Takazze Sunbird

Description:

This one was (and still is) a very difficult shot to identify - this is probably a female, and as such (almost) always a great challenge to come up with a conclusive ID if a male was not seen. I went with Tacazze sunbird, by eliminating species by species from a known Ethiopian list of birds... but I'm still not sure about it and remain ready to change it if needed...

Habitat:

The distribution of Tacazze sunbird is limited to forest edges, cultivated areas and heaths in highlands of Eastern Africa including Horn. Here, observed in Sidamo region of Ethiopia, in Hawassa promenade, a part of the town's park easily accessible to public, on shores of lake Awassa in Ethiopia; mixed area of marshes, woodland and urban structures.

Notes:

Lake Awassa (or Hawassa) is a part of main Ethiopian Rift Valley series of lakes, situated at some 1700 m of altitude. Like most of Rift lakes in Ethiopian highlands, this is an endorreic lake (landlocked mass of water having no outlet and not connected to the sea), and as such surrounded by marshes that regulate its levels through evaporation. Because of marshes and its forested shores, the lake is known as birdwatcher's paradise - very rich with various waders. Unfortunately, many of these marshes, or at least those of an easy access to visitors are very polluted by plastic garbage - mainly plastic bottles and bags - like we so often see these days...