Indigobirds & Whydahs parasitise grassfinches, including waxbills, firefinches, and pytilias, whose nestlings have unusually elaborate appearances. Parasitism accelerates the evolution of nestling appearance in hosts, leading to co-evolution. #AfricanOrnithology doi.org/10.1093/evol...

Speciation in indigobirds & whydahs occurs when they colonize new hosts. Males learn their host’s song, and females prefer males who sing like their hosts. If a female parasitizes a new host, her offspring form a new reproductively isolated lineage! #AfricanOrnithology rdcu.be/eSYrl

Indigobirds & whydahs must mimic the markings inside the mouth of their hosts because host parents can detect odd chicks and feed them less than ones that match the appearance of their own offspring. #AfricanOrnithology doi.org/10.1093/behe...

🪶The pygmy falcon relies solely on the iconic nest colonies of the sociable weaver in the Kalahari for breeding and roosting, typically occupying at least one "room" within the structure. #PygmyFalcon #AfricanOrnithology

🌵 In the Kalahari, Pygmy Falcons find refuge in Sociable Weaver nests that keep them cool by day and warm by night. But this partnership is complex—falcons sometimes prey on their hosts. #PygmyFalcon #AfricanOrnithology

🔬 Long-term research on Pygmy Falcons shows shifting breeding success in the Kalahari. These tiny raptors nest in Sociable Weaver colonies, laying up to 3 eggs per clutch—though predation causes nearly half of nest failures. doi.org/10.1007/s103... #PygmyFalcon #AfricanOrnithology

🪶 Bird of the Month: The Pygmy Falcon, Africa's smallest diurnal raptor. Tiny, bold, and fiercely territorial. Found in arid savannas of southern and eastern Africa. #AfricanOrnithology #PygmyFalcon

💡 Did you know? Though widespread, Woodland Kingfishers remain important ecological indicators. Their presence often signals healthy insect populations in woodlands. #WoodlandKingfishers #AfricanOrnithology

Are Bearded Vultures in Trouble?🦅 In the Maloti-Drakensberg, breeding territories have declined by up to 51% over 50 years, with birds now confined to a smaller range. Protecting them is more urgent than ever. doi.org/10.1017/S095... #VultureConservation #AfricanOrnithology

🦅 Bearded Vultures in Southern Africa have declined dramatically, but reintroduction offers hope to expand their small range. Captive breeding & release of young could cut extinction risk by 30% over 50 years, a vital lifeline for the species. doi.org/10.2989/0030... #AfricanOrnithology

Did you know?🌳 Unlike river-dependent species, Woodland Kingfishers thrive in savannas, woodlands, and even gardens, showing their adaptability to human-altered landscapes. #WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology

🕊️ Woodland Kingfishers show striking diversity across Africa. Southern birds have longer wings, and genetics reveal two subspecies that split about 1 million years ago—shaped by climate and geography. doi.org/10.2989/0030... #AfricanOrnithology

🦅 Nearly 50% of Bearded Vulture territories in southern Africa have been abandoned. Human impacts, power lines & settlements, are key drivers, with food shortages adding pressure. Protecting them means tackling these threats head-on. doi.org/10.1650/COND... #VultureConservation #AfricanOrnithology

Did you know? 🪶 Their wings and tails contain structural colors. The shimmering turquoise isn’t pigment but microscopic feather structures bending light; a marvel of avian evolution. #WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology

🕊️ Woodland Kingfishers migrate 4000 km from South Africa to South Sudan, flying at night up to 2890 m. Their journeys show intra-tropical migrations can rival long-distance flyways. doi.org/10.1098/rspb... #AfricanOrnithology

💡Did you know? Woodland Kingfishers are intra-African migrants. They spend the non-breeding season further north, then flood into southern Africa with the rains, bringing color and sound to the summer months. #WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology

🐦 Bird of the Month: Woodland Kingfisher 🌍 With its electric-blue plumage and distinctive calls, this summer visitor is impossible to miss in African woodlands. #BirdOfTheMonth #WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology

👀 BEARDED VULTURES have an extraordinary visual system. Their forward-facing eyes give them a hawk-like binocular view—perfect for spotting bones across vast mountain ranges. They can detect carcasses and bone fragments from kilometers away. www.projectvulture.org.za #AfricanOrnithology

