the african cuckoo-hawk , or african baza , ( aviceda cuculoides ) is a medium-sized raptor in the family accipitridae so named because it resembles the common cuckoo , which is found in sub-saharan africa and along the eastern parts of southern africa .

it prefers dense woodland and forest of either indigenous or exotic trees .

african cuckoo - hawk

african cuckoo - hawk <EOT> other names : african baza , african cuckoo - falcon , african cuckoo falcon , cuckoo - falcon , cuckoo - hawk , west african cuckoo - falcon .

nobody uploaded sound recordings for african cuckoo - hawk ( aviceda cuculoides ) yet .

the african cuckoo hawk is mainly seen singly or in pairs in the wild .

african cuckoo hawk ( aviceda cuculoides fam . accipitridae ) kruger park birds & birding .

in terms of distribution of the african cuckoo hawk in the kruger national park you may not see it in all areas . african cuckoo hawk : see above distribution map .

the african cuckoo hawk is a bird about the size of a francolin now called spurfowl . the height of the african cuckoo hawk is about 40 cms and its weight is about 250 gms

the african cuckoo hawk ( latin name aviceda cuculoides ) is described in roberts birds of southern africa , 7th edition . this bird has a unique roberts number of 128 and you will find a full description of this bird on page 474 also a picture of the african cuckoo hawk on page 433 . the african cuckoo hawk belongs to the family of birds classified as accipitridae . according to the percy fitzpatrick institute of african ornithology the african cuckoo hawk is also known by these other names : african cuckoo falcon , west african cuckoo falcon , cuckoo falcon .

african cuckoo - hawk ( aviceda cuculoides ) is a species of bird in the accipitridae family .

african cuckoo hawk nest with eggs , nylsvley area , south africa . [ photo warwick tarboton © ]

museum specimens indicate historical distributions . the map below shows locations from which museum specimens of african cuckoo hawk were collected . you can see more information on the individual museum specimens of african cuckoo hawk here .

the african cuckoo hawk is mainly found in light and densely wooded forests , where there are mopane trees .

this bird is known as cuckoo hawk in the roberts 6th edition . there have been no changes in the latin name for the african cuckoo hawk between the roberts 6th and roberts 7th edition .

the african cuckoo hawk is neither endemic or near endemic to the kruger national park . it is however a rare resident

you will normally see the african cuckoo hawk by itself rather than in the company of birds of the same species .

the african cuckoo hawk is a southern african bird that belongs to the accipitridae bird family group which includes birds such as raptors , old vultures , osprey .

subspecies and range : the african cuckoo - hawk has three subspecies which differ in size , extent of barring and intensity of plumage colour .

the african cuckoo hawk is monogamous unless its mate dies . in the event of a partner dying aviceda cuculoides will seek out a new mate

birds & birding in the kruger national park south africa . in roberts 6 this bird was called cuckoo hawk

recommended citation : global raptor information network . 2018 . species account : african cuckoo - hawk aviceda cuculoides . downloaded from urltoken on 9 jul . 2018

the african cuckoo - hawk or african baza ( aviceda cuculoides ) is a medium - sized bird of prey of the family accipitridae , and found in much of the forested regions of africa south of the sahara desert .

the nesting habit of african cuckoo hawk is to create the nest in branches of a tree or shrub . the bird lays eggs which are in colour and number between 1 to 2

the description for the african cuckoo hawk ( latin name aviceda cuculoides ) can be found in the 7th edition of the roberts birds of southern africa . the aviceda cuculoides can be quickly identified by its unique roberts identification number of 128 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 474 . you will find a picture of the african cuckoo hawk on page 433 .

calls and songs : sounds by xeno - canto the african cuckoo - hawk is noisy before breeding , giving loud , far - carrying whistling calls “teee - oooo” and shorter ones “tittit - eoo” .

the african cuckoo hawk is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life . the bird lays between 1 to 2 eggs and they are coloured .

the african cuckoo - hawk often stands horizontally on branch with the wings slightly drooped . it prefers to perch under cover or below the canopy , rather than on open sites . it is often found in pairs .

the african cuckoo - hawks ( aviceda cuculoides ) - also known as african cuckoo falcons - are found in sub - saharan africa and along the eastern parts of southern africa . this species is mainly resident , but a partial - migrant in the east and south .

african harrier - hawk , harrier hawk , or gymnogene ( polyboroides typus ) is a bird of prey . it is about cm in length , and is related to the harriers . it breeds in most of africa south of the sahara .

introduction : the african cuckoo - hawk is a long - winged raptor with short , pointed crest , and two tooth - like indentations on the edge of the upper mandible . the aviceda species were related to falcons because of the notched bill , but finally , it is mostly closely related to kites . they are also called cuckoo - falcons and bazas .

the african cuckoo - hawk is uncommon throughout its range , but that is mostly because of its secretive behavior and not because it is threatened . population size is for now deemed to be stable and it is listed as least concern on the iucn red list .

ryan , p . g . & moloney , c . l . 1995 . range extension and display flight of the cuckoo hawk in the southwestern cape province , south africa . gabar 9 : 25 .

the african cuckoo - hawk occupies evergreen forest and deciduous woodlands up to 6 , 000 feet elevation , both within the forest interior and edges , and often being seen in suburban gardens . it is also seen in savannahs and open bush country during migrations in east africa .

the african cuckoo hawk has a height of 40 cms and weighs around 250 gms . the head is coloured brown while the bill is coloured black . the aviceda cuculoides has a blue , grey coloured throat , yellow legs and a brown coloured back . the eyes are brown .

experiences with species raptors have always been my favourite group of birds . on a trip to mozambique in august 2008 , i was 11 species short of 700 on my southern african bird list . i got to 699 and speculated on what my 700th bird would be . it turned out to be the african cuckoo - hawk ! other names : -

habitat : the african cuckoo - hawk frequents dense woodland or second growth forest mixed with cultivated areas , but it is also present in exotic plantations in more open savanna , up to 3000 metres of elevation . it usually avoids desert and semi - desert , but it can be seen in suburban areas too .

the african cuckoo - hawk is mainly resident in most part of the range , but some seasonal movements can be observed , often related to prey availability such as chameleons and insects . the flight is fast and direct , with wingbeats interspersed with glides . but it soars rarely . the flight displays are spectacular .

distribution of african cuckoo hawk in southern africa , based on statistical smoothing of the records from first sa bird atlas project ( © animal demography unit , university of cape town ; smoothing by birgit erni and francesca little ) . colours range from dark blue ( most common ) through to yellow ( least common ) .

the list of sought - after forest associated target species at the grootvadersbosch nature reserve include : terrestrial brownbul , olive bush - shrike , forest canary , blue - mantled crested - flycatcher , red - winged francolin , grey cuckoo - shrike , lemon dove , african crowned eagle , african cuckoo hawk , black - headed oriole , red - necked spurfowl , narina trogon , knysna warbler and yellow - throated woodland - warbler . the description of species abundance herewith is based on the latest sabap2 ( the bird atlasing project ) report cards for the region .

the african cuckoo - hawk feeds primarily on insects , reptiles and small birds , and usually from a still - hunting position on a perch within the forest or at the forest edge on a clearing . it has also been observed to search for prey on the wing , taking flying insects from the air or other prey on the ground .

protection / threats / status : the african cuckoo - hawk is widespread throughout its large range , but it is uncommon and difficult to see due to its secretive habits . this species is affected by the loss of its forest habitat , and it is preyed upon by larger raptors . however , the population appears stable and the species is not currently threatened .

as the name implies , the african cuckoo - hawk bears a superficial resemblance to the unrelated cuckoos . its wingspan is about 3 feet , with an overall body length of 16 to 18 inches . like other members of the genus aviceda , it bears two distinctive tooth - like notches near the edge of the bill , and a crest of feathers at the top of the head . legs are short and stout , and bear powerful talons .

reproduction of this species : the breeding season usually takes place during the rainy season , but the laying period may vary according to the range . the african cuckoo - hawk nests in forest . the nest is placed fairly high up in a forest tree , often eucalyptus , and well concealed among the foliage . it is a typical platform made with sticks , roots and twigs with leaves still attached . the cup is lined with grass , green leaves and wool .

checklist of birds of the afrotropical and malagasy regions . volume 1 . species limits and distribution | african bird club

kemp , a . c . , marks , j . s . & boesman , p . ( 2018 ) . african cuckoo - hawk ( aviceda cuculoides ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

behaviour in the wild : the african cuckoo - hawk feeds mainly on lizards , especially chameleons , and large insects such as grasshoppers , mantids and caterpillars . but its diet can be more varied too , including beetles , wasps , termites , crabs , fish , small birds taken in the nest , and bats . it often hunts from a perch , waiting for long periods within vegetal cover . once a prey is detected , it swoops slowly down to catch it from foliage or branch , but also by walking around or hopping along the ground . it may sometimes perform aerial sallies and hawk flying insects . or it flies low over the open vegetation before to drop onto the prey .

the southern african bird atlas project ( sabap1 ) in namibia gathered a huge amount of distribution data between 1970 and 1993 .

preston , g . r . , siegfried , w . r . & wynberg , r . p . 1995 . attitudes and policies of the directors of south african nature conservation departments toward the protection of biological diversity . south african journal of wildlife research 25 : 77 - 89 .

