Bird ringing report: Moreletakloof NR
Background:
The South African Bird Ringing Unit (SAFRING) administers bird ringing in Southern Africa, supplying rings,
ringing equipment and services to volunteer and professional ringers in South Africa and neighboring
countries. All ringing records are curated by SAFRING, which is an essential arm of the Animal
Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town. The Bird Ringing Scheme in South Africa was initiated in
1948, so 1998 saw the 50th anniversary of the scheme. During this period over 1.7 million birds of 852
species were ringed. There have been a total of 16 800 ring recoveries since the inception of the scheme.
This gives an overall recovery rate for rings in Southern Africa of marginally less than 1%, averaged across
all species. This probability varies enormously across species. The traditional objective of SAFRING is to
establish a database of recoveries of Southern African birds that can be used to establish information about
movement and survival. Every bird ringed, no matter what species or where it was ringed has the potential
to contribute to the SAFRING recovery database. Since 1982, this database has been supplemented by a
re-trap database, supplied by ringers on a voluntary basis. This contains ringing and latest re-trap details of
birds recaptured at least 12 months after being ringed. The database as a whole is a resource which may
be used by researchers, conservation biologists and managers, and primarily provides answers to
questions related to movement and survival. Research into bird populations of importance to fisheries,
agriculture, conservation and water management authorities involves bird ringing. Ringing provides a costeffective tool for monitoring our environment and commonly draws attention to pollution, poisoning, powerline incidents, long-line fishing fatalities and other hazards.
There are currently ±200 active ringers operating in South Africa and neighboring countries such as
Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. About 70 000 birds are ringed annually. Ringers, both
amateur and professional, have to pay for all rings used. Bird ringing in South Africa is very strictly
controlled by the “CODE OF ETHICS FOR BIRD RINGERS”
Training:
The intensive “training before qualification” consists of at least one year active ringing under the mentorship
of an A1 ringer to master correct identification of birds, accurate data capturing and looking after the wellbeing of the birds during the processing of birds.
Projects:
SESAW: Survival Estimates in Southern African Weavers, Aug 2009 Dec 2012
A new study has been launched to ring weavers in a way to maximize data for geographic variation in
survival rates. Weavers are fairly easy to catch in large numbers, making them ideal candidates for largescale studies. Species that could work well include Southern Red Bishops and Southern Masked Weavers.
The key is to ring at sites where weavers are often recaptured. Ringers are able to contribute to this project
in their normal ringing sessions. Due to the ideal habitat it was decided to register Moreletakloof for the
SESAW project.
The aim is to measure geographic variability in survival rates of weavers in southern Africa over 3.5 years
(2009-2012).
A normal ring session will typically start at ± 04h00 in the morning and could last up to 15h00 depending on
weather conditions, temperature and numbers caught. During our recent visit to Moreletakloof we were
fortunate to be able to ring a significant number of Weavers, Bishops, Thick-billed Weavers and Cape
Weavers amongst many other species as was the case during previous ringing sessions in Moreletakloof.
The species ringed and released during our last ringing session is listed in table 1 below:
Robert's
No.
317
352
390
439
442
545
576
581
606
607
618
642
646
649
707
715
763
772
799
803
804
805
808
813
814
823
833
843
859
860
867
1172
Species
Laughing (Palm) Dove
Dideric (Diederik) Cuckoo
Speckled Mousebird
Crested Barbet
Lesser Honeyguide
Dark-capped (Black-eyed) Bulbul
African (Common) Stonechat
Cape Robin-Chat
African Reed-Warbler
Marsh (European Marsh) Warbler
Cape Grassbird
Rattling Cisticola
Le Vaillant's (Tinkling) Cisticola
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Common (Fiscal) Fiscal (Shrike)
Black-crowned Tchagra
White-bellied (breasted) Sunbird
Amethyst (Black) Sunbird
Cape Weaver
Southern Masked-Weaver
Thick-billed (Grosbeak) Weaver
Red-billed Quelea
Southern Red (Red) Bishop
Red-collared Widowbird
White-winged Widowbird
Bronze Mannikin
African (Blue-billed) Firefinch
Common Waxbill
Yellow-fronted (eyed) Canary
Black-throated Canary
Streaky-headed Seedeater (Canary)
Cape White-eye (split)
Imm
1
1
10
16
5
56
21
29
1
Table 1
In total more than 3825 birds have been ringed over a period of 8 years.
Amethyst Sunbird
Adult
1
1
5
1
1
18
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
6
1
1
20
15
5
121
21
6
23
10
2
Cape Grassbird
1
4
1
1
2
4
We would like to convey our special thanks to Adelene Marais, Functional Head : Nature Conservation
and Ina from Rademeyers restaurant for allowing us to ring at Moreletakloof NR.
Many thanks
Kind regards
Dirk, Karen and Stefan van Stuyvenberg
Tel (h): 012 5483547
Tel (c): 076 9745042