The Biodiversity and Development Institute (BDI) hosted a Citizen Science Day on Saturday, 27 May 2023, with a focus on bird ringing at Grotto Bay Private Nature Reserve. The reserve has an area of 385 ha, and the vegetation consists of Strandveld and Sandveld.
Ringers had their nets up on a very cold morning, and it took a short while to start catching birds. Eventually we had a really good catch of 41 birds of 15 species. There were three recaptures from our previous session here (1 October 2022) – two White-backed Mousebirds and a Karoo Prinia.
Spurs on the male Cape Spurfowl
A male Cape Spurfowl flew into one of the mistnets – he had very sharp spurs, which measured at 19.9 mm long (read more here about the spurs of the Cape Spurfowl). There was a good mix of fynbos species, including Karoo Scrub Robin, Long-billed Crombec, Bar-throated Apalis, Grey-backed Cisticola, Chestnut-vented Warbler, and with seven White-backed Mousebirds topping the list.
Primary moult in the Cape Spurfowl. Primaries one to five (P1 to P5) are new (the innermost wing feathers), primary six (P6) is growing, and the outer three primaries (P7 to P9) are old. You see that they are old, because the colour has faded relative to the five new inner primaries.
It was interesting to see the slight difference in width of breast band in a pair of Bar-throated Apalis. Wing, tail and tarsus were also slightly longer in the male than female, while mass was more or less the same.
Special feathers make up the eye-ring of the Cape White-eye
Residents of Grotto Bay came to watch the ringing, learn about birds in the hand, and listen to two talks at the Grotto Bay Conservation Centre. Dieter Oschadleus gave some examples to demonstrate the value of ringing, starting with the 2000 Treasure oil spill and how valuable it was for conservation to ring over 20,000 African Penguins. Les Underhill spoke about citizen science, highlighting three projects that people can become involved in – the bird atlas SABAP2, the Virtual Museum, and bird ringing.
Dieter starting his talk at the Grotto Bay Conservation Centre
Thanks very much to Michelle and Roy for catering and hosting us at the Grotto Bay Private Nature Reserve! Thanks to the many ringers and helpers! We look forward to the next time we go bird ringing at Grotto Bay.
Cover image of Ant-eating Chat by Desire Darling – Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape – BirdPix No. 7088
Identification
The Ant-eating Chat is distinctive and easily recognisable. It has overall dark, dusky brown plumage with striking and distinctive white primaries when seen in flight. The body shape is somewhat dumpy and has an upright stance on fairly long legs.
The sexes differ subtly as the male is slightly darker than the female. Males also have a white carpal patch on each shoulder, but these are frequently concealed when perched. Females lack the white shoulder patches.
Juveniles have a rufous wash to the dark brown plumage and show less white in the wings.
The Ant-eating Chat is a Southern African endemic. It is common and widespread in the central parts of the region. It is primarily an inland species and is mostly absent from coastal areas, except along the west coast of South Africa. The Ant-eating Chat is also absent from the most arid parts of Namibia and is currently not known to occur in Zimbabwe or Mozambique.
It is possible that the range of the Ant-eating Chat has increased in some parts of its range due to bush clearing for agriculture such as in the Western Cape near Cape Town, the western parts of Limpopo and the adjoining eastern region of Botswana. Conversely, the Ant-eating Chat appears to have suffered local extinctions in much of Lesotho and the former Transkei region of the Eastern Cape. This is due to intense human predation of small burrowing mammals, upon which the Ant-eating Chat relies for nest sites, as well as high livestock densities which appear to eliminate many ground-nesting birds.
SABAP2 distribution map for Ant-eating ChatMyrmecocichla formicivora – download in May 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.
Habitat
The Ant-eating Chat occurs in open grassy habitats, usually with at least some scrub and bushes for perching on. It favours semi-arid Karoo shrublands, open grasslands, rolling grassy hills and open, arid Kalahari savanna on sands.
Habitat – Near Carnarvon, Northern Cape Photo by Ryan Tippett
Behaviour
The Ant-eating Chat is conspicuous and distinctive in its behaviour. It occurs singly, in pairs, or in small family groups of up to 6 or more birds. They are not territorial but occupy well-defined home ranges. Flies with rapidly beating wings, hovering, swerving and dropping to perch or to ground; often raises tail after landing. Roosts and nests in cavities in the ground.
Forages by hopping or running about on the ground, or by dropping onto prey from a perch. Primarily consumes ants and termites but also takes a range of other insects and arachnids, including grasshoppers, beetles and solifugids. They are also known to eat millipedes and berries in season.
The Ant-eating Chat has a prolonged spring and summer breeding season with a peak from October to December. In display the male flies with stiff wings, while tilting sideways to show the conspicuous white shoulders. Males sometimes also fly rapidly for 40-50 m before hovering for several seconds. All displays are accompanied by singing.
Nests are solitary and are widely spaced. Multiple broods per season are attempted and cooperative breeding frequently takes place whereby a pair and one or two juveniles from the previous brood act as helpers at the nest.
