Birds sing to advertise. Males do most singing, to announce that they hold a territory. The song warns other males to keep away, while enticing females to come closer. The song itself also identifies the species of the singer: it does not do to fraternise too closely with the wrong species. Because the song is […]
Drakensberg birding during the winter months can be a wonderful affair. A host of endemics are quite common in certain areas. If one does some careful research there are some fantastic hotspots with Drakensberg accommodation close by. A wise choice for accommodation in the Drakensberg would be The Cavern Resort & Spa – they host
The bird list for the Drakensberg and its surrounding nature reserve is an impressive one, boasting many endemic species – those having a very restricted distribution. A variety of habitats in close proximity to the Drakensberg reserve offer birdwatchers a chance to find species that have previously eluded them. It does not matter whether you
One of my self-imposed tasks at the Cavern is to help keep the garden at the little school in good order. It’s a great pre-primary and primary school with over 50 pupils, many of whom are sponsored by the wonderful Cavern guests. I have created a garden with a winding path, crawl-through drum and a
It’s that time of year again when I realise that the Yellow-billed Kites have gone off on their holiday up north and I have not recorded their date of departure. One is aware that they have gone but cannot remember when you last saw one; they are such an integral part of any local journey
<– Continued from Drakensberg Birdlist Status codes B = Breeding resident – present all year; known or presumed to breed. P = Palaearctic migrant – non-breeding summer visitor; breeds during the northern summer in Europe and Asia: typically present November-March. T = Tropical migrant – breeding summer visitor; winters in tropical Africa: typically present September-April.
Most bird migration is a long-distance business. The idea is to breed in long summer days at middle latitudes, and to move to the equator or other hemisphere for the winter. But in KZN we see a very special short-distance migration where birds breed at high altitudes, moving downhill for the winter. This is altitudinal
Just outside the front door is a Strelitzia regina, with banana-like leaves and complex orange-and-blue flowers. Often quoted as a perfectly adapted partnership between plant and bird, it actually demonstrates that skullduggery in business is not just human. The sunbird recognises an opportunity from afar, its visual pigments being specially tuned to orange and red.
Within the seemingly organised and wonderful world of birds, there lurk cheats and baddies; birds that knock the system and get away, not with murder, but without lifting a finger (nor even a wing) to help with the bringing up of their offspring. These are the brood parasites, the birds that do not make their
Everyone knows that summer is the best time for birds. Migrants come from all over the world to join the hardy residents. Winter, by comparison, seems almost birdless, especially as the residents have given up singing. Its dry cold may seem daunting, but it actually brings in birds from other areas where winters are worse.
