Despite its short stature, it’s a strong and fast flier

Known for their vibrant colors, which can change rapidly in response to their environment, mood, or social interactions

Got a long, floppy crest of black feathers sticking up from the back of its head like a windblown mohawk

Carrion? Nah, I prefer coconuts

Not your backyard nut hoarder

Despite being brightly colored, they’re hard to spot — they sit quietly in treetops, perfectly camouflaged among leaves

Has double-jointed ankles that let it bend its legs backward, forward, and sideways

Its tongue can shoot out up to twice its body length in a fraction of a second

They’re always close to the reeds, but just bold enough to be seen

They flip the script — literally!

Its call—a soft, sweet “chee-chee” or chattering trill—can often be heard before the bird itself is seen

Can take on a cobra with nothing but speed and confidence

Its big casque works like a built-in speaker, boosting their calls to echo powerfully across dense forests

Africa’s largest and most powerful kingfisher

Natural alarm clocks in African cities — whether you want them or not!

One of the most widespread and adaptable herons in the world

Instead of a bony shell, it has a flat, leathery covering that helps it glide smoothly through the water

Often considered as the smartest of all parrots

Often called the “leopard of the sky”

Females hide their young and eat the feces after nursing them, so no trail of their scents remains to entice predators

This bird taps its feet to imitate rain to make the prey reach the surface

Sometimes called the “dry country plover” because of its preference for inland habitats, unlike its more coastal relatives

Their wide, gaping mouths might look a little odd, but they’re perfect for scooping up moths and beetles mid-flight

Chicks are skilled swimmers and divers, able to paddle through the water just hours after hatching

Inhabiting humid forests in West Africa; they are the smallest of the three elephant species

African darters or ‘snakebirds’ are expert underwater fishermen equipped with stealth, diving skills, and a spear-like bill

Renowned for their spectacular aerial displays during courtship, including steep dives and intricate flight patterns

Its sheer size and presence make it a dominant predator wherever it is found

A common sight in coastal regions throughout the Northern Hemisphere

Unlike the black mamba, the deadliest snake in Africa, it is less aggressive and more likely to retreat when threatened

Loud birds with a distinct three-note whistling sound

A bat with a face that looks like it belongs on a comic superhero!

Most common and widely distributed swallow globally

A bird as big as a crow but with feathers that shimmer an unbelievable shade of blue

Covered in tough, overlapping scales made of keratin — the same material human fingernails are made from

The biggest of all the hammerhead sharks, with a massive head that looks like a giant, flat hammer

Popular food fish, prized for its mild flavor and firm texture

Known to nest surprisingly close to crocodiles!

A champion swimmer and a social butterfly of the warm seas

They bob their heads up and down as they fly, which is actually how they earned the nickname “Noddy”

Known for their acrobatic leaps, twisting and turning gracefully as they jump completely out of the water

Often seen riding the bow waves of boats or performing acrobatic leaps out of the water

With its striking appearance and distinctive call, it is often referred to as the “voice of Africa”

During breeding, they transform with elegant white plumage, adorned by decorative plumes on the head, neck, and back

They were commonly depicted in art from ancient Egypt

They eat almost anything that comes their way – you name it, they’ll try to snack on it!

An unrushed flyboy from Africa

Speed and power embodied, they rule the seas with their sleek bodies and jaw-dropping leaping prowess

Majestic giants of the sea, they peacefully glide through the ocean with mouths agape, filtering the waters for sustenance

Opportunistic predators of the open ocean, their aggressive and persistent feeding behaviour strikes fear into the hearts of their prey

Fearless and formidable, these aggressive predators command respect in the waters they roam

Gentle giants of the sea, with mouths wide open to filter the ocean’s bounty

Majestic ocean predators, embodying power, speed, and precision in their pursuit of prey

Its slender frame and narrow head bear a beak curved like a hawk’s, earning this marine marvel its name

Most diverse species of a gorilla; inhabits midwest Africa

Disappearing graceful shadows, this tree-climber is on the way to extinction

They hold their food tightly and closely to their bodies while feeding, preventing the food from being stolen by other bats

1.6 ton (1.5 tonne) + 48 km/h (30 mph) = what do you think?

An impressively acrobatic bird that can catch flying fish mid-jump

The most cosmopolitan of owls with home ranges extending across the globe

This species is found in all world oceans except the north Pacific Ocean

These petrels stylishly ride the ocean waves like they own the winds

This cute and small bird is one of the most elite hunters below the water’s surface

The iconic and elegant bird with a curved pink bill is known for turning heads

Professional marine forecasters to optimize breeding success and prey availability

These ocean wanderers can be spotted from a distance showing awe-inspiring aerial tricks

The fossil records suggest that this species has been on this planet for millions of years

Living around smelly brackish marshes is unthinkable, but these birds love their isolated habitat or don’t have a sense of smell

Don’t be disappointed if you don’t see a fluffy tail on these birds – it’s a misnomer

Native to Africa, it is the best-known bird of its family, broadly introduced as domesticated species

At the speed of over 321 km/h (200 mph), this bird outraces a Formula1 car

The only member of the genus having wide distribution across Asia and Africa is sociable, unlike other members of its family

Their dull mousy-brown color justifies the name pretty well

As the name suggests, this whitish stork has a bright red face and a distinctively long yellow bill

The janitors of the bird world

This bird can give any cross-country runner a run for their money

This bird holds the record of the longest distance flown by any bird in recorded history

Global Warming got nothing on this bird

Looks no less than a renaissance masterpiece

These enthusiastic travelers can be seen almost worldwide in different seasons

The African giant vulture has a wingspan up to 2.80 m (9 ft) wide

One of only six land-birds with a cosmopolitan distribution habituating all continents except Antarctica

Dig large subterranean burrows that other animals can hide in during fires, hence preventing wildlife deaths

Thought to be the goddess of the sea known as “Maame Water” in many coastal legends of western Africa

Got their common name due to their resemblance to otters and shrews, but not true otters nor shrews

Live in harmony with a parasite causes the deadly Sleeping sickness in humans

Also known as Laughing Hyena, it gets chewed a lot for being cruddy and a good-for-nothing scavenger!

Well known for their ferocity, these fearless little creatures are always ready to take on an entire pride of lions

There is still a lot to learn about this already threatened species

They are also known as the “black death” or “widowmaker,” which says a lot about them – dangerous!

Unlike most mammals, male water chevrotains are smaller than the female

The vivid coloration of their bottom is a result of blood vessels located there

Residing in eastern Africa, Mandrills are the world’s largest monkeys (but not of apes)

Thought to be a population of the Grey-cheeked mangabey until it upgraded to a new species in 2007

Our closest living relative from the wild

The mysterious diver of the ocean is the largest and only sea turtle without a hard shell and scales