The Ant-eating Chat mostly uses the holes of burrowing mammal species such as the Aardvark (Orycteropus afer), Porcupine (Hystrix africaeustralis), Springhare (Pedetes capensis), Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris) and Yellow Mongoose (Cynictis pinicillata), inside of which they will excavate their own nest tunnel. Excavation of the tunnel and all nest building duties are shared by both sexes. The soil is loosened with the bill and shovelled out with the feet. The tunnel takes the birds around eight to ten days to complete and may be up to 1.5m deep. They will also utilise gullies, stream banks, road cuttings or sand quarries as nesting sites.
The nest is a bowl of dry grass and roots, placed in a chamber at end of the tunnel. From 2 to 7 plain whitish eggs are laid per clutchand incubation usually starts once all the eggs have been laid. The incubation period lasts for 14 or 15 days and all incubation is performed by the female. Hatchlings are fed by both adults and sometimes by up to 2 helpers from earlier broods. Fledged juveniles use the nest burrow for shelter, roosting, and as a bolt hole when alarmed. Brood parasitism by the Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) has been recorded.
Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.
The use of photographs by Dawie de Swardt, Desire Darling, Jaco Botes, Johan and Estelle van Rooyen, Pamela Kleiman, Tino Herselman and Zenobia van Dyk is acknowledged.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: Swartpiek (Afrikaans); Leping (Tswana); Isanzwili (Xhosa); Traquet fourmilier (French); Termitenschmätzer, Ameisenschmätzer (German); Kaapse Miertapuit (Dutch); Chasco-formigueiro-meridional (Portuguese)
Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2023. Ant-Eating Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/05/29/ant-eating-chat-myrmecocichla-formicivora/
List of bird species in this format is available here.
Cover image of Familiar Chat by Ryan Tippett – Near Carnarvon, Northern Cape – BirdPix No. 253536
Identification
The Familiar Chat is a small and drab species. The sexes are alike.
The overall colour is greyish-brown and buff. The most distinguishing characteristic is the rufous-orange rump and tail. The centre and tip of the tail is blackish-brown, forming an upside down ‘T’. This is diagnostic and most easily observed in flight. The ear coverts are rufous-brown and the bill, legs and feet are black.
Juveniles have upper parts spotted buff, while the underparts show dark feather tips, giving a scaled appearance.
Familiar Chat (Oenanthe familiaris) This is a young bird, with buff-tipped feathers on the back and spots on the front. Ezemvelo, Gauteng Photo by Anthony Paton
Most easily mistaken for the Sickle-winged Chat (Emarginata sinuata) but that species has a pale, rufous-pink (not orange) rump and a broad blackish triangle (not the ‘T’) on the tail.
The Familiar Chat is a common resident but may move locally in response to food availability in arid areas.
It has a disjunct distribution in West, Central and East Africa. It is commonest and most widespread in South Africa with the highest population densities occurring in the semi-arid Karoo. It is markedly absent from most of Botswana as the Kalahari sandveld offers few suitable nesting sites.
It is possible that the range of the Familiar Chat has expanded considerably in the semi-arid parts of South Africa and Namibia, due to to the erecting of artificial water points in farming areas. The Familiar Chat is not considered threatened.
SABAP2 distribution map for Familiar Chat (Oenanthe familiaris) – download in May 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.
Habitat
Inhabits rugged mountain slopes, rocky hills and outcrops, valley slopes, eroded gullies, and sparse woodland along drainage lines. The Familiar Chat has a preference for rocky and broken ground in a variety of vegetation types from semi-desert to fynbos and woodland. Has adapted well to farmyards and towns, mostly in rural areas, where it is associated with buildings and rooftops. It is seldom encountered far from water.
Habitat – Near Carnarvon, Northern Cape Photo by Ryan Tippett
Although a plain-coloured bird this common species is ‘familiar’ to most observers and is conspicuous in its behaviour. It occurs singly, in pairs or small family parties. Becomes tame around human settlements and picnic sites. Perches on almost any raised object, such as large stones, termite mounds, bare shrubs or trees, fence posts and buildings. Flicks wings constantly (more often than other chats) and, on landing, usually raises its tail once or twice.
Hunts from a perch, diving to the ground to snap up prey and usually returns to the same perch. They are known to associate with Klipspringers Oreotragus oreotragus, taking ectoparasites as well as invertebrates disturbed by the antelope. Also forages in the intertidal zone in the Western Cape, perching on rocks, kelp and other seaweeds. Feeds mainly on invertebrates including spiders, solifuges, millipedes, centipedes, grasshoppers, crickets, bugs, beetles, ants, termites, flies, snails and caterpillars. Also consumes seeds and small fruits as well as scraps from human and pet foods and scavenges from road kills. Formerly ate grease from wagon axles, giving rise to its Afrikaans name ‘Spekvreter’ (fat-eater).
