Hi Members,

June 2010

N e w s l e t t e r o f B i r d L i f e B o t s w a n a

Familiar Chat

IF ANYONE CAN

CAN

In This Issue

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY 2

IT DOESN’T TAKE BRAINS ... 4

A FASCINATING & REWARDING STORY 6

BIRD BRAIN STORIES AND OTHERS 8

MORE FROM NICKY 9

VICTORIA O’CONNELL’S SPEECH 10

WELCOME YUKIKO

BINOCULARS FOR BIRD WATCHING

11

11

KIDS FOR BIRDS 12

BRANCH DETAILS 14

BLB COMMITTEE 15

WORLD GOVERNMENTS FAIL ... 5

A highlight of the BitdLife Botswana year, and quickly becoming a tradition, is the annual World Migratory Bird Day celebrations. This year’s event was even bigger than last year, attracting more than 500 schoolchildren and nearly 50 teachers! Reaching the hearts and minds of our youngsters, the future custodians of our fragile planet, is of inestimable value. Please read Keddy’s report on page 2 and 3 to see the impact BLB is having. Well done Keddy!

There are wonderful personal accounts of Member’s observations and successful interactions with our feathered friends, some of whom may have perished without human intervention, on pages 6 to 9. Please enjoy the stories and contribute your own for future publication in the Chat. It is these items that make the newsletter truly a members’ forum.

Please renew your membership if you haven’t already done so. Your subscriptions are greatly appreciated and much needed and we ask that Members encourage new recruits to join BLB to further the cause of bird conservation in Botswana.

Eugenie Skelton — editor skelton@home.co.bw

Flickr: Birds of Botswana

This is our website where we encourage anyone to submit photographs of birds in Bot-swana. All BLB members are invited to register and sub-mit their contributions. It is an excellent way for us to build a library of photo-graphs and for members to display their talents.

Readers are encouraged to look at some of these out-standing photographs. All you need to do is access our website at www.birdlifebotswana.org.bw and click on “Flickr”.

Birdlife Botswana Shop

Are you looking for a meaningful gift for someone

special?

Please visit our shop where you can find information about up-coming events,

renew membership and, of course, buy BirdLife

Botswana products retailing there. The shop is situated

in the Craft Centre, Broadhurst, sharing with

& Crafts - just near the Deli.

One of Ian White’s exquisite photos on the BLB Flickr site

Page 2

BirdLife Botswana in collaboration with DWNP celebrated World Migratory Bird Day with more than 500 school children, 48 teachers and over 50 Mogobane community members on Saturday 29th May at Mogobane village kgotla. The theme for the celebration was Migratory Birds: Promoting Cultural Diversity in Botswana.

The day was attended by Mogobane village Chief Mr Nobi Moilwa who welcomed everybody to the celebration and also applauded BLB for organising this event in his village. He said that he hoped the event would not only serve as an entertaining & educational tool for his community but would motivate them to start conserving the waterbirds at Mogobane Dam.

In the main address Ms Arabang Kanego of the Department of Environmental Affairs mentioned that this World Migratory Bird Day Celebration was appropriate as it contributed to mark 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. She also said that it is good that BLB is developing Botswana’s future ornithologists by making school children the key role players in celebrating World Migratory Bird Day.

The celebration was sponsored by the Embassy of the United States of America, represented by Mrs Victoria O’Connell, who gave a speech on behalf of the Ambassador. She mentioned that each year hundreds of thousands of people observe International Migratory Bird Day. She continued that this year we join people throughout the world who are connecting with nature by celebrating IMBD in town squares, community centres, schools, parks, and refuges across the planet to learn more about wild birds, take action to conserve birds and their habitats and to simply have fun.

She also said that increasingly, birds are teaching us more and more about our environment. For example, migratory bird patterns can teach us much about climate change and changes in weather patterns.

Ed’s note: For the full text of Victoria O‘Connell’s speech please turn to page 10

World Migratory Bird Day Celebration - Promoting Botswana’s Diverse Culture by Keddy Mooketsa

Motswedi Community Junior Secondary school performing traditional dance

A member of Dirunya youth group from Mogobane Village delivering a migratory bird poem

Ms Kanego receiving a World Migratory Bird Day present

Page 3

Regarding the extent of the damage of the Gulf oil spill to the Gulf Coast she said US Fish and Wildlife Service experts are working around the clock to rescue birds in order to release them back to a safer habitat.

