How to identify a bird: Newman’s five-point check
You often get only a few seconds with a bird. Newman’s five-point check turns that glimpse into an identification: colour, size, habitat, behaviour and distribution.
Category: Birding Guides
Identification articles and guides from Newman’s Birds
Why are some birds red? Where red feathers come from and what they tell you
Red feathers are borrowed from food, worn as a signal and, in turacos, made from copper. Here is where red comes from and what it tells you in the field.
Why are some birds grey? How grey plumage helps Southern African birds
Grey feathers are more than dull colouring. They hide hunters against the sky, blend birds into bark and dry bush, and show a raptor’s age. Here’s how to read grey plumage, from gulls to goshawks.
Why are some birds yellow? Colour, camouflage and courtship
Yellow is the most common bright colour in birds. Find out where it comes from, how it helps birds hide and why the males of some weavers and bishops are so much brighter than the females.
Why are some birds blue? How feathers make blue without pigment
Blue feathers get their colour from light and feather structure, not pigment. Here’s how iridescent and non-iridescent blue work in Southern African birds.
Why are some birds black? How dark feathers help Southern African birds
Black feathers aren’t just a colour. They hide birds, keep them warm and help them fly. Here’s how dark plumage helps birds from oystercatchers to swifts.