Breeds during spring and summer, often opportunistically after rain in arid areas. The Familiar Chat is a territorial, solitary nester. The nest is a neat cup, the outside of which is built with soft plant material as well as bits of string and other items found around human dwellings. The nest interior is lined with feathers, wool, fluffy seeds or hair. The nest is opportunistically placed in a recess or cavity of some kind. Typical nest sites include the old burrows of other hole nesting species like bee-eaters, a hole in a rock face or erosion gully, old, partially broken swallow nests and often in man-made sites like under the eaves of roofs, in disused machinery, in pipes and even inside buildings. Both sexes help to construct the nest and building is usually completed in 2 to 13 days. 2 to 4 eggs are laid per clutch and incubation begins after the second egg is laid. Incubation lasts for 13 to 15 days and nestlings are fully fledged after a further 15 days. The young are fed and cared for by both sexes.
Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.
The use of photographs by Ansie Dee Reis, Anthony Paton, Gerald Gaigher, Johan and Estelle van Rooyen, Pamela Kleiman and Zenobia van Dyk is acknowledged.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: Gewone spekvreter (Afrikaans); umBexe (Zulu); Unongungu (Xhosa); Traquet familier (French); Rostschwanzschmätzer (German); Roodstaart-spekvreter (Dutch); Chasco-familiar (Portuguese)
Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2023. Familiar Chat Oenanthe familiaris. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/05/22/familiar-chat-oenanthe-familiaris/
List of bird species in this format is available here.
A cold and sometimes wet Karoo week was not the best for a ringing course, yet everyone thoroughly enjoyed the course! We caught 219 birds of 29 species at the Ouberg bird ringing course of May 2023, including lots of recaptures, enjoyed wonderful meals, and great camaraderie.
The course was part of a series of bird ringing courses run by the Biodiversity and Development Institute. The overall aim and structure of these events is described here. Future courses are listed under “Upcoming BDI Events” and you are welcome to join. The purpose of bird ringing is described here.
Ouberg Private Nature Reserve. The farmhouse where we stay is on the left. The drainage line in front of the house stretches off to the right and is filled with riverine bushes and a few small reedbeds, used as night time roosting sites. Great ringing site!
The course was held in the foothills of the big mountains north of Montagu, Western Cape. For background to the Ouberg Private Nature Reserve and its objectives, listen to this conference presentation. Ouberg is a good place for birding in general, but it is the species richness we get while ringing makes it a chosen spot for courses! The drainage line in front of the farmhouse (see the drone photo above) is a highway for bird movement, and provides great mist netting sites.
An innovation on this course was to catch five Cape Spurfowl in noose traps – three males and two females (read more here). Only the males have spurs on their legs, making sexing easy. The spur lengths of the three males were 12, 18 and 21 mm and those with longest spurs were the heaviest (around 1 kg).
We were surprised at the number of mousebirds we caught. Mousebirds often escape from the nets. With a good catch, we looked at biometrics – the wing (mean 96.2 mm) of Speckled Mousebird was slightly larger and the tail (mean 206 mm) slightly shorter than these measurements for White-backed Mousebird (mean 92.7 mm and 222 mm respectively).
Long tails of the White-backed Mousebird (top) and Speckled Mousebird (below)
There were two pairs of Rock Martins roosting on the farm house. They carefully avoided the mist nets, so one was caught by hand on the last morning at dawn, while it was roosting on the rafter of the veranda. Its partner escaped!
Rock Martin
Three Olive Thrushes were caught and a Karoo Thrush was seen.
Olive Thrush, showing the extensive orange on the flanks
We also caught a relatively large number of tit-babblers, nine Chestnut-vented Warblers and two Layard’s Tit-babblers. The two species are similar in size and plumage; the difference is the colour of the undertail coverts (the “vent”): white in Layard’s and chestnut (of course!) in Chestnut-vented! See the photos below.
Cape Sparrows were very common around the farm house. This was the most caught species – 14 males and 24 females (two of the females were recaptured on later days, to make a capture total of 40 birds for the course).
Cape Sparrow, one of 40 caught. This photo clearly shows the nine primary feathers on the wing of this male; they are all new, with smooth unworn ends. It has completed primary moult. Most of the birds we caught had completed this feather replacement process; birds try to avoid moulting during the cold winter.
Weavers and waxbills roosted in reeds near the farmhouse, and a good number were caught – six Cape Weavers, 37 Southern Masked Weavers and 14 Common Waxbills. But many flew out in the wrong direction; now we know where we will put mist nets next time! Two male Southern Masked Weavers were in partial breeding plumage.
Male Southern Masked Weaver in partial breeding plumage
Recaptures
We have had several bird ringing expeditions to Ouberg Nature Reserve. The first was in October 2020, and the most recent was in February this year! One of the most valuable aspects of repeated ringing at a place are the recaptures of previously ringed birds. These are used to estimate survival rates for species, which are a critical ingredient in discussions about bird species conservation. There were 37 recaptures. Six birds had first been ringed on our initial ringing expedition in October 2020 – Little Rush Warbler, two Cape Robin-chats, Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler, Cape Weaver and a Cape White-eye. A Southern Fiscal and a Cape Sparrow had been ringed on 24 July 2021. Five birds had been ringed in October 2022, and 12 birds had been ringed in February 2023, a few months ago. We have not yet got enough data to start survival analysis studies, but our intention is to keep returning to this really good ringing site.
