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 December 2014

A world without vultures would be a foul-smelling place filled with disease and rotting carcasses — let’s hear it for these unsung environmental heroes! One of the environment’s most necessary creatures.

Vultures may not be the prettiest birds of prey, but they are well adapted to their lifestyle. They are large birds with a wide wingspan, which allows them to soar for long periods so they can look for carrion without flapping so much as a feather. They all have a sharp, hooked beak for ripping apart meat. A strong immune system allows vultures to eat rotting and possibly infected meat without getting sick, but this doesn’t help against poison.It is estimated that Cape Vultures can live up to 70 years, but only 20% live to maturity at 7 years.

Ms Tsogo Dudu Bethel – Vulture Awareness Coordinator, Birdlife Botswana

Familiar Chat

I want Botswana’s VULTURES ALIVE - NOT DEAD !A world without vultures would be truly frightening and sad. We don't ever want to know what that world would look like!

Vultures are uniquely equipped to keep the environment clean and help prevent the spread of disease. Pictured: Lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) (Mass 6.6Kg Wingspan 2.64m)

Show your support - buy a T-shirt from the BLB shop

KEEP CALM AND CARRION

Why do vultures have bald heads and necks?

It was always thought the lack of feathers was to help the bird keep clean, but whilst this may be an advantage, researchers discovered the primary reason is quite different.. regulation of body temperature! Vultures often endure high temperatures whilst at ground level and very low temperatures whilst soaring high in the sky. By tucking the neck a bird can reduce heat loss by 50%, by sticking the neck out the bird increases heat loss by 25%! (Glasgow University News March 2008)

This last OWL article, number seven in the series, is dedicated to Pel’s Fishing Owl. In his article “the haunting PEL’S FISHING-OWL” published in AFRICA BIRDS & BIRDING Dec. 2006/Jan. 2007, Pete Hancock states “ … Pel’s Fishing-Owl is a creature with an indefinable mystique, an aura that sets it apart from other birds. With the possible exception of the Shoebill, this owl is Africa’s ‘It’ bird, registering high on local and international birders’ most-wanted lists.” Also in the latest (November/December 2014) AFRICA BIRDS & BIRDING there are two articles mentioning the “elusive” Pel’s Fishing Owl and how it was on many birders’ lists of birds they would like to see. However, you could be lucky as this owl can be seen in Botswana, especially in the Okavango Delta, although it is not always easy to spot! I fortunately have had very good sightings, first on the 2012 BirdLife Botswana trip to Xigera in the Delta and then on the 2014 BirdLife trip to Shakawe on the Okavango River. As these owls are monogamous and often roost and nest in the same place over years, a local guide could probably help you see one. If in the area of a nest or roosting place you might hear the distinctive deep, hoot Hooommm-hut and a gruff grunting huhuhu. This owl is truly amazing and worth the effort to try and see one if you are in their habitat areas.

This owl vies with the Verreaux’s/Giant Eagle Owl in being the tallest owl in Botswana. Most guide books list them of about the same height but some consider Pel’s Fishing Owl to be slightly taller. Pel’s does have extremely long wings. However, the Giant Eagle Owl is considered by many to be taller and probably weighs more than Pel’s Fishing Owl. Pete Hancock and Douglas Wright reported that a Giant Eagle Owl was observed catching and killing a Pel’s Fishing Owl at Kanana Camp in the Delta. In the Complete Book of Southern African Birds by P.J. Ginn, et al. they reported another such attack, although unsuccessful, recorded from the Okavango River. Giant Eagle Owls are known to prey on other owls, usually smaller ones, but also including the Barn Owl.

OWLS # 7Pel’s Fishing Owl

Pel’s Fishing Owl is quite distinctive looking not only for its size but also for its attractive coloring that is a rufous-brown on its upperparts and a lighter cinnamon-brown on its chest and other underparts. It has darker streaks, bars and other markings on its chest and underparts and dark barring on its upperparts. When disturbed it fluffs out its head feathers which gives a large, round look to the head. Pel’s facial disc is not as distinct as those of other owls, but its large dark brown eyes dominate its face.

By Doreen McColaugh

What happened when the owl lost his voice? He didn't give a hoot!

A Frenchman walks into a bar with a parrot on his shoulder. The bartender asks, "Where did you get that thing?" The parrot replies, "In France, there are millions of them!"

