African golden oriole

Introduction: African golden orioles (Oriolus auratus) inhabit woodland, forest along major rivers, woodland around rocky hills and occasionally in well-treed gardens. As they are a shy and unobtrusive species, expect to observe them singly or groups at fruiting trees in mainly woodland canopy.

Distribution: Fairly common, but confined to northern Namibia only. Observed in Epupa Falls, Etosha National Park, Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip), Kaudom Game Park, Tsumkwe, the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve.

Diet: Forages in tree-canopies for locusts, caterpillars, beetles and flies. Also eats fruit.

Description: Overall bright yellow with a black face patch that above and below the eye. Flight feathers are black, the bill is dark brownish pink, the eyes deep red and the feet and legs grey. Auratus is Latin for 'golden, flecked with gold'.

Breeding: A thin-walled woven cup-shaped nest made of dry grass and plant down is bound with spider web. 2 to 5 eggs are laid in May and incubated for around 17 days.

Size: 22cm.

Weight: 75g.