Colourful Birds of the eMalangeni Forest

Here are some the most colourful of the birds to be found in the eMalangeni Forest and forest margins that we will endeavor to show you when you book to be taken on an eco-excursion through the Forest and explore the surrounds.

I had no option other that to place this photo of a  Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus first because it is the bird that I have on my Ecoman company logo.

The White-eared Barbet  leucotis is more often seen than heard as it chatters away like a parrot up in the trees.  

The Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus can be found most days at eMalangeni on the forest margins hawking insects in particular dragon flies often near to the nesting site.

The Gorgeous Bush-shrike  Telophorus quadricolor is another of the forest birds that are more often heard than seen but if one has some patience these birds will appear as if by magic out of the undergrowth.

The Burchell's Coucal Centropus burchellii may not be as colourful as some of the other forest birds  at eMalangeni but it is a character in its own right that can be heard calling the rain in the early spring. 

It would not be summer without the distinctive call of the Diderick Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius that lays her eggs in the nest of in particular the Spectacled and Dark Backed Weavers in the emalangeni Forest.

The Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius is another well known South African bird that is heard far more than it is seen.

The African Finfoot Podica senegalensis is a shy and seldom seen water bird that can be seen in the eMalangeni Swamp Forest.

Crested Guineafowl Guttera edouardi lives in the forest but tends to nest on the forest margins in very well hidden nests.

The White-crested Helmet-shrike Prionops plumatus conspicuously moved that the forest in noisy family parties.

The Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus can not be overlooked when they are around because they move around in large noisy groups. they are one of the main agents of dispersion of the seed of the Kosi Bay cycad Encephalartos ferox very often dropping them under the Water berry trees Syzygium cordatum where they roost after eating them.

The Trumpeter Hornbill Bycanistes bucinator also moves around in large noisy groups and also is a major distributer of the seed of the Kosi Bay cycad at eMalangeni.

The African Jacana Actophilornis africanus can be found where ever there is floating vegetation in the river streams that flow through the eMalangeni swamp forest and on the edges of Lake Amanzimnyama

The Half-collared Kingfisher Alcedo semitorquata can be found along the Amanzimnyama river and the streams that flow through the eMalangeni swamp or peat forest is it is scientifically referred to.

The Fiery-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus pectoralis can be found sleeping in the leaf litter on the eMalangeni forest floor for those who have good eyesight and an measure of luck.

The Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus that announces its presence with a load and distinctive call while sitting high up in the forest trees at eMalangeni.

African Wood-owl Strix woodfordii are to be found in the eMalangeni Swamp Forest

The fruit eating African Green-pigeon Treron calvus will be found in groups where ever wild fig trees are fruiting in the forest.

The Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola will usually be found near to water hawking insects on the wing.

The Red-capped Robin-chat Cossypha natalensis is a familiar and common garden bird in many gardens which is mostly still know as the Natal Robin.

eMalangeni is home to this magnificent insect eating Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus

No forest along the KwaZulu-Natal coast would be complete without this colourful little Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris.

The Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea is often found in the deep shade of the forest hawking insects or drinking nectar from the forest Strelitzia, Strelitzia nicholai.

African Purple Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis a beautiful but very aggressive bird that skulks in rank reeds and waterside vegetation.

The Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus pusillus is a fruit and insect member of the barbet tribe found living in the eMalangeni swamp forest.

The Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus is very similar in habits to the red-fronted tinkerbird.

The spectacularly beautiful insect eating Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina is one of the gems of our indigenous swamp forest at eMalangeni.

Livingstone's Turaco  Tauraco livingstonii is another of the rare gems to be found in the eMalangeni swamp forest.

The Purple-crested Turaco Gallirex porphyreolophus has become a common and tame garden bird in urban gardens along the KwaZulu-Natal coast.

