Kenya's National Bird

Did you know Kenya has a National Bird? Not the rooster.

It is this beautifully coloured bird. Lilac Breasted Roller.

The bird has about eight (8) colours. Boy child, the bird has even lilac and turquoise colours. 

This strong and swift bird has a robust body and a proportionately large, green head with a heavy black beak. It has a white chin and a white or yellow band above the eyes and beak. Its breast is a dark lilac that grows lighter towards the throat.

The abdomen and underside of the wings are turquoise, and the wings’ underside is also trimmed with dark blue. The upper part of the wings is reddish brown. Their forked tail, which is also turquoise, ends in black streamers.

These wide arrays of colours are supposed to represent the diversity in Kenya in terms of cultures, sceneries, attractions and the country’s uniqueness. The bird is also found in most regions of the country.

Unlike most other birds where the male is the most attractive, for Lilac Breasted Roller, both female and males are equally dazzling. You cannot tell the difference by the looks. They are not dimorphic. 

The bird owes it common name (roller) to its mating display, which consists of a lot of dives and swoops accompanied by loud and harsh cries. During a mating flight, a lilac-breasted roller will fly upwards for about ten meters (33 feet) and then swoop down with wings closed.

In another aerial stunt, the lilac-breasted roller will roll from side to side while flying very fast. If the aerial courtship is successful, the two birds will mate in the air.

Lilac-breasted rollers are believed to be monogamous and mate for life. 

This bird is known to be a fearless creature. They do not fear humans in the same way many other birds do. You can get quite close to a lilac-breasted roller without it flying off. A great thing when taking a picture. However, they are very quick and aggressive to defend their nests even against human beings. They also guard their favorite hunting grounds and will chase off intruders.

They are very ‘unique hunters’.  When they spot a prey, they will swoop down and batter the target with their wings. After beating their prey into submission, they will swallow it whole.

This bird is clever and bold enough to take advantage of brush fires. As the small animals and insects flee the flames, the lilac-breasted roller will swoop down on them. It is one of the few birds known to hunt near the edge of a fire.

The lilac breasted rollers are highly territorial. 

The species makes their nests in tree holes, as well as in termite mounds. They may also make use of unoccupied or abandoned woodpecker or kingfisher’s nest holes. Both males and females incubate the 2 – 4 eggs which are laid.

The lilac-breasted roller prefers to live in savannas and open woodlands where it has access to trees for perching and nesting. It thus avoids treeless areas. Although it does not fear humans, the lilac-breasted roller avoids environments that have been affected by humans, like cities and farms.

In many African cultures, the lilac-breasted roller symbolizes a deep connection between love and marriage.

The bird’s Swahili name is ‘Kambu’ or ‘Chole’

Hopefully next you are touring you will be able to see and identify the bird for the first time thus becoming your lifer. Hopefully too you won’t go twitching (travel far) to find the lilac breasted roller. 

Beards: Sign of Purity and Sense of Direction

The history and significance of beards goes back a long, long way. Beards means a great deal to most individuals, many cultures and religions. Some like them long, others short and some none at all.

Have you ever thought that some beards could be an indicator of the quality of air in a place? Better still; some beards also can help you locate the true north?

It is not human beards! It is the Usnea lichens better known as Old Man’s Beard or Methuselah Beards. 

Usnea, pronounced ooze-nee-ah is the elastic, yellow greenish lichen that grows from tree trunks and branches in forests. They usually grow on old or dead deciduous and conifers trees in a moist forest. 

               Old Man's Beards in Marsabit Forest

It is considered as the best natural bio indicator of level of pollution in an area. Where the air is unpolluted, they can grow up to 2 feet long! Where the air is polluted, they rarely grow.  They grow only in areas where the air is clean and of high quality. They are very sensitive to air pollution especially sulfur dioxide and acidic rain.

That is why you will rarely find them on roadsides but in plenty in some forests. In your endevours, if you come across the old man’s beard, be sure you are in a relatively clean and healthy environment.  However, lack of Usnea in a region does not necessarily mean the area is polluted. It may be because the habitat is too dry and sunny, since the lichen need some moist and shade to thrive. 

                    Usnea in Aberdare Park

How can you distinguish Usnea from other lichen? They are elastic while other lichens are not.  Hold a strand of the lichen in your fingers and gently pull on both ends. The outer green yellowish sheath will split, revealing white inner pith that will stretch before breaking. 

There is an old adage that ‘moss grows on the north side of the trees’. The old man’s beard may sometimes help you to locate the true north but will also equally deceive you if you are not keen. 

Usnea grows on the moist sides of trees, given that its primary source of moisture is from the air. In open forests, the moist side is most likely to be the shaded, north side. But in closed-canopy forests that hold moisture well, Usnea may grow on all sides of the trees. Several factors come into play. Key determinant is why is that part of the tree moist? Is the bark rough? Is the gradient shallow that rain water run slowly? Is the area direct near a water sources? Is the water dripping from overhanging branches? 

If you find a nearly vertical smooth surface that is not too close to water source and has old man’s beard, the only reason for the side staying moist is it is in shade in the middle of the day.

Hanging down from trunks and branches, Usnea resembles an upside-down version of underwater coral, another vulnerable barometer of pollution worldwide. 

                 Usnea in Mt. Kenya National Park

Next time you find yourself in the national park or a forest, keep an eye out for Usnea. As long as it is growing and healthy, take a deep breath and enjoy the high quality air.