The story behind the beautiful Aloe Marlothii's on Camp Discovery is all about love for nature and the huge attribution it makes to the birdlife in winter time.
Aloe Marlothii
The Aloe Marlothii is especially large with a robust head of stiff, grey-green leaves. These leaves can be up to 1.5 m in length and usually densely covered in short spines on the lower surfaces and less so on the upper-inner surfaces.
It normally has a trunk densely covered by the withered old leaves.
The flower colour varies a great deal, and ranges from yellow through orange (most common) to bright red. Flowering takes place through the winter months, as is the case with most aloes and it is then when it becomes the big attraction to a variety of our avian friends @ Camp Discovery.
Camp Discovery took the great initiative to plant an excess of 600 Marlothii's throughout the reserve/resort creating a haven for birdlife species and a very scenic colourful visual experience for visitors.
Avian friends visiting.
With the 1st winter in 2020 and with Marlothii's in full bloom, Camp Discovery was rewarded with the most beautiful sightings of an array of bird species frequently visiting the flowers.
Crested Barbets, Black-headed Orioles, Black-collared Barbets, Dark-capped Bulbul's, Burchell's Starlings, Red-winged Starlings and Meyer's Parrots were some of the species seen visiting the flowers.
Some images taken of the spectacular birdlife visiting the flowers in 2020 below.
Ornithophily
The process of pollinating flowers by birds is known as ornithophily.
By the attraction of birds with the bright colours of the flowers and sweet nectar, the bird stops by the flowers to eat nectar, sticky pollen attaches to its beak and feathers that are so visible in the images above.
The pollen-laden bird then goes to the next flower, dropping off pollen and picking up more.
Although the attraction is mostly directed towards birdlife, we have also witnessed ground squirrels feeding on the flowers.
Whenever you visit Camp discovery during winter months be on the lookout for the Aloe Marlothii's with their lovely flowers and their colourful visitors.
Keep Discovering...
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