kemp , a . c . & kirwan , g . m . ( 2018 ) . madagascar cuckoo - hawk ( aviceda madagascariensis ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

the african cuckoo - hawk is a monogamous , solitary nester that breeds in the season september - march , with peaks in october - december . a breeding pair will build a nest together , generally in the highest branches of a tree 10 to 30 meters above ground . the nest is built of vines , twigs , and leaves . one or two ( rarely three ) eggs are laid and incubated by both sexes for 32 - 33 days . after hatching , the chicks will spend about 28 days in the nest as both parents feed them . they will depend on the parents for another week or so after leaving the nest .

range : africa : west , central , southcentral , southeast . the african cuckoo falcon is found in the southern half of africa , including the forested areas of west africa , in forest and wetter savannah country . there are two races , aviceda cuculoides cuculoides , occurring north and west of a line through north angola and the congo , and aviceda cuculoides verreauxi to the south and east .

turpie , j . k . 1995 . prioritizing south african estuaries for conservation : a practical example using waterbirds . biological conservation 74 : 75 - 185 .

allan , d . g . & jenkins , a . r . 1995 . editorial . j ournal of african raptor biology 10 ( 1 ) : 1 .

jenkins , a . r . 1995 . morphometrics and flight performance of southern african peregrine and lanner falcons . journal of avian biology 26 : 49 - 58 .

cooper , j . & ryan , p . g . 1995 . sa scientists produce management plan for gough island . south african journal of science 91 : 107 .

hockey , p . a . r . 1995 . review : bird atlas of botswana ( penry ) . south african journal of zoology 30 : 59 - 60 .

allan , d . g . 1995 . habitat selection by blue cranes in the western cape province and the karoo . south african journal of wildllife research 25 : 90 - 97 .

crowe , t . m . 1995 . wildlife utilization : science vs . ethics and northern vs . southern perspectives . south african journal of science . 91 : 375 - 376 .

lombard , a . t . 1995 . introduction to an evaluation of the protection status of south africa ' s vertebrates . south african journal of zoology 30 : 63 - 70 .

predominantly a forest and woodland dwelling species , the african baza may be found in trees surrounding rivers , humid savannah woodland , eucalyptus and pine plantations and even suburban gardens ( 4 ) .

not globally threatened ( least concern ) . cites ii . one of the commonest and most conspicuous of the small hawks of african forested habitats , although no firm estimates of . . .

drummond , a . e . 1995 . reproduction of the sea urchins echinometra mathaei and diadema savignyi on the south african eastern coast . marine freshwater research . 46 : 751 - 755 .

lombard , a . t . 1995 the problems with multi - species conservation : do hotspots , ideal reserves and existing reserves coincide ? south african journal of zoology 30 : 145 - 163 .

smith , b . s . 1995 . biodiversity : sell - out biology , renegade economics or the glimmer of a new conservation paradigm ? south african journal of science 91 : 377 - 380 .

van jaarsveld , a . s . & lombard , a . t . 1995 . towards the establishment of a national environmental information network . south african journal of science 91 : 9 - 10 .

conservation : widespread , but probably uncommon throughout most of its range . probably overlooked to some extent because of its secretive habits . sympatric raptor species may prey on cuckoo hawks in secondary habitats or tree plantations ( verdoorn 2000 ) . categorized as a species of " least concern " by birdlife international . more . . . .

tucker , k . c . & richardson , d . m . 1995 . an expert system for screening potentially invasive alien plants in south african fynbos . journal of environmental management 44 : 309 - 338 .

gelderblom , c . m . & bronner , g . n . 1995 . patterns of distribution and protection status of the endemic mammals in south africa . south african journal of zoology 30 : 127 - 135 .

ryan , p . g . , cowling , r . m . & costanza , r . 1995 . valuing ecosystems : is the fynbos worth conserving ? south african journal of science 91 : 572 - 573 .

african cuckoo - hawks prefer dense woodland and forest habitats , as well as forest edges . it is solitary and rarely found in the company of an individual of the same species . it is a seldom seen bird with secretive habits , but can occasionally be seen gliding between branches amongst trees . it generally feeds on invertebrates , but will also feed on small lizards , snakes , frogs , birds , and rodents . hunting is often done in low vegetation and grass , where prey is caught on the ground . prey can also be caught in trees .

drinkrow , d . r . & cherry , m . i . 1995 . anuran distribution , diversity and conservation in south africa , lesotho and swaziland . south african journal of zoology . 30 : 82 - 90 .

the facility will assist , were possible , in any bona fide program or research that is beneficial to the long term conservation of raptors . the sanctuary also serves as a biological and genetic bank of southern african birds of prey .

dean , w . r . j . & milton , s . j . 1995 . plant and invertebrate assemblages on old fields in the arid southern karoo , south africa . african journal of ecology 33 : 1 - 13 .

du plessis , m . a . , siegfried , w . r . & armstrong , a . j . 1995 . ecological and life - history correlates of cooperative breeding in south african birds . oecologia 102 : 180 - 188 .

siegfried , w . r . 1995 . conference report . in : robinson , r . , ed . african heritage 2000 : the future of protected areas in africa . pretoria : national parks board . pp . 133 - 135 .

siegfried , w . r . 1995 . the difference between education and training . in : robinson , r . , ed . african heritage 2000 : the future of protected areas in africa . pretoria : national parks board , pretoria .

siegfried , w . r . & brooke , r . k . 1995 . anthropogenic extinctions in the terrestrial biota of the afrotropical region in the last 500 , 000 years . journal of african zool ogy 109 : 5 - 14 .

malan , g . 1995 . cooperative breeding and delayed dispersal in the pale chanting goshawk melierax canorus . ph . d . thesis , univ . of cape town ( abstract ) . journal of african raptor biology 10 ( 1 ) : 40 .

benn , g . a . , kemp , a . c . & begg , k . s . 1995 . the distribution , size and trends of the saddlebilled stork ephippiorhynchus senegalensis population in south africa . south african journal of wildlife research 25 : 98 - 105 .

preston , g . r . & siegfried , w . r . 1995 . the protection of biological diversity in south africa : profiles and perceptions of professional practitioners in nature conservation agencies and natural history museums . south african journal of wildlife research 25 : 49 - 56 .

skelton , p . h . , cambray , j . a . , lombard , a . & benn , g . a . 1995 . patterns of distribution and conservation status of freshwater fishes in south africa . south african journal of zoology 30 : 71 - 81 .

crawford , r . j . m . , cooper , j . & dyer , b . m . 1995 . conservation of an increasing population of great white pelicans pelecanus onocrotalus in south africa ' s western cape . south african journal of science . 15 : 33 - 42 .

branch , w . r . , benn , g . a . & lombard , a . t . 1995 . the tortoises ( testudinidae ) and terrapins ( pelomedusidae ) of southern africa : their diversity , distribution and conservation . south african journal of zoology 30 : 91 - 102 .

excellent birding is available at the grootvadersbosch reception office and camping area . bar - throated apalis , cape batis , sombre greenbul , cape robin - chat , olive thrush and cape white - eye are abundant . cape canary , african dusky flycatcatcher , greater double - collared sunbird and common and swee waxbills are seen commonly . special species to look out for at the camp site include olive bush - shrike , forest canary and olive woodpecker , and small groups of cape siskin often forage in the area . brimstone canary , greater honeyguide and african olive - pigeon are also often conspicuous . amethyst sunbird and southern double - collared sunbird are seen less often , as are yellow bishop and rock martin . campers can expect to hear the calls of fiery - necked nightjar , spotted eagle - owl and barn owl at night . the beautiful call of african wood - owl represents a special treat .

the african baza ' s extensive range encompasses much of sub - saharan africa , from senegal in the west to cameroon , extending east across to kenya , and south as far as angola on the west coast and south - east south africa on the east coast ( 1 ) ( 4 ) .

there are two recognized subspecies of black - backed jackal . the southern african subspecies ( c . m . mesomelas ) and the larger east african subspecies ( c . m . schmidti ) . the black - backed jackal has been seen as a pest by farmers ever since colonization of south africa because they often kill livestock and carry rabies . attempts were made to eradicate them , but the species is so succesful and adaptable that any attempt generally failed . the species is to this day still widespread and fairly common within its range and it is listed as least concern on the iucn red list .

dean , w . r . j . , hoffman , m . t . , kerley , g . i . h . & milton , s . j . 1995 . desertification in developed countries : in search of the silver bullet . south african journal of science 91 : 213 - 215 .

benn , g . a . 1995 . review : handbook of the birds of the world . vol . 2 : new world vultures to guineafowl ( eds . j . del hoyo , a . elliott & j . sargatal ) . journal of african raptor biology 10 ( 1 ) : 42 - 43 .

gelderblom , c . m . , bronner , g . n . , lombard , a . t . & taylor , p . j . 1995 . patterns of distribution and current protection status of the carnivora , chiroptera and insectivora in south africa . south african journal of zoology 30 : 103 - 114 .

milton , s . j . , dean , w . r . j . , maricowitz , c . p . & kerley , g . i . h . 1995 . effects of the 1990 / 91 drought on rangeland in the steytlerville karoo . south african journal of science 91 : 78 - 84 .

siegfried , w . r . 1995 . conference report : african heritage 2000 : the future of protected areas in africa . an iucn - cnppa africa - region working session , held at skukuza , kruger national park , south africa , 11 - 17 october 1994 . biodiversity and conservation 4 : 442 - 444 .

the main reference source for this data was " roberts - birds of southern africa , 7th edition " . other references were " newmans birds of the kruger park " by keith newman published circa 1980 . names in foreign languages were obtained from the percy fitzpatrick institute of african ornithology , university of cape town website , urltoken

manongi , f . s . & hoffmann , j . h . 1995 . the incidence of parasitism in trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae ( froggatt ) ( hymenoptera : pteromalidae ) , a gall - forming biological control agent of acacia longifolia ( andr . ) willd . ( fabaceae ) in south africa . african entomology 3 : 47 - 151 .