Mrs O’Connell mentioned that abundant and diverse birdlife enriches our cultures, provides immeasurable eco-system services that benefit our economies, and serves as a sensitive barometer of changes to our environments. In conclusion she said that today we have the opportunity to interact with our friends, our neighbours, our educators, and the wonderful experts of BLB as we connect with nature through birds.

The audience was then thoroughly entertained by twenty four school environmental clubs including AIDS schools and associations, three youth groups and a tertiary club. They performed traditional dances, acted out bird dramas they had produced, recited poetry, played on marimbas and brought messages depicting their culture and migratory birds of Botswana. What was particularly enjoyable were the many songs written specially for the occasion and then delightfully sung by the children. Importantly, the day was educational in that all the participants performed their acts in both Setswana and English. The items sent various messages on migratory species of Botswana, how birds are associated with culture and messages on AIDS prevention. All present were given World Migratory Bird Day promotional t-shirts which featured the Woodland Kingfisher, one of Botswana’s beautiful migrants.

The event was closed by Mogobane village councillor, Mr Samuel Nong who thanked the children for their active participation in their migratory bird, culture and AIDS educational acts. He acknowledged BLB for celebrating the event in his village, and the community for their attendance. He noted that the celebration was very important as it highlighted the need for him and his community to take note of birds around them. He was pleased that BLB had combined with the Mogobane community to arrange a popular event at the Kgotla because of birds, which he considered unusual. To conclude, the Chairman of BLB, Harold Hester, presented certificates of participation to all the performers.

Naledi Senior Secondary School playing Marimba

Mr. Hester presenting a certificate of participation to Legodimo Trust

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It Doesn’t Take Brains to Pick a World Cup Winner A BirdLife International report 07.06.2010

Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres - one of Africa's largest birds of prey - is believed to be under threat from the followers of muti magic in South Africa, who mistakenly believe smoking dried vulture brains will confer supernatural powers upon gamblers enabling them to predict match results from the forthcoming football World Cup.

Betting on the outcome of World Cup games will be big business and conservationists believe superstition and sorcery will be powerful attractions for gamblers desperate to increase their chances of a big win, placing even more pressure on the Cape vulture, which is already classified as facing global extinction.

Mark Anderson, Executive Director of BirdLife South Africa said: "Many vultures species across the world are in trouble. Our very own species in southern Africa is declining sharply for a number of reasons, including reduced food availability, deliberate poisoning and electrocution from electricity pylons. The harvesting of the bird's heads by followers of muti magic is an additional threat these birds can't endure."

The RSPB's Dr Chris Magin who works with BirdLife South Africa said "One in every six of the world's birds of prey are facing extinction and during the past two decades vultures have virtually vanished from West Africa, South Asia and other parts of the world."

Steve McKean, from KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, has been studying the decline of vultures related to the harvesting of birds for muti magic. He said: "Our research suggests that killing of vultures for so-called 'traditional' use could render the Cape vulture extinct in some parts of South Africa within half a century. In the worst case, the Cape vulture could be suffering population collapse within 12 years."

Conservationists remain concerned that most vultures killed for muti magic are killed using the poison Aldicarb, which is also lethal to humans. André Botha, manager of the Birds of Prey Working Group at the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa, said: "Vultures fulfill an important ecological role as scavengers and their absence in Africa indicates an unhealthy environment. This threat is also known to occur widely in East and West Africa and poses a threat to all species of vulture on the African continent."

and more news of Vultures... reported in Telegraph.co.uk

German police to use 'sniffer' vultures -16 May 2010

“Global positioning system tracking devices will be attached to birds and they will be trained to find the corpses of people who have disappeared in remote areas”, policeman Rainer Herrmann said: "It was a colleague of mine who got the idea from watching a nature programme."If it works, time could be saved when looking for dead bodies because the birds can cover a much vaster area than sniffer dogs or humans." Vultures have a keen sense of smell and are able to detect the scent of rotting flesh from 3,000ft up in the air. They can even find remains in woodland or in thick undergrowth and cover vast tracts of land. The first bird, Sherlock, is currently being trained to love the putrid smell of dead human flesh.

