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I can’t stop laughing …

We decided to stop @ Tshokwane for picnic. As we do not have a lot of knowledge about birds. This bird circled the tree we were having picnic under. My fiance decided to take some pics.

Wonder if he had the same ideas!!!!!! LOL

NB: I’ll tell him to be more careful next time.

16/10/2006

I have had first hand stories of YBK's taking sandwiches out of unsuspecting school childrens hands and lunch boxes as they sat out doors during the lunch break.

We have many YBK's in Gabs

I was wondering:

Why do they do so well in and around human settlements? I see at least 5 every day on my 10km commute to work...

How can I attract them to my garden? Do they roost in specific trees with specific heights/density etc etc??

Any ideas?

Hi ya Loams
YBK's are very good at scavanging and eating almost anything they can get their hands on. That is why they do well in human areas. They also adapt very well and become used to humans and lose their fear of us.
They normally roost in communal groups in big trees.
Attracting them to your garden might prove a bit tricky unless you are able to erect a rather high (at first) feeding platform with scraps on it. Once they become aware of the regular food source and see there is no danger associated with it they should become a bit more tame and your feeding platforms can be lowered. (roof tops at first are good places)

Here in PTA, they prefer blue gum trees.

Same here in Cape Town

Saw something really interesting the other day... I saw YBK's flying together, almost like a flock, but in very loose formation almost as if they migrating. Its too early though, and I still see a lot of them in town.

My only conclusion is that the YBK's that I saw are from somewhere in SA where the weather patterns are a bit stuffed, and that the Gaborone YBK's are not interested in leaving yet.

Any comments?

There were few YBK that frequented the N,wanetsi picnic spot that were very good at borrowing off the braai's even when at full heat so if you are in that area its not only your beer you need to watch.

i dont know if the same birds return to the same area but I assume so as a neighbour we had in Amanzimtoti used to feed the YBK chicken legs by throwing them up to them when he had a braai, they soon got to know and would circle 6 to 8 meters above waiting for their tit bit when ever his braai came out this happened for a few years in a row.

YES! About 28 Dec 2005 we were travelling from Sehithwa? to Shakawe (on the western bank of the Ok) and saw two such occurrences, about 50 birds each time, circling around. It was threatening to rain. Why?

See it here frequently, last time was Saterday last week...and sometimes this is with a flock of Grey-headed Gulls...usually above areas of the wheatfields.

4. near Shimuwini

We saw hundred of YBK's in Feb and we managed to get a nice pic of this one

Larger view

Here's a Yellow-Billed Kite picture from my last trip. It had just picked up a piece of meat from a cheetah kill and it was eating it in flight.

madach that is an awesome picture

Here is mine of the Yellow Billed Kite seen in January

The most photographed YBK in the Park? Olifants bridge, Sept. 08.