Nearly half of the planet’s bird species are in decline, according to a definitive report that paints the grimmest picture yet of the destruction of avian life. The State of the World’s Birds report, which is released every four years by BirdLife International, shows that the expansion and intensification of agriculture is putting pressure on […]
Tag: Secretary Bird
Poison used to kill lions and hyenas is indirectly killing Kenya’s vultures and other raptors
Darcy Ogada rarely spots raptors from her home in central Kenya any more. The birds were once a common sight in the industrial town of Thika, 25 miles (40km) north of Nairobi, but the region’s forests are rapidly declining, and the few remaining raptor populations face the added threats of poison and persecution. “It is […]
Serengeti raptors
Mid-September in the Serengeti is early spring. This is too early for most of the raptor migrants, so we saw mainly residents. Migrants such as Steppe Eagles had not yet arrived. The raptors in the Serengeti at this time of the year were Tawny and Bateleur Eagles, Martial Eagles, Long Crested Eagles, an array of […]
South Africa: Rich in National Parks
During my (relatively short, I might add) lifetime I have had the privilege of visiting the majority of South Africa’s national parks and game reserves. What a wealth of natural heritage we possess! When people from abroad look at some of the work in my photographic portfolio, they are amazed at the diversity of wildlife […]
Video: Secretary birds stamp on their prey with great force
According to a new study published this week in the journal Current Biology, Secretary birds can kick with 195 Newtons, which is equivalent to about 5 times their own body weight, when they kill their prey. The Secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large terrestrial bird of prey, which stands around 4 feet (1.2 m) […]
My 2012 in Review
Can you believe we are sitting in the year 2013 already? Every year feels like it’s a flyer, but to me personally, 2012 felt like it went by quicker than any previous year. It’s obviously a factor of how busy you are and how much you enjoy every day of your life – if you […]