1.

Bateleur
The Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) is a stunningly
beautiful eagle, with jet-black plumage, scarlet face,
and a terracotta red back. In flight, it appears almost
tail-less (hence, ecaudatus), but it is its unique gentle
tipping of its wings as it glides over the savannas that
immediately give it away. This is also the source of its
name, as a Bateleur is, apparently, a tight-rope walker
in French.

The Cape Parrot is endemic to the evergreen forests of

eastern South Africa and the call of one of these flying
over the canopy has thrilled many a keen birder and
ornithologist. But as with so many species in this
world habitat destruction is really playing a heavy toll
on them.

4. White-starred Robin
2. Livinstones Lourie
One of Africas 23 turaco species, Livingstones Lourie
(aka Livingstones Turaco, Tauraco livingstonii) is a bird
of coastal lowland forest from northern South Africa and
up along the coast of Mozambique. They are large, about
the size of a Black-headed Gull (as a completely
inappropriate comparison).

The Starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata) is a secretive

little forest dweller which quickly one a place in my
heart for the unexpected way one stumbles upon them.
Quite, nothing about. Then suddenly, the most incredibly
beautiful little fairy of a bird sitting up ahead. wow.

5. Drakensberg Rockjumper
3. Cape Parrot
the Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus) was the first bird
I really spent a lot of time looking at. It was my
introduction in to ornithology and conservation biology
and I learned a lot from my colleagues at the time, and
from the birds themselves. I will forever be grateful to
them for that. Thank you.

The Drakensberg (aka Orange-breasted Rockjumper,

Chaetops aurantius) and Cape Rockjumpers (Chaetops
frenatus) are both passerines of rocky slopes, with the
former being a much sought-after bird of the highaltitude Drakensberg mountains. While they seem rather
thrush-like, evidently recent DNA evidence seems to put
them closest to the Rockfowl. At any rate, the
Rockjumpers are beautifully strange South African
endemics and well deserve to be on this list.

Cape Sugarbird by Alan Manson cc on flickr

7. Saddle-billed Stork
There are many great storks, but the Saddle-billed Stork
(Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) is the gaudiest that I
know of. It is a widespread species, but rarely abundant,
found throughout sub-Saharan Africa from South Africa
to Ethiopia and Sudan.

Cape Rockjumper by Blake Matheson cc on flickr

6. Gurneys and Cape Sugarbirds
I couldnt decide here. I have a natural bias towards
Gurneys Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi) because of all
the time I spent looking at and trying to ring them, and
they have a beautiful rusty breast; but on the other hand,
the Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer) has a really cool
tail. Both are southern African endemics.
Female Saddle-billed Stork by Lukas Vermeer cc on
flickr
8. Black-fronted Bush-shrike