One aspect of bird biology which is poorly known is the extent of local movement of the resident species. The drainage line at Ouberg provides an opportunity to investigate this. So on two mornings we ringed at little gaps in the riverine bush some distance from the farm house (see the photo near the top of this blog). At the first gap we recaptured a Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler (ringed at the farm house on 23-Oct-20) and a Long-billed Crombec (ringed at farm house on 15-Feb-23). At the second gap we recaptured a Cape Robin-chat (ringed at farm house on 22-Oct-20).
Numbers of birds caught at Ouberg, 10 to 16 May 2023
The species with links in the table below have full descriptions on the BDI website.
Grey back of the Grey-backed Cisticola. There are many features of birds that you can only see properly when the bird is in the hand.
Thanks to Sue and Richard Gie for hosting us for Ouberg bird ringing course of May 2023! Thanks to Jon and Maite for preparing wonderful meals throughout the course!
Besides the ringing, the food and the fun were excellent!Winter sun. We had some drizzle, but there are rewards when the weather clears up and there are days “out of the box” like this. Ouberg is a beautiful place. We invite you to join the next bird ringing course. Photo: Saskia Thomas
The Ouberg bird ringing course of May 2023 was a really good event!
The African Sacred Ibis is a common to very common resident, although some populations may be nomadic within southern Africa. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and the Middle East. It is found virtually throughout southern Africa but is less common and localised in arid areas, including much of Namibia, central Botswana and the Northern Cape.
It is an adaptable species and has benefited from human activities. It is not considered threatened.
SABAP2 distribution map for African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus – May 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.
Habitat
The habitat spectrum of this species is very varied and includes grasslands, cultivated lands, sewage works, sports fields, offshore islands, coastal lagoons, abattoirs and rubbish dumps. Throughout its range it is most commonly associated with freshwater habitats, especially marshes.
It breeds in colonies at many different types of sites, in trees and bushes, on the ground and among rocks on islands.
It is often seen in ones and twos but it is mostly a gregarious species and flocks can number into the hundreds.
It forages by probing with its bill in mud or shallow water, walking slowly with purposeful steps while scanning around for food. It frequently scavenges at farmyards, dairies, piggeries, abattoirs, rubbish dumps and seabird breeding colonies on islands.
Its diet is highly varied. Live prey taken includes frogs, small reptiles, rodents, nestling birds, molluscs, insects, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Scavenged food includes bird and crocodile eggs, offal, carrion and human waste.
It roosts in trees, reedbeds or on islands, and typically flies to and from roosts in V – formation.
It breeds in colonies; these are often mixed colonies including other species such as storks, herons, egrets, spoonbills and cormorants. Breeding is recorded throughout the year in southern Africa but mostly takes place in summer in the east and during winter in the west.
The nest is a simple platform of sticks lined with leaves and grass. Nests are most frequently placed in trees but also in bushes or on the ground.
Two to five eggs are laid per clutch. The eggs are dull white, sometimes with a blueish tinge and usually with some red-brown spots. The incubation period lasts for around 29 days and incubation duties are shared by both parents. Chicks are altricial and the nestlings are ready to leave the nest after 14 to 21 days and can fly after 35 days or so. Young birds are fed by both parents.
A juvenile Threskiornis aethiopicus Muzi Pan, KwaZulu-Natal Photo by Ryan Tippett
Further Resources for the African Sacred Ibis
Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.
The use of photographs by Garth Aiston, Gerald Wingate, Gregg Darling, Michael Wright, Phillip Nieuwoudt, Tino Herselman and Zenobia van Dyk is acknowledged.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: Heilige ibis (Afrikaans); umXwagele (Zulu); Lehalanyane (South Sotho); Heilige Ibis (Dutch); Ibis sacré (French); Heiliger Ibis (German); Ibis-sagrado (Portuguese)
A list of bird species in this format is available here.
Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2023. African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/05/17/african-sacred-ibis-threskiornis-aethiopicus/
Cover image. Little Grebe by Joanne Putter – Keurboomsrivier, Western Cape – BirdPix No. 224373
Identification
The Little Grebe is a small and compact grebe. The breeding adult’s most distinctive features are the dark chestnut on the front and sides of the neck, as well as the pale gape spot at the base of the bill. The bill is dark in colour, and is short and stout. Non-breeding birds are duller and the chestnut on the neck fades to a warm brown colour. The sexes are alike.
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) – Darville Bird Sanctuary, KwaZulu-Natal Photo by Malcolm Robinson
Juveniles are rather striking and have black and white striped heads and necks.
The Little Grebe is widely distributed and found virtually throughout Southern Africa. It has a more scattered distribution in arid areas like the Northern Cape, Botswana and Namibia where it is largely restricted to farm dams and other artificial impoundments. It is a common resident with some local movements between suitable habitat. It appears to be most numerous on the higher altitude wetlands of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Free State and north-western KwaZulu-Natal.
