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Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)

Posted on 12/06/2024 by Ryan Tippett

Cover image of Kori Bustard by Neels Putter – Mapungupwe National Park, Limpopo – BirdPix No. 257451

Bustards and Korhaans belong to the Family OTIDIDAE. They are robust, medium to very large ground birds. They have long necks and relatively large heads. The legs are long and the feet are equipped with 3 short, strong toes. The feet lack hind toes.

Identification

The Kori Bustard is a very large and conspicuous species. It is the largest of all bustards and is in fact the world’s heaviest flying bird. Male Kori Bustards are much larger than females. Males weigh 12.4kg on average, but can attain a weight of up to 19kg. The average weight of females is 5.7kg. The sexes differ very slightly in plumage coloration.

In males, the crown is black, with an indistinct grey median stripe. A long crest on the hind-crown gives it a characteristic appearance. The face is grey, with a whitish supercilium that extends behind the eye. The throat is white and the feathers around the entire neck are finely barred grey and white. At the base of the hind neck there is a black collar that extends onto the sides of the breast. The rest of the underparts, from the breast to the vent are white.

Kori Bustard (*Ardeotis kori*)
Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana
Photo by Derek Solomon

The upperparts are greyish-brown with fine dark brown flecks. The wing coverts form a variable black-and-white panel in the folded wing. Flight feathers are greyish-brown, with fine whitish bars. The tail is greyish-brown, with 2 creamy white bars towards the base. The bill is pale horn-coloured and the eyes are yellow. Leg colouration varies from yellow to dark cream.

The far smaller females closely resemble males, but show less black on the crown and have a narrower supercilium and a more finely barred neck. Juveniles are similar to adult females, but have a paler head, a shorter crest and a browner back.

The Kori Bustard can be confused with Denham’s Bustard (Neotis denhami) and the Ludwig’s Bustard (Neotis ludwigii). Both of these species are much smaller and have chestnut (not grey and white) hind necks, and they show striking white wing markings that are visible in flight. Additionally, both lack the dark crest and black collar.

Distribution

The Kori Bustard has a disjunct African distribution with two populations comprising two subspecies, one in southern Africa and the other in north-east Africa. It is widespread, although patchily distributed, in southern Africa.

It occurs mainly in the semi-arid regions in the western half of southern Africa but is largely absent from the extremely arid Namib Desert. The species penetrates to the east along the central plateau of Zimbabwe and the dry Limpopo River Valley into the eastern lowveld of South Africa, just reaching southern Mozambique. There is a partially isolated population south of the escarpment in the southern Nama Karoo between Prince Albert (Western Cape) and Makhanda (Grahamstown) (Eastern Cape). The largest populations occur in Namibia and Botswana.

The Kori Bustard is scarce to locally common in southern Africa and is currently listed as Vulnerable in South Africa. The Kori Bustard has decreased in range and abundance in several regions, including Zimbabwe and Eswatini (Swaziland) where it became extinct prior to 1960. In South Africa it has decreased markedly in Limpopo and Mpumalanga and is now absent from the central savannas of north-eastern South Africa. The species has also declined in the Eastern Cape province. The Kori Bustard is now common only in large protected areas. It is, however, still present in lower numbers in many smaller protected areas. The threats faced by this species are numerous and include habitat destruction, bush encroachment, high human densities, poisoning, deliberate hunting, collisions with overhead transmission lines and stray dogs.

Habitat

The Kori Bustard inhabits fairly dry, open habitats on flat terrain and with rainfall between 100 to 600 mm per year. Typical habitats include dry, open savanna, Nama Karoo dwarf shrublands and arid grasslands. They also frequent dry floodplains and the grassy edges of seasonal pans.

They are often found close to tree-lined watercourses, which provide cover when disturbed and shade during the heat of the day. The Kori Bustard is usually absent from areas of dense vegetation. They are frequently found on sandy soil, especially Kalahari sands, but also occur on stony ground. They are mainly encountered in natural vegetation, but sometimes aggregates in cleared areas, such as airstrips, fire-breaks, pastures and fields. They are occasionally attracted to burnt ground.

Behaviour

The Kori Bustard is most often found solitarily or in pairs when breeding. They are otherwise somewhat gregarious in groups of up to 40 or more. They spend most of their time walking slowly across open habitats. They walk or run quickly when disturbed but are usually reluctant to fly. The flight is heavy and laboured, yet powerful. Kori Bustards normally take flight after running a short distance but can take-off from a standing position if they need to. In hot weather they usually rest up in shade to avoid the mid-day heat.

They drink regularly when water is available but are not dependant on water. Drinks with a sucking action, usually by lying down on the tarsal joint, allowing the head and neck to be almost level with the water.

Movements of the Kori Bustard are poorly understood and there is no evidence for regular migration. Any movements are more likely to be nomadic in response to the unpredictable rainfall of semi-arid areas.

Kori Bustards roost on bare ground or in very short grass where they remain crouched and immobile the entire night.

Kori Bustard in flight — Kori Bustard (*Ardeotis kori*)
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape
Photo by John Tinkler

Forages by walking and pecking on the ground or in low bushes and trees. Kori Bustards are omnivorous and have a varied diet. They do not have a crop but possess well-developed caeca (secondary fermentation chambers) in the large intestine which indicates that plant material plays an important role in the diet. This allows them to consume green leaves, grass, flowers, roots, bulbs, seeds and berries. They also feed on wild melons and the gum of Vachellia (Acacia) trees, hence its Afrikaans name of ‘Gompou’.

Animal matter in the diet includes invertebrates like grasshoppers, locusts, beetles, termites, caterpillars, solifuges, scorpions and snails. Kori Bustards are especially fond of Dung Beetles and Armoured Ground Crickets. They also eat small vertebrates such as rodents, lizards, chameleons, snakes and birds’ eggs and nestlings. They also sometimes consume carrion. Kori Bustards are attracted to locust and caterpillar outbreaks and will visit recently burnt areas in the hopes of finding prey that may have perished in the flames. They can occasionally be seen foraging alongside Denham’s and Ludwig’s Bustards.

In some regions, notably the Savuti Depression in Botswana, Southern Carmine Bee-eaters (Merops nubicoides) are commonly seen to perch on the backs of Kori Bustards, in order to hawk flushed insects. However, this association is rarely reported elsewhere in southern Africa. There are also records of Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) doing the same.

Kori Bustards are polygynous, whereby males mate with multiple females through the breeding season. Males establish regularly used lek sites where they display competitively in order to entice females for mating. Leks are mostly situated in prominent positions such as on a rocky ridge. Several males may gather at these sites to display, but usually one male will achieve dominance over his rivals through complex posturing, forcing the others to move away. Evenly matched males may end up fighting which involves them standing chest-to-chest, their tails fanned and erect and their bills locked together. They then engage in ‘pushing’ one another for up to 30 minutes until a victor emerges.

Dominant males perform courtship displays mainly during the early morning and late afternoon. They strut about with their crests erected, tails fanned, winged drooped and necks inflated to 4 times the normal size. The neck feathers are long and loose to allow the neck to expand. They utter a booming, far carrying call when the neck is fully inflated. This sound is created by the air as it gets forcibly expelled from the inflated oesophagus. The inflated neck serves to resonate and amplify the booming call over a great distance. This display also serves a visual function and is conspicuous from some way off. Females choose the dominant males for mating and after copulation males take no further part in in the breeding process.

No true nest is constructed. The nest is merely a shallow, unlined scrape on the ground, often in sandy soil. The nest site is sometimes reused in successive years. Usually 2 (sometimes just 1) eggs are laid per clutch. The eggs are pale olive-brown with darker olive-green and brown streaks and shading. Eggs are laid between July and April but peak laying times vary by region, and is likely linked to rainfall. The incubation period lasts for around 24 days, during which time the female will regularly turn the eggs with her bill. The highly precocial young are cared for by the female and may remain with her for up to 18 months if she does not breed again the following year.

Kori Bustards are long-lived and have been recorded to live up to 26 years.

Further Resources

This species text is adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.

The use of photographs by Ansie Dee Reis, Aron, White, Derek Solomon, Johan Van Rooyen, John Tinkler, Marius Meiring, Neels Putter, Pieter Cronje, Roy Earle and Salome Willemse is acknowledged.

Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).

Other common names: Gompou (Afrikaans); Iseme (Xhosa); Kgôri (Tswana); Koritrap (Dutch); Outarde kori (French); Riesentrappe (German); Abetarda-gigante (Portuguese).

Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2024. Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available Online at https://thebdi.org/2024/06/12/kori-bustard-ardeotis-kori/

A list of bird species in this format is available here.

Bird identification, birding

Archive/Bird ringing/Birding/Citizen Science/Karoo

Bird ringing at Botuin : 2 to 5 June 2024

Posted on 06/06/2024 by Dieter Oschadleus

A group of BDI people went bird ringing at Botuin, Vanrhynsdorp, from Sunday 2 June to Wednesday 5 June. The aim was to keep a consistent pattern of ringing going at this site, so we firstly build up the proportion of birds which are ringed, so that retraps become more frequent. With lots of retraps, we can start making estimates of annual survival rates for a few of the commonly ringed species. We do not know the survival rates for almost all the species we handle regularly here. Estimates of survival, and how they are changing through time, are one of the foundational pieces of knowledge needed to implement conservation recommendations.

We had some rain and lots of cold weather, with parts of South Africa experiencing floods and stormy weather. Nevertheless, we caught some great birds including African Hoopoe, Sickle-winged Chat, Yellow-bellied Eremomela (a first for me!), Rufous-eared Warbler, Namaqua Warbler, Fairy Flycatcher and Bokmakierie.

Yellow-bellied Eremomela. mistnetted while bird ringing at Botuin

The most caught species was the Laughing Dove (11), followed by Red-faced Mousebird (4) and Cape Weaver (4). For the rest of the species, between one and three individuals were caught. At Botuin, 40% of birds caught were recaptures. This is fantastic in terms of our goal of estimating survival. The oldest birds were the resident pair of Fiscal Flycatchers, first ringed in January 2020. See list of previous ringing events (at Botuin and elsewhere) here. To join a ringing event, see calendar here.

Birds had completed primary moult, except for some doves and mousebirds.

Namaqua Dove with outermost primary completing moult (feather sheath is visible)

Among the doves we caught while bird ringing at Botuin was this red-eyed dove (in lower case!):

red-eyed Laughing Dove mistnetted while bird ringing at Botuin

… it’s actually a Laughing Dove … look at this!

Table. Birds caught at Botuin & Gifberg, 2 to 5 June 2024

Sp no	English	Botuin	Gifberg	Total	Retraps
317	Laughing Dove	11		11	2
318	Namaqua Dove		2	2
392	Red-faced Mousebird	4		4	1
418	African Hoopoe	1		1
463	Large-billed Lark		1	1
568	Capped Wheatear		1	1
570	Familiar Chat	1		1	1
572	Sickle-winged Chat		1	1
581	Cape Robin-chat	1		1	1
600	Yellow-bellied Eremomela		1	1
619	Rufous-eared Warbler		1	1
653	Namaqua Warbler	1		1	1
658	Chestnut-vented Warbler	3		3	2
665	Fiscal Flycatcher	2		2	2
678	Fairy Flycatcher	1		1
686	Cape Wagtail	1		1
707	Southern Fiscal	2		2	1
722	Bokmakierie	1		1	1
760	Southern Double-collared Sunbird	1		1
786	Cape Sparrow	1		1	1
799	Cape Weaver	4		4
803	Southern Masked Weaver	2		2
866	Yellow Canary		1	1
873	Cape Bunting		1	1
1172	Cape White-eye	3		3	3
	TOTALS	40	9	49	16

Thanks to Salome and Lydiana for hosting us so well!

See summaries of bird ringing at Botuin and Gifberg.

Archive/Bird identification/Birding/Birds

Dusky Sunbird (Cinnyris fuscus)

Posted on 04/06/2024 by Ryan Tippett

Cover image: Dusky Sunbird by Desire Darling – Kamanjab Rest Camp, Namibia – BirdPix No. 13649

Identification

The Dusky Sunbird is a medium sized sunbird This species is sexually dimorphic, the breeding males are more colourful than females.

Breeding males are distinctive and easily recognisable. The head, back, throat and chest are glossy black and the belly is white. The tail is blackish, with a slight blue iridescence. Breeding males also have orange pectoral tufts, but these are seldom visible unless the bird is excited or displaying.

Identification of breeding male Dusky Sunbird — Dusky Sunbird (*Cinnyris fuscus*)
Rooiklip Farm, Namibia
Photo by Johan Van Rooyen

Non-breeding males and males in eclipse plumage resemble females and have grey-brown upperparts. They sometimes show a few blackish iridescent feathers. The undersides are whitish with a variable, glossy black patch or stripe on the throat and breast.

Dusky Sunbird (*Cinnyris fuscus*)
Damaraland, Namibia
Photo by Gerald Gaigher

Females have plain greyish-brown heads and upperparts. The underparts, from the chin to the vent are white to off-white. The underparts contrast with the greyish-brown cheeks and upperparts. The tail is blackish.

Dusky Sunbird (*Cinnyris fuscus*)
Carnarvon district, Northern Cape
Photo by Ryan Tippett

Juveniles are similar to adult females, but have browner upper parts and their underparts are washed washed yellow. Juvenile males have variable blackish feathering on the throat.

Breeding males are unmistakable, but females are more problematic to identify. They are most likely to confused with the female White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala) or the female Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus). The former has a faintly streaked (not plain) breast, and the latter has a darker grey-brown throat and breast and lacks the contrast between the upper and undersides. Females of these species are best identified by the accompanying male.

Status and Distribution

The Dusky Sunbird is Locally common and near-endemic to southern Africa. It occurs throughout the arid and semi-arid arid western parts of South Africa. It ranges north through south-western Botswana (avoiding the central Kalahari), throughout most of Namibia and into Angola along the arid coastal plain.

The Dusky Sunbird is scarce in in southern Kalahari and the Little Karoo, with occasional records south of the Cape Fold Mountains and to the south towards the west coast to Cape Town.

SABAP2 distribution map - Dusky Sunbird — SABAP2 distribution map for **Dusky Sunbird** (*Cinnyris fuscus*) – May 2024.
Details for map interpretation can be found here.

The Dusky Sunbird is not threatened and its choice of arid habitats makes it relatively safe from human interference.

Habitat

The Dusky Sunbird’s preferred habitat is rocky outcrops with taller vegetation, as well as drainage line scrub or woodland in the succulent and Nama Karoo. It also inhabits semi-arid coastal plains with sand dunes. It favours rocky habitats or broken ground, possibly because flowering succulents such as Aloes and crassulas are more common in such areas.

It avoids the ‘sand sea’ of the central Namib Desert, but occurs elsewhere within the Namib Desert, provided there is some tall vegetation. The Dusky Sunbird also readily enters gardens and orchards.

Behaviour

The Dusky Sunbird is mainly a sedentary resident and does not show any regular seasonal movements. As with most birds of arid country, it is nomadic in response to the availability of food, which in turn, is dependant on rainfall. The Dusky Sunbird is capable of moving large distances in search of resources. During drought periods it irrupts into neighbouring, more mesic regions such as the coastal regions of the Western Cape, and into the North West Province.

The Dusky Sunbird is an active, restless species and is usually encountered singly or in pairs. Larger groups may aggregate at major nectar sources where it often associates with other sunbird species like Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis), White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala) and Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus). The flight is fast and direct, but not as erratic as in other sunbirds.

The Dusky Sunbird generally probes for nectar while perched but may also hover for brief moments, often to snatch insects out of spider webs. They move quickly from flower to flower. The diet consists mostly of nectar and is supplemented with arthropods, especially spiders and small insects like flies, moths, caterpillars, bugs and beetles. Insect prey is mostly gleaned from flowering plants but they also hawk insects out of the air. Important food plants include Vachelia (Acacia) species, various aloes including Kraal Aloe (Aloe claviflora) and the Quiver-tree (Aloidendron dichotoma), also Leafless Wormbush/Black Storm (Cadaba aphylla), Crassula species, mesembryanthemums, honey-thorns (Lycium spp) and mistletoes (Loranthaceae). Dusky Sunbirds also feed on the nectar of a range of alien and garden plants such as Wild Tobacco (Nicotiana glauca). Drinks water on occasion, mostly on on warm days.

The Dusky Sunbird has a long breeding season from August to March but breeding can take place at any time of the year. This is indicative of opportunistic breeding linked to rainfall. If rains come early, some males will attempt to breed while still in eclipse plumage. Males aggressively defend their territories which, on occasion, may lead to fighting. The nest is built entirely by the female while the male remains nearby to defend his territory.

