A POCKET ENCYCLOPEDIA TO EAST AFRICAN BIRDS

IF YOU had asked only last year if birds can strike a mutually beneficial relationship with humans, I would have probably said only in fairy tales.

Nonyana Senyamafi, a Sotho folk tale about a wily bird which produced gallons of milk for human consumption, quickly comes to mind when such a topic comes up.

But earlier this year I saw a living fairy tale on TV, when a certain bird species helped hunters to locate beehives in the forest.

The miracle of nature was taking place in northern Tanzania, involving hunter-gatherer tribesmen who whistled a tune to summon a bird to help them find beehives in the forest.

TITLE: Birds of East Africa AUTHOR: Dave Richards PUBLISHER: Struik Nature REVIEWER: Tumo Mokone

The bird responded with enthusiasm and led them to the bees. The men took enough honey and left some on the ground for the honeyguide, as the bird is called, to feast on.

When I received this book I rushed to check on this bird and,

voila, mkubwa (its Swahili name) is featured. The author says East Africa has 1 400 species of birds. However, the pocket-sized guide focuses on species which can be spotted easily. More good news is that the book features birds which will be commonly seen in Uganda, such as the black-and-white casqued hornbill.

The country is back on birders’ check-lists after the return of stability following years of hostilities dating from the 1970s.

What I liked more about the author’s effort is the addition of Swahili names for each species. In many instances it is clear that the names have been created to accommodate variations within species.

For example, the book identifies four bustard species for East Africa. Traditionally, all bustards are identified as – and in this book white-bellied bustard is translated as

tandawala tumbojeusi, with tumbojeusi meaning white belly in Swahili. Overall, it is the lexicon of African languages that benefit from such efforts in literature, as well as the overall mission to preserve the continent’s natural heritage.

Though the pocket guide is compiled mainly for keen birders, it also makes for a useful addition to libraries so that children and young people’s curiosity in bird life is aroused early in their lives.

Richards is a respected expert and author on African wildlife, and therefore Birds of East Africa does not struggle for credibility.