Storks – Birdlore

Below are Zimbabwean names for birds corresponding with those that begin with the letter ‘S’ 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.

Sandgrouse (Generic)
iKwalakwala; inKwali – Ndebele
Setlalawe – Venda/Sotho
Xighwaraghwara – Shangaan/Tsonga
Chikwalkwalu – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/pteroclidae/index.htm

Sandpipers (Generic)
N’wantshekutsheku; Xitsatsana; Xitshekutsheku – Shangaan/Tsonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/scolopacidae/index.htm

Secretarybird
Hwata; Munditi; Mukwasa; Mampfana – Shona (all dialects)
uDwayi – Ndebele
Nju; Thlame – Venda/Sotho
Mampfana – Shangaan/Tsonga
Jule – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/sagittarius_serpentarius.htm

Shrikes
Shrike (Fiscal)
Korera – Shona (all dialects)
iLunga – Ndebele
Juka; Rhiyani – Shangaan/Tsonga
Simulasozi – baTonga

Shrike (Long-tailed / Magpie)
Djgwechkwe – Shona (all dialects)
iTshilobi – Ndebele
Ncilongi – Shangaan/Tsonga
Sekeleseya – baTonga

Shrike (Southern white-crowned)
Chisamaura – Shona (all dialects)
Nkululamutwe – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/laniidae/index.htm

Shrike-like taxa
Southern Boubou
Chigamaura; Chinyamburo – Shona (all dialects)
iBilibomvu – Ndebele
Hwilo, Samjukwa, Xighigwa – Shangaan/Tsonga
Chikelekele – baTonga

Puffback
Mukuruwobhuku – Shona (all dialects)
Phavomu – Shangaan/Tsonga

Retz’s helmet-shrike
Chipololongwe – baTonga
Urhiana – Shangaan/Tsonga

White-crested helmet-shrike
Chiteveravadzimba; Mashoranyama; Shavishavi; Mariyani – Shona
iHolanyama – Ndebele
Masula-bayeni – Venda/Sotho
Urhiana – Shangaan/Tsonga
Mpongozyathengwe; Lungulungwa – baTonga

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

Sparrows (Generic)
Inzwaunzwe – Shona (all dialects)
uMayadi – Ndebele
Lemphorokgohlo – Venda/Sotho
Mbolowi – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/passeridae/index.htm

Sparrow-weaver (White-browed)
uMayadi – Ndebele
iNsoswani – Nambya
Nsansa – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/ploceidae/plocepasser_mahali.htm

Sparrowhawk (Generic)
Rukodzi – Shona (all dialects)
uMahlewane – Ndebele
Lunga – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/accipitridae/accipiter.htm

Starlings (Glossy / Generic)
Hwirigwiri; Hwidzikwidzi; Hwidzikuyozi; Svigonde – Shona
Hudzululu – Shona (Kalanga)
iKhwezi – Ndebele
Liholi; Legodi – Venda/Sotho
Kwezu; Kwezu-leri-tsongo; Kholowane – Shangaan/Tsonga
Nkulyukulyu; iMpiye – Nambya
Chikuyanongo – baTonga

Starling (Burchell’s)
Kwezu-leri-kulu – Shangaan/Tsonga

Starling (Meve’s)
Mwazea – Shona (all dialects)
iTshilobi – Ndebele
Kwezu – Shangaan/Tsonga
Mpiye – baTonga

Starling (Red-winged)
Gwitso – Shona (all dialects)
iNsomi – Ndebele
Kwezu – Shangaan/Tsonga
Syobobo – baTonga

Starling (Violet-backed)
Nguringa; Hwirigwiri – Shona (all dialects)
Xinwavulombe – Shangaan/Tsonga
Zengule – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/sturnidae/index.htm

Storks (Generic / White & Abdim’s)
Shuramurove; Shohore; Djongwe – Shona (all dialects)
iNgabuzane – Ndebele
Leakabošwana – Venda/Sotho
Gumba; Ntsavila; Xaxari – Shangaan/Tsonga
Tongonyangu – Nambya
Syalwilwi – baTonga

Stork (Marabou)
Svorenyama – Shona (all dialects)
iNkosi-ya-amanque (same as Lappet-faced Vulture) – Ndebele
Mmakaitšimeletša – Venda/Sotho
Ghumba; Quandlopfu – Shangaan/Tsonga

