Birds of the Tsitsikamma
Greenbacked Cameraptera
Olive-green mantle, back and wings, pale grey below. Orange-brown eyes. May be confused with Grey-backed Camaroptera. Favours moist, densely wooded forests, tangled riverine bush and parks and gardens. Making the Plaatbos hiking trail in Tsitsikamma an ideal habitat for this species.
African Harrier-Hawk
Small head, small ruff at back of neck. Long double-jointed legs that can bend backwards and sideways enabling it to extend the leg deep into a hollow to probe for prey. Grey with black bars on belly. Facial skin blushes red when excited or threatened. Has an unusual hunting method of clambering up tree trunks searching in cracks and holes where prey may hide.
Collared Sunbird
Distinctive short bill. Shiny green above extending to the breast, yellow below, bluish purple breast-band. Lemon-yellow pectoral tufts. Seldom leaves the forest except for short spells to feed, but always in dense cover. The Goesa trail is an ideal habitat for this species.
Knysna Turaco
Olive-green with blue wash on wings and tail. Head with prominent, rounded, white-tipped crest. Red bill and eye-ring with white stripes above and below eye. Found in the canopy of evergreen coastal and inland forests. The "Loerie" can be spotted on occasion on Swallow's Nest grounds and the forests surrounding Storms River Village make it an ideal habitat for this species.
Crowned Hornbill
Dark brown above, dark grey upper breast and throat, white below. Feathers tipped white on head and neck, orange-red bill with narrow yellow base and casque extending forward, yellow eyes, white outer tail feathers. This species inhabits forests and tall, close-canopied woodland as well as some gardens with large trees. To find this species in Tsitsikamma forests, you will have to do some hiking!