It has become more abundant as a result of artificial waterbodies and its occurence in southern Namibia and the Karoo is probably recent. The Little Grebe is not considered threatened in Southern Africa.
The subspecies Tachybaptus ruficollis capensis is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara and Madagascar, and from the Caucasus Mountains through India to Burma. Another eight subspecies are recognised across the rest of the species’ range in coastal North Africa, Europe, southern Asia as far east as Japan, Malaysia and parts of Indonesia.
SABAP2 distribution map for Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) – May 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.
Habitat
The Little Grebe is dependant on more permanent waters, such as lakes, pans and dams with emergent vegetation and weedy shores. It also inhabits marshes with sufficient open water and is infrequently observed on slow moving streams and rivers.
It occurs on wetlands in a wide range of vegetation types, and over a wide range of climatic conditions.
Habitat – Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga Photo by Ryan TippettHabitat – Phongolo Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal Photo by Ryan Tippett
Behaviour
The Little Grebe is a distinctive and conspicuous species through frequent calling, wing flapping and chasing behaviours. When chasing rivals, or when disturbed, often runs, pattering across water with wings flapping. Such chases may end in noisy calling between 2 or more birds.
It is usually encountered in pairs or family groups of 5-6 birds when breeding, and in flocks of up to several hundred at other times. Sunbathes frequently on clear, windless days, positioning the body with its back to the sun and feathers raised to expose the darkly pigmented skin.
Associates with other aquatic birds like ducks and flamingoes which probably aids it in finding food. The Little Grebe frequently roosts in large, communal rafts at night. Flies after dark to locate new wetland habitats.
Mostly dives for food, but also feeds on insects that have fallen onto the water surface. It may remain underwater for almost a minute during dives. They are known to follow Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) to feed on disturbed aquatic animals. Its diet includes small fish, frogs, tadpoles, aquatic insects and their larvae, as well as small crustaceans and molluscs. As with other grebes, it eats some of its own feathers in order to protect against sharp fish bones. These bones are regurgitated in the form of feather-wrapped pellets.
Breeding has been recorded during all months of the year in Southern Africa. The nest is a floating mound with a cup-like indentation on top. The nest may be anchored to emergent vegetation and is built from various pieces of aquatic plants piled on top of each other. Both sexes get involved in nest construction by pulling plant material to the nest in their bills. Additional plant material is added to the nest throughout the incubation period. The nest is usually located in fairly deep water and the incubating bird often covers the eggs with plant material when leaving the nest.
From two to seven eggs are laid per clutch and incubation only begins once the clutch is completed. Incubation takes around 20 days and both sexes share incubation duties. Newly hatched chicks are precocial and they leave the nest upon hatching. The young are cared for by both parents and may be carried on the adults back when they are still small.
Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.
The use of photographs by Joanne Putter, Lappies Labuschagne, Malcolm Robinson, Nico Vromant and Pamela Kleiman is acknowledged.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: Dabchick (Alternative English); Kleindobbertjie (Afrikaans): Unonyamembi (Xhosa); Dodaars (Dutch); Grèbe castagneux (French); Zwergtaucher (German); Mergulhão-pequeno (Portuguese)
List of bird species in this format is available here.
Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2023. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis). Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/05/16/little-grebe-tachybaptus-ruficollis/
Cover image: Karoo Prinia by Pieter La Grange – Vleesbaai, Western Cape – BirdPix No. 239246
Identification
The Karoo Prinia is a small, pale and long-tailed warbler. The upperparts, including the cap, lores and ear coverts are warm grey-brown. The supercilium, face and throat are off-white. Underparts range from off-white to yellowish-white. The throat, chest, belly and flanks are heavily streaked in black. This streaking is boldest on the breast, while the throat is finely streaked. The tail is warm grey-brown and relatively long with buff-coloured tips and a dark mark near the tip of each tail feather (often difficult to discern in the field).
Additionally the beak is black and the eyes are light brown, while the legs and feet are pink-brown.
The sexes are alike. The juveniles are yellowish below and have less marked streaking on the undersides.
Most easily mistaken for the Drakensberg Prinia (Prinia hypoxantha) and Namaqua Warbler (Phragmacia substriata). The Karoo Prinia is best told from these species by its far bolder streaking on the undersides and the finely streaked throat. Both Namaqua Warbler and Drakensberg Prinia lack streaking on the throat.
The Karoo Prinia is a common to very common species across its range. It is endemic to Southern Africa and is largely restricted to South Africa and Lesotho, but does also occur in southern Namibia, where it is less numerous. It ranges from extreme southern Namibia, south through the Northern and Western Cape and east to the drier drier parts the Eastern Cape. The distribution then ranges north through Lesotho to the central Free State. It is also found in the high Drakensberg mountains of KwaZulu-Natal, adjacent to Lesotho.
The Karoo Prinia has adapted to alien vegetation and is tolerant towards habitat modification. It is not considered threatened.
SABAP2 distribution map for Karoo Prinia (Prinia maculosa) – April 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.
