Below are Zimbabwean names for birds corresponding with those that begin with the letters ‘P’ in the English vernacular. These local bird names were obtained from personal communication with contributors, as well as reference to lists contained in Cooke (1970) and Maclean (1985). These are not exhaustive and may be subject to minor errors.

Links to further information pertaining to each group or taxa are included.

Parrot (Meyer’s)
Hwenga; Gwere – Shona (all dialects)
iWenka; iWenga; iPoli – (derived from English) – Ndebele
Papalagai – (derived from Afrikaans) – Venda/Sotho
Hokwe – Shangaan/Tsonga
Magwela – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/psittacidae/poicephalus_meyeri.htm

Plover/Lapwing (Blacksmith Lapwing)
Hurekure – Shona (all dialects)
iNtenjane – Ndebele
Ghelekela; Comelakhwatsi – Shangaan/Tsonga
Kulwelu – baTonga

Plover/Lapwing (Crowned Lapwing)
Querekwere; Hurekure; Njerechere; Warimutundo – Shona (all dialects)
uGweru; uGure; uMlanda – Ndebele
Murekureku; Mororwane – Venda/Sotho
Ghelekela; Ngelekele – Shangaan/Tsonga
Kulwelu – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/charadriidae/vanellus.htm

Plover (Three-banded)
Swiriswiri – Shona (all dialects)
Xitsekutseku; N’wantshekutsheku  – Shangaan/Tsonga
Kulwelu – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/charadriidae/charadrius_tricollaris.htm

Pelicans (Generic)
Sekwe – Shona (all dialects)
uDokonolo; iNyonizomfula; iVubu – Ndebele
Gumbula; Khungulu; Manawavembe – Shangaan/Tsonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/pelecanidae/

Pigeon (Green)
Huriti – Shona (all dialects)
iJubantondo – Ndebele
Leibakgorwana – Venda/Sotho
Nghwamba; Nghwambani; Mbambawunye – Shangaan/Tsonga
Chiwilinti – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/columbidae/treron_calvus.htm

Pigeon (Rock)
iVukuthu; iQuilimba – Ndebele
Ngalakana – Shangaan/Tsonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/columbidae/columba_guinea.htm

Prinia (Tawny-flanked)
Timba – Shona (all dialects)
Matsinyani  – Shangaan/Tsonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/cisticolidae/prinia_subflava.htm

Additional References:

Cooke, P. (1970). Ndebele Bird Names. NADA, vol.10 (2): 67-68.

Maclean, GL. (1985). Roberts’ Birds of Southern Africa (5th ed.). John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa.

In the next post I will move on to bird names beginning with the letter ‘Q to R’.