Waterbirds

Africa is a bird watcher's paradise. There is everything from the world's largest bird (the ostrich) to a remarkable variety of birds that frequent the water's edge – the focus of this page.

Waterbirds are a little easier to photograph than most others, primarily because they are larger and more out in the open. Nevertheless, some of the photographs are from pretty far away. I didn't carry the very long lenses (400mm and up) that serious bird photographers use. Also, some of the photographs were taken from a boat, which means the camera was not as stable as I would have liked.

Many of the photographs here come from the Selous, in southern Tanzania. I highly recommend this area for lovers of birds. It is a crossover point between east and southern Africa species, so there is a wide assortment available. Also, having both the river and inland areas contributes to the variety.

September 2000 Update: I visited Uganda (primarily to see the gorillas) and saw some wonderful waterbirds as well, including the stately Saddle-Billed Stork and the very strange, almost prehistoric looking, Shoebill Stork. The latter is very rare and difficult to see in the wild (permits are required to enter their natural habitat in the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda. The photos here are from the wildlife center in Entebbe, Uganda.

August 2002 Update: A visit to South Africa offered an opportunity to tour the Cape Peninsula and see the jackass penguins that live in various protected areas along the coast. Penguins are always humorous to watch and these were no exception.

A note to birders: I have tried my best to correctly identify the birds in the photographs. Even with taking notes at the end of the day and the help of a couple of guidebooks, I may have misidentified some. If you notice any mistakes, please let me know so I can correct them.

Related Pages: Birds (Main Page), Birds of Prey and Hornbills