Resources consulted for this article are:A Beginner’s Guide OWLS by G. LockwoodBirds of Botswana by K. NewmanNests & Eggs of Southern Africa by W. TarbotonOwls & Owling by W. Tarboton and R. ErasmusPel’s Fishing-Owl Scotopelia peli falls prey to Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl Bubo lacteus in the Okavango Delta – by D. Wright and P. HancockThe Complete Book of Southern African Birds by P.J. Ginn, et al.“The haunting PEL’S FISHING-OWL “ by P.Hancock in Africa Birds & Birding 12-2006/1-2007

Pel’s Fishing Owl requires a special habitat, which is riverine forest. Tall trees lining the river banks along the Linyanti and Okavango Rivers and in parts of the Okavango Delta are where these owls can be found in Botswana. They fish at night but rest in riverside trees that have dense foliage (lots of leaves) during daytime. Roost trees along the river may be stained with white from the owl’s droppings or have a deposit of pellets containing fish remains at the base. If not overly disturbed the owls usually stay at or near their roosting place, making observation possible. As these owls nest in tall trees on the edge of rivers, they look for a tree that has a hole that might have been made from a large, falling limb or even a place on a tree where several branches come out together making a bowl. They, like other owls, do not build their own nest nor do they line the nest places they find with grass or feathers. Usually two eggs are laid but only one chick survives and fledges (is able to fly and leave the nest). The younger chick is not able to compete with the first-hatched chick and dies. The older chick reportedly does not kill the younger one (“Cain and Able” struggle) as do some other raptors. The incubation and nestling times are longer than most owls and so with longer care periods once the chick has fledged, Pel’s Fishing Owl only breeds once every two years. February, March and April are the breeding months.

Pel’s fishes at night and is amazing in its ability to fly down from a perch in complete darkness and catch a fish under water. The underparts of its toes have spiny points that help the owl to hang on to a wet fish. Although most of its diet consists of fish, it is reported that it occasionally catches frogs, crabs and small, young crocodiles.

Should you not be able to see a Pel’s Fishing Owl in the wild, an alternative opportunity to appreciate this owl is in Tim Liversedge’s film “Haunt of the Fishing-Owl” that documents his long-term fascinating research on this owl.

12th to the 19th November 2014.The World Parks congress is an IUCN initiative to help the world findpragmatic solutions to the most pressing environmental and developmental challenges. The focus is on protected areas around the world. The First World Parks Congress (WPC) was in 1962 in Seattle, USA, and is consequently held every ten years. The last WPC was in Durban, South Africa in 2003, where there was a considerable number of participants from Africa. The World Parks Congress 2014 forum aim was to identify and communicate inspiring solutions involving protected areas for some of the world’s most pressing global challenges. It brought together around 3,000 people from over 160 countries, to reflect on proven approaches for protected area governance and management, to inspire people from all sectors to build a much deeper connection to nature, and to shape and guide the implementation of innovative solutions for people and protected areas for the next decade and beyond.Participation of BirdLife Botswana was mainly through sharing of experiences from a project titled ‘Strategic Partnerships to Improve the Financial and Operational Sustainability of Protected Areas in Botswana’ implemented by BirdLife Botswana in association with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP, statutory agency managing Botswana’s PAs), and the Department of Environmental Affairs (Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) focal point).

IUCN -International Union for Conservation of Nature

The main highlights from the project were that the IUCN-WCPA, for

example, has developed an effective management framework which provides a consistent basis for designing evaluation systems for protected areas. To understand the extent to which the efficiency and sustainability of current financial and operational models are implemented in Africa, a five year study funded by the Global Environment facility GEF/UNDP was done for protected area networks in Botswana and key issues related to inability by responsible parties to associate or relate with the cost benefit of protected area management. On behalf of BirdLife Botswana, Motsheeganyi Virat Kootsositse participated - to learn and be inspired by others and also to inspire others. Among others he, provided three different kinds of presentations. An E-poster, a side event and a session with a focus on governance. The idea of the interactions from across the world was to discuss and interconnect, inspire and get inspired. “The Promise of Sidney”1. Promise to INVIGORATE our efforts to ensure that protected areas do not regress but rather progress, 2. Promise to INSPIRE all people, across generations, geography and cultures to experience the wonder of nature through protected areas, to engage their hearts and minds and engender a life-long association for physical, psychological, ecological, and spiritual well-being. 3. Promise to INVEST in nature’s solutions, supported by public policy, incentives, tools and safeguards that help to halt biodiversity loss, mitigate and respond to climate change, reduce the risk and impact of disasters, improve food and water security, and promote human health and dignity. We hope this was achieved. The next World Parks Congress will be in ten years.