The nest is oval, with a side-top entrance. It is constructed out of dry grass, plant fibres, bark and dry leaves. The nest is bound together with spider web and it is lined with soft seed fibres or animal hair. The nest is usually placed in a low shrub 40 to 90 cm above the ground. Females sometimes build several preliminary nests before egg laying starts. Some nests can be abandoned before laying if conditions become unfavourable. Two to three eggs are laid per clutch. The incubation period lasts just 13 days and all incubation is performed by the female. Nestlings are fed by both parents but they are brooded by the female only. The nestling period lasts around 13 days.

Dusky Sunbirds are double-brooded in high-rainfall years. This sunbird is sometimes parasitised by Klaas’s Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas).

Further Resources

Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.

The use of photographs by Cobus Elstadt, Desire Darling, Gerald Gaigher, Jason Boyce, Johan Van Rooyen, Lappies Labuschagne, Maans Booysen and Pamela Kleiman is acknowledged.

Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).

Other common names: Namakwasuikerbekkie (Afrikaans); Souimanga fuligineux (French); Roethoningzuiger (Dutch); Rußnektarvogel (German); Beija-flor-sombrio (Portuguese).

A list of bird species in this format is available here.

Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2024. Dusky Sunbird Cinnyris fuscus. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2024/06/04/dusky-sunbird-cinnyris-fuscus/

Bird identification, birding

Archive/Bird identification/Birds/News

How many pairs of breeding White Storks are there in South Africa in 2024?

Posted on 26/05/2024 by Les Underhill

The mountains in the background to this pair of breeding White Storks look like they could easily be in Europe. But these are the mountains behind Paarl in the Western Cape, South Africa, and the nest is at the Tygerberg Zoo!!! BirdPix record 52545

What does this collection of countries in the map below have in common?

This is a map of countries with breeding White Storks

They are countries with breeding White Storks! These are the countries in which the 2024 edition of the International White Stork Census is taking place. South Africa is the only country in the southern hemisphere with breeding White Storks. Most people don’t realize that the breeding range extends southwards across the Mediterranean Sea to northern Africa. Here is a nest in Morocco:

breeding White Storks, Marrakesh, Morocco, Jean Ramsay — *Breeding White Storks in Marrakesh, Morocco. Photo by Jean Ramsay*

The BDI has been given the task of finding out how many pairs of breeding White Storks there are in South Africa, currently. For now, the focus is on nests, rather than on birds!

The International White Stork Census takes place every 10 years. This year’s is the eighth. The number that South Africa submitted to the seventh census in 2014 was zero. We already know that that was wrong. In 2004, the number of pairs of breeding White Storks was 10.

We need your help to get the number we submit this year as close to the truth as possible!

… a two-paragraph detour!!

You are driving through the Free State. You stop at a bridge to watch the South African Cliff Swallows breeding. There are a few Barn Swallows among them. They are looking distinctly “blue”. They are in breeding plumage. This is the point at which you have to think the unthinkable, and do the craziest thing you have ever done in your life. Look for Barn Swallow nests in the Free State. This is not an outrageous idea, because birders in Argentina discovered Barn Swallows breeding there. They are normally visitors from North America.

Phil Whittington, ornithologist at the East London Museum, was a PhD student doing penguin fieldwork on Dyer Island. He got up one night for a pee, and heard a call he had only ever heard before as a recording. Leach’s Storm Petrel. He tracked down the source of the call; to his amazement, it was coming from inside a dry stone wall. He woke up Bruce Dyer at 02h00: “Bruce, I know this sounds insane, but there is a Leach’s Storm Petrel inside the wall out there, and I think it might be breeding.” Phil convinced Bruce to do the stupidest thing imaginable, and together they searched inside the wall for evidence of breeding. They were successful. There had been several other ornithologists who had had similar opportunities to be first to find Leach’s Storm Petrel, a migrant from the northern hemisphere, breeding in the southern hemisphere. In South Africa, New Zealand and near Antarctica. None had the courage to think the unthinkable!

… and getting back on the White Stork highway

So, on 18 November 1940, Austin Roberts (the first edition of the bird book now named after him in was also published that year) was driving around the Oudtshoorn district, when what he saw a nest made of sticks at the top of a dead eucalypt. He had the courage to believe what he was seeing. Something that left him totally gobsmacked. A White Stork nest with three chicks. He camped there for three nights. The farmer told him the storks were already breeding when he moved to the farm in 1933. The nest was close to the road between Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp. Austin Roberts was surely not the first knowledgeable person to drive past the nest, but he had the courage to think the unthinkable. The storks bred again in 1941, but the nest had grown larger than the dead tree could support, and the three chicks died in the nest crash. This pair was not recorded breeding again.

*The first nest in South Africa of a breeding White Stork, at the top of a dead tree on a farm near Oudtshoorn*. *Photo taken by G van Son, 18 November 1940. This photograph and the two below were originally published in the August 1941 edition of* Ostrich in a paper written by Dr Austin Roberts and titled “The White Stork in South Africa“

*Two more photos of the first White Stork nest close to the farmhouse on the farm Welbedacht in the Oudtshoorn district. (*Ostrich 1941, see above)

*Dr Austin Roberts’s own description of the three photos in his paper in* Ostrich *in August 1941*

It was 21 years before the next White Stork nest was found, on 29 November 1961, on a farm in the area immediately south of Bredasdorp. Quickly, nests came to light on other farms in the neighbourhood. The maximum number of active nests was four. It is this little population that has persisted the longest. We need to find out if there are still nests in this area in 2024.

The next nest was found by a schoolboy travelling by overnight train from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn. He woke up on 1 January 1966 to see a White Stork nest out the window. He reported it, but couldn’t remember where the train was when he saw it. Detective work with the stationmasters between Worcester and Mossel Bay took less than a day. The stationmaster at Riversdale spoke to engine drivers who quickly located the nest on a farm between Mossel Bay and Albertinia. This pair nested until 1976.

It was noted that usually all four or five eggs in the nests in the Bredasdorp district hatched, but that there was only space for three grown chicks at fledging time. The excess chicks were brought to Cape Town where they were hand-raised. The plan was to keep them at the old Tygerberg Zoo for a few years before they were released. Here are a few paragraphs that Professor Gerry Broekhuysen wrote in the May 1975 edition of the Cape Bird Club Newsletter.

“For the past few years White Storks, which were originally taken as young from nests in the Bredasdorp District, have been kept in an enclosed camp at the Tygerberg Zoo. They have been kept there to enable me to study and observe their behaviour and it is also hoped that when they have become adult (this is in Europe after four to five years) some of them would perhaps start to breed.

“Great was our excitement when at the end of last year [1974] some wild storks started to spend time in the zoo and eventually joined the captive ones at times. Two of these eventually took food at feeding times in the afternoon. Then in January two wild storks started to build a nest on top of one of the bird cages only a short distance from the stork enclosure. Before the nest was completed, however, it was blown off by a gale force wind. In the beginning of February the two birds started to build a new nest, this time in the corner and on top of the wire fence of the lion cage. Both birds built and eventually it was a great bulky structure.

“Who would have thought that this would happen?

“The birds are not timid at all and remain on the nest while visitors look at the lions.”

Gerry Broekhuysen was writing near the end of March, and said that these two birds were still at the nest, and had not migrated north with the migrant storks. “Are they going to breed in our spring as the birds in Bredasdorp do?” Sadly, within a month, on 16 April 1975, he passed away, and no information whatsoever about what happened at the zoo over the next few years has been kept for us.

Breeding White Storks on the top of the Patas Monkey cage, Tygerberg Zoo. Doeter Oschadleus — *White Stork nest on top of the Patas Monkeys’ cage at the Tygerberg Zoo on 27 October 2012.* *BirdPix record 309, submitted by Dieter Oschadleus*

Apart from the fact that there were at least 18 of them, there is no record of what happened to the captive-reared White Storks at Tygerberg Zoo, but it does seem certain that breeding there was initiated by wild storks.

Ciconia ciconia at Tygerberg Zoo — *White Storks at their nest on top of a cage at the Tygerberg Zoo, on 26 July 2003. BirdPix record 52545*

In December 2000, ornithologists from the Vogelwarte Radolfzell in Germany attached satellite tracking devices to five White Stork fledglings, four at Tygerberg Zoo and one near Bredasdorp. All five juvenile storks survived the hazardous first few weeks out the nest, and all of them travelled beyond South Africa before they died. Saturn survived the longest, close to a year, and the map below shows the track taken:

The track of a young White Stork — *Satellite track of a young White Stork called* Saturn. *This White Stork had grown up in a nest which was in the enclosure at Tygerberg Zoo that housed the giant tortoise. The tracking device had been attached to* Saturn on 6 December 2000.

