South Africa Wildlife - Hadeda Ibis {Bostrychia hagedash}

I couldn't work out where the strange bird calls were coming from, and when I asked I was told it was the "Haa-dee-dah" bird . . . so called due to the call it makes. I was intrigued to see what one looked like.

It's proper name is The Hadeda Ibis, but they're colloquially called the "Haa-dee-dahs" - a heavy bodied bird with an iridescent sheen to the plumage in sunlight, shoulder patches and a long de-curved bill.

It has a distinctively loud, penetrating and recognisable haa-haa-haa-de-dah call that is often heard when the birds are flying or when startled (or just scavenging in people's gardens!) hence the name, Hadeda. They move around in flocks numbering up to 20 birds or 100 out of breeding season. 

This chap was on Sonja's lawn yesterday afternoon (fri July 30th) so I snapped it with the zoom on my whizzo new Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10 . . . bought specifically for the purpose of taking better pics to give you all a treat!