birding briefs

Strandfontein Sewage Works, which rewarded my efforts with a few good rarities over the years. I still visit the works regularly, but the development of a new treatment plant has rendered the pans a shadow of their former selves. In recent years, I have spent more time on the mountains between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay – partly to escape the bustle of city life and partly because I can walk onto the mountain from my house. At face value, mountain fynbos is one of the least exciting habitats for . A typical outing might yield only 20 species, but there are enough qual- ity birds to make it rewarding. All three of the fynbos endemics that occur on the Peninsula (Cape Sugarbird, Orange- breasted Sunbird and Cape Siskin) are common in the area, as are other south- ern African endemics like Cape Grassbird and Ground Woodpecker. Probably the most exciting and frustrating species is Striped Flufftail, which is remark- ably hard to actually see, despite being resident in the area. This makes it all the Jackal Buzzard more rewarding when, after a patient wait, one finally does appear, creeping through the undergrowth at your feet. Rock Kestrel, but Verreaux’s Eagles sadly Rarities are in short supply, but odd­ no longer breed, and are now rare vis­ ities do appear from time to time. Scarce itors from adjacent areas of the Peninsula migrants include Eurasian Hobby and mountain chain. White-necked Ravens Spotted Flycatcher, whereas an African also appear to be dwindling, possibly as Snipe in a marshy area near Steenberg a result of the invasion by Pied Crows Peak was testament to the vagil- over the past two decades. Species home-ground advantage Cape Sugarbird ity of wetland species. Resident raptors that have disappeared in recent years include Peregrine, Jackal Buzzard and despite no obvious changes to their peter ryan (3) habitat include African Stonechat and Yellow Bishop. Other species persist, despite reduc- tions in their populations on the Cape Peninsula. These include Grey-winged working your patch Francolin, Cape Turtle-Dove and the two rock-thrushes. Cape Rock-Thrush num- Spiralling fuel costs and the economic downturn are forcing many birders to reconsider how they enjoy their hobby. bers fell during the 1990s, but appear to And it’s not just the direct costs of birding that should be considered. Driving and flying are major contributors to be recovering to some extent, whereas  carbon emissions, and you might be surprised to discover how much birding adds to your carbon footprint (see box on page 18). One solution is to develop a local patch close to home and track how its avifauna changes with tips for environmentally time. In addition to the rewards you will reap, you can also gather valuable data for assessing how global change is responsible birding affecting populations. Over the next year, Africa – Birds & Birding will feature various birders and their patches • Bird close to home to highlight the joys of local birding. In the first article, Peter Ryan reports on his experiences and sightings in the • Car pool when birding in groups Cape Peninsula. • Bird on foot or from a bike • Plan fewer, longer birding trips to or most birders, nothing quite I first encountered serious ‘patchers’ a Spotted Creeper? There’s a pair over cut total distance matches the rush of birding in in Zimbabwe, shortly after independ- here. Violet-backed Sunbird? Try that • Offset your carbon emissions a wholly new environment. But ence. During the bush war, travel was patch of miombo over there. • Maximise the value of your birding thereF is a gentler pleasure in working severely constrained, keeping birders Growing up in the southern Cape by contributing data to atlases and your local patch, where every sound close to home. As a result, they knew Peninsula in the 1970s, I was offered other programmes designed to is familiar, and you have the chance their own areas backwards, which was a wide range of birding options. The Muizenberg fynbos monitor birds and their habitats to get to know the birds intimately. a boon to visiting birders. Want to see closest I came to a local patch was

16 BIRDING BRIEFS africa – birds & birding february/march 2009 BIRDING BRIEFS 17 birding birding briefs briefs sparrows face housing crisis Once ubiquitous in both urban and rural areas, the House Sparrow is suffering a major decline in European cities. Greater human popula­ tion densities and changes in socio-economic factors in urban areas are impacting on its habitat and foraging and nesting opportunities.