That’s a bit of history!

Now we need to jump back to 2024. Please search diligently for breeding White Storks this year. If you chat to farmers, please ask them if they know of any nests. We need to track them down, so that we can provide reliable information to the 2024 edition of the International White Stork Census. Remember, right now it is nests that we are interested in (not birds or even flocks of birds, at least for now). Please also report any nests known to have been occupied in the last decade or so.

Please contact Les Underhill (les@thebdi.org) with whatever information you find. (Ideally, we hope that the report will contain place, coordinates, contact details of landowner, and a few photos!)

Archive/Bird identification/Birding/Birds

White-necked Raven (Corvus albicollis)

Posted on 24/05/2024 by Ryan Tippett

Cover image of White-Necked Raven by Zenobia van Dyk – Nyika National Park, Malawi – BirdPix No. 160639

Ravens belong to the Family CORVIDAE along with crows, Jays, Magpies etc. The family is known for their intelligence and for containing the largest of the passerines. Corvids are also the only passerine birds with the ability to soar.

Identification

The White-necked Raven is a large and distinctive black corvid. It is a conspicuous, aerial and vocal species which is unlikely to be overlooked.

They are easily recognised by the white collar or crescent on the hind neck and the otherwise entirely glossy black plumage. The sexes are alike in plumage but females are slightly larger than males. In flight, the broad wings and short, rounded tail are characteristic. The bill is distinctive, appearing heavy with an arched profile and a pale tip. The black legs are moderately long with large, strong feet.

Identification White-necked Raven — White-necked Raven (*Corvus albicollis*)
Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape
Photo by Gregg Darling

Juveniles are browner than the adults and have a narrow, whitish breast band. The white feathers on the hind neck are sometimes also flecked with black.

Immature White-necked Raven (*Corvus albicollis*)
Monk’s Cowl Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Andries de Vries

The white necked raven can only be mistaken for the smaller Pied Crow (Corvus albus) and Cape Crow (Corvus capensis). It is easily separated from the Pied crow by the latter’s white (not black) breast. Cape Crows are more slightly built, with slender bills, and are entirely black, lacking the white hind neck.

Status and Distribution

The White-necked Raven is a locally common resident. It is patchily distributed from Kenya to South Africa. In southern Africa it is confined mainly to the east, south and south-west. The range of this species in southern Africa corresponds closely with the distribution of cliffs. The White-necked Raven is absent from most of southern Mozambique due to a general lack of suitable habitat. They occur in both semi-arid and higher rain fall environments but avoid the most arid parts of the region. This would explain its absence from much of the northern Karoo, Botswana and Namibia.

SABAP2 distribution White-necked Raven — SABAP2 distribution map for **White-necked Raven** (*Corvus albicollis*) – download in May 2024.
Details for map interpretation can be found here.

The White-necked Raven is not threatened. The species occurs in good numbers throughout its present southern African range, and is well represented in protected areas. They are sometimes directly persecuted because of a rumoured tendency to molest or even kill young or sick sheep. White-necked Ravens are also vulnerable to poisoning as a non-target scavenger.

Habitat

White-necked Ravens are almost exclusively cliff nesters. As a result they are largely restricted to mountainous and hilly terrain where nest and roost sites are plentiful. They often forage over adjacent open plains and farmlands, especially stock farming rangelands and less often in crop-farming areas. White-necked Ravens may sometimes forage at open areas in and around towns and cities, but not as frequently as other corvids.

Behaviour

White-necked Ravens are usually encountered solitarily or in pairs. It is a sedentary, resident species, although some birds may move to lower altitudes in winter. They sometimes congregate in flocks of up to 150 at a good food source during the non-breeding season. They are often seen in the company of other scavengers like crows, kites and vultures. White-necked Ravens are opportunistic and are sometimes attracted to veld fires in the hope of catching prey fleeing from the flames.

Forages most frequently by soaring, but also seeks out food while walking on the ground, especially after fires and at rubbish dumps, livestock pastures and sports fields.

White neck Ravens are omnivorous and eat reptiles, birds, small mammals, bird eggs and insects like locusts and beetles. Also carrion, fruit and cereal grains, including maize, and groundnuts. They sometimes also feed on the nectar of large Aloes. White-necked Ravens scavenge readily and are usually first to arrive at carcasses, they also regularly patrol roads in search of roadkill. Small tortoises are a favourite prey and are carried in the feet or bill, where they are dropped onto flat rocks below to break open the shells. White-necked Ravens have also been recorded feeding on ticks taken from cattle. They are very intelligent and have been recorded caching food items in patches of tall grass.

White-necked Ravens have been recorded breeding from July to December throughout southern Africa. They are monogamous, and territorial when nesting. As they are aggressive birds, they often dispute territorial rights with other cliff nesting species.

The nest is a large bowl of sticks, lined with grass, hair and wool etc. Nests are placed on inaccessible ledges or in potholes on cliffs. Nests are rarely placed in trees. Clutch sizes range from 2 to 5 eggs. As with other corvids, incubation begins once the first egg has been laid. This results in the chicks hatching at different times. The incubation period last for around 21 days and is usually shared by both sexes. Chicks are fed entirely by the female, at first by regurgitation, then solid food is provided for them later. The female keeps the nest clean by swallowing the young chick’s faeces. Once the chicks are a bit older they defecate over the nest sides. The young are fully fledged around 38 days after hatching.

Further Resources

Species text in first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.

The use of photographs by Andries de Vries, Gary Brown, Gregg Darling, Karis Daniel, Lia Steen, Malcolm Robinson, Pamela Kleiman, Rick Nuttall, Tino Herselman and Zenobia van Dyk is acknowledged.

Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).

Other common names: Withalskraai (Afrikaans); iHubulu, iWabayi (Zulu); lhlungulu, Irhwababa, Umfundisi (Xhosa); Lekhoaba (South Sotho); Corbeau à nuque blanche (French); Geierrabe (German); Witnekraaf (Dutch); Corvo-das-montanhas (Portuguese)

Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2024. White-necked Raven Corvus albicollis. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2024/05/24/white-necked-raven-corvus-albicollis/

Bird identification, birding

Archive/Bird identification/Birding/Birds

Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata)

Posted on 23/05/2024 by Ryan Tippett

Cover image: Malachite Kingfisher by Dawie de Swardt – Dewetsdorp, Free State – BirdPix No.270818

Kingfishers belong to the family ALCEDINIDAE. They are small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species living in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, with just a handful of species found in Europe and the Americas. The family contains 118 species and is divided into three subfamilies and 19 genera. All kingfishers have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with only small differences between the sexes. Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority are found only in forests. Despite the English name ‘Kingfisher’, the majority of species do not feed on fish.

Identification

The jewel-like Malachite Kingfisher is a small, colourful species, and a firm favourite of bird photographers.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Mcaneta, Mozambique
Photo by Ansie Dee Reis

Adult Malachite Kingfishers have deep, yet bright blue upperparts. The blue is slightly paler on the nape and sides of the head, reaching above the eyes to form a blue supercilium. The crown is bright turquoise with black barring. The crown feathers are long and form a crest, especially on the sides, which is not usually raised. The forehead (frons) is orange-chestnut as are the lower sides of the face and neck. The throat is white and there is also an elongate white patch on the side of the neck. The chest and flanks are orange-chestnut and the belly is pale buff or off-white.

The long, straight bill is bright red, as are the legs and feet. The eyes are dark brown. Males and females are alike in plumage colouration.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*) showing its raised crest feathers.
Keimoes, Northern Cape
Photo by Dieter Oschadleus

Juveniles resemble the adults but are duller and darker in colour and the underparts are brownish-orange. They have black bills, legs and feet that slowly change to red after a few months. The cheeks and breast are variably covered in blackish speckles.

Juvenile Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Nylsvlei Nature Reserve, Limpopo
Photo by Neels Putter

In Southern Africa the Malachite Kingfisher is most likely to be mistaken for the African Pygmy Kingfisher (Ispidina picta) and the Half-collared Kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata).