“Vultures are currently considered among the most

threatened bird groups in Africa — it is our duty to

save them”

Dr Julius Arinaitwe, Head of BirdLife’s Africa

Secretariat

Fveronesi1 / Flickr Betting on the outcome of World Cup games is placing even more pressure

on Cape Vulture

Page 5

World leaders have failed to deliver commitments made in 2002 to reduce the global rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, and have instead overseen alarming biodiversity declines. These findings are the result of a new paper published in the leading journal Science and represent the first assessment of how the targets made through the 2002 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have not been met.

Compiling over 30 indicators – measures of different aspects of biodiversity, including changes in species’ populations and risk of extinction, habitat extent and community composition – the study found no evidence for a significant reduction in the rate of decline of biodiversity, and that the pressures facing biodiversity continue to increase. The synthesis provides overwhelming evidence that the 2010 target has not been achieved.

"Our analysis shows that governments have failed to deliver on the commitments they made in 2002: biodiversity is still being lost as fast as ever, and we have made little headway in reducing the pressures on species, habitats and ecosystems", said Dr Stuart Butchart, of the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre and BirdLife International, and the paper’s lead author.

"Our data show that 2010 will not be the year that biodiversity loss was halted, but it needs to be the year in which we start taking the issue seriously and substantially increase our efforts to take care of what is left of our planet."

The indicators included in the study were developed and synthesised through the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership – a collaboration of over 40 international organisations & agencies developing global biodiversity indicators and the leading source of information on trends in global biodiversity.

"Since 1970, we have reduced animal populations by 30%, the area of mangroves and sea grasses by 20% and the coverage of living corals by 40%", said the United Nations Environment Programme's Chief Scientist Prof Joseph Alcamo. "These losses are clearly unsustainable, since biodiversity makes a key contribution to human well-being and sustainable development, as recognised by the UN Millennium Development Goals."

The results from this study feed into Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, the flagship publication of the CBD, to be released in Nairobi on May 10th, when government representatives from around the world will meet to discuss the 2010 target and how to address the biodiversity crisis.

"Although nations have put in place some significant policies to slow biodiversity declines, these have been woefully inadequate, and the gap between the pressures on biodiversity and the responses is getting ever wider", said Dr Butchart. The study recognised that there have been some important local or national successes in tackling biodiversity loss, including the designation of many protected areas (e.g. the 20,000 km2 Juruena National Park in Brazil), the recovery of particular species (e.g. European Bison) and the prevention of some extinctions (e.g.Black Stilt of New Zealand).

But despite these encouraging achievements, efforts to address the loss of biodiversity need to be substantially strengthened, and sustained investment in coherent global biodiversity monitoring and indicators is essential to track and improve the effectiveness of these responses.

"While many responses have been in the right direction, the relevant policies have been inadequately targeted, implemented and funded. Above all, biodiversity concerns must be integrated across all parts of government and business, and the economic value of biodiversity needs to be accounted for adequately in decision making. Only then will we be able to address the problem", said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

World Governments Fail to Deliver on 2010 Biodiversity Target BirdLife International News 29.04.2010

From October 2009 through to January 2010 we had the privilege of witnessing a very interesting bird breeding scenario at our plot in Crocodile Pools. During September/October 2009 a pair of Lesser-striped Swallows, who had bred in a nest at our house in 2008, returned. For some reason (I suspect House Sparrows evicted them as I had witnessed some unfair confrontations between the two), they did not use the 2008 nest and commenced building a new clay dwelling high up on our veranda ceiling. Because their nest building activities were dependent upon wet conditions to produce the required consistency of building material, they took some time to construct their new nest. Finally they completed the body of their rather bulky nest but before they started on the important small entrance tunnel which would have restricted the size of unauthorised intruders, a pair of Woodland Kingfishers moved in and evicted them. This was after a House Sparrow had attempted something similar. I do not normally interfere in the ways of nature but must admit that in the case of the Sparrow, I did demonstrate my displeasure at his evil intentions, and assisted the Swallows in their attempts to retain ownership. However the Woodland Kingfisher is a different kettle of fish and I accepted their take over without interference. We watched closely over the next few weeks as the Kingfishers incubated their eggs and just before we left for Cape Town after Christmas, were aware that the nestlings had hatched and were being fed by the parents. We returned home after New Year and immediately saw that the top half of the swallows nest was no longer in existence. What had once been a full blown Lesser-striped Swallows nest was now a less than half cup! What is more, one of the two chicks who had been in the nest had fallen out and landed on the floor. Our maid duly picked it up and put it on the veranda table as we got home. Fortunately, our four cats were more interested in our homecoming than the very vulnerable Kingfisher hatchling on the table. We quickly got out the garden ladder and replaced the chick in the nest. Unfortunately the chick again fell out the next day (or was pushed by the other - Cain and Abel?) and did not survive. That left one chick that was regularly fed by both parents and continued to grow day by day. We took a series of photos and we were aware both by its size and the available literature, roughly how long it would be before it fledged and that it should be getting ready for its first flight.