 No collection of bird photographs of birds of the eMalangeni swamp forest would be complete without the icon bird of the forest the Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angiogenesis also known as the vulturine fish eagle being presented. this large bird of prey is most unusual as it has a particular relationship to the Kosi Bay Palm Raphia australis the oil rich fruits of which represent a large portion of its diet

I thank a very long time friend Mark Tittley the senior youth pastor of Encounter Youth the youth ministry of Every Nation Rosebank in Johannesburg, South Africa for all of the excellent photographs he has allowed me to use for this posting without them it would not have been possible at this moment in time.

Guided excursions

Please join us on one of our many guided excursions conducted in Zulu, English or German into the eMalangeni Forest, Kosi Bay area, Tembe Elephant Park the home of the world largest elephants and other surrounding natural areas.

Please visit one of my websites for my contact details.

Michael Hickman

18.04.21

Please visit my websites at

www.ecoman.co.za

www.hlem.co.za

as well as my other blogs at

http://luthulienvironment.blogspot.com/ 

http://ecomandurban.blogspot.com/

http://ecoman.co.za/projects/emalangeni.html

https://www.hlem.co.za/emalangeni.html

The eMalangeni Peat Swamp Forest

This blog is to bring to you the rich and varied natural wonders and local human traditions that can be found in and around the eMalangeni Peat Swamp forest immediately south of lake Amanzimnyama at Kosi Bay. 

The Gorgeous Bush-shrike  Telophorus quadricolor is another of the forest birds that are more often heard than seen but if one has some patience these birds will appear as if by magic out of the undergrowth.

The eMalangeni coastal peat swamp forest with a total area of 880 ha  occurs adjacent to the Siyadla / aManzimnyama river, immediately south of lake aManzimnyama is the largest peat swamp forest in South Africa, it is also the main source of fresh water for the Kosi Bay Lake System.  Coastal peat swamp forests are fresh water forested wetlands that are established on peat soils in close proximity to the Indian Ocean on the north east coast of South Africa. In South Africa Coastal peat swamps forests are highly threatened ecosystems, being the second rarest forest type in the whole country and only occur in isolated patches from the Mozambique border to just south of the Msikaba River in the Eastern Cape. The coastal peat swamp forests on the flat coastal plain of Maputaland which include the eMalangeni coastal peat swamp forest represent seventy five percent of all the swamp forest found in South Africa. 

The traditional Pont made of the leaves of the Raphia Palm belonging to the local community that is used to cross the aManzimnyama River in the heart of the eMalangeni Forest

As previously stated the eMalangeni peat swamp forest is an extensive swamp forest in the Kosi Bay system. Being the largest swamp forests in the country and due to the rarity of this forest type, it adds considerable importance to the Kosi system. Common tree species include the giant raffia palm Raphia australis, Syzygium cordatum, Ficus trichopoda, Englerophytum natalense, Voacanga thouarsii and Rauvolfia caffra as large trees, with Rapanea melanophleos, Myrica serrata and Halleria lucida as sub-canopy. On the forest margins one can find Sphedamnocarpus pruriens.

 On the forest margins one can find Sphedamnocarpus pruriens

Ferns and other plants such as the reed like liana Flagellaria guineensis. The extensive groves of raffia palms in the forest support the largest population of breeding Palm-nut Vultures Gypohierax angolensis in South Africa. The ferns, Microsorum scolopendria, Stenochlaena tenuifolia and Nephrolepis biserrata as well as Zamioculcas zamiifolia, 

Zamioculcas zamiifolia the very popular indoor plant growing in its natural habitat in the eMalangeni forest at Kosi Bay South Africa

Sansevieria concinna, Scadoxus multiflorus, Coleotrype natalensis, Drimiopsis maculata, Smilax anceps and many other plants cover the forest floor. The trees are covered in epiphytes such as the fern Microsorum punctatum and orchids such as Cyrtorchis arcuata, Aerangis mystacidii and Polystachya concreta, commonly known as the Yellow Helmet Orchid

The epiphytic fern Microsorum punctatum growing in the eMalangeni Forest at Kosi Bay

On the forest margins and adjoining grasslands many colourful flowering plants can be seen.