Adult Malachite Kingfishers are distinguished from the much larger Half-collared Kingfisher by its red bill and orange cheeks. The Malachite Kingfisher more closely resemble the African Pygmy kingfisher but the latter lacks the crest on the crown, and has an orange (not blue) supercilium, pinkish-purple cheeks and more uniformly rufous underparts. African Pygmy Kingfishers are also slightly smaller and inhabit forested or well-wooded habitats, often far from water.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Near Piet Retief, Mpumalanga
Photo by Colin Summersgill

Status and Distribution

The Malachite Kingfisher is a common resident or local migrant. It can be locally abundant in some regions such as the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Near Hartbeespoort, North West
Photo by Ansie Dee Reis

The Malachite Kingfisher is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa. It avoids only the driest regions of north-East Africa and the arid areas of southern Africa, including the Kalahari, parts of the Northern Cape and much of Namibia. The Malachite Kingfisher is uncommon in the tropical forest zone, where it is largely replaced by other closely related species.

In southern Africa it is concentrated in the higher rainfall north, east and south of the subcontinent, extending westwards mainly along the Kunene and Orange River systems.

SABAP2 distribution map for **Malachite Kingfisher** (*Alcedo cristata*) – May 2024. Details for map interpretation can be found here.

The Malachite Kingfisher is widespread and is not threatened at present. It is locally vulnerable to river pollution, the use of pesticides and habitat destruction.

Habitat

The Malachite Kingfisher is closely associated with aquatic environments. It prefers well vegetated, slow-flowing rivers and streams. The Malachite Kingfisher is also commonly found on dams, marshes, the sheltered shores of large waterbodies, coastal lagoons, tidal estuaries, mangrove swamps, sewage ponds, irrigation canals and ornamental ponds. They also inhabit seasonal streams and ephemeral waters during the wet season. The Malachite Kingfisher sometimes also hunts in coastal rock pools. They avoid habitats with closed tree canopies over the water. Locations with steep banks are required for excavating nest tunnels in the breeding season.

Behaviour

When not breeding Malachite Kingfishers wander to exploit the availability of food. Young birds disperse widely, often flying at night.

Juvenile Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Underberg district, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Pamela Kleiman

The Malachite Kingfisher is generally a solitary species and is usually encountered along the edges of a waterbody, perching low down on reed or papyrus stems and the exposed branches of bushes and trees. They sometimes also perch on rocks or lengths of wire. It is not particularly shy and, when flushed, flies low over the water, soon to perch again.

Bathes by diving, often repeatedly, before flying off to to perch. They then shake vigorously before preening.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Brandvlei District, Northern Cape
Photo by Johan Van Rooyen

Sits motionless while hunting but occasionally flicks its tail, bobs its head or raises and lowers it crest. Scans the water for signs of prey and once spotted dives at a sharp angle into the water. Most prey is caught within a few centimetres of the surface. If successful, the prey is carried back to a perch in its bill where it is beaten and swallowed whole. Prey may be carried crosswise in the bill, but is always swallowed head first. They may also hawk flying insects from a perch.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Nyerere National Park, Tanzania
Photo by Walter Jubber

Small fish are the preferred prey but the diet of the Malachite Kingfisher is not restricted to fish. They also consume tadpoles, frogs, aquatic insects, dragonflies, terrestrial insects like grasshoppers and beetles, as well as shrimps, crabs and lizards.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Hluhluwe/iMfolozi Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett

Malachite Kingfishers have a long breeding season in southern Africa, varying slightly from region to region. Breeding generally spans from August to May and often coincides with the low-water period to avoid nests getting flooded.

Malachite Kingfishers are monogamous and territorial. The nest is a tunnel excavated by both sexes in a river or stream bank. Nests are also commonly excavated in road cuttings, earth mounds, in soil around the roots of fallen trees, in the inner wall of Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) burrows or some other hole in the ground. The tunnel is usually around 30 to 90cm long, ending in a small nest chamber. The nest chamber is lined with regurgitated fish bones, scales and arthropod exoskeletons.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Marius Meiring

Anywhere from 3 to 6 glossy white eggs are laid per clutch, and are usually laid at 1 day intervals. Incubation starts once the clutch has been completed and lasts approximately 15 days. Both sexes share in the incubation duties.

The chicks all hatch within 2 days of each other. The nestlings are brooded for warmth mostly by the female and the nestling period lasts around 23 days. Once the young have fledged they start fishing within 1 week of leaving the nest. They remain with the parents for another 15 days or so before the parents chase them away.

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Zaagkuilsdrift, Limpopo
Photo by Wiekus Moolman

Malachite Kingfishers are multi-brooded and are capable of raising 3 or 4 clutches during a single breeding season! New clutches are sometimes completed in an adjacent nest, even before the departure of the previous fledglings.

Juvenile Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng
Photo by Ansie Dee Reis

Further Resources

This species text is adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.

The use of photographs by Ansie Dee Reis, Colin Summersgill, Dawie de Swardt, Dieter Oschadleus, Johan Van Rooyen Lia Steen, Marius Meiring, Neels Putter, Pamela Kleiman, Walter Jubber and Wiekus Moolman is acknowledged.

Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).

Other common names: Kuifkopvisvanger (Afrikaans); iNhIunuyamanzi, isiKhilothi, uZangozolo (Zulu); Isaxwila (Xhosa); Mmatlhapi, Seinôdi (Tswana); Malachietijsvogel (Dutch); Martin-pêcheur huppé (French); Malachiteisvogel, Haubenzwergfischer (German); Pica-peixe-de-poupa (Portuguese).

List of species available in this format.

Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2024. Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2024/05/23/malachite-kingfisher-alcedo-cristata/

Bird identification, birding

Malachite Kingfisher (*Alcedo cristata*)
Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng
Photo by Lia Steen

Archive/Bird identification/Birding/Birds

Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator)

Posted on 22/05/2024 by Ryan Tippett

Cover image: Greater Honeyguide by Phil White – Mbuluzi Game Reserve, eSwatini – BirdPix No.103314

Honeyguides belong to the Family: INDICATORIDAE and it is the only family of birds in which every member is exclusively brood parasitic. They are intriguing and unusual birds with an array of fascinating adaptations.

Identification

The Greater Honeyguide is a large, greyish-brown honeyguide. It is unique among honeyguides in that they are sexually dimorphic, differing in plumage colouration.

Adult males are more colourful than females and have a pink bill, black throat and white ear coverts, and often show a small yellow shoulder patch. The upperparts, from the forehead to the lower back are dark olive-brown to greyish brown. The wings are dusky brown with pale edges to the coverts. The tail is blackish with broad, white outer tail feathers (present in both sexes and juveniles). The white outer tail feathers are usually only visible in flight or when the tail is spread. The chin and throat are black, while the rest of the underparts are greyish-white, sometimes with faint, dark streaking on the middle breast to the belly. The eyes are dark brown and the legs and feet are grey.

Female Greater Honeyguide (*Indicator indicator*)
Underberg district, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Pamela Kleiman

Females resemble males but are duller and slightly paler above. They also lack the male’s distinctive head markings. Females also have a dark blackish (not pink) bill.

Juveniles are plain brown above with a darker brown crown, neatly separated from the yellowish throat. They often also have a greyish eye-ring. Their underparts are distinctly yellowish below, especially on the breast, making them fairly easy to identify.

Male Greater Honeyguides with their pink bills, and distinctive facial markings are not easily mistaken for other species. Females are more difficult to identify and can resemble bulbuls, but differ in behaviour, perching conspicuously and with a more upright posture. Females most resemble the Scaly-throated Honeyguide (Indicator variegatus) but can be distinguished by the plain, unstreaked breast and greyish-brown (not olive brown) back and wings.

Status and Distribution

The Greater Honeyguide is widespread across sub-Saharan Africa and is absent only from tropical forest and desert regions. In southern Africa it occurs mainly in the north and east, extending along the southern coast into the Western Cape. It is absent from most of Namibia, Botswana and the drier regions of the central and northern Karoo.

The distribution of the Greater Honeyguide parallels that of its primary brood hosts, and not that of its main food source the African Honeybee (Apis mellifera)

SABAP2 distribution map for Greater Honeyguide — SABAP2 distribution map for **Greater Honeyguide** (*Indicator indicator*) – May 2024. Details for map interpretation can be found here.

The Greater Honeyguide is generally uncommon throughout its range. It is most numerous in the north and east of southern Africa and less so in the south. Population densities of the Greater Honeyguide are everywhere low.