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A Fascinating and Rewarding Experience by Anne Dayton

Fortunately the first attempt took place on a Sunday when we were at home. I happened to look up at the nest to check on the chick and saw that he/she was not there! I immediately searched the area and found it sitting on the grass next to the veranda. One of our cats was sitting about 4 metres from it looking in the opposite direction! Whether they had been introduced we will never know but I suspect the chick’s well-being had been overseen by a higher authority on that particular day.

We did not want to put the chick back into the nest because it had outgrown it and we thought it might not be so lucky the next time, so we decided to place it in a basket on our balcony and make sure the cats could not get to it. With the plan in place we waited anxiously to see whether the parents would accept the new nesting situation. Although they took some time and were initially very suspicious, they finally accepted the changed arrangements and continued to feed their chick. After about four days of nest in basket scenario, the chick decided one late afternoon that it was now definitely ready for first flight and proceeded to jump up onto the balcony railing and a little while later, whilst I anxiously watched, gracefully flew at least 20m into a nearby tree. Landing was not quite as graceful, but achieved nevertheless, and that was the start of its new life on the wing. Approximately two months later, chick and parents are still around and doing well. We were initially able to identify said chick by slightly different colouration and definitely less accomplished and raucous call. The latter has now been developed and the bird is obviously ready to soon venture northwards for the first time in its young life. We have had Woodland Kingfishers regularly for the past three or four years, (they seem to displace the Brown Hooded in the immediate area when they arrive), so we expect them back next year. It will be interesting to see what happens with the Swallows and the Kingfishers next rainy season. Along with other issues of nature, a fascinating and rewarding experience. Note: We could not understand what had happened to the top half of the clay nest, i.e. why it had disintegrated as it had. Was it another avian predator attempting to get the chicks and destroying the nest in its attempts? Alternatively, just before we came home from Cape Town, we had had about 40mm of rain over a period of a couple of days. A possibility that entered my mind was that the parents had become very wet during that time and the repeated entry and exits into the nest to feed the chicks might have caused the clay to become so wet that it collapsed.

Page 7

Bird Brain Stories and Others ... from Nicky Bousfield in Francistown

Bird Brain Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that talking “parrot fashion” is in fact a misconception. Parrots can actually talk with thought and reason behind the words they utter. Against much poo-pooing and disbelief, an American scientist proved unequivocally, to the scientific world, that a parrot named Max spoke with comprehension and sound sense. Read the book “Max and Me” And if birds have that amount of sensibility, what about other creatures?

African Pygmy-kingfishers The February monthly bird-ringing effort fell on 19.2.2010. Amongst the 40 birds trapped and processed there were many immatures and juveniles, as can be expected when the summer season draws to an end. A total of 5 kingfishers of 4 different varieties were handled. Amongst these was an African Pygmy-kingfisher. These birds are intra African migrants. They breed in southern Africa during summer and return to tropical Africa when our winter approaches. North bound migration through Botswana is recorded as taking place in Feb/March. It was not altogether surprising, albeit rare, to catch one of these. This was a very juvenile bird. Normally they migrate in flocks, mostly at night, and fly at low levels which frequently results in birds impacting walls and windows resulting in death or severe stunning. This little chap seemed perfectly fit but presumably lagged behind as the primary flight feathers were only just “out of sheath”. He weighed 12g while the average is 13.7g and his ring number is E29424 The March monthly effort fell on 6.3.2010. Much to my delight we captured E29424 again – 3 weeks after first capture. This begs the question – why had he not proceeded with the journey? He now weighed 13.5 g so had gained a significant 1.5 g Even more exciting – we captured a second juvenile Pygmy-kingfisher in the same locality. This bird was at the same stage of development as E29424 but weighed a whopping16.5g. E29425 and E29424 were released together and we wished them well on their north bound journey.

Bird Brain Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that talking “parrot fashion” is in fact a misconception. Parrots can actually talk with thought and reason behind the words they utter. Against much poo-pooing and disbelief, an American scientist proved unequivocally, to the scientific world, that a parrot named Max spoke with comprehension and sound sense. Read the book “Max and Me” And if birds have that amount of sensibility, what about other creatures?