mugo , d . n . , lombard , a . t . , bronner , g . n . , gelderblom , c . m . & benn , g . a . 1995 . distribution and protection of endemic or threatened rodents , lagomorphs and macrosceledids in south africa . south african journal of zooogy 30 : 115 - 126

little , r . m . , vester , k . c . & crowe , t . m . 1995 . temporal and spatial patterns of breeding activity of 12 duck species ( anatidae ) in the cape provinces , south africa , and their implications for hunting seasons . south african journal of wildlife research 25 : 17 - 22 .

wilson , r . p . & wilson , m . - p . t . 1995 . the foraging behaviour of the african penguin spheniscus demersus . in : dann , p . , norman , i . & reilly , p . , eds . the penguins . chipping norton , nsw : surrey beatty . pp . 244 - 265 .

little , r . m . , perrings , j . s . a . , crowe , t . m . & witt , a . b . r . 1995 . notes on the diet of helmeted guineafowl numida meleagris on deciduous fruit farms in the western cape province , south africa . south african journal of wildlife research 25 : 144 - 146 .

resident in most areas but some seasonal movement into coastal kenya to breed in apr - nov and into transvaal highveld after breeding in may - aug . may move locally within deciduous woodland in response to fluctuations in chameleon and insect numbers , leading to irregular influxes in areas of e and s africa . small - scale seasonal movements have also been detected in w african savannas .

marshall , d . j . , crafford , j . e . , krynauw , j . r . , drummond , a . e . & newton , i . p . 1995 . the biology , physico - chemistry and geology of a nunatak pond at valterkulten , western dronning maud land , antarctica . south african journal of antarctic research 25 : 9 - 16 .

kemp , a . c . & marks , j . s . ( 2018 ) . african goshawk ( accipiter tachiro ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

while the african baza is never found in great abundance at any particular location , its range is so large that , even with low population densities , its population is estimated to number between 10 , 000 and 100 , 000 individuals ( 1 ) ( 4 ) . although deforestation is reducing the area of its preferred forest habitat , it appears to adapt readily to secondary forest and plantations , and can even survive in suburban gardens , hence it does not appear to be particularly at risk at present ( 4 ) .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . and fishpool , l . d . c . 2014 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 1 : non - passerines . lynx edicions birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk .

justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km 2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size may be moderately small to large , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

population size likely to exceed 10 , 000 individuals ( ferguson - lees and christie 2001 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .

it is affected by the loss of forest habitat and can be predated by larger raptors ( del hoyo et al . , 1994 ) . in south africa it has been known to drown in small reservoirs on farmland ( anderson et al . 1999 ) .

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occurs across much of sub - saharan africa ; in southern africa it is generally scarce in mozambique , zimbabwe , northern botswana , namibia ( including the caprivi strip ) and eastern south africa , with an isolated population in the east of the western cape . it generally prefers woodland , the understorey and edges of forest and plantations of alien trees .

the chicks have been recorded as prey of aquila wahlbergi ( wahlberg ' s eagle ) .

it mainly eats reptiles and insects , hunting by flying from tree to tree , searching for from its perch before flying to pluck the prey item from the canopy or ground . the following food items have been recorded in its diet :

monogamous , solitary nester , performing spectacular aerial displays in the run - up to the breeding season .

the nest ( see image below ) is built by both sexes in about 11 days , consisting of an untidy platform of twigs , vines and leaves and lined with leaves , grass and small bits of sticks . it is typically placed in the highest branches of a tree , roughly 10 - 30 metres above ground .

it lays 1 - 2 , rarely 3 eggs in the period from september - march ; egg - laying season peaks from october - december .

the chicks are fed and brooded by both parents , leaving the nest after about 28 days and taking their first flight a few days later , remaining dependent on their parents for another week or so .

previously suspected to be threatened in the early 1980 ' s , but it is now thought to be not threatened in southern africa .

hockey par , dean wrj and ryan pg 2005 . roberts - birds of southern africa , viith ed . the trustees of the john voelcker bird book fund , cape town .

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two birds in miombo woodland , one had just been doing a display flight above the other . this call was given right before they both took flight and left the area .

vocalizations probably coming from an immature unseen while calling but seen in flight . listen for comparison ml69160

recorded on iphone . filtered by james bradley . recording is of one bird , but two birds were heard dueting , perched in tall trees in neighbouring garden , and seen as they flew off .

sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .

hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .

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mauriravasini , lars petersson , buchert , éric roualet , james kashangaki , josep del hoyo , bruno schmetz , nik borrow , nachoaransay , tadeusz stawarczyk , lmarce .

recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : aviceda cuculoides . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .

birds of east africa vol 1 by c . a . w . guggisberg – mount kenya sundries ltd . – isbn : 9966889051

the adult has dark grey to blackish - brown upperparts . the rump is black , barred white . the black tail feathers show three grey bands and a narrow greyish - white terminal band . the flight feathers are dark grey and narrowly barred paler grey . on the underparts , chin , throat and upper breast are pale grey , whereas lower breast and underwing - coverts are white , broadly barred dark rufous . lower belly , vent and undertail - coverts are white .

on the pale grey head , the face is slightly paler . there is a small crest , often folded , with pale centre and rufous patch on nape . the bill is black with double - notched cutting and deep yellow cere . the eyes are deep red - brown in male and yellow in female . the short , bare legs and feet are deep yellow too .

both sexes are similar in size and plumage , except the eyes . the juvenile has brown upperparts with pale rufous - tipped feathers . the underparts are white , heavily streaked black , mostly spotted on flanks . we can see a white streaking on crown , forehead and eyebrow . the throat is white with indistinct brown streaks . the face shows a dark brown mask . the crest is less conspicuous than in adults . the eyes are dark brown . the subadult resembles adult but is has rufous - tinged chest and finely barred grey underparts . the eyes are pale yellow .

a . c . cuculoides ( here described ) is found in woodland from senegal , e to sw ethiopia , and s to nigeria and n zaire .

a . c . batesi occurs in lowland rainforest from sierra leone , e to uganda and s to n angola . this one has darker upperparts and heavy barring on underparts .

a . c . verreauxii is found in woodland and coastal , riparian and montane forests , from kenya , s to n namibia and south africa . it has distinctive white barred wing lining .

during the breeding season , it performs courtship displays and calls from perches . the pair engages in twisting display flights high in the air , usually at dawn and dusk . these flights consist of several undulating swoops and dives , with steep sideway banking , in order to display the rufous underwing - coverts . they may soar in small groups above the forest , while calling to one another .

the female lays 2 - 3 white eggs with bold brown spots . both sexes share the incubation during 32 - 33 days . at hatching , the chicks have white down . they are fed on insects by both parents . they fledge about 5 - 6 weeks after hatching , and still depend on adults for one week or more .

males are blackish - brown in color above , with a grayish color on the crown , mantle , cheeks , throat and upper breast . at the base of the neck is a chestnut - colored patch . tail is black , barred in gray , and tipped in white . the underside of the wings are white with black bars , with the underwing coverts chestnut . the belly is white with broad chestnut bars . females are browner , with the chestnut bars on the belly paler in color .

the species begins breeding in late - summer , building small nests in the season which lasts from september until the following february , depending on location ; it can occur in south africa in september through march , while in western africa it is june through august . nests are constructed high in the forest canopy . two red - blotched white eggs are laid , with both parents sharing the incubation , which can last just over a month . the feeding and rearing of the chicks until fledge takes an additional month .

this page was last modified on 24 june 2016 , at 18 : 40 .

the adult male of the nominate race is generally colour blackish brown above , slate on the crown and mantle , with white bases to the feathers , and a chestnut patch at the ase base of the neck . the upper tail coverts are black , tipped and barred with white . the tail is black , with three broad grey bars and a white tip . the throat , cheeks and upper breast are dove grey . the remainder of the underparts are white , with broad chestnut bars on the lower breast and belly , sometimes reaching the flanks . under wing coverts are chestnut , the rest of underwing being white , barred with black . the cere is greenish yellow , the legs and feet yellow , the eyes bright yellow , and the bill and claws black . the female differs from the male in being browner all over , with little slaty wash ; the chestnut bars on underside broader and paler than the male . immatures are dark brown above , with many feathers edged with buff , and the bars on tail are brownish grey . there are large irregular spots on the underside ; the barring on the underside develops as the bird matures . aviceda cuculoides verreauxi differs from the nominate race in having white bars on the chestnut under - wing coverts , and in being much larger .

uncommon throughout its range and only rarely seen , this is a bird of secretive , skulking habits in dense woodland or second growth forest mixed with cultivation , only occasionally emerging into open ground .

insects and lizards ; occasionally small birds . prey is caught either in trees or on the ground .

this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size may be moderately small to large , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

in display it calls from a perch and sometimes performs display flights high above the ground . these flights consist of undulating swoops and dives , with steep sideways banking exposing the chestnut underwing coverts . several individuals may soar together above forest , calling to one another . the nest is built high in a tree , well concealed in dense foliage . it is made of sticks , roots and grasses , lined with green leaves . a new nest is constructed every year , construction taking a month or more . two or three pale greenish blue eggs , spotted and streaked with brown and chestnut and with lilac markings , are laid . it times its breeding to coincide with the rains when insects are plentiful . incubation lasts for about a month and the young fledge about 6 weeks later . both sexes care for young .

avibirds , almere , netherlands 2001 - 2012 - your source to the birds of europe . contact ? mail us : info { @ } avibirds . com

the map of the kruger you see on this page shows the areas ( coloured orange ) where this bird has been identified . the basic information was provided by the avian demographic unit based at uct and i created the maps from that information . . . the green dots show the locations of the various kruger national park rest camps

for in - depth birding information please refer to these authoritative avian references . . .

it is often seen flying between trees in short glides with wings held high , swooping up at end of glide and perching .

their primary diet consists of insects , particularly grasshoppers . however , they may also take small snakes and lizards , as well as birds and rodents .

both male and female participate in building the nest - which is a platform made of leafy twigs . it is situated in the upper foliage of a tall tree , about 10–25 m above ground .

the average clutch consists of 2 , rarely 3 , chalky - white eggs with reddish - brown blotches .

the eggs are incubated by either the male or the female for about 32 - 33 days .

the chicks are raised by both parents and leave the nest when they are about one month old .