Habitat
Habitat near Carnarvon, Northern Cape Photo by Ryan Tippett
The Karoo Prinia is a bird of scrub and rank growth, particularly along drainage lines. It is associated with karoo and fynbos shrublands in the west of its range, and grassland-scrub in Lesotho. The Karoo Prinia occurs in both mountainous and flat regions and across a wide rainfall range. In the Western Cape, the Karoo Prinia can be found in most habitats with the exception of forest.
This is an active and noisy species that moves around singly, in pairs or in loose family groups. They are vocally conspicuous and are seldom overlooked.
It forages low down in grass, shrubs and bushes. Gleans stems and leaves for small insects and other invertebrates.
Typically. it sits on top of a tall plant or similar perch when disturbed, calling with its tail cocked. Dives into vegetation and disappears when approached too closely. It becomes tame and confiding around human habitation.
The Karoo Prinia is considered resident. However, there is some evidence of local movements, probably relating to food scarcity in dry areas.
It has a well-marked breeding season from August to December with a peak during September and October. The Karoo Prinia is a monogamous, solitary nester. The nest is pear-shaped with a side-top entrance and is built by both sexes. It is usually positioned about 50 cm above the ground among spiny bushes and tall grass where it is well concealed. The nest is normally attached to a few thin branches and is woven together with fine grass leaves, sometimes with the addition of wool or mohair.
Between one and five eggs are laid and incubation only starts once all eggs are laid and the clutch is complete. Incubation takes around 13 days and incubation performed solely by the female. The chicks are then fed and cared for by both parents.
Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.
The use of photographs by Cobus Elstadt, Daryl de Beer, Gerald Wingate, Johan and Estelle van Rooyen, Marius Meiring, Pieter La Grange and Sybrand Venter is acknowledged.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: Karoolangstertjie (Afrikaans); Ujiza (Xhosa); Prinia du Karroo (French); Karoo-prinia (Dutch); Fleckenprinie, Gelbbauchprinie (German); Prínia-malhada (Portuguese).
A list of bird species in this format is available here.
Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2023. Karoo Prinia (Prinia maculosa). Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/05/10/karoo-prinia-prinia-maculosa/
Cover image of Short-toed Rock-thrush by PR Kleiman – Near Riemvasmaak, Northern Cape – BirdPix No. 245207
Identification
The Short-toed Rock-thrush is a small and attractive species. They are sexually dimorphic in that the male is a striking, colourful bird while the female is comparatively drab.
Males have blue-grey upperparts including the head, mantle, back and shoulders. The underparts are rich rufous-orange. There are two subspecies, Monticola brevipes brevipes and Monticola brevipes pretoriae. The pretoriae subspecies lacks the diagnostic white crown of the nominate race.
Females of both races have rufous underparts, (duller than the male) that grade to paler buff on the lower belly and vent. The chest area sometimes shows dark and light mottling. The females head and upperparts are plain greyish brown and the throat is white with dark brown speckling.
Juveniles resemble females but show buff-tipped feathers on the upperparts.
Adult males are easily distinguished from other rock-thrush species by the white crown, however, the grey-crowned pretoriae race can easily be mistaken for the Sentinel Rock-thrush but is smaller, with shorter legs and richer, deeper rufous underparts.
Status and Distribution
Locally fairly common to common. The Short-toed Rock-thrush is near-endemic to Southern Africa, extending only marginally into south-western Angola. Its range is largely confined to the arid western and central parts of the subcontinent. Its distribution is unusual in that it doesn’t conform to any major biomes. There are three focal or core areas within its range, the Namibian escarpment, north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape and adjoining areas in the Free State, as well as scattered localities in western Gauteng, and adjoining regions of Limpopo and North-West Province, as well as parts of eastern Botswana.
SABAP2 distribution map for Short-toed Rock-thrush Monticola brevipes – download in April 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.
There is no evidence regarding changes to its distribution and the Short-toed Rock-thrush is not threatened.
Habitat
Inhabits rocky outcrops, escarpments, inselbergs and river valleys with scattered bushes and trees, usually in areas of relatively low rainfall. They also frequent the edges of towns and villages when close to suitable habitat. In winter, more extensively in flat country and around human habitation.
Typical habitat. Near Carnarvon, Northern Cape Photo by Ryan Tippett
The Short-toed Rock-thrush is usually solitary or in pairs.
It is both a resident and seasonal migrant. It shows definite seasonal movements and migrates altitudinally, dispersing widely when at lower altitudes in winter. This is perhaps forced by scarce food resources in arid areas, particularly during winter.
Forages on the ground and hops about on rocks and regularly perches in trees or on buildings. Sometimes drops onto prey from a perch. The diet consists mainly of insects like grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, termites and ants. It is also recorded to feed on millipedes and scorpions as well as some fruit and seeds.
It is shy and wary in its natural habitat but can become tame and confiding around human habitation.
Breeds from August to March (spring to late summer), although few published records are available. The nest is a bulky cup-like structure made from plant stems and leaves. The nest is placed on the ground but is usually well hidden under a rock slab, behind grass or among tree roots. The nest is built entirely by the female. 1 to 4 unmarked blue eggs are laid per clutch and all incubation duties are performed by the female. The incubation period lasts for 13 to 14 days. Nestlings take 15 to 17 days to fledge, during which time they are fed by both sexes.
Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.
The use of photographs by Brendon White, Desire Darling, J. Terblanche, Johan and Estelle van Rooyen, Les Underhill and Rick Nuttall is acknowledged.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: Korttoonkliplyster (Afrikaans); Monticole à doigts courts (French); Kurzzehenrötel (German); Kortteen-rotslijster (Dutch); Melro-das-rochas-de-dedos-curtos (Portuguese)
Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2023. Short-toed Rock-thrush Monticola brevipes. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/04/27/short-toed-rock-thrush-monticola-brevipes/
The Yellow Bishop is a medium-sized, brightly coloured bird. Males are black and yellow in breeding plumage, and keep the bright yellow wing and rump patches in non breeding plumage, best seen in flight. Females are dull coloured with olive patches on wing shoulder and rump, although these may not always be visible. It is the only Euplectes species with a coloured rump in adults all year round. The tail is of medium length.
Yellow Bishop, photos by Cobus Elstadt (28664), Gregg Darling (16984) and Gerald Wingate (187468)
The breeding male is black on the head, underparts and upperparts other than the bright golden-yellow rump patch. The lesser and median upperwing-coverts are yellow, forming a prominent epaulet; the rest of the wing feathers and scapulars are dark brown. The bill is black, eyes are brown, and legs and feet brown to fleshy pink.
The adult female has typical female-like streaky plumage, but with a uniform olive-yellow rump and yellow-washed wing shoulders. The head and upperparts are heavily streaked brownish-buff. The underparts pale buffish-brown, streaked dark brown on breast and flanks. The bill is horn coloured.
The non-breeding male is like the female but keeps the bright yellow rump and shoulders.
Juveniles are brownish and very similar to Southern Red Bishops, the tail of the Yellow Bishop is relatively longer, however, providing a good way to confirm identification in the hand.
Note: the coloured patches are not always visible, and are best seen in flight.
Yellow Bishop, male display flight, photo by Gerald Wingate (Birdpix 128997)
Habitat
The Yellow Bishop occurs in a wide range of habitats, including fynbos, cultivated areas, grasslands, rank vegetation near streams, and scrubby fringes of forest. It occurs from sealevel to high altitudes, sometimes well over 3000 m.
Grassland habitat, photo by David Kennedy (Birdpix 2609)
Distribution
The Yellow Bishop is found in southern, central and eastern Africa.
In South Africa it ranges from Namaqualand on the west coast, southwards through the Cape fold mountains and the coastal belt, and eastwards broadly along the line of the escarpment through the eastern Cape Province, Transkei, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland and the Transvaal. It is absent from the more arid regions, like the Northern Cape and most of the Free State.
Distribution map of Yellow Bishop from SABAP2, downloaded April 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.
It is widespread in Zimbabwe, but does not occur in Namibia or in Botswana, except perhaps occasionally on the border with Zimbabwe. In Mozambique it occurs mainly in the higher areas adjacent to Zimbabwe.
To the north of southern Africa it is found in the Angolan highlands, in southern DRC and Zambia through East Africa to the highlands of Ethiopia. It also occurs in Cameroon and SE Nigeria.
Behaviour
The Yellow Bishop is less social than most bishops and widows. It is usually found in small groups, but rarely larger flocks. When not breeding they may join mixed-species foraging flocks.They may roost with other weaver species in reeds.
The Yellow Bishop feeds on seeds, mainly grass seeds, and also on cultivated maize, rice and millet. It also feeds on insects like caterpillars, bugs, termite alates and ants. In the Western Cape they may feed on the nectar of Proteas and the seeds of restios.
They enjoy drinking water and bathing.
Yellow Bishop bathing, photo by Dieter Oschadleus (Birdpix 24803)
Breeding
The Yellow Bishop is polygynous, with three or four females per male. It is solitary or found in small breeding groups. The male displays to females entering his territory, with yellow rump feathers puffed up and tail depressed, and flying on a zigzag course. The nest is domed with a side entrance, and well hidden in grass or in a small shrub. The nest frame is woven by the male from grass strips, and living grass may be woven into the structure. It is lined by the female with grass seedheads, which may project from the entrance to form a porch. The male nips off the tops of the herbs around the nest.
The clutch is 2-4 eggs, and the eggs are very variable in colour. The female incubates the eggs and feeds the chicks, mainly by regurgitation. Many nests are lost to predation. The maximum recorded longevity is more than 11 years (see Weaver longevities).
Old nests of the Yellow Bishop may be used by Karoo Prinias Prinia maculosa or Orange-breasted Waxbills Amandava subflava.
The Yellow Bishop has been ringed throughout its range in southern Africa, but most ringing of this species has been in the greater Cape Town area. It has a remarkable high national recapture rate, at 12%, suggesting that the small family groups are highly site faithful. The high recapture rate has also resulted in an impressive longevity record of 13y 8m.