Stork (Openbill)
Mukyindlopfu – Shangaan/Tsonga

Stork (Saddle-billed)
Hukumihlanga; Kokswabi – Shona (all dialects)
Ngwamhlanga – Shangaan/Tsonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/ciconiidae/index.htm

Sunbirds (Generic)
Dzonya; Tsodzo; Chizezuru – Shona (all dialects)
uGoli; amaNofi – Ndebele
Nwapyopyamhanya; Ntsotsotso – Shangaan/Tsonga
Mpungubulubi – Nambya
Syosyobuluba – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/nectariniidae/index.htm

Swallows / Martins (Generic)
Nyenganyenga; Mherere – Shona (all dialects)
iNkonjane; iNzvenzne – Ndebele
Nkonjana; Nyenga; Nyengha; Mbawulwana – Shangaan/Tsonga
Sikapembezya – baTonga

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/birds/hirundinidae/index.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 ‘T’.

The White Stork Ciconia ciconia (pictured) and Abdim’s Stork Ciconia abdimii are respectively Palearctic and intra-African trans-equatorial migrants that arrive in southern Africa with the summer rain fronts in large flocks, in order to take advantage of the seasonal abundance of insect and other small animal prey.

The arrival of large flocks corresponding with rainfall has long been recognised, and indeed they are the most numerous birds depicted in San rock art. Even contemporary local tribes continue to celebrate this migratory spectacle and believe that the larger the flock, the better the farming prospects for the imminent rainy season. This positive association with rainfall has led to the common belief that the arrival of storks signals that tilling of the lands should commence.

On the other hand, some people of Ndebele origin interviewed in the Matobo Communual Lands corroborated the more sinister belief that storks are also associated with lightning and thunder, and that a powerful rain goddess rides on their backs. The strike point of cloud-to-ground lightning is said to represent the specific locality where the stork has deposited its invisible eggs, which must be carefully removed by a n’anga to prevent a re-occurrence. If possible the item that was struck must also be destroyed by fire.

These beliefs appear to be derived from those shared by the Zulu and Xhosa peoples of South Africa who refer to the migratory storks as ‘impundulu ’ or ‘lightning bird’. Here, these birds are generally regarded as important familiars of witches, being employed for various nefarious purposes, such as a direct attack on a person, or even causing harm via means such as vampirism or illnesses such as tuberculosis.

Another stork worthy of mention is the imposing Marabou Leptoptilos crumenifer. Along with the vultures, this bareheaded bird is attracted to carrion, and due to its large size is thought by some to dominate feeding at a carcass. I noted that a number of Ndebele people identified this bird as ‘iNkosi-ya-amanqe’ or ‘King of the Vultures’ however I suspect that this may be the result of possible confusion with the Lappet-faced Vulture.

Local names for storks in Zimbabwe:

Shuramorove, Djorgwe – Shona (all dialects)
iNgabuzane – Ndebele/Kalanga
iTongonyangu – Nambya
Gumba – Shangaan
Syalwilwi – baTonga

(Marabou) – Svorenyama, Natsure – Shona (all dialects)
(Marabou) – iNkosi-ya-manqe – Ndebele
(Marabou) – Qandlopfu – Shangaan

Information for this section on storks was derived from original interviews with contributors as well as the following references.

References:

Bozongwana, W. (1983). Ndebele religion and customs (1st ed.). Mambo Press, Gweru, Zimbabwe.

Cooke, CJ. (1964). Animals in Southern Rhodesian rock art. Arnoldia 13: 1-29.

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

Beliefs surrounding the migratory storks with regard to farming practice appear to be similar in Kenya, where their outward and return passage apparently serves as a ‘double signal’ for both the commencement of tillage and planting respectively.

Additional Reference:

Cocker, M & Tipling, D. (2013). Birds and People, Jonathan Cape, London, England.

For more information on the species mentioned here visit:

https://ebird.org/species/whisto1

http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-stork-ciconia-ciconia/text

https://ebird.org/species/abdsto1?siteLanguage=en_AU

http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/abdims-stork-ciconia-abdimii/text

https://ebird.org/species/marsto1?siteLanguage=en_AU

http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/22697716