🪶 Juvenile BEARDED VULTURES look strikingly different from adults, with dark brown plumage that gradually lightens over 6–8 years. This slow maturation is one of the longest among raptors, reflecting their extended life history strategy. www.projectvulture.org.za #Beardedvulture #Africanornithology

🔬 Unlike other vultures, BEARDED VULTURES rarely eat carrion flesh. Up to 90% of their diet is bone, making them highly specialized scavengers and critical recyclers in mountain ecosystems. Their unique niche helps reduce disease spread from decomposing remains. #AfricanOrnithology #Beardedvulture

🧪 BEARDED VULTURE stomach acid is so strong (pH ~1) that it dissolves bone completely, extracting fat and calcium. This adaptation allows them to survive on resources inaccessible to almost any other animal. www.projectvulture.org.za #AfricanOrnithology #beardedvulturerecoveryprogramme

🦅 Today is International Vulture Day! Vultures may not always get the spotlight, but they are vital to healthy ecosystems. Today, we celebrate Africa’s incredible vulture diversity. Let’s give vultures the recognition they deserve. 🌍 @vultureday #VultureDay #AfricanOrnithology #BeardedVulture

🦅 Bird of the Month: BEARDED VULTURE Ahead of International Vulture Day, we’re spotlighting one of the world’s most remarkable scavengers. @vultureday projectvulture.org.za #AfricanOrnithology #BeardedVulture #VultureDay #BeardedVultureRecoveryProgramme #ProjectVulture

💡Did you know? On Marion Island, invasive house mice prey on chicks and, more recently, have begun attacking adults, posing a serious threat to a species that matures slowly and can live for decades. 📸Michelle Risi & Christopher Jones #Wanderingalbatross #Africanornithology

💡Did you know? leg-mounted archival tags has recorded birds circumnavigating the Southern Ocean between breeding, covering more than 20 000 km. 📸: Michelle Risi & Peter Ryan #Wanderingalbatross #africanornithology

💡Did you know? Wandering albatrosses typically have dark brown eyes, but a small proportion have blue eyes, so far only recorded in males. 📸: Christopher Jones #Wanderingalbatross #Africanornithology

💡Did you know? Since the 1970s, the FitzPatrick Institute has monitored wandering albatrosses on Marion and Prince Edward Islands, home to almost half the global population. Prince Edward’s Albatross Valley has the world’s highest nesting density. 📸: Michelle Risi & Peter Ryan #AfricanOrnithology

💡Did you know? These majestic seabirds are long-lived, with some individuals reaching over 50 years of age. Their slow reproductive rate—just one chick every two years—makes them especially vulnerable to threats. 📸: @lonehydrangea #AfricanOrnithology #Wanderingalbatross

🚨 Applications closing soon! Don’t miss your chance to apply for the FitzPatrick Institute’s MSc in Conservation Biology. Dive into hands-on research, fieldwork, and expert mentorship. Apply now! Deadline: 31 August 2025 More details and application documents: bit.ly/4796g1O #AfricanOrnithology

💡Did you know? Wandering albatrosses breed on a few isolated islands such as South Georgia, Marion, and Crozet. These remote sites are essential refuges, but their limited number makes the species globally vulnerable. 📸: @lonehydrangea #Africanornithology #AlbatrossBreeding

💡 Did you know? Pairs of wandering albatrosses form long-term monogamous bonds, returning to the same nesting grounds, often on sub-Antarctic islands like Marion or South Georgia💍 📸: @lonehydrangea #Africanornithology #Wanderingalbatross

💡 Did you know? Wandering albatrosses can travel over 500 km in a single day, rarely flapping their wings. Their flight efficiency is unmatched in the animal kingdom. 📸: @lonehydrangea #africanornithology #wanderingalbatross

💡Did you know? Wandering albatrosses have the largest wingspan of any living bird—reaching up to 3.5 metres! This allows them to glide effortlessly for hours without flapping, conserving energy during long-distance oceanic flights. 📸: @lonehydrangea #AfricanOrnithology #wanderingalbatross