The duration of primary moult has been estimated at 103.4 ± 3.0 days (nearly 4 months), lasting on average from 4 December to 17 March.
Yellow Bishop male starting primary moult
You can help ring and study Yellow Bishops and other fascinating birds! See ringing events.
Further resources
First Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997 text.
Birds4Africa: Weaver News (includes how this species was first discovered).
Photographic acknowledgements: The photographs in this identification guide are from the BDI Virtual Museum. The photographers continue to own the copyright on these images.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: The Yellow Bishop was previously known as Yellow-rumped Widow, a more accurate name as it is more closely related to the widow birds than bishop birds.
Recommended citation format: Oschadleus HD. 2023. Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/04/24/yellow-bishop-euplectes-capensis/
List of bird species in this format is available here.
Cover image of Greater Striped Swallow by Cobus Elstadt – Near Uniondale, Western Cape – BirdPix No. 256513
Identification
The Greater Striped Swallow is a large and attractive species. It has a glossy dark blue-black upperparts which can appear all black in poor light. The forehead, crown and nape are orange-brown. The ear-coverts are off-white with fine, dark streaks. The throat, breast and belly are also off-white and carry narrow, dark streaks. The streaking on the throat is fine and small, becoming progressively larger down onto the breast and belly. The streaking on the underparts appear somewhat faded. The rump and lower back is pale rufous/chestnut and very noticeable in flight. The tail is deeply forked with elongate outer tail-streamers. The flight feathers are slate-black.
The sexes are alike. Juveniles have a red/brown crown, more heavily streaked underparts and reduced tail streamers. The juveniles are also duller in colour.
Adult Greater Striped Swallows are most likely to be mistaken for the Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica but that species is noticeably smaller and has orange ear coverts and has heavy black streaking on the underparts.
A common intra-African breeding migrant. The Greater Striped Swallow is not threatened and has benefited from its ability to nest on man-made structures and has probably increased in abundance as a result. This is most apparent in open habitats where suitable nest sites were previously unavailable. A local decrease in the Cape Town area has been claimed. This is due to urbanization which has led to a lack of moist clay for nest building and a possible reduction in food supply.
SABAP2 distribution map for Greater Striped Swallow Cecropis cucullata – April 2023. Details for map interpretation can be found here.Greater Striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata) Near Bulwer, KwaZulu-Natal Photo by Malcolm Robinson
Habitat
This species is found in a wide variety of habitats. It favours more open landscapes, ranging from semi-arid Karoo, Fynbos, grassland and lightly wooded savanna to cultivated areas. It is often found near water and is common in suburban habitat and around farm houses.
Typical habitat. Near Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga Photo by Ryan Tippett
Behaviour
The Greater Striped Swallow is an intra-African breeding migrant. The first arrivals reach northern South Africa by mid-July and the southern parts of the country by mid-August. Most birds depart for their non-breeding grounds by early to mid-May. This species breeds almost exclusively within southern Africa, with a small breeding population in Angola.
It is a conspicuous and often confiding swallow that is frequently found around human habitation. It is most often encountered singly, in pairs, or family groups, sometimes in flocks of more than 30 birds. It also regularly joins loose flocks of other swallows and swifts. The flight is slow, with relaxed gliding between short bursts of flapping but is capable of rapid flight. It can often be seen perched on fences, overhead lines and bushes and will often rest on the ground, especially during windy conditions.
The Greater Striped Swallow feeds on aerial insects, such as flies, wasps, beetles, moths and termite alates.
Breeding takes place mainly from September to May. In nature, nests are placed on the underside of rock overhangs and sloping rocks or boulders. Nests are frequently built on man-made structures such as under bridges, under the eaves of houses, in road culverts, old mine entrances and abandoned machinery. The nest is an enclosed bowl equipped with a long, horizontal entrance tunnel. It is composed of mud pellets, and lined with fine grass, plant fibres, hair and feathers. The nest is built by both sexes and takes around 16 days to completion.
Three to five eggs are produced per clutch and incubation starts once all the eggs have been laid. The female is solely responsible for incubation, although the male sleeps in the nest with her at night. Incubation takes 14 to 21 days. Young chicks take around 26 days to fledge and are fed by both parents during this time.
Greater Striped Swallows are double or multiple brooded, meaning they often breed more than once in a season. Their nests are sometimes usurped by White-rumped Swifts (Apus caffer), thus forcing the swallows to build another nest.
Species text adapted from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997. That text can be found here.
The use of photographs by Cobus Elstadt, Dewald du Plessis, Gerald Wingate, Lia Steen and Malcolm Robinson is acknowledged.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
Other common names: Grootstreepswael (Afrikaans); Mbawulwana (Tswana); iNkoniane (Zulu); Inkonjane (Xhosa); Hirondelle à tête rousse (French); Große Streifenschwalbe (German); Andorinha-estriada-grande (Portuguese); Kaapse Zwaluw (Dutch).
List of bird species in this format is available here.
Recommended citation format: Tippett RM 2023. Greater Striped Swallow Cecropis cucullata. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2023/04/22/greater-striped-swallow-cecropis-cucullata/
