NINETEENTH RINGING REPORT FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

Vernon, C. J. 1977. Nineteenth ringing report for southern Africa. Ostrich 48:106-109. A report on ringing activities for southern Africa from July 1975 to June 1976 is presented. A total of 36 016 birds of 419 species was ringed. The trends follow the general decline in ringing activities sinze a peak in 1970/71.     

EIGHTEENTH RINGING REPORT FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

Vernon, C. J. 1976. Eighteenth ringing report for southern Africa. Ostrich 47:89-94. A report on ringing activities in southern Africa from July 1974 to June 1975 is presented. A total of 47 777 birds of 475 species were ringed. This information is examined according to distribution of ringers, species ringed and recovery rates.     

REMARKS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF BIRDS COLLECTED IN MASHONALAND AND EASTERN SOUTHERN RHODESIA (Part I)

Oatley, T. B. 1983. Twenty-third ringing report for southern Africa. Ostrich. 54:141-149.

Bird ringing activities in southern Africa are summarized for a two-year period from July 1979 to June 1981. A total of 42 374 birds were ringed. Much ringing effort was devoted to marine buds. Palaearctic migrants comprised nearly 12% of the birds ringed, with waders, swallows and warblers being the most frequently ringed families. There were 747 recoveries or recaptures reported during the reviey period, of which 73 were foreign-ringed birds. The remainder involved 103 species of birds, only nine of which contributed 10 or more recoveries to the total. Five of the nine are marine birds and collectively account for 55% of all recoveries and recaptures. A selected list of recoveries and recaptures of southern African-ringed birds is given.     

5. A NOTE ON THE PARADISE WHYDAHS

Vernon, C. J. 1975. Seventeenth ringing report for southern African. Ostrich 46:125-128.

A report on ringing activities in southern Africa from July 1973 to June 1974 is presented. A total of 51 561 birds of 451 species were ringed and are analysed according to distribution of ringers, groups of species and recovery rates. A list of those birds living longer than ten years is given. Analyses are needed of the most frequently ringed species in order to give greater purpose to future ringing.     

5. BIRDS OF THE DONGAS

Elliott, C. C. H. 1974. Sixteenth ringing report for Southern Africa. Ostrich 45:161-166.

A report of ringing activities in Southern Africa from 1 July 1970 to 30 June 1973 is presented. The newly founded South African National Unit for Bird-Ringing Administration now produces comprehensive computer print-outs of ringing and recovery information and as a result this published report is highly condensed. Details of the totals of palaearctic migrants ringed and recovered are given together with those from the major studies, past and present, on ethiopian species.     

Migration routes from Lombardy,Northern Italy,to Africa,covered by birds ringed during eighteen years of ringing activity in five Pre-alpine Ornithological stations

Vigorita, V. 2000. Migration routes from Lombardy, Northern Italy, to Africa, covered by birds ringed during eighteen years of ringing activity in five Pre-alpine Ornithological stations. Ostrich 71 (1 & 2): 341.

Systematic bird ringing in Lombardy, northern Italy, was started in 1977. In total 661 979 birds of 168 species were ringed in the period 1977–1994. The recoveries were 3 660. The ringed species in five Prealpine Ornithological stations wintering and recovered in Africa, during eighteen years were 14: Anthus trivialis, Anthus pmtensis, Motacilla Java, Motacilla alba. Erithacus rubecula. Phoenicum phoenicurus, Turdus merula. Turdus philomelos, Sylvia borin, Sylvia atricapilla, Ficedula hypoleuca, Sturnus vulgaris, Fnngilla coelebs, Carduelis spinus. Accordingly, with ringing and recoveries data in Lombardy and recoveries data in Africa, we can get some more detailed information on migration routes. A better knowledge of migration routes allows the study of correlation among trends of populations and quality- quantity variation of habitats and meteorological dynamics in Afiica. The collection of data is expected to continue with more standardised methods for field research, data storage and their processing. Detailed migration routes, based on analysis of ringing data, are shown.     

4. WATERFOWL AND WADERS AT FORT BEAUFORT,C.P.

TREE, A. J. 1979. Biology of the Greenshank in southern Africa. Ostrich 50:240-251.

The Greenshank Tringa nebularia is a widespread visitor to southern Africa but is only normally common at favoured coastal sites. First migrants arrive at the end of July and the last birds leave in early May. Small numbers overwinter. Birds in the interior are forced to move coastward or southwestward once the summer rains set in and rapidly inundate suitable habitat. Peak numbers occur in January at Port Alfred, a coastal site. Greatest concentrations of Greenshanks occur on eutrophic bodies of water in the interior while at coastal localities the density of prawns appears to determine Greenshank numbers. It is normally a diurnal feeder but will feed at night in tidal areas when fattening up for return migration. It roosts communally standing in shallow water. Birds can be aged on plumage condition and primary feather moult. Birds have a lean mass of about 170 g while the potential migratory range on fat deposits accumulated is calculated to carry birds from the Cape coast to the East African lakes and thence to the Mediterranean or Caspian Seas. There is a considerable disparity in mass between inland and coastal localities. One banding recovery in Cyprus is noted; a low retrap rate is gradually being improved by colour ringing.     