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throughout history , crows , ravens and other black birds were feared as symbols of evil or death . …

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ver time , these will give valuable information on population distribution , habitat requirements , trends and so on .

if you have a lot of records and it would be very time - consuming to enter them manually you can also send us a spreadsheet with the details , and associated photos . use the contact us form to get in touch .

ioc world bird list ( v7 . 1 ) , gill , f and d donsker ( eds ) . 2017 .

classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) and listed on appendix ii of cites ( 3 ) .

population size likely to exceed 10 , 000 individuals ( ferguson - lees and christie 2001 ) .

although there are no specific conservation measures in place for this species at present ( 1 ) , it is one of the many species found within the gamba protected areas complex in gabon ( 5 ) . this collection of eight protected areas , two of which have national park status , is helping to preserve gabon ' s unique wildlife from logging and hunting ( 5 ) .

it is a mostly solitary and skulking bird , flying between trees in short glides with wings held high , swooping up at end of glide and perching . it is usually found hunting in grass and low vegetation , remaining still for a while and then moving to a new spot . its diet consists mainly of insects , with a preference for grasshoppers , but also takes small snakes and lizards , as well as birds and rodents .

nesting takes place from september to february , and consists of a platform of leafy twigs , constructed by both sexes in the upper foliage of a tall tree and located from 10–25 m above ground , lofty eucalypts often being favoured . the clutch is of 2 ( rarely 3 ) chalky - white eggs with reddish - brown blotches . incubation is by both sexes or female only and lasts for 32–33 days . the nestlings are nest - bound for about a month and are fed by both parents .

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appears to be closely related to a . cuculoides , and possibly also to a . jerdoni and a . subcristata . monotypic .

- like on perch , but slow heavy flapping flight ( using tail as rudder ) is baza - like ; has slight crest , large eyes ( . . .

gives quick , run - together series of “wik” notes that falter slightly at terminus ; also . . .

evergreen and dry deciduous forest from sea - level to 1600 m ( reports to 1800 m ) based on erroneous . . .

mainly small reptiles ( e . g . chameleons and geckos ) , large insects and their larvae ( grasshoppers , beetles , bees , wasps , cicadas , mantises . . .

aerial display reported late sept and mid dec ; flying straight above canopy then tilting sideways while fluttering the wings 3–6 . . .

not globally threatened ( least concern ) . cites ii . formerly considered near threatened . occurs throughout madagascar and is fairly common in all forest zones , perhaps . . .

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this map displays aggregated data from ibc and my birding ( anonymously ) ; markers do not indicate precise localities .

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the grootvadersbosch nature reserve ( s33° 57 ' 52 . 46” e20° 48 ' 24 . 70” ) is situated on the r322 between swellendam and heidelberg and protects the most westerly patch of indigenous forest in south africa . the reserve also has large stretches of unique mountain fynbos , thus adding to the avian biodiversity of the region . from a bird - watching perspective the reserve offers several species associated with forest habitats in many cases on the most westerly limit of their distribution range . for this reason it is regarded as one of the top birding destinations for bird - watchers from the western cape and elsewhere . it further adds an unique suite of sought - after species to the already impressive list of birds to be found in the swellendam local municipal region .

the grootvadersbosch nature reserve protects a diversity of habitat types dominated by afromontaine forest . birding under the closed forest canopy is often difficult as many of the sought - after species forage high up in the canopy . the disturbed forest fringes and bracken covered slopes are often far more productive . the reserve further offers moist mountain fynbos where many of the special and often endemic species associated with this habitat type are to be found . the best time of year to visit is in spring when most of the birds are breeding . a variety of day walks and mountain bike trails are available and permits can be obtained from the reserve office . maps of the various trails are available at the office . the campsite has braai facilities , ablutions and a thatched lapa and advanced reservations are advised .

redwoods road is clearly sign - posted along bosbokrand . it is on the slope’s lower contour and is extremely popular with birders as it features most of the species mentioned in the melkhoutpad description and many , many more . red - necked spurfowl on its westernmost distribution is scarce and best found early in the morning . the calls of sombre greenbul , terrestrial brownbul , olive bush - shrike , yellow - throated woodland - warbler and olive woodpecker are heard often , but these species are notoriously difficult to spot visually . it is best to become accustomed to their calls and spend patient time in searching for them . a sharp turn to the left is reached where the road crosses the duiwenhoks river . the undergrowth along the stream is the best spot in the reserve to look for the inconspicuous and difficult to find knysna warbler . it is best located by its call and it tends to react well to ' splishing ' . this is also a good area for knysna woodpecker , with its single nasal shriek often leading one to its location . it unfortunately only calls every 10 to 15 minutes or so . look out for airborne raptors at the few forest clearings along the road .


pici is one of the two suborders of the order piciformes and includes two infraorders ramphastides ( toucans and barbets ) and picides ( honeyguides and woodpeckers ) .

members of this suborder are often called " true piciforms " as it was thought the jacamars of galbulidae and puffbirds of bucconidae ( of the other piciform suborder galbuli ) not closely related to toucans and woodpeckers , but instead to the order coraciiformes .

however , analysis of nuclear dna in a 2003 study placed them as sister group to the rest of the piciformes , also showing that the groups had developed zygodactyl feet before separating .

per ericson and colleagues , in analysing genomic dna , confirmed that puffbirds and jacamars were sister groups and their place in piciformes .

pici ( taxon )

pici ( taxon ) <EOT> you selected megopis ( aegosoma ) pici gressitt , 1951 . this is a synonym for :

click on the first link on a line below to go directly to a page where " pici " is defined .

parent taxon : piciformes according to b . c . livezey and r . l . zusi 2007

urn : lsid : catalogueoflife . org : taxon : 322c1faa - 4e2c - 11e8 - 9ed0 - fa163e792e6e : col20180626

urn : lsid : catalogueoflife . org : taxon : 322c25e1 - 4e2c - 11e8 - 9ed0 - fa163e792e6e : col20180626

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urn : lsid : catalogueoflife . org : taxon : 322ce1a0 - 4e2c - 11e8 - 9ed0 - fa163e792e6e : col20180626

urn : lsid : catalogueoflife . org : taxon : 322ce344 - 4e2c - 11e8 - 9ed0 - fa163e792e6e : col20180626

urn : lsid : catalogueoflife . org : taxon : 322ce4b0 - 4e2c - 11e8 - 9ed0 - fa163e792e6e : col20180626

urn : lsid : catalogueoflife . org : taxon : 34ed1beb - 4e2c - 11e8 - 9ed0 - fa163e792e6e : col20180626

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dear dmlers , . . . because oligocene feathered theropods are cool too ; o ) mayr , g . & gregorová , r . 2012 . a tiny stem group representative of pici ( aves , piciformes ) from the early oligocene of the czech republic . paläontologische zeitschrift .

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full reference : c . linnaeus . 1758 . systema naturae per regna tria naturae , secundum classes , ordines , genera , species , cum characteribus , differentiis , synonymis , locis . editio decima 1 : 1 - 824

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tavakilian g . & chevillotte h . ( 2018 ) . titan : cerambycidae database ( version apr 2015 ) . in : roskov y . , abucay l . , orrell t . , nicolson d . , bailly n . , kirk p . m . , bourgoin t . , dewalt r . e . , decock w . , de wever a . , nieukerken e . van , zarucchi j . , penev l . , eds . ( 2018 ) . species 2000 & itis catalogue of life , 30th june 2018 . digital resource at urltoken species 2000 : naturalis , leiden , the netherlands . issn 2405 - 8858 .