African Pygmy-kingfishers The February monthly bird-ringing effort fell on 19.2.2010. Amongst the 40 birds trapped and processed there were many immatures and juveniles, as can be expected when the summer season draws to an end. A total of 5 kingfishers of 4 different varieties were handled. Amongst these was an African Pygmy-kingfisher. These birds are intra African migrants. They breed in southern Africa during summer and return to tropical Africa when our winter approaches. North bound migration through Botswana is recorded as taking place in Feb/March. It was not altogether surprising, albeit rare, to catch one of these. This was a very juvenile bird. Normally they migrate in flocks, mostly at night, and fly at low levels which frequently results in birds impacting walls and windows resulting in death or severe stunning. This little chap seemed perfectly fit but presumably lagged behind as the primary flight feathers were only just “out of sheath”. He weighed 12g while the average is 13.7g and his ring number is E29424 The March monthly effort fell on 6.3.2010. Much to my delight we captured E29424 again – 3 weeks after first capture. This begs the question – why had he not proceeded with the journey? He now weighed 13.5 g so had gained a significant 1.5 g Even more exciting – we captured a second juvenile Pygmy-kingfisher in the same locality. This bird was at the same stage of development as E29424 but weighed a whopping16.5g. E29425 and E29424 were released together and we wished them well on their north bound journey.

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Page 9

More from Nicky ...

Laughing Dove with good reason to laugh One of the residents in Botshabelo housing estate found two Laughing Dove chicks, fresh out of their eggs, on the ground. There was no chance to return them to the nest because the would-be predator had completely demolished the nest. The babies were handed to another resident, adept at caring for young or injured birds. Amazingly, the two survived. Before the surrogate mother released them, we put rings on their legs, in order to permanently identify them. Together with others of their kind, they periodically visited the kitchen door looking for handouts. Seven weeks later, a bird flew into the home of the erstwhile mother. After recovering from her surprise, she realized with trepidation that her husband had set some mouse traps high up on the wall in their thatched cottage. Then it happened – a loud snap followed by distressing flapping of wings. She hastened to discover the extent of the injury. It was one of the doves that she had so lovingly cared for. The miracle is that the mousetrap had snapped shut onto our metal ring D63567. The leg was not broken and the bird was uninjured but shocked. A day or two was spent in its familiar cage to recover from the shock, and it was again released in perfect health! What a lucky escape.

Williams Bed & Breakfast - Kasane • Recently opened in Kasane : Serendipity Bed and Breakfast on the banks of the Chobe

River. Our two air-conditioned, self-catering en-suite rooms set in a luxuriant garden are tastefully appointed with antique furniture, wifi connection and all the items necessary for a comfortable and convenient stay. There is safe and secure parking on site. The garden is literally for the birds and situated within an important birding area. We are perfectly situ-ated for your exploration of northern Botswana, western Zimbabwe, southern Zambia and northern Namibia. We are 5km from the Sedudu Entry Gate of Chobe National Park.

• Rates: P500.00 for the room dbl per night or P375.00 single per night. Full English breakfast P80.00 p/p, continental P50.00 p/p.

• Contact Trish Williams on +267 6250114 or +267 75532117 or email trish@chobeselfcatering.com.

• Contact Geoff Williams at +267 71636464. Web Site www.chobeselfcatering.com.

• Ten percent discount to all BirdLife Botswana members.

For all eternity If you would like more information on leaving a legacy to birds in your will

or creating a ‘Feather Fund’ to honour the memory of someone special, please contact Harold Hester on 316 1766

