BIRD OF THE YEAR 2019 SECRETARYBIRD - THE FLAGSHIP SPECIES FOR THE GRASSLANDS
Secretarybirds need open, intact habitat, preferably grassland with less than 10% tree cover, with plenty of prey (rodents, insects, reptiles and ground birds). The presence of Secretarybirds in an area shows that the ecosystem is intact and healthy as they rarely stay in changed landscapes. They are highly mobile and will leave an area when they do not find enough food resources. If someone manages a property to support Secretarybirds it will ensure that the area remains suitable for other bird and mammal species including cranes, bustards, korhaans, oribi, grass lizards, African grass owls and rare and endangered larks.
Oribi Blue cranes African Grass Owl Habitat: Temperate grassland Habitat: Grassy uplands with few scattered trees Habitat: Moist grassland & open Diet: Grazer Diet: Feed from ground on grasses, sedges, insects, savanna, preferring marshes & vleis. Status: Endangered in South crabs, snails, frogs, small lizards & snakes. Diet: Rodents & other small mammals Africa Status:Vulnerable Status:Vulnerable in South Africa Threats: Agriculture & Threats: Human population growth, poisoning & Threats: Habitat degradation competition from livestock conversion of grasslands into plantations. through ploughing, grazing, draining & burning
Denham’s Bustard Habitat: agricultural land, grassland, flood-plains & burnt fynbos. Diet: : insects, small snakes, rodents, nestlings & plants Status: Near Threatened in Swaziland Threat: Habitat Destruction Transvaal Grass Lizard Habitat: Grasslands & on slopes Diet: Insects & worms Status: Near Threatened in Botha’s Lark Swaziland Habitat: Endemic to South Africa. Subtropical or tropical Threat: Habitat Destruction high-altitude grassland & pastureland. Diet: Seeds & insects, including beetles & moths Status: Global & regionally Endangered Threat: Habitat loss.
The Grassland Biome is found on the high central plateau and inland areas of South Africa, covering 349 174 km . Frosts, re and grazing ensures that it mostly stays grass and does not get overgrown by trees. It is only second to Fynbos in plant biodiversity with 3 370 plant species of which only one in six species are grass, the rest is forbs (bulb, and herb-like wild owers). Rare and endangered plant species are often found in the grassland.
Content and Illustrations: Chrissie Cloete trading as ChrissieCanDraw I Sources: Whitecross M.A., Retief E.F. and Smit-Robinson H.A. (2018) Dispersal dynamics of juvenile Secretary- birds Sagittarius serpentarius in southern Africa. Ostrich accepted January 2019 I Dean, WRJ, Ryan PG (eds) Roberts - Birds of Southern Africa (VIIth Ed) Cape Town: The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. I BirdLife South Africa, the Grassland Biome. https://www.birdlife.org.za/conservation/terrestral-bird-conservation/the-grassland-biome. Downloaded on 16 Febuary 2019. I IUCN 2019. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2.