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the serrated tortoise , psammobates oculifer , german : kalahari-strahlenschildkröte , is a species of tortoise that occurs in the kalahari desert regions of southern africa .

also known as the kalahari tent tortoise , it is one of three members of the genus , psammobates .

serrated tortoise

serrated tortoise <EOT> dana campbell set " file : psammobates oculifer - serrated tortoise - kalahari tent tortoise . jpg " as an exemplar on " psammobates " .

cunningham , peter . 2014 . psammobates oculifer ( kuhl , 1820 ) serrated tent tortoise . dormancy . african herp news ( 61 ) : 19

leopard tortoises are the fourth largest species of tortoise , after the african spurred tortoise , the galapagos tortoise , and aldabra giant tortoise . it is the only member of the genus stigmochelys , but in the past it was commonly placed in

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive species - serrated hinge - back tortoise ( kinixys erosa ) " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive species - serrated hinge - back tortoise ( kinixys erosa ) " title = " arkive species - serrated hinge - back tortoise ( kinixys erosa ) " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

the kalahari tent tortoise is much smaller than the leopard tortoise . it has a pronounced nuchal scale and a very serrated edge to the shell . it is more common in the drier areas of botswana and not common in the okavango .

the serrated hinged terrapin is found in tropical east africa , along zambezi river to victoria falls , and south to zululand .

whilst in some areas the serrated hinge - back tortoise is hunted , in others this tortoise is worshipped by local communities . they believe it brings happiness , is a symbol of peace and a sign of abundant children ( 10 ) . this ‘holy’ status may afford some populations a degree of protection . the serrated hinge - back tortoise is listed on appendix ii of he convention on international trade in endangered species ( cites ) , meaning that international trade in this tortoise should be carefully monitored to ensure it is compatible with its survival ( 3 ) . however , as there is insufficient information to determine the status of the hinge - back tortoise in the wild ( 1 ) , it can not be determined if the tortoise is being taken from the wild at sustainable levels . therefore , further research and surveys are required to ensure that this trade is not putting the serrated hinge - back tortoise at risk of extinction .

heaton , jill s . , james o . juvik and kiinge amutenya . 2015 . psammobates oculifer kuhl , 1820 , serrated tent tortoise , winter activity . african herp news ( 62 ) : 28 - 29

whilst in some areas the serrated hinge - back tortoise is hunted , in others , this tortoise is worshipped by local communities . they believe it brings happiness , is a symbol of peace and a sign of abundant children ( 9 ) . this ' holy ' status may afford some populations a degree of protection . the serrated hinge - back tortoise is listed on appendix ii of he convention on international trade in endangered species ( cites ) , meaning that international trade in this tortoise should be carefully monitored to ensure it is compatible with its survival ( 3 ) . however , as there is insufficient information to determine the status of the hinge - back tortoise in the wild ( 1 ) , it can not be determined if the tortoise is being taken from the wild at sustainable levels . therefore , further research and surveys are required to ensure that this trade is not putting the serrated hinge - back tortoise at risk from extinction .

this is a small tortoise that comes in an amazing range of shapes and colours .

the serrated hinge - back tortoise can often be found under logs , in holes or in leaf litter , where it uses its strong legs and upturned shell edges to wedge itself into a protected shelter ( 2 ) . when in the open , the hinge - back tortoise can defend itself by withdrawing its limbs and closing its shell ( 2 ) . by resting and moving in the shade , the serrated hinge - back tortoise avoids overheating in its hot , tropical environment ( 7 ) . it is also a reasonable swimmer and will frequently seek out marshes and river banks in the forest ( 4 ) .

speke ' s hinged tortoise can close the hinged rear part of its carapace to protect its hindquarters .

the serrated hinge - back tortoise inhabits low to mid - altitude forest ( 2 ) , where it is nearly always observed in shady areas ( 7 ) . it is reportedly fond of swampy areas but in ghana it occurs mostly in dry clearings and open areas ( 2 )

the serrated hinge - back tortoise inhabits low to mid - altitude forest ( 2 ) , where it is nearly always observed in shady areas ( 7 ) . it is reportedly fond of swampy areas , but in ghana occurs mostly in dry clearings and open areas ( 2 ) .

luiselli , l . and diagne , t . 2014 . kinixys erosa ( schweigger 1812 ) – forest hinge - back tortoise , serrated hinge - back tortoise , serrated hinged tortoise . in : rhodin , a . g . j . , pritchard , p . c . h . , van dijk , p . p . , saumure , r . a . , buhlmann , k . a . , iverson , j . b . , and mittermeier , r . a . ( eds . ) . conservation biology of freshwater turtles and tortoises : a compilation project of the iucn / ssc tortoise and freshwater turtle specialist group . chelonian research monographs 5 ( 7 ) : 084 . 1–13 , doi : 10 . 3854 / crm . 5 . 084 . erosa . v1 . 2014 , urltoken

consists of five small , relatively flattened tortoise species ( maximum shell length 10 - 17 cm ) , including the world ' s smallest tortoise . males are smaller than females and have concave plastrons in some species .

hinge - backed tortoises ( species belonging to the genus kinixys ) have the remarkable ability to shut themselves entirely within their shells ( 4 ) . this is due to the hinge at the back of the carapace ( or shell ) that can close off the tortoise ' s hind legs and tail ( 4 ) . the serrated hinge - back tortoise has a slightly concave shell that is reddish - brown and yellow ( 2 ) ( 5 ) . the scales at the rear of the shell have upturned edges giving , as their name suggests , a serrated appearance ( 2 ) . the head is rounded and the tail has a small , claw - like protuberance at the tip . male serrated hinge - back tortoises can be distinguished from females by their longer and thicker tails ( 2 ) .

hinge - backed tortoises ( species belonging to the genus kinixys ) have the remarkable ability to shut themselves entirely within their shells ( 4 ) . this is due to the hinge at the back of the carapace ( or shell ) that can close off the tortoise’s hind legs and tail ( 4 ) . the serrated hinge - back tortoise has a slightly concave shell that is reddish - brown and yellow in colour ( 2 ) ( 5 ) . the scales at the rear of the shell have upturned edges , giving , as the common name suggests , a serrated appearance ( 2 ) . the head is rounded and the tail has a small , claw - like protuberance at the tip . male serrated hinge - back tortoises can be distinguished from females by their longer and thicker tails ( 2 ) .

the serrated hinge - back tortoise can often be found under logs , in holes or in leaf litter , where it uses its strong legs and upturned shell edges to wedge itself into a protected shelter ( 2 ) . when in the open , the hinge - back tortoise can defend itself by withdrawing its limbs and closing its shell ( 2 ) . by resting and moving in the shade , the serrated hinge - back tortoise avoids over - heating in its hot , tropical environment ( 7 ) . it is also a surprisingly reasonable swimmer and will frequently seek out marshes and river banks in the forest ( 4 ) . like all kinixys species , the serrated hinge - back tortoise is omnivorous , and feeds on fungi , fruits , plant matter , invertebrates and even carrion ( 2 ) ( 8 ) . during the breeding season it is thought that males fight ( 2 ) , competing for females to mate with . females lay several clutches of four eggs on the ground and cover them up with leaves ( 2 ) ( 4 ) .

the hingeback tortoise are omnivores , feeding on edible leaves , grass , invertebrates , carrion , weeds , and fruits .

: home’s hinge - back tortoise is a forest tortoise , generally observed in shady places in lowland evergreen forest . its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests , subtropical or tropical swamps , plantations , and similar areas of high humidity .

the angulate tortoise inhabits a wide range of habitats , including fynbos , succulent karoo , nama karoo , and albany thicket .

a medium sized tortoise ; males are larger than females ; tortoises grow larger in the western regions than in the eastern part .

tortoise & freshwater turtle specialist group 1996 . kinixys erosa . 2006 iucn red list of threatened species . ( downloaded on 29 july 2007 . )

the conservation biology of tortoises . edited by ian r . swingland and michael w . klemens . iucn / ssc tortoise and freshwater turtle specialist group

the angulate tortoise feeds on a variety of angiosperms ( flowering plants ) , as well as mosses , mushrooms , insects , snail shells and animal faeces .

hawksbills are named for their narrow , pointed beak . they also have a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on their shells that form a serrated - look on the edges . these colored and patterned shells make them highly - valuable and commonly sold as " tortoiseshell " in markets .

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he serrated hinged terrapin is the largest hinged terrapin . the carapace and bridge are uniform black in colour . the plastron is yellow - centered , with a sharply defined , black , angular pattern around the edge . the skin of the neck and limbs is pale olive - grey .

the secretive home’s hinge - back tortoise has adapted its behaviour to tolerate the high heat of its tropical environment . overheating is a real risk , and so the tortoise rests and moves in the shade ( 6 ) . when water is not available , home’s hinge - back tortoise may bury itself below ground and emerge again when the rains come ( 5 ) . home’s hinge - back tortoise is omnivorous , consuming both animal and plant food , which is located using the sense of smell as the tortoise makes straight , darting jabs with the head ( 2 ) . interestingly , it is one of the most carnivorous terrestrial chelonians in the world ( 7 ) . home’s hinge - back tortoise lays oval , brittle - shelled eggs , which are incubated for at least five months . the tiny hatchlings , less than five centimetres long , have flattened , brown carapaces , with no hinge ( 2 ) . the sex ratio of adults is 1 : 1 , but the females are considerably larger in size than the males ( 8 ) .

the skin and background color is cream to yellow , and the carapace is marked with black blotches , spots or even dashes or stripes . each individual is marked uniquely . old adults are often uniform grey - brown . they may exceed 700 mm in length and 40 kg in weight . the carapace is domed and not hinged , with scutes only faintly raised . the gulars are paired and are as long as they are wide . the nuchal is absent . there are 10 - 12 marginals , with those on the rear edge usually serrated and often upturned . the beak is sometimes hooked , is unicuspid and often serrated .

this secretive tortoise has adapted its behaviour to tolerate the high heat of its tropical environment . overheating is possible , and so the tortoise rests and moves in the shade . when water is not available , home’s hinge - back tortoises may bury themselves below ground and emerge again when the rains come . it has a diverse diet , consuming both animal and plant food , which is located using the sense of smell as the tortoise makes straight , darting jabs with the head . interestingly , it is one of the most carnivorous terrestrial chelonians in the world .

