Ringing - Fynbos birdlife

The 10 most ringed species are shown below, and these can be expected to be caught on most Fynbos bird ringing / bird banding expeditions. Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens), Cape Weaver (Ploceus capensis), Southern Masked-Weaver (Ploceus velatus), Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra), Yellow Bishop (Euplectes capensis), Cape Bulbul (Pycnonotus capensis), Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix), Olive Thrush (Turdus olivaceus), Red-faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus).

Additional interesting species that have been caught include:

Cape Batis (Batis capensis), Fiscal Flycatcher (Sigelus silens), Common Fiscal (Lanius collaris), Swee Waxbill (Coccopygia melanotis), Karoo Prinia (Prinia maculosa), White-backed Mousebird (Colius colius), Cardinal Woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens), Olive Thrush (Turdus olivaceus), Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica), Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus), Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa).

There is still potential for many other interesting species, especially Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer).

Find out more about the expeditions:

General:

Fynbos expedition:

Bushveld expedition:

Longevities of shrikes, bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes
Jul 5, 2019
The shrikes, bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes were formerly all classed together in one family, but have been split into separate bird families (shrikes, bush-shrikes) and the helmet-shrikes have been moved into the Vangidae family. After a brief description of each of these groups, the ringing numbers and longevities will be presented. The true […]
Colour ringing birds at Fynbos Estate
Jun 25, 2019
Bird ringing was conducted at Fynbos Estate from 17-21 June 2019, with two students from France, as part of their field project. During the ringing sessions Emilie and Manon learned to identify and measure local bird species. Two species, Common Fiscals and Cape Robin-chats, were also colour ringed to enable observations on individually […]
Longevities of Cossypha robin-chats
Jun 7, 2019
There are 14 species of Cossypha robin-chats in Africa. They are medium sized thrushes and sexes are alike. They have much red in the plumage and many species have a white eyebrow. The juveniles are spotted above and mottled below, but the tail pattern is the same as that of the adults. These birds have long tarsi and are usually found on or near […]
Virtual Museuming at Mwamba Conservation Centre, A Rocha Kenya
Jun 4, 2019
Mwamba is the Conservation Centre of A Rocha Kenya. It is on the coast, and offshore is the Watamu Marine National Park. Just inland is the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, the largest remnant of a dry coastal forest which originally stretched from Somalia to Mozambique. Just to the south of Mwamba lies Mida Creek, which has mangrove forests, intertidal […]
Ringing the Dark-backed Weaver
May 27, 2019
Dark-backed Weavers are locally common in forest patches along the eastern seaboard of Africa and across Eastern and central Africa to Cameroon. Their nests may be obvious, hanging above forest paths. Nests of this species are invariably sited singly in trees, although occasionally an old nest or two from previous breeding seasons may be near the […]

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