6.—DATA OF BIRDS' EGGS IN MY COLLECTION

Van Zyl, A.J, Jenkins, A.R. &; Allan, D.G. 1994. Evidence for seasonal movements by Rock Kestrels Falco tinnunculus and Lanner Falcons F. biarmicus in South Africa. Ostrich 65:111-121.

Patterns of seasonal movement by Rock Kestrels Falco tinnunculus and Lanner Falcons F. biarmicus in South Africa were determined using data from the Southern African Bird Atlas Project, road transect counts, ringing recoveries and other sources. Both species were found to be partial, facultative migrants, and Lanner Falcon movements involved mostly immature birds. Rock Kestrels were found to concentrate in the southwest of the country in the breeding season, and to move north and east in the non-breeding season. Lanner Falcons concentrated in the east of the country during the breeding season, and moved into the west in the non-breeding season. The movement by both species into the arid northwest of the country is probably associated with dramatic increases in prey abundance, in turn associated with summer rah events. Lanner Falcon movement into the southern Cape apparently coincides with cereal farming practices, affecting the availability of prey (granivorous birds and rodents). Rock Kestrel movement into the east of the aunt is probably to exploit increases in insect abundance mated with summer rain. The pattern of Rock Kestrel movements suggests that it does not compete for food with the Lesser Kestrel F. naumanni. a Palearctic migrant to the east of the country.     

THE ROLE OF LARGE-SCALE DATA COLLECTION PROJECTS IN THE STUDY OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN BIRDS

Underhill, L.G., Oatley, T.B. & Harrison, J.A. 1991. The role of large-scale data collection projects in the study of southern African birds. Ostrich 62:124-148.

The major ornithological data collections in southern Africa (checklists, migration enquiry, atlas projects, censuses, bird ringing and recoveries, biometric data, nest record cards, moult cards and beached birds) are described. For each project, current volumes of data are tabulated. The Southern African Bird Atlas Project database contained 5,0 million records in December 1990. 1,25 million birds of 810 species had been ringed with South African Bird Ringing Unit rings by June 1989, resulting in 22 000 recoveries. There were more than 100 recoveries for 27 species. The nest record card scheme of the Southern African Ornithological Society had 117 000 cards on file in February 1990, representing 696 species, with more than 1 000 cards for 18 species. There were 4 040 cards of 380 species in the moult record scheme. African Seabird Group beach patrols had found 10 057 seabirds by the end of 1985. A selection of published applications for each data set is given. The potential of the data sets for further analyses is considered, especially in relation to key demographic characteristics such as abundance, productivity and survival. It is recommended that volunteer participation projects should concentrate on monitoring and that indices for change in the demographic characteristics be developed. Most of the projects could be incorporated into an Avian Demography Unit.     

The Feeding of Nestling St. Kilda Wrens

Annual breeding productivity of Knots Calidris canutus was estimated by the proportion of first-year birds in winter ringing samples. Significant associations were found between the productivity of Knots, other species that are known to breed on the Taimyr Peninsula, and lemming abundance in that region. It is inferred from this that Knots wintering in southern Africa are of the Russian subspecies canutus unlike British wintering birds which do not show these correlations and are subspecies islandica.     

Record of Blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner, 1864) in the Eerste River catchment,Western Cape province,South Africa

Oreochromis aureus was imported from Israel into South Africa in 1959 but data on its current status in South Africa are lacking. Genomic DNA was extracted and the COI gene amplified at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. The identity of the sequences and specimens was determined using the Barcode of Life Data Systems and GenBank. Morphological and genetic assessment demonstrated that 11 specimens collected from two farm dams in the Eerste River System, Western Cape province, were Oreochromis aureus. A MaxEnt model compiled using global distribution, rainfall and temperature data predicted that large areas of southern Africa were climatically suitable for this species, indicating considerable invasion debt in southern Africa. As a result, surveys to assess for the extent of the invasion in South Africa and eradication of existing populations, if feasible, are recommended management actions.     

DISTRIBUTION,POPULATION SIZE AND CONSERVATION OF THE CASPIAN TERN STERNA CASPIA IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Cooper, J., Brooke, R.K., Cyrus, D.P., Martin, A.P., Taylor, R.H. & Williams, A.J. 1992. Distribution, population size and conservation of the Caspian Tern Sterna caspia in southern Africa. Ostrich 63: 58–67.