: this tortoise has a medium to reddish brown angular shell which slopes greatly . some have yellow markings . both the limbs and head are brown to yellow . the most unique characteristic of the hingeback tortoise genus ( kinixys ) is the hinge that is across the rear of the carapace . they are the only living tortoises to have this type of hinge . it is a band of flexible connective tissue located between the 4th and 5th costals and the 7th and 8th peripherals in adults . the home’s hingeback tortoise is also known as the forest hingeback tortoise . kinixys homeana can be distinguished from the other hingebacks by its shell which is quite angular and comes to an abrupt end at the back , appearing to be cut off . this vertical drop is quite pronounced .

, and its range has retreated due to clearance of its rainforest habitat . the hinge - back tortoise is considered to be threatened in the long - term , primarily due to habitat destruction .

luiselli , l . ( 2003 ) seasonal activity patterns and diet divergence of three sympatric afrotropical tortoise species ( genus kinixys ) . contributions to zoology , 72 ( 4 ) : 211 - 220 .

like all kinixys species , the serrated hinge - back tortoise is omnivorous , and feeds on fungi , fruits , plant matter , invertebrates and even carrion ( 2 ) ( 8 ) . during the breeding season it is thought that males fight ( 2 ) , competing for females to mate with . females lay several clutches of four eggs on the ground and cover them up with leaves ( 2 ) ( 4 ) . the sex ratio is close to 1 : 1 , and females grow to a larger size than males ( 9 ) .

injury : most captive injuries are caused by dogs , lawn mowers , vehicles , aggressive companions and children dropping the tortoise . injury can also be caused by sharp glass or garden implements left lying around .

what’s available : most hingeback tortoises for sale in the united states are imported from africa . they usually land in pretty bad shape due to the collecting and shipping process . being shy to begin with , it is often hard to tell the difference between a tortoise on its death bed and one that is just really shy , but weight is a telling sign . the tortoise should feel hefty in your hand . avoid animals with discharge coming from the eyes , mouth or nose . take your tortoise to a qualified reptile veterinarian for a checkup and worming . babies are sometimes found for sale , but they are far and few . captive breeding is increasing , but at a tortoise pace . if you can find a captive - bred one for sale , buy it . you can find hingebacks at reptile shows , select pet and reptile stores , and sometimes online . reptiles

the hinge - back tortoise is indigenous to the tropical rainforests of sub - saharan africa . here it is often found in marshes and river banks , where it spends much of its time buried under roots and logs .

luiselli , l . ( 2003 ) seasonal activity patterns and diet divergence of three sympatric afrotropical tortoise species ( genus kinixys ) . contributions to zoology , 72 ( 4 ) : 211 - 220 . available at : urltoken

keswick , toby and margaretha d . hofmeyr . 2015 . sexual dimorphism and geographic variation in the morphology of a small southern african tortoise psammobates oculifer . amphibia - reptilia 36 ( 1 ) : 55 - 64 - get paper here

weigh your tortoise monthly , any undue weight loss can indicate problems ahead . keep a record book of his weight , any diet or disease problems can be noted down as well , this will help your vet diagnose any future problems .

a tip for vets from chris tabaka dvm : do you use gentamicin sulfate / betamethasone ophthalmic drops much there for tortoise urt disease ? i ' ve been using them two to three times daily in the eyes and also nostrils of a couple of recent cases in combination with the classic baytril 10 mg / kg every other day for two weeks with 100 % success in a couple of chronic cases here . i think it is primarily the betamethasone that is decreasing the inflammation in the airways and thus eliminating the classic wheezing but the antibiotic duo seems to be knocking out the responsible bugs at the same time . nothing like transforming " wheezy " the drippy eyed tortoise into a healthy , bright eyed tortoise . chris tabaka dvm

activity patterns depend largely on temperature : on cool or wet days and in winter , the angulate tortoise is most active during the middle of the day , while in spring and summer it is less active during this hottest part of the day .

in colour , males are frequently uniformly orange to light brown ( compared to the deeper olive brown of the females ) . males also have more lightly coloured bellies , though they do no exhibit the plastral concavity that many other tortoise species do .

due to its tiny size , this tortoise is heavily preyed on by crows , ostriches , jackals , baboons , dogs , and a wide range of other predators . consequently , it spends most of its time hiding under rocks , foliage , and other cover .

shy and light - sensitive , cover is important for this species . a standard tortoise tank measuring about 4 feet long , 2 feet wide and 18 inches tall can house up to three or four adults , or a bunch of babies . use ground or shredded coconut core as a substrate . place a shallow water bowl at one end that’s large enough for a tortoise to sit in . place various hides about the tank , making sure there’s enough to accommodate each tortoise . place a layer of sphagnum moss on top of the coconut bedding and under the hides . moisten the substrate with water to create a humid tank but not sopping wet . spray or pour water into the tank substrate as needed to keep a humidity of about 77 to 85 percent . an automatic mister can work well for this purpose .

conversely , during very hot summer days tortoises will aestivate ( go into a torpor ) and will not eat . available water during this time is critical as a tortoise can dehydrate quickly , although tortoises are very adept at storing water in anal pouches for use during drought .

enjoy ! your tortoise is unique , they are amongst the longest living animals on earth . each one has a different character and many become very tame with time . take time to get to know his habits and preferences , his health and general well being will reflect your care – so give him the best you can ! common sense and good hygiene will prevent any disease transferring to you or your family , and hand washing after handling is a good idea . limit children from handling the tortoise as they are more susceptible to worm infections .

although home’s hinge - back tortoise is listed on appendix ii of the convention on international trade in endangered species ( cites ) , meaning that international trade in this species should be carefully monitored ( 3 ) , further action is necessary to ensure its survival , such as declaring it a protected species in all countries of occurrence ( 1 ) . habitat conservation efforts , such as the establishment and enforcement of protected areas , are also important , but must be coupled with the control of hunting activities if populations of this remarkable tortoise are to survive ( 9 ) .

the shields are typical with 11 marginals but occasionally 10 - 14 may be present . the nuchal is normally present . the rear of the shell has a relatively smooth profile when viewed from underneath . when viewed from the side the shell slopes down rapidly from the edge of the last vertebral shield . the hinge in this species is very well developed and easily noticeable on the carapace . the carapace has a weak , disrupted medial keel , and posterior marginals that are neither strongly serrated nor reverted .

home’s hinge - back tortoise belongs to a unique group of tortoises that can close themselves entirely within their shells . as the name suggests , this group possess a hinge at the back of the carapace ( or shell ) , that can close off the tortoise’s vulnerable parts , providing excellent protection from potential predators ( 4 ) . the carapace of home’s hinge - back tortoise varies in colour from dark brown to tan ( 2 ) , and is distinguished by the pronounced vertical drop at the end ( 5 ) . the shape of the carapace also cleverly channels rainwater towards its head for drinking ( 5 ) . each forelimb bears five claws and the small head has a hooked upper jaw . both the limbs and head are brown to yellow ( 2 ) . female home’s hinge - back tortoises are larger than males , but males possess longer and thicker tails ( 2 ) .

hingebacks legs are not as club shaped as other testudinidae . they are long and slender giving it an unusual gait when it walks . the tail ends in a claw - like tubercle . males have longer , thicker tails than the females and they have concave plastrons . these tortoises have relatively long skulls and a hooked upper jaw . hatchlings are flattened with serrated marginals and the hinge begins to develop when they are one year old . females are larger than males , but males possess longer and thicker tails .

the serrated hinged terrapin is a side - necked terrapin , which means that it does not pull it ' s head straight back into its shell , rather it turns its head to one side and tucks it into its shell . often seen sunbathing on rocks or logs , or on the backs of hippos . they can close up their shell which protects their head , legs and tail . they can also bite with their horny jaws or scratch with their sharps close as a defense . they secrete a very foul smelling odour when threatened .

the hingeback tortoise can arch its back 90 degrees downwards to protect its tail and hind legs while sleeping and to protect itself from predators . it is an excellent swimmer and can dive and navigate rainforest water - bodies to search for food . females lay up to 4 eggs on the ground , covered in leaves .

a small , rather flat tortoise . its shell usually has varied colouration , ranging between olive - green and brown . green shell with black margins in female , orange in male . the shields of the carapace are flat , with large raised areolae , and a thin black edging . dorsal scutes have depressed centres .

: in its native west africa , the home’s hingeback tortoise is threatened by habitat loss and intensive harvesting . ninety percent of its natural habitat of moist lowland forests and swamps has disappeared over the last 40 years . it is also harvested intensively for food ( bush meat ) , traditional medicines , and the international pet trade .

