| Passeriformes |
| Birds are a very large family of animals, so many, that they are broken down into groups by order, according to the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy- a new and increasingly approved taxonomy based on DNA analysis, as opposed to the older taxonomy, which was more based on appearance, geography, and behavior. |
| Fork-Tailed Drongo |
|
Species:
Dicrurus adsimilis Length: 25cm |
 |
Fork-Tailed Drongos are common across sub-Saharan Africa. They
eat insects and will attack much larger birds of prey if their nests are
threatened. We spotted this one in a thorny tree at the archaeological dig site, outside South Luangwa National Park. |
| Long-Tailed (Meve's) Starling |
|
Species:
Dicrurus adsimilis Length: 35cm |
| We spotted this Long-Tailed Starling, or Meve's Starling, perched high
up in a tree during our walking safari in South Luangwa National Park. Starlings are fairly omnivorous- they eat fruit and small insects. |
 |
| Steel-Blue Widow-Finch (Village Indigobird) |
|
Species:
Vidua chalybeata Length: 11-12cm |
 |
We spotted this one high on a tree limb during one of our safari
outings in South Luangwa National Park. Indigobirds are interesting in that they lay their eggs in Red-Billed Firefinch nests, leaving them to raise their young. They eat primarily seeds and grain. |
| White-Browed Sparrow-Weaver |
|
Species:
Plocepasser mahali Length: 17-19cm |
| We spotted only one White-Browed Sparrow-Weaver, the most common
weaver in the area. This one was in South Luangwa National Park. They get their names because the weave elaborate, large or hanging nests from dried, tall grasses. |
 |