By Motsheeganyi Virat Kootsositse

Fill in the blanks for these ‘bird’ idioms then find them on the grid –If you want to check their meaning go to www.idiomcollection.com

A) An ----- bird gets there firstB) As ---- as a birdC) He is a bird -----D) A ------ bird told meE) A bird’s eye ----F) -------- for the birds G) --- like a birdH) Birds of a ------- flock togetherI) ---- two birds with one -----J) The bird has -----K) The birds and the ----L) The early bird catches the ----M) A bird in the ---- is worth two in the ----N) As -------- as a swanO) A chicken and --- situationP) He --------- outQ) Scarce as hen’s -----R) ----as a coot

Bird Idioms - wordsearch

2) What is the fastest flying bird? a) peregrine falcon b) albatross c ) cape swallow

3) What is the highest altitude that a bird has been seen? a) 12,000m b) 8,000m c) 4,500m

4) How many feathers are there on a swan?a) 20,000 b) 10,000 c) 50,000

5) How long do most birds live (approximately)? a) 1yr b) 10 yrs c) 5 yrs

6) What are some of the man-made threats to birds? a) collisions with buildings b) domestic cats c) habitat destruction d) all of the above

7) What are the largest and smallest birds? a) ostrich / bee hummingbird b) albatros / bee hummingbird c) ostrich / goldcrest

All about BIRDSBIRDS in the NEWS

Seabirds and other marine animals are at risk from hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic floating around in the oceans. The smaller fragments are less than 1mm and are easily incorporated into the food chain. Larger pieces

often cause death when eaten.

The number of Tawny Owls in the UK has dropped by 30% over the past 40 years

Golden winged Warblers evacuated their nesting site in advance of the US tornadoes in April 2014 – and returned afterwards. It is believes the birds can detect low frequency ‘infrasound’ which travels long distances.

Crows have the brain power to solve higher-order, relational-matching tasks, and they can do so spontaneously, according to new research. That means crows join humans, apes and monkeys in exhibiting advanced relational thinking.

www.sciencedaily.com

1) How many species of birds are there in the world?a) 100,000 b) 50,000 c) 10,000

Answer: There are some 9,567 bird species recognized worldwide. New species are occasionally discovered in remote areas of the world. About 700 species of birds occur in North America. In the fossil record, some 150,000 species of birds have been identified. Since there are less than 10,000 species living today, most of the birds that have existed on this planet are now extinct.

Answer: The fastest bird known is the Peregrine Falcon. These birds can dive at speeds in excess of 320 Km per hour!!! Other flight speeds range from a relatively slow 45 Km per hour for the hummingbirds, 142 Km per hour for the Spur-winged Goose and the Barn Swallow and 130 Km per hour for some ducks.

Answer: Birds fly at many altitudes, depending on where they are going and the purpose for their travel. Most birds fly within a few hundred feet off the ground. Birds migrating over large distances often select higher altitudes to take advantage of favorable winds. Some birds have been observed at very high altitudes. Geese can fly over the highest mountain, Mount Everest, at an altitude above 10,000m In South America, the Condor has been observed at altitudes close to 7,000m . A vulture collided with a jetliner over West Africa at an altitude at an altitude of 12,000m.

Answer: The tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird has relatively few feathers at 940. At the other extreme, the Swan has some 20,000 feathers.

Answer: Birds live a very precarious life surrounded by many natural and man-made dangers. Banding studies demonstrate that most birds die in their first year of life. If a bird survives its first year, it has a chance of living for several years. Some records for different species include 23.25 years for the Great Blue Heron, 23.5 years for the Canada Goose, 18.33 years for the Blue Jay, 15.75 years for the Red-winged Blackbird, and 15.75 years for the Northern Cardinal.

Answer: Birds have been around much longer than the things man has created that cause their death. Many birds are lost each year to collisions with buildings, windows, radio and TV towers, lighthouses and other objects. Man s introduction of animals and insects to �different parts of the world has had a devastating impact on bird populations. Pet cats and feral cats, for example, kill an estimated 2 billion birds in North America each year. Development of land removes habitat areas such as wetlands, forests, fields, beaches and other areas that birds depend on for food and shelter, especially on long migrations. Many species of bird are now extinct due to these factors. Many more species are threatened with extinction. Each of us must do our part to preserve important habitats if we and future generations are to enjoy these interesting creatures.

Answer: The largest living bird is the Ostrich. With a weight of up to 140kg and standing up to 2m tall, this flightless bird is probably the fastest running bird. Ostriches have been clocked running at speeds up to 100 km per hour. The smallest bird is the Bee Hummingbird found in Cuba. It is only long and has a wingspan of 10 cm. It weighs less than 1.8 g!

Bird Idioms - ANSWERSA) EARLYB) FREEC) BRAIND) LITTLEE) VIEWF) STRICTLYG) EATH) FEATHERI) KILL / STONEJ) FLOWNK) BEESL) WORMM) HAND / BUSHN) GRACEFULO) EGGP) CHICKENEDQ) TEETH

All about BIRDS - ANSWERS

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