African Finfoot Podica senegalensis - some photos and notes

African Finfoot Podica senegalensis

Ghana
May 2011

The African Finfoot is distributed throughout much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is normally found in forested areas but can also be found in wooded savanna. In both habitats it prefers well vegetated banks of streams, rivers, pools and lakes.

The male has a black head and hindneck with grey throat separated by a white line. The bill an feet are red. The female, shown here, has a brown head and a white throat with much more white on the face. The tail is long and stiff.

It is closely related to the Sungrebe Heliornis fulica of South America and the Masked Finfoot Heliopais personata of south-east Asia.

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