( karoo tent tortoise ) has a plastron with a solid , sharply defined dark brown or black central blotch , which has only very reduced areas of lighter pigmentary intrusion . the domed carapace has a geometric pattern of thin yellow rays on a black background with well - developed " knoppies . " it attains a maximum length of 125mm .

this is the most widely distributed tortoise in southern africa . it has a wide distribution in sub - saharan africa , but is absent from all of west africa and most of central africa . historically absent from south western cape and from former transkei , adjacent kwa - zulu natal , and lesotho , but now introduced in some areas .

the serrated hinged terrapin is the largest hinged terrapin , with females being larger than males . the males can be identified by their longer tail . the carapace ( the upper part of the shell ) of the females can be as long as 400mm and weigh as much as 7kg . the males are smaller with a carapace that does not usually exceed 350mm and 4 . 5kg . the carapace on both the male and female is elongated with the back wider than the front . it has a high dome and marked serrated posterior marginal shields . these make the back edge of the shell look much like a pie crust edge or scalloped trim . the colour of the carapace in adults is usually dark grey or black and light or orangeish brown in the juveniles . there may be small dark patches on the carapace . the plastron ( the lower part of the shell ) is hinged and can be completely closed . this hinge and the serrations of the carapace give this terrapin its name . the skin of the neck and limbs is pale olive - grey . the head is blackish - brown with yellow or brown vermiculations . the snout is rather pointed with a pair of barbels on the throat .

hofmeyr , margaretha d . ; melita vamberger , william branch , alfred schleicher and savel r . daniels 2016 . tortoise ( reptilia , testudinidae ) radiations in southern africa from the eocene to the present . zoologica scripta 46 : 389–400 , doi : 10 . 1111 / zsc . 12223 [ record online : 18 nov 2016 ] - get paper here

external parasites : if any ticks are found , remove manually by grasping with tweezers / forceps and flipping the tick onto its back , it will loosen its grip and can then be removed without the head remaining behind to cause infection . dab the spot with a little betadine to prevent infection . ticks can also be coated with mineral oil , this also causes them to lose their grip . the tortoise should be dipped in a solution of tritix ( amitraz ) 1 - 2ml per litre water . ensure this solution does not enter eyes , ears or mouth . this dipping will have to be repeated periodically to maintain effect as there will be ticks in the environment if you found any on your tortoise .

: mating occurs during the wet season of november to february and the main egg laying season also occurs during this period . clutches of one to three eggs are laid . these are incubated for a period of five months or more . the relatively large eggs are oval to almost spherical ( 46 x 35 mm ) and have brittle shells . the tiny hatchlings , less than five centimetres long , have flattened , brown carapaces , with no hinge . size varies between 42 and 47 mm long . they have very spiny rims , marginals are serrated . they have no hinge or cervical scute . the hinge begins to develop when they are one year of age .

: home’s hinge - back tortoises belong to a unique group of tortoises that can close themselves entirely within their shells . as the name suggests , this group possess a hinge at the back of the carapace ( or shell ) , that can close off the tortoise’s vulnerable parts , providing excellent protection from potential predators to both head and limbs . the shape of the carapace also channels rainwater towards its head for drinking .

populations of home’s hinge - back tortoise are currently declining throughout much of its range , primarily as a result of habitat loss and intensive harvesting ( 1 ) . the species is captured , even within protected areas , for human consumption , traditional medicine , and for the international pet trade ( 1 ) ( 9 ) . habitat loss is also occurring , as a result of industrial expansion , agriculture and deforestation ( 1 ) . nigerian populations appear to be particularly threatened , as they inhabit fragmented forest patches in the southern part of the country ( rather than the extensive forest found in the congo ) , and face stronger hunting pressure as a result of greater human populations ( 9 ) . the home’s hinge - back tortoise appears to be especially vulnerable to humans during the dry season when the swamps are dry , and humans can access nearly all areas of the forest ( 9 ) .

what to do if you think there is something wrong and you can’t get to a vet straight away : place your tortoise under heat of some sort ( temperature as advised higher above ) , and soak twice daily in tepid water with electrolytes added – any electrolyte solution from your pharmacy can be used . it is vital to maintain hydration , and to boost immune system by raising heat . keep eyes from drying out by using a bland eye ointment .

hinge - back tortoises are actively hunted by humans in sub - saharan africa , mainly for domestic consumption ( 9 ) . their flesh is highly prized as food by some forest peoples , and hunting is often carried out by dogs which locate the tortoise by its distinctive smell ( 2 ) . at present there are no other known threats to this species ; they are so widespread in the central african forests that they are probably not vulnerable to the impacts of habitat destruction ( 2 ) .

the angulate tortoise is endemic to south africa and southwestern namibia . it is particularly abundant in parts of the cape floristic region . found throughout the cape coastal regions from east londonin the east , around to the orange river mouth , and extendingperipherally into southern namibia . isolated records from luderitz and southern namibia may represent isolated , relict populations , or escaped captive specimens . a population in the karoo national park and adjacent farms at the base of the nuweveldberg may similarly represent a relict population or one derived from early escapees .

a very long - lived animal , the leopard tortoise reaches sexual maturity between the ages of 12 and 15 years . their life span is from 50 to 100 years . females usually lay 6 - 15 large , hard - shelled eggs . the hole , in which she lays her eggs , is refilled and the female may tamp down the soil by lifting and dropping her shell regularly on the spot . incubation takes 10 - 15 months , depending on the temperature . hatchlings weigh 23 - 50 g and measure 40 - 50 mm .

this chelonian is a grazing species of tortoise that favors semi - arid , thorny to grassland habitats , although some leopard tortoises have been found in rainier areas . in both very hot and very cold weather they may dwell in abandoned fox , jackal , or anteater holes . leopard tortoises do not dig other than to make nests in which to lay eggs . they occupy a large home range ( 1 - 3 sq . ams ) and have been known to undertake long return journeys ( 5 - 10 kms ) when translocated from their territories .

oxalic acid binds with calcium to yield insoluble calcium oxalate , which cannot be absorbed by the tortoise . avoid feeding any plants or vegetables high in oxalates especially to hatchlings and adult females ready to breed . the brassica family , which includes cabbage , collards , kale and broccoli can cause goiter if fed in excess because they tie up iodine - they do not contain high oxalic acid amounts like spinach and chard . goiters caused by this are rare and the feeding of a varied diet that is not heavily based on these plants should offset this tendency .

these small attractively marked tortoises are found in the kalahari , cape and namibia . the geometric tortoise is an endangered species and is subject to strong legal protection . these are all delicate small tortoises that are extremely difficult to maintain in captivity outside their natural areas . they are very prone to respiratory disease especially if housed with other species - as always , keep different species in isolated enclosures ! attempting to maintain psammobates species in damp or humid areas is invariably fatal ; they do best in an arid , sandy environment with as much natural food as possible .

for the duration of treatment keep him warmer than usual as this helps to dry up secretions and boosts immune system . ensure that any heat is fixed and that the tortoise is unable to dislodge it and thus cause a fire hazard . heat is especially important during cold and wet weather . do not stop the drops when you see his nose is dry , continue for at least a week to ensure the problem is well controlled . many tortoises who get rns relapse frequently , and then treatment has to begin again . any discharge from a single nostril often indicates a foreign body as the cause .

( bushmanland tent tortoise ) often has a uniformly pale yellow or light brown plastron , occasionally with an indistinct dark central blotch . the carapace is often uniform russet or dark brown , but usually faintly patterned with darker brown rays . the colour pattern is varied , but it is primarily a starred or rayed pattern . the number and size of the rays from the central point of each shield vary , and the rays are generally light to darker yellow on a dark - brown to black background . " knoppies " are rarely developed , the shell often low , smooth and rounded . the maximum length is 145mm .

hinge - back tortoises are actively hunted by humans in sub - saharan africa , mainly for domestic consumption ( 9 ) ( 10 ) . the flesh is highly prized as food by some forest peoples , and hunting is often carried out by dogs which locate the tortoise by its distinctive smell ( 2 ) . the species is also vulnerable to habitat fragmentation in parts of its range ( for example , in south - eastern nigeria ) ( 9 ) , but appears to still be relatively widespread in the central african forests . thus , it is possibly not particularly vulnerable to the impacts of habitat destruction at a large scale ( 2 ) ( 11 ) .

diet : home’s are omnivores . they do well on dark , leafy greens , such as mustard and collard greens and kale . they also enjoy fruit or melon once per week . offer fresh greens three times a week . in the wild , they have been found eating slugs , small rodents and carrion . in captivity , they will accept pre - killed mice , canned dog and cat food , and ours do well on canned tortoise & lizard diet by zoo med . they are also fond of softened monkey biscuits . we offer the meat - based diets about twice a week . we supplement food items with a calcium / multivitamin supplement at each feeding .

internal parasites : tortoises in captivity are infamous for harboring parasites , both worms and protozoa . some of them can harbor many different parasites without coming to any harm as long as the animal stays stress free and well nourished . many tortoises in the wild are infected with protozoa in small numbers . if this tortoise is removed from his habitat and kept in captivity , it is quite likely that this will cause stress , which in turn affects immune response . this creates an ideal environment for parasites to flourish and cause disease . a faulty diet can cause the same thing , for example too much fruit raises lactic acid levels in the gut providing the ideal breeding ground for many parasites .

once a month during summer give your tortoise an all over " scrub " with diluted betadine solution ( it should resemble weak black tea ) and a soft nail brush ( or a human baby hairbrush is ideal ! ) , at the same time examine shell for any defects or signs of scutes lifting . any loose scutes should be removed , and the area scrubbed and then allowed to dry . keep an eye on this area to ensure it does not develop into shell rot , and if any of the surrounding scutes loosen remove those too . do not apply any substance to the shell , as this can affect their ability to maintain body temperature . paint in particular can be harmful . if large areas of scutes start loosening it’s a sign of trouble and you should seek vet help immediately .