The Kosi Bay System

Kosi Bay in South Africa is a complex estuary-linked lake system that stretches from the Mozambique border in the north, to Lake Amanzimnyama, in the south, that has been transformed into circular bays and lagoons containing fresh or brackish water, separated from one another by low beach barriers. 

Traditional boat made from Raphia palm leaves on the shore of Lake aManzimnyama

The system comprises four roughly circular, interconnected lakes being Makhawulani, Mpungwini, Nhlange and aManzimnyama, a broad channel leading to an estuary that opens to the Indian Ocean, and three extensive areas of swamp. Two principal rivers, Siyadla and Nswamanzi, feed into it. This is also the only system in South Africa in which five species of mangrove are found.

The aManzimnyama river the flows throught the eMalangeni Forest into lake aManzimnyama

 The climate is subtropical, with maximum temperatures varying between 23 °C and 30 °C. Rainfall averages between 670 and 1,100 mm p.a. and falls mostly in October–March.

Birds

The bird life of the Kosi system is essentially forest associated and is prolific, the list of 247 species for approximately 85 are water or estuary associated. Amongst the wetland and water associated species some are rare, such as the white winged Flufftail and the Whitebacked Night Heron, Gorsachius leuconotus. 

A photo of a Crested Guineafowl (Guttera pucherani) taken in the eMalangeni Forest Kosi Bay Complex South Africa

The largest colony of Palm-nut Vultures Gypohierax angolensis in South Africa is to be found in this forest. Several bird species at Kosi area the most southerly limits of their distribution and are not encountered elsewhere in South Africa such as the Livingstone’s Turaco, Tauraco livingstonii.

Orchids

There is a fairly large number of orchid species both epiphytes such as Aerangis mystacidii and Cyrtorchis arcuata as well as terrestrial orchids such as Oeceoclades lonchophylla are to be found in the eMalangeni forest. There a number of tropical African orchid species found in this forest marks the South limit of their occurrence.

The epiphytic orchid Cyrtorchis arcuata growing in the eMalangeni Forest at Kosi Bay

Animals

Hippo, crocodiles, monkeys, bush pig, bush buck and many others are be encountered in the forest.

Local Human Traditions.

Zulu, Tonga people of the Tembe Tribe and a people known as the amagonde speaking a language isigonde which is fast dying out and is now only spoke by a few older people have been living next to the the eMalangeni Swamp Forest for centuries. These peoples relied heavily on the eMalangeni coastal peat swamp forest as a source of fresh drinking water and as the only available productive land for cultivating crops. The inclined swamp forest valley slopes facilitate easy drainage of the peat and resulted in traditional cultivation techniques of cutting drainage ditches and constructing raised beds. This gradient of hydrological modification enabled the gardening of a wide variety of crops, with bananas Musa xparadisiaca and amadumbe Colocasia esculenta being the most common.

A traditional grain storage hut at eMalangeni

Traditionally the light and durable wood of the endemic Raphia australis palms has been a very important component in the livelihood of the local peoples, the collection of fallen rachi is used for construction material for houses as well as canoes and rafts to cross the aManzimnyama river. 

In time I will research and publish on this blog many of the very rich local traditions of the people who live here.

A traditional hut in the eMalangeni forest at Kosi Bay

As time goes on I will post many features on the plants, birds, animals and insects found in and around this magnificent forest.

Guided excursions that offer far more scientific knowledge and interesting facts in regards to the plants birds animals and other creatures encountered in the forest than the usual guided can be conducted in English, Zulu and German into the eMalangeni Swamp Forest and surrounding area including the nearby Tembe Elephant Park can be arranged and tailored to the individual needs of the client/s no matter at which establishment one will be staying at while at Kosi Bay. Please visit one of my websites for contact details.

Michael Hickman

28.03.21

please visit my websites 

www.ecoman.co.za 

www.hlem.co.za 

as well as my other blogs at

http://luthulienvironment.blogspot.com/ 

http://ecomandurban.blogspot.com/

http://ecoman.co.za/projects/emalangeni.html

https://www.hlem.co.za/emalangeni.html