There is no evidence that the distribution of the Greater Honeyguide has declined since the beginning of the 20th century. Its range has in fact expanded in South Africa, especially in the Western Cape and the fringes of the Karoo. This is mainly due to the widespread planting of trees and the development of parks and gardens. It may have also benefited from bee farming in several areas. The elimination of wild beehives might cause local population decreases.

Habitat

The Greater Honeyguide is found mostly in the Savanna biome, occupying a wide range of woodland types. It also inhabits riverine forest and forest edge but avoids areas of dense forest. The Greater Honeyguide has adapted readily to plantations of pine and eucalypts, and is also found along treed watercourses in some arid areas, notably on the Orange River. The Greater Honeyguide also occurs in fynbos, grassland and the moister parts of the Karoo, but in these habitats it is restricted to areas with at least some trees.

Behaviour

The Greater Honeyguide is normally solitary, secretive and seldom seen, unless calling at a song post or when guiding. They often sit perched for long periods.

Song posts may be used year-round, but mostly in the breeding season season. These call sites are used by one or more males for generations. Males show little if any aggression to one another at a song post even when females are present. Their characteristic and far-carrying ‘vic-torrr’ call is distinctive, as is the excited, rattling chatter of the guiding call. Males can also produce a drumming sound like that of a snipe, although not as intense, by vibrating the fanned tail in swooping display flights. The normal flight is fast and undulating.

Greater Honeyguides are inquisitive and readily attracted to disturbances like the alarm-calls of other birds and the mobbing of predators. They regularly attend mixed-species foraging flocks and are also known to be attracted to fire. They drink water frequently and waiting patiently at water is one of the best ways to see them.

Greater Honeyguides eat beeswax, adult bees, their eggs and larvae. They do not eat honey and seem to avoid it altogether, perhaps due to its stickiness and potential to impair the function of their feathers. Beeswax is important in the diet and honeyguides have symbiotic micro-organisms in the gut that help to digest the wax. The ability to eat wax is known as cerophagy and is rare in vertebrates. Greater Honeyguides will also feed on other insects such as termite alates, caterpillars, ants, beetles and grasshoppers.

They have an acute sense of smell and locate beehives primarily by scent, but also by sight, quietly observing the coming and going of bees.

It is unknown exactly how important beeswax is in their diet. Honeycomb is a relatively scarce and hard to obtain food source that the birds themselves are not well equipped to access. Honeyguides are not immune to bee stings but they do have a tougher than usual skin and dense feathering that can provide them with some protection.

In most instances honeyguides would require help to access honeycomb. It has long been suspected that Greater Honeyguides lead Honey Badgers (Mellivora capensis) to beehives, however this has never been adequately proven. Honey Badgers have a highly developed sense of smell and have no problem finding beehives by themselves. They are also very well equipped to access the hives and to tear them apart. Honey Badgers seen feeding at beehives usually have one or more honeyguides in attendance. The most likely scenario here is that the honeyguides were attracted by the commotion and the smell of the exposed honeycombs.

Greater Honeyguides are most well known for their ability to lead humans to beehives. This guiding habit is well developed and is innate and not learned. Adults of both sexes, and less frequently immatures, guide at any time of the day and throughout the year.

The honeyguides know the locality of beehives within their home ranges and these birds display and chatter excitedly to draw human attention to themselves. Once noticed, the bird will approach the human. It then flies in exaggerated dipping flight to another exposed perch, where it awaits the person before the display and chattering is repeated. This process carries on until the hive is reached. If the bird is not followed, it will double back and repeatedly try to draw the persons attention. Once the hive is reached, the bird alters its behaviour, sitting motionless and in silence while the hive is plundered.

In traditional folklore it has been said that if the honey-gatherers do not leave some honeycomb behind for the bird, that next time the honeyguide will lead them to a Black Mamba or some other peril!

This guiding behaviour is confined to certain areas of the birds distribution, being entirely absent from others. Honeyguides are believed to have associated with human honey-gatherers for many thousands of years. Unfortunately this symbiotic relationship has disappeared from many areas of Africa due to a lack of response by humans to the guiding call. This is likely the result of modern people no longer needing, or wanting to forage for food in the wild and may eventually lead to the complete loss of this complex bird-human relationship.

Greater Honeyguides are brood parasitic, targeting a wide range of hole-nesting birds. In southern Africa at least 39 host species have been recorded with a number of other species suspected as hosts. The most frequent hosts include bee-eaters, martins, kingfishers, starlings, tits, barbets, woodpeckers and woodhoopoes.

Prior to breeding, males begin to call more frequently from their song posts. Males call on and off throughout the day from September to March. Females are attracted to males at the song posts and their arrival coincides with ovulation. Greater Honeyguides are polygynous, whereby a male mates with multiple females through the breeding season. Males then play no further role in the breeding process.

Mated females then head off to seek out the nests of host species. Once a potential host nest is found the female sits quietly and observes the activities of the host birds. She then carefully picks the right moment to sneak into the nest. A single glossy white egg is (usually) laid per nest, which she does quickly. It is strongly suspected that she will remove a host egg for every egg she lays. The remaining host eggs are then often punctured or damaged, increasing the survival chances of the honeyguide chick.

Greater Honeyguide eggs require a shorter incubation time than those of their hosts and allows for the honeyguide chick to hatch earlier, giving them an additional survival advantage. However, the exact incubation time has not yet been recorded.

Newly hatched honeyguide chicks have lethal bill hooks on both mandibles that they use to kill the host chicks. These hooks are lost within several days of hatching, having already served their purpose. Chicks remain in the host nest for a long time (up to 38 days) and are almost independent on leaving. Greater Honeyguide fledglings are often still fed by the host for another 7 days or so. Sometimes the confused foster parent will simultaneously feed the perched honeyguide fledgling, and then mob it once it flies.

Further Resources

Species text for the Greater Honeyguide in the First Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.

The use of photographs by Anthony Paton, Bryan Groom, Desire Darling, Gert Myburgh, Gregg Darling, Jorrie Jordaan, Maans Booysen, Neels Putter, Pamela Kleiman, Phil White, Rick Nuttall, Tony Archer and Zenobia van Dyk is acknowledged.

Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).

Other common names: Grootheuningwyser (Afrikaans); iNgede ,iNhlavebizelayo (Zulu); Intakobusi (Xhosa); Tshetlho (Tswana); Grote Honingspeurder (Dutch); Grand Indicateur (French); Großer Honiganzeiger, Schwarzkehl-Honiganzeiger (German); Indicador-grande (Portuguese).

List of species available in this format.

Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2024. Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2024/05/22/greater-honeyguide-indicator-indicator/

Bird identification, birding

Archive/Bird identification/Birding/Birds/Migration

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Posted on 16/05/2024 by Ryan Tippett

Cover image of Barn Swallow by Andries de Vries – Middelburg district, Mpumalanga – BirdPix No. 266068

The Barn Swallow belongs to the family HIRUNDINIDAE, a group that includes Swallows, Martins, and Saw-wings. They are small to medium-sized passerine birds, noted for their streamlined bodies, long, pointed wings, and square or forked tails, often with very long outer rectrices. Their bills are small and flattened with a wide gape, and their legs are very short and weak. All are highly adapted to aerial feeding, and most are gregarious, at least when not breeding. This family has a global distribution and comprises around 90 species, with the greatest diversity being found in Africa. 21 species have been recorded from southern Africa.

Identification

Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*)
Dinokeng, Gauteng
Photo by Philip Nieuwoudt

The Barn Swallow is medium-sized in comparison to other swallows. In adults, the upperparts are dark glossy blue. The forehead, chin and throat are rufous coloured, and the lores are black. The throat is bordered below by a blue-black band. In some races, the rufous throat extends into the collar, sometimes even replacing it.

The rest of the undersides are creamy white to buff coloured, often with a pinkish wash in fresh plumage. The flanks occasionally carry some chestnut feathers.

Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*)
Near Ashburton, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Malcolm Robinson

The tail is glossy blueish-black with oval-shaped white patches on the inner webs of all but the central pair of tail feathers. The outermost rectrices are elongated into streamers.

The underwing coverts are white to off-white. The small, slender bill is black. The legs and feet are also black, and the eyes are dark brown. The sexes are very similar; however, males have longer tail streamers and larger white windows on the tail.

young Barn Swallow — Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*) Immature
Kruger National Park, Limpopo
Photo by Lappies Labuschagne

Immature birds have brownish upperparts with variable blue-black patches depending on age. The forehead and throat are off-white to buff with a broad black collar on the upper breast. The lower breast and belly are buff or off-white.