( namaqualand tent tortoise ) has a bright yellow or light brown plastron with the central figure sharply defined , but fragmented by lighter rays or broad pigmentary intrusions . the carapace is coloured with a geometric pattern of wide yellow to orange rays on a black background . the striking colour pattern of this species is typically starred or rayed . the number and size of the rays from the central point of each shield vary , and like the other starred tortoises , the colour ranges from light to darker yellow on a dark - brown to black background . in this species , however , there are bright orange - red infusions at the bottom of each ray that makes it very attractive indeed . the straw - coloured underside of the shell or plastron has a central black region . the domed carapace has well developed " knoppies " and reaches a maximum length 145mm .

general : at least once a month , examine your tortoise’s mouth , this allows him to get used to being handled and can help if ever you need to medicate or treat him . be gentle , grasp the head firmly and use thumb and index finger to create pressure at the corners of his mouth , at the same time pulling down on the bottom of his jaw with your right hand . once you have mouth open place a finger in the corner of his mouth at the back ( their " bite " is weakest here ) or prop the mouth open with a plastic spoon handle . examine the inside of his mouth , membranes and tongue should be a healthy pink . look for any yellow deposits or signs of debris collecting around the edges of his mouth . check on smell too as any foul odour indicates problems and should be attended to immediately . another less invasive technique is to " hand feed " a favoured diet item while lying in front of him , and while he eats examine mouth carefully .

if injury is minor , clean thoroughly with diluted betadine or chlorhexadine solution , remove any foreign bodies , then apply an ointment such as flammazine ( silver sulfadiazine ) . cover with gauze and micropore if possible . repeat daily till healing is well advanced and then keep up cleaning and leave to dry . remove any dead tissue that is visible . at this point necrospray ( available from any vet ) can be applied every two days or so , this will prevent infection and aid drying the wound . if any injury is major , do not attempt treatment yourself , take him to your vet as soon as possible . if your vet is unavailable , stop any bleeding and clean wounds until you can get help . most important is the quick removal of any foreign bodies as these can cause infection later . keep on hand some ky jelly , this can be applied to the wound after removal of foreign bodies and will prevent it drying out until you can get help . if any internal organs are exposed then quick veterinary help is vital . wrap the tortoise in a damp towel and get help immediately .

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continent : africa distribution : republic of south africa ( from extreme w transvaal and the w orange free state northwestward ) , botswana , namibia type locality : " vom cap dahin gebracht worden , " [ i . e . republic of south africa ] .

classification from species 2000 & itis catalogue of life : april 2013 selected by c . michael hogan - see more .

c . michael hogan marked the classification from " species 2000 & itis catalogue of life : april 2013 " as preferred for " psammobates oculifer kuhl 1820 " .

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testudo oculifera kuhl 1820 testudo semiserrata smith 1840 testudo semi - serrata — duméril & bibron 1854 : 220 testudo oculifera — werner 1902 testudo oculifera — werner 1910 : 301 psammobates oculifer — pritchard 1967 psammobates oculifer — auerbach 1987 : 68 psammobates oculiferus — king & burke 1989 psammobates oculifer — bauer et al . 1993 psammobates oculiferus — valverde 2005 psammobates oculiferus — bonin et al 2006 psammobates oculifer — bates et al . 2015 : 81 psammobates oculifer — hofmeyr et al . 2016 psammobates oculifer — ttwg 2017 : 147

type locality : " vom cap dahin gebracht worden , " [ i . e . republic of south africa ] .

note : tdwg regions are generated automatically from the text in the distribution field and not in every cases it works well . we are working on it .

auerbach , r . d . 1987 . the amphibians and reptiles of botswana . mokwepa consultants , botswana , 295 pp .

bates , m . f . ; branch , w . r . , bauer , a . m . ; burger , m . , marais , j . ; alexander , g . j . & de villliers , m . s . ( eds . ) 2014 . atlas and red list of the reptiles of south africa , lesotho , and swaziland . suricata 1 . south african national biodiversity institute , pretoria , 512 pp .

bauer , aaron m . ; branch , william r . & haacke , wulf d . 1993 . the herpetofauna of the kamanjab area and adjacent damaraland , namibia . madoqua ( windhoek ) 18 ( 2 ) : 117 - 145 .

bonin , f . , devaux , b . & dupré , a . 2006 . turtles of the world . english translation by p . c . h . pritchard . johns hopkins university press , 416 pp .

broadley , d . g . , . hunt , j . & cantle , g . 2010 . psammobates oculifer ( kuhl , 1820 ) . african herp news ( 51 ) : 24 - 25

conradie , w . , doucette - riise , s . , vanhooydonck , b . , engelbrecht , < br / > h . , measey , g . j . , & tolley , k . 2011 . herpetological survey of rooipoort nature reserve , northern cape , south africa . african herp news ( 53 ) : 35 - 41

duméril , a . m . c . , g . bibron & a . duméril 1854 . erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles . vol . 9 . paris , xx + 440 s . - get paper here

ernst , c . h . and barbour , r . w . 1989 . turtles of the world . smithsonian institution press , washington d . c . - london

greig , j . c . , and p . d . burdett . 1976 . patterns in the distributions of southern african terrestrial tortoises ( cryptodira : testudinidae ) . zool . africana 11 ( 2 ) : 250 - 267 .

herrmann , h . - w . ; w . r . branch 2013 . fifty years of herpetological research in the namib desert and namibia with an updated and annotated species checklist . journal of arid environments 93 : 94–115 - get paper here

hughes , b . 1986 . longevity records of african captive amphibians and reptiles : part 1 : introduction and species list 1 - amphibians and chelonians . j . herp . assoc . africa ( 32 ) : 1 - 5 - get paper here

keswick , toby & margaretha d . hofmeyr 2013 . population ecology of psammobates oculifer in a semi - arid environment . african journal of herpetology 62 ( 2 ) : 63 - 77 - get paper here

keswick , toby and margaretha hofmeyr . 2014 . refuge characteristics and preferences of psammobates oculifer in semi - arid savanna . amphibia - reptilia 35 ( 1 ) : 41 - 51 - get paper here

kuhl , h . 1820 . beiträge zur zoologie und vergleichenden anatomie . hermannsche buchhandlung , frankfurt , 152 pp . - get paper here

loveridge , arthur & williams , ernest e . 1957 . revision of the african tortoises and turtles of the suborder cryptodira . bull . mus . comp . zool . harvard 115 ( 6 ) : 163 - 557 - get paper here

schleicher , alfred 2015 . reptilien namibias . namibia scientific society , 276 pp .

smith , a . 1840 . illustrations of the zoology of south africa , reptilia . smith , elder , and co . , london - get paper here

werner , f . 1910 . reptilia et amphibia . in schultze , l . , zoologische und anthropologische ergebnisse einer forschungsreise im westlichen und zentralen südafrika . band iv , systematik und tiergeographie vertebrata b . denkschr . med . - nat . wiss . geseli . jena 16 : 279 - 370 [ 1910 ] - get paper here

this database is maintained by peter uetz ( database content ) and jakob hallermann , zoological museum hamburg ( new species and updates ) .

occurs in west africa from the gambia , east to the democratic republic of congo and uganda , and south to southern angola ( 6 ) .

classified as data deficient ( dd ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) and listed on appendix ii of cites ( 3 ) .

turtles of the world ( cd - rom ) , by ernst , c . h . , altenburg , r . g . m . and barbour , r . w . : urltoken

authenticated ( 06 / 08 / 09 ) by dr luca luiselli , senior researcher in ecology , institute demetra , rome , italy . urltoken

carrion dead flesh . genus a category used in taxonomy , which is below ‘family’ and above ‘species’ . a genus tends to contain species that have characteristics in common . the genus forms the first part of a ‘binomial’ latin species name ; the second part is the specific name . invertebrates animals with no backbone . omnivorous an organism that feeds on both plants and animals .

spawls , s . , howell , k . , drewes , r . c . and ashe , j . ( 2004 ) field guide to the reptiles of east africa . christopher helm publishers ltd , london .

alderton , d . ( 1988 ) turtles and tortoises of the world . blandford press , london .

ernst , c . h . , altenburg , r . g . m . and barbour , r . w . ( 1997 ) turtles of the world . eti information systems ltd , netherlands . available at : urltoken

luiselli , l . ( 2005 ) aspects of comparative thermal ecology of sympatric hinge - back tortoises ( kinixys homeana and kinixys erosa ) in the niger delta , southern nigeria . african journal of ecology , 43 ( 1 ) : 64 - 69 .

luiselli , l . , politano , e . and akani , g . c . ( 2003 ) seasonal incidence , sex - ratio , and population cohorts of hinge - back tortoises ( genus kinixys ) in the wild and in bush - meat markets of the niger delta , southern nigeria : are human predation effects random ? . revue de ecologie - la terre et la vie , 58 : 243 - 248 .

luiselli , l . ( 2003 ) comparative abundance and population structure of sympatric afrotropical tortoises in six rainforest areas : the differential effects of “traditional veneration” and of “subsistence hunting” by local people . acta oecologica , 24 ( 3 ) : 157 - 163 .

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because of their small size they are best maintained in a secure enclosure situated in a dry sunny area with plenty of rocks both for climbing , basking upon , and hiding under . these species should have unlimited access to dry sandy soil , and the enclosure must be well planted with as much indigenous plant material as possible from their natural area . they have also been observed eating other plants and these can be chosen from the plant list below :

the chenopodiacea family which includes beet greens , spinach and chard should be avoided as they contain oxalates .

feeding on natural growing plants and ensure exercise and adequate nutrition . if they can be maintained totally on growing food , then this is desirable .

: grated / thinly sliced cucumber , grated carrot / butternut / pumpkin , diced tomato , lettuce / cabbage ( very small quantities ) , grated courgettes ( zucchini ) , fruit ( sparingly - paw - paw is the favourite ) . this food should be offered in the early morning , and any uneaten food removed by lunchtime . a good vitamin / mineral supplement should be added to the food about once a week . the odd bone and cuttlefish left lying in the enclosure will be chewed on , this helps keep their beak trim and provides additional calcium .