The Caspian Tern Sterna caspia occurs along the whole southern African coastline and on large river systems and water bodies away from the coast. A total of 28 definite breeding localities has been recorded in southern Africa. Breeding has occurred recently at at least 14 coastal localities between Swakopmund, Namibia, and Lake St Lucia, Natal, South Africa. Inland breeding has been recorded in recent years at Sua Pan, Botswana and Kalkfonteindam, Orange Free State, South Africa. Based on censuses conducted between 1980 and 1991, the southern African breeding population is estimated to be of the order of 500 pairs, 91% of which breed coastally and 89% breed on islands. Up to 290 pairs (58%) bred at Lake St Lucia. Seventyone per cent of the 1980–1991 breeding population falls within eight nature reserves. Conservation of the Caspian Tern in southern Africa requires protection at breeding localities, including commercial salt and soda ash extraction works, against the effects of changing water levels, human disturbance and predation. Pesticide levels of addled and abandoned eggs should be measured at selected breeding localities.     

Population differentiation of migratory directions in birds: comparison between ringing results and orientation behaviour of hand-raised migrants

Summary Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) from five areas in Central Europe were hand-raised. Their autumn migratory orientation was tested in funnel-shaped cages. Their directional choices were compared to recoveries of conspecifics ringed during the breeding season in the same areas, which are situated on a transect across a migratory divide between southeastward and southwestward migrating populations. Results from ringing and orientation tests were in good agreement with respect to mean direction and dispersion of flight directions. An exception is the area around Linz (NW Austria), right on the migratory divide, where ringing yielded a strong scatter, but hand-raised birds chose westerly directions. The recent establishment of a novel migration route toward the British Isles was reflected in both data sets: in southern Germany the percentage of northwestward migrants is 6.8% according to orientation tests and 11.8% according to ringing recoveries. Testing the orientation of young passerines in captivity can yield valuable information about population differentiation of migratory behaviour. It is more efficient than ringing in this respect, because it circumvents the low recovery rates and is free of biases affecting ringing data. In the blackcap, geographic differentiation of migratory directions occurs on a finer scale than previously recognized and can change significantly within 2–3 decades.     

7. GENERAL NOTES

Hockey, P. A. R., Brooke, R. K., Cooper, J., Sinclair, J. C. &; Tree, A. J. 1986. Rare and vagrant scolopacid waders in southern Africa. Ostrich 57: 37–55.

Records of rare scolopacid waders in southern Africa are reviewed. 374 records of 15 species are accepted: seven of four Nearctic species. 51 of four Holarctic species and 316 of seven Palaearctic species. Their spatial and temporal (year and season) occurrence is analysed and their habitat requirements in southern Africa are described.     

Patterns of stable isotope signatures in willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus feathers collected in Africa

We conducted stable isotope analyses of nitrogen and carbon on feathers obtained from willow warblers in Africa to find an explanation for a previously observed pattern of different δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values across a migratory divide in central Scandinavia. A new data set confirms that north Scandinavian birds of the subspecies P. t. acredula have higher δ¹⁵N values than south Scandinavian birds of the subspecies P. t. trochilus . In Africa, we found significant differences for both δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values among feathers collected from major geographical regions as well as between countries within regions. Isotope signatures of δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C in Scandinavian acredula matched well with those of willow warblers sampled in southern parts of Africa, but differed from samples obtained in East and West Africa. Isotope signatures in Scandinavian trochilus did not agree with the pattern in any of the three African regions (West, East or South). However, a more detailed analysis of the isotopic data in feathers from countries within West Africa, which is the wintering region of Swedish trochilus based on ringing recoveries, revealed a correspondence with samples from Liberia, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria.     

From Scilla to Charybdis – is our voyage safer now?

The genus Charybdis Speta (previously Urginea maritima agg.) was investigated karyologically and genetically throughout its geographic range in the Mediterranean. The different ploidy levels show a strong geographic pattern. Diploid populations are mainly found along the northern coast of Africa with C. pancration extending northwards from Tunisia to southern Italy. Tetraploid populations are most densely distributed in the eastern Mediterranean but are also found in North Africa, on the Balearic and Canary Islands. Hexaploid populations are restricted to the Iberian Peninsula and adjacent Morocco and Algeria. Chloroplast microsatellite data suggest that determination of ploidy levels alone is insufficient to adequately describe the existing populations. Especially the tetraploid and hexaploid populations exhibit additional genetic differentiation and geographic structuring. AFLP data indicate that tetraploid populations from southern Italy are of hybrid origin. Phylogenetic analysis further revealed that the genera Urginea Steinh. and Charybdis are not directly related to each other but have strong ties to genera from southern Africa. A possible colonization scenario of the Mediterranean via NW Africa and Iberia is discussed.     

Phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of subfamily Zygophylloideae (Zygophyllaceae) based on molecular and morphological data

Phylogenetic analysis of noncoding trnL plastid DNA sequences and morphological data for 43 species of Zygophylloideae, representing most of the morphological and geographical variation in the subfamily, indicates that the currently recognised genera Augea (monotypic, southern Africa), Tetraena (monotypic, China), and Fagonia (c. 30 species, widespread), are embedded in Zygophyllum (c. 150 species, widespread). A generic classification based on six monophyletic and morphologically distinctive entities is proposed: Roepera with c. 60 species in Australia and southern Africa, Zygophyllum with c. 50 species in Asia, Tetraena with c. 40 species in Africa and Asia, Augea with a single species in southern Africa, Melocarpum with two species in the Horn of Africa region, and Fagonia with c. 30 species in both the Old and the New World. Scanning electron microscopy studies of testa structure provided important characters for the delimitation of some genera. New combinations (61) are made in Roepera, a resurrected genus originally described from Australia, one new name is proposed in Zygophyllum, 35 new combinations are made in Tetraena, and two new combinations are made in Melocarpum (previously Zygophyllum sect. Melocarpum).     

Migrant European Swallows Hirundo rustica in southern Africa: a southern perspective

Oatley, T.B. 2000. Migrant European swallows Hirundo rustica in southern Africa: a southern perspective. Ostrich 71 (1 & 2): 205–209.

A total of 1 457 recoveries and controls of European Swallows Hirundo rustica in the South African Bird Ringing Unit data bank were analysed to provide an update of the apparent origins and dispersion of migrant European Swallows in southern Africa, to investigate local movements within southern Africa, and to yield an estimate of the age structure of the visiting migrants. Although birds from the former USSR and from Britain and Ireland predominate, over 200 recoveries from 20 other European countries have been recorded. More than half of the swallows migrating to southern Africa are from the central third of the species' breeding range. The dispersion of recoveries of swallows ringed in Britain and Ireland is widespread, with 55% recorded from the Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. Controls of southern African-ringed swallows at roosts and recoveries elsewhere in the subcontinent suggest that the daily range of migrant swallows is encompassed within a circle of 100 km diameter, but wide-ranging intra-seasonal movements within South Africa have also been recorded. Conservative estimates of the age of European Swallows at recovery indicate that as many as 14% of migrant swallows ringed in southern Africa may Survive to more than three years of age. It is suggested that the experience of migrants that survive to return to Africa one or more times may permit some flexibility in choice of final destination and that mixing of populations in roosts may result in birds arriving at new destinations.     

Migration patterns of Hoopoe Upupa epops and Wryneck Jynx torquilla: an analysis of European ring recoveries

For many bird species, recovery of ringed individuals remains the best source of information about their migrations. In this study, we analyzed the recoveries of ringed European Hoopoe (Upupa epops) and the Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) from 1914 to 2005 from all European ringing schemes. The aim was to define general migration directions and to make inferences about the winter quarters, knowing that hardly any recoveries are available from sub-Saharan Africa. For the autumn migration, there is evidence of a migratory divide for the Hoopoe in Central Europe, at approximately 10–12°E. Autumn migration directions of Wrynecks gradually change from SW to SE depending on the longitude (west to east) of the ringing place. In both species, only a few recoveries were available indicating spring migration directions, but they showed similar migration axes as for autumn migration, and hence no evidence for loop-migration. Due to a paucity of recoveries on the African continent, we can make only limited inferences about wintering grounds: extrapolating migration directions are only indicative of the longitude of the wintering area. The directions of autumn migration indicate a typical pattern observed in European long-distance migrants: west-European Hoopoes and Wrynecks are likely to winter in western Africa, while central- and east-European birds probably winter more in the east. Due to the migratory divide, for the Hoopoe, this phenomenon is more pronounced.     

First report of a hatched,hand‐reared,and released African oystercatcher

The African oystercatcher Haematopus moquini is a near‐threatened wader that is endemic to southern Africa. In the past, the species suffered a drastic decrease in nesting success due to human disturbance. We present the case report of an African oystercatcher that was hatched, hand‐reared, and released in the Western Cape, South Africa. African oystercatchers are semi‐altricial birds that tend to be highly sensitive to stress; as a result, strategies to minimize stress and the employment of surrogate parents and pre‐release acclimatization are important to ensure post‐release survival of hand‐reared chicks. Considering the lack of literature on the incubation and hand‐rearing of oystercatchers, this case report provides a basis for the development of hand‐rearing techniques that might be useful for the protection of this and other threatened wader species.