Magnificent flashing colours and delightful chattering stopped recent visitors to the Kruger National Park in their tracks. Mohammed and Sharifah Jinnah came across a large flock of Southern carmine bee-eaters on the H1-4, feasting on insects on the road.
‘There were hundreds of birds on the road, and I mean hundreds… These are noisy birds that “bark” and squabble. My dilemma was where to point the camera and which section to focus on,’ said Mohammed.
‘It was a spectacle to watch… We spent over an hour with them and it was a most rewarding and absolutely amazing sighting,’ he continued.
These birds feed on insects, including dragonflies, butterflies, and locusts. They migrate within Africa, arriving in South Africa around August or September to settle in the Northwest and Limpopo provinces before departing around April according to South Africa.net.
They are not threatened and have a healthy population.
Take a look at Jinnahs’ pictures:
Pictures: Mohammed Jinnah