or email him at haroldh@accelerate-it.co.bw

Page 10

Can you remember the first time you heard a bird sing? Is there a particular bird's song that makes you think of home? Does a bird's song wake you in the morning and start your day with inspira-tion? Does a bird's song lift your spirits? Today we celebrate birds - their beauty, their amazing abilities, and the benefits they provide to people. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people observe International Migratory Bird Day. This year we join people throughout the world who are connecting with nature by celebrating International Migra-tory Bird Day in town squares, community centers, schools, parks, and refuges across the planet to learn more about wild birds, to take action to conserve birds and their habitats, and to simply have fun! The story of birds is remarkable, particularly when they take their annual journeys between their summer and winter homes. Today, let's take the opportunity to celebrate all the species of birds whose annual movements enliven our lands, water, and skies. Migratory birds are some of the most beautiful, observable, and remarkable wildlife that share our world. Migratory birds are the symbolic harbingers of spring, as well as the melodious songsters of the woods. Migratory birds provide an important economic and health resource by controlling insect pests and generating recreational tourism income. Increasingly, birds are teaching us more and more about our environment. For example, migratory bird patterns can teach us a lot about climate change and changes in weather patterns. Right now in the United States, we are all learning more and more about the extent of the damage the Gulf oil spill has done to the Gulf Coast, but our Fish and Wildlife Service experts are working around the clock to rescue the birds affected by the spill in order to release them back to a safer habitat. In sum, our abundant and diverse birdlife enriches our cultures, provides immeasurable eco- system services that benefit our economies, and serves as a sensitive barometer of changes to our environ-ments. Today we have the opportunity to interact with our friends, our neighbors, our educators, and the wonderful experts of BirdLife Botswana as we all connect with nature through birds. Please take this opportunity to see how important a role science - particularly ornithology - plays in our lives. Hopefully many of you will be inspired by the BirdLife Botswana experts, as I am, so that you can be inspired to study more science and become a wildlife professional! Thank you to BirdLife Botswana and the Community of Mogobane.

Victoria O’Connell’s Speech - Mogobane 29.05.2010

Page 11

Welcome Yukiko My name is Yukiko Maki-MURAKAMI and I have just arrived from Japan as a volunteer in Botswana. I have been delegated by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) to BirdLife Botswana to facilitate environmental education programmes.

I come from a subtropical island called Okinawa Main Island where the population is 1.23 million. It has a very rich natural environment such as coral reef and a lot of endemic species including Okinawa Rail (an endangered species listed in the red data book), Pryer’s Woodpecker and Ryukyu Robin.

Before coming to Botswana, I was involved with several projects in the area of environmental conservation and ecotourism in Tanzania and in Okinawa. I have come across so many environmental issues in different fields. The common issue always seems to be the conflict between conservation and the economy, which became my motivation to work in this area.

Since leaving Tanzania in 2000, I have been based in a rural area of Japan to work with the community for environmental conservation. It was not easy to sensitize the local community to appreciate their local natural resources since environmental conservation activities sometimes restrict the local people’s economic activities. So there were many obstacles I had to face. Achieving a balance between the environment and the economy in the local community is still my subject of focus. I hope I can find some solutions by working with BirdLife Botswana which has so much expertise.

I look forward to meeting you all.

Binoculars for bird-watching Pete Hancock

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB – the BirdLife partner in the UK) runs a very suc-cessful second-hand binocular scheme whereby birders in the UK donate their old binoculars and spotting scopes to the Society for donation to birders in other parts of the world to promote bird-watching. BirdLife Botswana has been the recipient of a consignment of binoculars in the past, and these are used mainly for bird guide training.

Recently however, the Cape Vulture Environmental Club (CVEC) – a youth group from Otse Village near the Mannyelanong Cape Vulture breeding colony - became the beneficiary of a further batch of binoculars. Five pairs were handed over to Benjamin Noge of the CVEC for use in monitoring vultures and general bird-watching by members of the Club.

“We are grateful to the RSPB and BirdLife Botswana for providing us with these binoculars since they are the basic tools that any birdwatcher needs. They have been added to our assets register, and will be lent to members of the club for bird-watching and monitoring” said Benjamin. “We appreciate the gesture made by bird-watchers in the UK to help promote an interest in birds in our country” he concluded.

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Kids For Birds Compiled by Doreen McColaugh

Hoopoes probe the ground for insects

Dear Kids,

We all have to eat food to stay alive, and the same applies to birds. Although we humans are called omnivores because we eat both vegetable and animal substances, there are still some humans who are strict vegetarians who only eat plant (vegetable) foods and do not eat any meat or other animal products. Many kids don’t like to eat too many vegetables, or so moms say, while some other people prefer to eat a lot of meat! Just like we have our favourite foods – so do birds. There are birds who are almost as omnivorous as humans, but usually birds are grouped into the following:

Insectivores: (eg. African Hoopoe) insects which are rich in proteins make up much of some of these birds’ diets, but they also eat worms, spiders and other invertebrates (animals with-out a backbone) such as crustaceans and molluscs that shore-birds probe into the sand and mud for.