In southern Africa, the adult Barn Swallow is conspicuous and is not likely to be confused with any other swallow, except perhaps the Angolan Swallow Hirundo angolensis, which is similar but only occurs as a rare vagrant to the extreme northern parts of Namibia. Immature birds most resemble immature White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis but have a much broader collar.

Habitat

The Barn Swallow is found over all habitats in southern Africa, particularly in the moister east, favouring open grassland, pastures, cultivation, marshes and open water. The Barn Swallow is most abundant in the higher rainfall eastern half of the subcontinent. It is scarce in semi-arid and desert habitats, but can sometimes be locally common in the eastern Karoo and Kalahari.

It is generally uncommon at high altitude, including the Drakensberg. In South Africa, the Barn Swallow is most prevalent in the Grassland, Savanna, and Fynbos Biomes

Behaviour

Barn Swallows breed throughout the Palaearctic and Nearctic and spend the non-breeding season in South America, Africa, southern Asia, and Australasia. The total number of Barn Swallows from western Europe entering Africa each year has been estimated at 22-44 million, and possibly twice that many come from eastern Europe and Asia.

Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*)
Carnarvon district, Northern Cape
Photo by Ryan Tippett

Barn Swallows first arrive in South Africa during September, although most arrive in October or early November. Arrivals in the most southerly parts of their range are a little later than further north. Departure dates for all areas are from mid-March to early April, with small numbers of birds still recorded in May.

Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*)
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Photo by Derek Solomon

Before their northward departure, Barn Swallows congregate in their hundreds or thousands. Perching on trees or utility lines, they excitedly gather themselves for their northward migration, where they may travel around 12000 km in just 34 days or so. Overwintering has been recorded in South Africa, but it is rare and most prevalent in the southwestern Cape Province.

Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*) Immature
Carnarvon district, Northern Cape
Photo by Ryan Tippett

Barn Swallows are highly gregarious in southern Africa. At some roost sites, which have been in use for at least 50 years, flocks have been estimated to contain up to 3 million birds. Flocks sometimes also roost in trees or in maize fields. Flocks typically break up into smaller groups and scatter widely by day.

Barn Swallows may forage singly or in loose groups of up to several hundred birds. They feed aerially at all heights, often in the company of other swallows or swifts. The flight is quick and agile, often swooping low over the ground.

Barn Swallows feed predominantly on flying insects that they capture in aerial pursuit. They will also take other arthropods that they seize from vegetation, from off the ground, or by skimming the water surface, all whilst in flight. Recorded prey items include flies, midges, mosquitoes, moths, ants, caterpillars, termite alates, spiders, and amphipods, amongst others. They are also known to feed on the fleshy arils of alien Rooikrans (Acacia cyclops) seeds. They drink regularly by skimming the water surface in flight.

Flocks of Barn Swallows are sometimes attracted to grazing cattle, buffaloes and other large animals to feed on disturbed insects. They will also loosely follow vehicles and ploughs for the same reason.

Groups or individuals rest periodically by perching on trees, fence lines or any other suitable perch. During inclement weather, they frequently perch low or sit on the ground.

Status and Distribution

The Barn Swallow occurs throughout southern Africa and is an abundant non-breeding Palearctic migrant. It is the most widespread swallow species globally, occurring on every continent except Antarctica.

SABAP2 distribution map for Barn Swallow — SABAP2 distribution map for **Barn Swallow** (*Hirundo rustica*) – May 2024.
Details for map interpretation can be found here.

In southern Africa, large-scale communal roosting in reedbeds means the Barn Swallow is vulnerable to accidental poisoning due to avicide spraying for the control of queleas and other pest seedeaters. The burning of reedbeds, which is particularly prevalent in dry years, may raise local mortalities.

The Barn Swallow is undergoing a slow, steady decline in many European countries. However, the population in North America has seen an increase during the 20th century. Overall, the Barn Swallow remains abundant and is not globally threatened.

Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*)
Kanonberg, Western Cape
Photo by Marius Meiring

Further Resources

Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997. That text can be found here.

The use of photographs by Andries de Vries, Deon van der Hoven, Derek Solomon, Gerald Wingate, Johan Van Rooyen, Malcolm Robinson, Marius Meiring, Mark Stanton, and Philip Nieuwoudt is acknowledged. Additional photos by Ryan Tippett.

Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).

Other common names: European Swallow, Eurasian Swallow (Alt. English); Europese swael (Afrikaans); Mbawulwana (Tswana); iNkoniane (Zulu); Inkonjane (Xhosa); Hirondelle rustique (French); Rauchschwalbe (German); Andorinha-das-chaminés (Portuguese); Boerenzwaluw (Dutch).

A list of bird species in this format is available here.

Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2024. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2024/05/16/barn-swallow-hirundo-rustica/

Bird identification, birding

Similar Species

White-throated Swallow (Hirundo albigularis)

Archive/Bird ringing/Birding/Birds

Bird ringing course at Ouberg Private Nature Reserve: 1 to 7 May 2024

Posted on 10/05/2024 by Dieter Oschadleus

The BDI hosted the eighth bird ringing course from 1 to 7 May, this time at Ouberg Private Nature Reserve in the Klein Karoo, north of Montagu. This was the first visit here since the RAVE in December 2023 (see list of previous ringing events here).

A highlight of this trip was the opening of the new De Kuile campsite. The camp consists of four permanent tents on wooden platforms, an ablution block and a large dining hall. Although some nights were cold, having beds with warm duvets kept the campers warm!

New campsite at Ouberg Private Nature Reserve — *View from one the new tents (Sue Gie)*

The focus was on ringing at different sites where the drainage lines crossed gravel roads. Ringing totals were low, as reflected in the low number of sparrows and weavers caught – there were simply few of these birds present. The top species was Cape Bulbul (n=14), and 28 species were caught. Some species are always special in the hand, including two Fairy Flycatchers, a Cape Batis and three Bokmakieries.

Fairy Flycatcher: bird ringing at Ouberg — *Fairy Flycatcher (Sue Gie)*

17 individual birds were caught in spring traps, involving 11 species: Karoo Chat, Familiar Chat, Cape Robin-chat, Karoo Scrub Robin, Grey-backed Cisticola, Fiscal Flycatcher, Cape Wagtail, Common Fiscal, Bokmakierie, Cape Sparrow, and Cape Bunting.

There were 16 recaptures from earlier bird ringing at Ouberg. 13 of these were recaptured at the same micro-site as where they were ringed. Three birds had been ringed at the farm house on previous visits in 2023 and were retrapped at a different site this week – Olive Thrush 403945 to Dip 1, Southern Masked Weaver BE72618 to Dip 2, and Southern Fiscal CC21123 to Dip 1 and Dip 2.

The last afternoon and morning produced some interesting birds for the farm. A Southern Tchagra was noticed and we tried calling it into the nets but it kept flying in the tree tops. There was also a small flock of Cape Penduline Tit, and they flittered around the nets without touching the nets. The very last bird caught in the nets was a Namaqua Warbler, a bird we thought we heard the previous day so the ringing catch was confirmation – the first record of this species on the farm!

Namaqua Warbler : bird ringing at Ouberg — *Namaqua Warbler (Sue Gie)*

The overall total for the week was 101 birds of 28 species, detailed in the table below.

Totals for bird ringing at Ouberg, 1 to 7 May 2024, by micro-site

Sp no	English	House	Dip 1	Dip 2	Dip Main	Total
391	White-backed Mousebird	1				1
392	Red-faced Mousebird			1		1
543	Cape Bulbul	14				14
566	Karoo Chat				1	1
570	Familiar Chat			1	1	2
581	Cape Robin-chat	1	1		2	4
583	Karoo Scrub Robin		2	1	3	6
609	Little Rush Warbler	1				1
621	Long-billed Crombec				2	2
622	Bar-throated Apalis			1	3	4
638	Grey-backed Cisticola		2	1		3
653	Namaqua Warbler				1	1
658	Chestnut-vented Warbler			2	3	5
665	Fiscal Flycatcher				4	4
672	Cape Batis			1		1
678	Fairy Flycatcher				2	2
686	Cape Wagtail	1				1
707	Southern Fiscal	1	1	1		3
722	Bokmakierie		1	1	1	3
760	Southern Double-collared Sunbird			3		3
786	Cape Sparrow	7			2	9
799	Cape Weaver	1				1
803	Southern Masked Weaver	2		1		3
843	Common Waxbill	4				4
873	Cape Bunting	1	1			2
1105	Olive Thrush	2	3			5
1172	Cape White-eye	6	2		1	9
4139	Karoo Prinia	4		2		6

	TOTALS	46	13	16	26	101

We also did some bird atlasing for SABAP2. We made full protocol checklists for eight pentads: 3335_2025 (30 species), 3335_2020 (39 species), 3330_2010 (20 species), 3330_2015 (27 species), 3340_2015 (40 species), 3325_2015 (43 species), 3330_2035 (55 species) and also 3330_2040 (55 species).

a detour to go atlasing while bird ringing at Ouberg — Pentad 3330_2040, the one that is shaded, got its fifth SABAP2 checklist, and pentad 3330_2035, on the left, got its fourth checklist. The full bird species lists for these pentads are here 3330_2040 and here 3330_2035 respectively, *This area is farmland immediately south of the Anysberg Nature Reserve. The river running through the two pentads is the Touws River, and there is substantial water available for irrigation*.

