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Bare-cheeked Babbler
Turdoides gymnogenys
-19.1685, 13.7878
Field Notes
Description:
Size of a dove, with some 25cm in length, this is a gregarious and a very noisy bird. I heard, very clearly, a group of them and, not knowing what they could be, went in their search of them - and, in a rapidly descending light, found a group of 25 to 30 birds buzzing in this tree... They sport brown mantle over the whitish head and underparts, and have decorated faces and rusty-brown necks. And, boy, yes, they are noisy...
Habitat:
Seen in Kunene region of Namibia (northwest), around Warmquelle town, in arid open woodland landscape. Very dry (but still magnificent and rich in wildlife) at the moment, following a three-year dry-spell. Near endemic, occurring in drier parts of Namibia (north-west) and Angola (south-west); but according to some sources, breeding only in Namibia (?).
Notes:
Not very well documented bird at my knowledge, except short chapters in various Wildlife guidebooks - another lifer for me from magnificent Namibia, and it seems as a lifer for PN too... These were seen totally by chance - or Karma - while in the field, we made a typical beginners mistake and had only one spare tyre; I believe you can guess the ending of this story. And while the part of the team went back to look for a repair shop, I had a time to stroll through that woodland, and saw some birds missing from my collection - this babbler is one of them. Karma!
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