🌟Bird of the Month: Wandering Albatross With the longest wingspan of any bird, the wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is a true icon of the Southern Ocean—gliding for hours without a single wingbeat. A master of wind and distance! #BirdOfTheMonth #WanderingAlbatross #Africanornithology

Starling trapping week at UCT! 🐦 Last week, Red-winged Starling Project team members and volunteers carefully trapped starlings across Upper Campus to fit them with unique colour or alphanumeric rings. These rings help us identify them for tracking weight, survival, and breeding. #AfricanOrnithology

A key aspect of ecology we study is the effect of climate change on wild birds. This starling is showing how heat affects them. They can't sweat, so to keep cool they must pant instead. This affects their foraging time and how much water they need to drink. 📸: Leslie Bayanza #AfricanOrnithology

Join UCT experts & the African Research Society to explore how editing, citing & contributing African knowledge on Wikipedia can drive real-world impact. 🌍📚 📅 14 Aug | 🕐 12h50–13h45 📍 Leslie Social Science, Room 5F 🔗 RSVP by 10 Aug: bit.ly/WikipediaEvent3000 #UCT #AfricanResearch #AfricanOrnithology

💡Did you know? Red-winged starlings are fiercely devoted parents—both mom and dad share feeding duties and will bravely dive-bomb passersby to protect their chicks! 🐥🐣 They regularly defend their nests against creatures much bigger than themselves💪 #Africanornithology #RedWingedStarling

Here, one of our favourite birds, GMOP (Green-Metal-Orange-Pink), is participating in an experiment on whether or not starlings can taste sugar - a fascinating aspect of their evolutionary biology! Photo: Celiwe Ngcamphalala. #AfricanOrnithology

One way we monitor them is by weighing them regularly. We’re able to habituate some so that they’ll hop on the scale in return for a raisin! By tracking their weight, we can see how they’re affected by changes in human presence and weather conditions on campus. 📸: Leslie Bayanza #AfricanOrnithology

Birds ringed as adults get 3 colour rings and a metal ring, each with a unique colour combination for identification from a distance. Knowing how to read them is important for accurate identification, though! This one is Violet-Metal-Aubergine-Yellow, or VMAY. 📸: Leslie Bayanza #AfricanOrnithology

💡Did you know? The way to differentiate between male and female red-winged starlings is the colour of the head -- males are all black♂, but females have grey heads♀. Careful, though -- all juveniles also have all-black heads! #AfricanOrnithology #redwingedstarling #uctbirdlife

The latest report from the amazing APNR Southern Ground-hornbill Project team is here: bit.ly/458SbQe Excellent work, Kyle Middleton and Carrie Hickman! #AfricanOrnithology

At UCT we have a long-term project monitoring Red-winged Starlings. Birds ringed as chicks receive alphanumeric rings (and a metal ring) so we can ID them from a distance. This bird is XMK2(yn). This helps us track where birds that hatch on campus end up breeding! 📸: Mila Truter #AfricanOrnithology

💡Did you know? Red-winged starlings are clever problem-solvers and quick learners—often outsmarting efforts to stop them from roosting or nesting on buildings! 🧠 #AfricanOrnithology #RedWingedStarling #UCTBirdLife

Over 2,400 tracked white-chinned petrels reveal complex moulting strategies: adults power through, immatures take it slow, some skip feathers—yet flight stays steady.🕊️🌊 A rare deep dive into seabird moult challenges old assumptions. 🔗https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.03327 #AfricanOrnithology #Petrels

🦁 From lions to labs! Susan Miller joined the Lion Management Forum in Mpumalanga for lively discussions on managing lions in small reserves—backed by stunning views. She then visited Prof Dan Parker’s lab, giving a seminar on ‘DNA and Conservation: Genetics in Action’. #AfricanOrnithology #LiMF2025

💡 Did you know? Red-winged starlings are omnivores—they’ll snack on everything from fruit to insects, and sometimes even steal scraps from picnic tables!🍇🥩 #AfricanOrnithology #redwingedstarling #birdfacts #uctbirdlife

Research by Fitz alumna, Michelle Bouwer and Dr Christie Craig, offers insight into the reasons behind the dramatic population decline that prompted a Red Data Book uplisting of the Blue Crane from "near threatened" to "vulnerable". groundup.org.za/article/sas-... #AfricanOrnithology #Ornithology