Frugivores: Fruit makes up the diet of these birds (eg. African Green Pigeon). Some of these birds have large, strong beaks that can cut through the hard outer covering of some fruits while smaller birds have thinner bills for eating smaller, softer fruit or just swallowing the small fruit whole.

Seed-eaters: (eg. Red-billed Quelea) Seeds have hard coverings and so seed-eaters have hard, short, thick and strong beaks that can break open the seeds. Some seed-eaters swallow the seeds whole while others such as canaries take the outer covering off the seed before they swallow it.

Meat-eaters: The meat-eaters are divided into two groups of raptors – those that hunt and kill their prey and eat the meat fresh (eg. Verreauxs’ Eagle (Black Eagle)) and those that will eat meat from animals that have died, called scavengers (eg. White-backed Vultures). Some scavengers such as the Marabou Stork will also hunt and kill live prey such as flamingo chicks. Of the meat-eaters that kill their own prey are those that spe-cialize in catching and eating fish (eg. African Fish Eagle and Pel’s Fishing Owl.) Raptors have large, strong, hooked beaks that they use to tear off pieces of flesh while they hold the prey with their strong, sharp talons (clawed feet).

Nectarivores: Nectar from certain flowers provides these birds with their food (eg. White-bellied Sunbird). Sunbirds have long, thin, curved beaks that allow them to probe deep into the flower to extract the nectar with their long, especially adapted tongues. Some other birds (eg. Glossy Starling) also like to eat nectar in addition to their other food. Their beaks are not especially adapted like those of the sunbirds so they just poke a hole into the side of the flower and take out the nectar from there.

The Crombec brings it’s baby a caterpillar

A vulture cleans up an antelope carcass

A Black-headed Oriole enjoys nectar

Filter feeders: Some birds have sieves along the sides of their beak (eg. flamingos). Flamingos are very specialized filter feeders, although not the only filter feeders amongst birds. Flamingos draw water into their mouth using their strong tongue to pump in the water and then the sieves catch the food and keep it in the mouth as the water drains out. Lesser Flamingos, which have finer sieves, eat microscopic blue-green algae and diatoms while Greater Flamingos eat insects and larvae, and very small shrimps that are in the water. Both flamingos feed in an interesting way by bending their heads down and holding their beaks upside down in the water.

Even with all these definitions given above for specific feeding habits and choices of food, there are still some surprises. For example, some seed-eaters who as adults are vegetarians, will catch and feed protein-rich insects and worms to their chicks in the nest. As adults these birds wouldn’t be caught eating such things! But because seeds don’t have enough protein (or enough moisture) for the chicks to grow quickly and become strong, the parents supplement their chicks’ diets with these high protein foods while the chicks are still in the nest.

Birds such as Guineafowl take care of their chicks when they are small, but their chicks have feath-ers when they hatch and their eyes are open. (Other chicks are naked when they are hatched and their eyes don’t open for several days, while it takes about a week for the feathers to show.) The Guineafowl chicks must find food and feed themselves, although their parents do teach them what to eat.

As you know, many garden birds will eat some foods that humans also eat such as pap, bread, cheese and the like, that they would never find in the wild. Although many birds like these foods we must be careful not to feed them too much of these processed foods and try to provide them with more natural foods that they are adapted to eating such as birdseed and fruit. See books such as Attract-ing Birds to your Garden in Southern Africa and other resource books mentioned below for informa-tion on how and what to feed birds to get them to come to your home or school garden so that you can observe them at a close range. An interesting school research project would be to observe the food choices of the birds that come to the various feeders that you can make out of recycled materi-als.

Try and answer the following questions.

1. Since birds do not have teeth, how do they “chew” their food, or prepare it for digestion once it has been swallowed?

2. What is the only bird in the world adapted to digest beeswax?

3. What bird specializes in catching and eating bats?

4. Ostriches are known to swallow small stones. Why might they do this?

5. What birds produce a food substance called “milk” for their chicks? (It’s not really milk as we know it from mammals.)