or many bird species, the urbani- the sparrows seem to be disappearing Juvenile Sentinel Rock-Thrush sation of natural landscapes is bad from more affluent areas, although they tim jackson news. Not so the House Sparrow are still abundant in areas of lower The House Sparrow is being adversely peter ryan PasserF domesticus, which thrives in both socio-economic status. One direct link affected by urban habitat changes. only one pair of Sentinel Rock-Thrushes You may think it’s boring to repeat- urban and rural areas and is generally between socio-economic factors and endures. The female of this pair is an edly visit the same area, but each visit more abundant in anthropogenic habi- sparrow populations appears to arise study, based on a five-month question- unusually male-like bird, suggesting she brings something new. There are sea- tats than in natural ones. This distinc- from the way in which private gardens naire survey, estimated that the UK cat may be very old. She is also quite toler- sonal differences and, at a longer time­ tive little is native to Eurasia are managed. In more affluent areas of population killed a staggering 27 million ant of people, and it is very rewarding to scale, fynbos has evolved to withstand and North Africa, but now occurs virtu- London, for example, increased demand birds during this period. spend an hour or so watching her forage and even promote regular burning. ally worldwide as a result of introduc- for off-street parking has led to an esti- One of the reasons that House for herself and her chicks. Although she Fires add a dynamic element to the tions by humans. In southern Africa, mated two-thirds of front gardens being Sparrows do so well in urban areas is seems to have little difficulty securing a area’s vegetation, with many birds mov- House Sparrows were brought to several at least partially paved. The paving of their propensity for nesting in cavities in wide range of large insect prey, I have ing out after fires and others replacing coastal cities during the 19th century, gardens, combined with the planting of buildings. Another factor that appears to twice seen her steal beetles from Cape them. But the birds seen also change on and from there they spread throughout ornamental shrubs, is thought to have be contributing to the species’ disappear- girdled lizards. a daily basis, especially highly mobile the region. decreased the availability of insects, an ance from more affluent areas is the fact species like swifts and swallows. And It may, therefore, come as a surprise important food source for the sparrows that there tend to be more potential nest there’s always the chance of something to learn that, over much of its original when they are raising chicks. sites in buildings that are older and/or green birding unexpected turning up. Top of my European range, the House Sparrow is in Besides leading to decreases in insect in worse states of repair. The increasing want-list for Muizenberg is a Hotten­­tot trouble. The UK population has plunged abundance in more affluent areas, differ- use of flatter roof tiles and plastic (rather Calculate your carbon footprint Buttonquail… by more than half, from an estimated ences in garden management practices than wooden) fascia boards are among We all need to understand the envi- The intimate knowledge of the local 13 million pairs in the early 1970s to six between areas of higher and lower socio- the factors thought to be reducing the ronmental consequences of our life- distributions and abundance of birds million pairs in the late 1990s. There is economic status also affect the sparrows. number of potential nest sites on more style choices. I was recently shamed obtained by regularly visiting the same less information on sparrow numbers in The birds may face a higher predation modern buildings. And, as dilapidated into calculating my carbon footprint patch is invaluable. Some species are continental Europe, but recent declines risk when foraging in neatly trimmed, buildings generally provide more nest- by a colleague, and the results were surprisingly localised, such as Cape have been documented in several major more homogenous gardens in upmar- ing opportunities, urban-regeneration startling. I consider myself a reason- Bunting – another species that appears cities, including Hamburg, Prague and ket suburbs than they do in less well- projects that improve human socio- ably green consumer – I commute by to be less common than it once was – Moscow. The negative trends in House maintained gardens with mosaics of economic conditions can be expected train, avoid flying to meetings as much and Grey-backed . The latter Sparrow numbers have led to it being shorter and longer grass and/or weedy to cause losses of sparrow breeding colo- as possible, and have an energy- and is much less abundant than Neddicky, listed as a species of special conservation patches. Although Eurasian Sparrow­ nies, a phenomenon that has been con- water-efficient house. Yet my foot- appearing to favour flatter areas with- concern in the UK, and in 2006 BirdLife hawks regularly prey on House Sparrows firmed in Berlin. print for the past year was roughly out rocky outcrops. Such knowledge International designated it a species of in gardens, the most convincing evi- ANDREW McKECHNIE  nine tonnes of carbon, close to the makes for efficient, accurate assess- European conservation concern. dence for a link between predation and South African national average. Even ments of local bird populations and A study recently published in the declines in sparrow populations involves REFERENCE more sobering is the fact that birding allows changes in their status to be Journal of Ornithology argues that the domestic cats. One recent study, which Shaw, L.M., Chamberlain, D. and Evans, comprised almost half of this load. detected with confidence. So, identify current declines in House Sparrow popu- examined the impact of domestic cats M. 2008. ‘The House Sparrow Passer Flights to Iceland and Zambia contrib- an area close to home and start your lations, particularly in the UK, are being on prey species in the city of Bristol, domesticus in urban areas: reviewing a pos- uted about a quarter of my annual own local patch. Keep records of each driven by urban trends that result in concluded that the House Sparrow is sible link between post-decline distribution footprint, with car-based birding mak- visit and the approximate numbers changes in habitat structure, foraging one of three bird species for which cat- and human socio-economic status.’ Journal ing up the balance. And this was a of birds you see. Over time, this will 103005SBC2opportunities 50/50Buffalo and the strip availability 7/14/08 4:10 of PM nest Page predation 1 rates are high enough to cause of Ornithology 149: 293–299. year when I didn’t do much birding! become an increasingly valuable log sites. An important observation is that significant population declines. Another C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Imagine the impact of people who of local environmental health. And if chase big year lists... Visit www.carbon you live in , Swaziland or footprint.com or www.cap.org.za/ Lesotho, register for the South African calculator to work out your footprint. Bird Atlas Project (http://sabap2.adu.org. za) and submit your records! 

18 BIRDING BRIEFS africa – birds & birding december 2008/january 2009 BIRDING BRIEFS 19

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