We also made a substantial contribution to the Virtual Museum. May is a bit late for the dragonflies still to be flying. So here are four of the contributions made to OdonataMAP:

Orange-winged dropwing, Cape Skimmer, Two Striped Skimmer, Epaulet Skimmer — Four late in the season contributions to OdonataMAP: Orange-winged Dropwing (OdonataMAP record 147239) (top left), Cape Skimmer (147232) (top right), Two-striped Skimmer (147233) (bottom left), Epaulet Skimmer (147234) (bottom right)

Four late in the season contributions to OdonataMAP: Orange-winged Dropwing (OdonataMAP record 147239) (top left), Cape Skimmer (147232) (top right), Two-striped Skimmer (147233) (bottom left), Epaulet Skimmer (147234) (bottom right)

Thanks to Richard, Sue, Dan and team for building an amazing camp, and to Sue for hosting us so well!

The communal space at the new campsite at Ouberg Private Nature Reserve. This will enable us to have more people bird ringing at Ouberg — *Supper in the new dining hall (Sue Gie*)

Archive/Bird identification/Birding/Birds/Citizen Science

African Hoopoe (Upupa epops africana)

Posted on 09/05/2024 by Ryan Tippett

Cover image: African Hoopoe by Lia Steen – Shellybeach, KwaZulu-Natal – BirdPix No.276954

Identification

The charismatic African Hoopoe is a subspecies of the Eurasian Hoopoe. It is distinctive and unlike any other southern African bird species. It is conspicuous and readily identifiable. The combination of its long, decurved bill, elongate black-tipped crest and black, white and cinnamon plumage render the African Hoopoe unmistakable.

African Hoopoe (*Upupa epops africana*) male.
Middelburg district, Eastern Cape
Photo by Tino Herselman

The crest is fan-shaped when fully erect but is usually held flat, projecting in a long point from the back of the crown. The cinnamon coloured crest feathers are of different lengths and have broad black tips, showing as black bars when the crown is flattened.

The sexes are distinguishable in flight with females showing three conspicuous white bars across the secondaries, whilst in males the two lower bars are fused to form a large white panel. Females are also duller overall with a greyish wash on the face and breast.

Upupa africana — African Hoopoe (*Upupa epops africana*) female
Keimoes, Northern Cape
Photo by Andries de Vries

Most of the body, including the head, neck and mantle, breast and belly are rich cinnamon. The lower belly is paler with a few long, dark streaks. The rump and lower back are white with a single broad black bar. The tail is glossy black on both the upper and underside while the under tail coverts are white. The folded wings are dull black with a series of white and cream-buff bars.

Immature and juvenile birds resemble adult females, but are slightly duller. They also have pale buff bellies and cream coloured wing bands. Juveniles also have a shorter crest and bill.

Status and Distribution

The African Hoopoe is fairly common throughout southern Africa. It is resident in some parts of its range, but nomadic to migratory in others. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and also across Madagascar. Occurs throughout southern Africa, absent only from deserts and the most arid parts of the Karoo. The gaps in distribution in Lesotho and the former Transkei (Eastern Cape) are probably due to habitat loss through human impact.

SABAP2 distribution map for African Hoopoe — SABAP2 distribution map for **African Hoopoe** (*Upupa epops africana*) – May 2024. Details for map interpretation can be found here.

In general, the African Hoopoe appears to have benefited from human activities and has extended its range and abundance in a number of areas. It is not considered threatened.

Habitat

It is essentially a woodland bird and is found in all natural and secondary types of woodland, provided they are not too dense, too wet or too dry. It favours open woodland with a short-grass understorey and patches of bare ground. It avoids the interior of indigenous forest.

The African Hoopoe occurs in virtually all the biomes of southern Africa and inhabits a very broad range of habitats. This is in part due to its ability to adapt to man-made habitats like parks, gardens, orchards, farmyards and plantations.

Behaviour

The African Hoopoe is found singly, in pairs or in small family groups.

It sometimes dustbathes and is also recorded to partake in passive anting. The flight is ungainly and undulating, with heavy flapping. African Hoopoes roost singly in exposed positions on a tree branch, usually close to its feeding grounds and may use the same spot for many successive nights. Males and fledglings never roost in the nest cavity. Breeding females roost in the nest hole prior to egg-laying and until the young have fledged.

The African Hoopoe responds instinctively to the alarm calls of other species and engages in the mobbing of predators such as snakes.

The African Hoopoe forages on bare ground or in short-grass patches, probing the ground with its bill or flicking over leaves and dry animal dung in search of insects. The tip of the bill is kept slightly open when probing. Captured prey is held in the tip of the bill before being tossed back into the mouth. Larger prey is beaten on the ground and broken into fragments that can be easily swallowed. The diet consists mostly of insects, their larvae and pupae. It occasionally hawks termite alates. The African Hoopoe does not drink and gains all of its moisture requirements from the food it eats.

The African Hoopoe is a monogamous, solitary nester and they are strongly territorial when nesting. Territorial defence between males involves displaying with ruffled feathers and wings held open. Males will then usually rush towards rivals until they retreat. Interactions sometimes end up in a chase, accompanied by much calling. If threat displays fail, males will fight with their crests raised as they lock their bills together, often fluttering a few meters into the air before separating and dropping to the ground. During courtship the male spends a lot of time chasing the female, but he also regularly offers her gifts of food in a display of courtship-feeding.

The nest site is seemingly chosen by the male. Natural cavities in which to nest are preferred. Examples include natural tree holes, holes in old termite mounds, rock walls or a hole in the ground. Old woodpecker or barbet nest holes are less commonly utilised. The African Hoopoe will also nest in man-made cavities such as those found in nest boxes, drainage pipes, broken walls and crevices in old buildings. Nest sites are located up to 8 m above the ground. Nest cavities are sometimes modified and cleaned of debris by the male, but the African Hoopoe never excavates its own nest hole.

Nest sites may be used over several years and develop a strong, unpleasant smell after the young hatch. This is probably derived from preen-gland secretions and faeces and is an effective deterrent against predators.

Eggs are laid from August to February and four to seven eggs are laid per clutch. Incubation lasts for around 15 days and begins at clutch completion. However, the female stays in the nest once she has laid the first egg. Incubation is performed solely by the female. The incubating female is fed by the male.

Chicks hatch synchronously and the female remains in the nest for several days after the eggs hatch. The male does all the foraging at this time and passes food to her, which she distributes to the nestlings. Thereafter, the female joins the male in foraging for food. The nestling period lasts around 30 days, at which point the fledglings will leave the nest to beg or wait for food from the parents. Fledglings are dependant on their parents for up to 1 month after leaving the nest. Nestlings huff and hiss at intruders when alarmed and can discharge a foul-smelling excrement in defence.

African Hoopoes are sometimes multi-brooded. They are commonly parasitised by the Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) and possibly also the Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor).

Further Resources

This species text is adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.

The use of photographs by Andries de Vries, Anthony Paton, Colin Summersgill, Dawie de Swardt, Gerald Wingate, Jaco Botes, Johan Heyns, Lia Steen, Tino Herselman and Tony Archer is acknowledged.

Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).

Other common names: Hoephoep (Afrikaans); umZolozolo, uZiningweni (Zulu); Ubhobhoyi (Xhosa); Marimamalanga (Tswana); Hop (Dutch); Huppe d’Afrique (French); Wiedehopf (German); Poupa (Portuguese).

List of species available in this format.

Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2024. African Hoopoe Upupa epops africana. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2024/05/09/african-hoopoe-upupa-africana/

Bird identification, birding