If you want to check your answers email Eugenie Skelton, the editor, at skelton@home.co.bw

For further information about food for birds see:

Attracting Birds to your Garden in Southern Africa by R. Trendler and L. Hes

Bird Activity Book by D. McColaugh

Birds – the inside story by R. and H. Loon

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BirdLife – Kasane

This branch plan to meet on either the last Saturday or Sunday of the month. Contact Lyn Francey lynfrancey@gmail.com or Pete Laver petelaver@bluebottle.com or check the website www.birdlifebotswana.org.bw for details

BirdLife – Ghanzi

Contact Kevin Grant tiisakalahari@gmail.com

BirdLife – Maun

Evening activities (talks, films etc.) at Maun Lodge starting at 19h00 unless otherwise indicated. Field outings on weekends commence from the parking area outside Ngami Toyota. Exact details for outings (e.g. time of departure) are announced at the evening meeting prior to the field outing. Additional activities may be scheduled depending on demand. Contact P Hancock at BirdLife Maun office for further information - 6865618. Maun office address – P O Box 1529, Maun

BirdLife - Jwaneng

Contact Kabo Ditshane for details kditshane@debswana.bw

BirdLife – Francistown

The Francistown branch hold their meetings on the second Wednesday of each month, starting at 19h00 at the Supa-Ngwayo Museum, located at the corner of the first turn to the left as you travel from the Bulawayo roundabout towards the light industrial area. If you have any questions please call Mike Soroczynski on 7410080 or email him at mikes@africancopper.co.bw

BirdLife - Gaborone

Bird walks start at 06:30 September to April and 08:00 May to August. Meet in the southern carpark of Malapo Crossing. We have discontinued the monthly talks. Sundry talks may be held at the Museum on the third Tuesday of the month if a speaker is arranged. Members will be informed. For any queries contact Harold Hester at haroldh@accelerate-it.co.bw or Mike Goldsworthy mgg@accelerate-it.co.bw

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Committee of BirdLife Botswana 2010/11 Chairman Harold Hester haroldh@accelerate-it.co.bw Vice-Chairman Mike Goldsworthy mgg@accelerate-it.co.bw - also membership secretary Treasurer Ian White ianwhite2010@gmail.com Committee members Balisi Bonyongo - business bbonyongo@debswana.bw Chris Brewster - recorder cbrewster@botsnet.bw Mary Lane-Jones - marketing mlj@it.bw Dolina Malepa - DEA dmalepa@gov.bw Doreen McColaugh – education bdmac@info.bw Eugenie Skelton – editor Familiar Chat skelton@home.co.bw Mike Barclay - barclaygabane@info.bw Kathleen Toomey ToomeyK@bw.cdc.gov Mike Soroczynski - organiser of activities in Francistown mikes@africancopper.co.bw K. Grant - organizer Ghanzi tiisakalahari@gmail.com Kabo Ditshane - organizer Jwaneng kditshane@debswana.bw Pete Laver - organizer Kasane petelaver@bluebottle.com Ms Arabang Kanego - representative DEA akanego@gov.bw Lucas Rutina – DWNP lrutina@gov.bw Dr. David Mosugelo - DWNP dmosugelo@gov.bw Dr. Ditlhogo - UB ditlhogo@ub.bw Staff members Kabelo Senyatso – Dir. & Conservation Officer blb@birdlifebotswana.org.bw Pete Hancock - Conservation Officer Maun birdlifemaun@botsnet.bw Keddy Mooketsa - education – Gaborone education@birdlifebotswana.org.bw Justin Soopu – Ass. CO Gaborone ibamanager@birdlifebotswana.org.bw Dikabelo Koboyatshwene – Admin. Officer –Gabs –admin@birdlifebotswana.org.bw

Records sub-committee Recorder Chris Brewster, PO Box 26292, Gaborone Secretary Keddy Mooketsa education@birdlifebotswana.org.bw Andrew Hester Huw Penry supenry@yahoo.co.uk Stephanie J. Tyler steph_tyler2001@hotmail.com

Richard D. Randall rrsafaris@yahoo.co.fr

Conservation/Research sub-committee

Chair Pete Hancock birdlifemaun@botsnet.bw Kabelo Senyatso blb@birdlifebotswana.org.bw Stephanie Tyler steph_tyler2001@hotmail.com Graham McCulloch gmcculloch@botsnet.bw Sekgowa Motsumi semotsumi@gov.bw Caspar Bonyongo cbonyongo@orc.ub.bw Editorial sub-committee (Babbler) Editor Stephanie J. Tyler steph_tyler2001@hotmail.com

Asst. Editors Pete Hancock & Doreen McColaugh

BirdLife Botswana Private Bag 003, Suite 348, Mogoditshane, Gaborone, Botswana. tel. 319 0540 Website: www.birdlifebotswana.org.bw