry Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. With long wings and a forked tail, this raptor is a pleasent site overhead any African wilderness as it holds its wings level and wide while its tail twists constantly. Its beautiful white face and bright yellow beak and legs are its calling cards as it feeds from the wing swooping on prey which includes birds in mid air. It is often attracted to fires where it looks for unfortunate animals anable to escape the blaze. It has even been seen around termite mounds that have been ripped open by an ant eater to take advantage of the animals who come to feast on the ants.
Habitat:
Woodland and open habitats throughout Southern Africa
Notes:
2018 / 2019 Rains failed substancialy in Sub Saharan Africa with Botswana seeing a drop in water levels in its Okovango Delta and Zimbabwe's Victoria falls at a third of its thunder. The Drought has been bad this year and we spent a week in the Northwest of Zimbabwe in Hwange National Park. I am pleased to report that good rains are expected 2019 / 2020 but they are a bit late. While it is a harsh reality to be so close to a drought situation, it has been an experience like no other for me as a watch the animals tough it out and survive. I will be posting my pictures over the next few weeks to encourage hope that nature carries on and in some cases is thriving. I am happy to report that we support two watering holes with solar pumps to assit in this time.
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