Bird Ringing

Bird Ringing at Gartmore Farm

Bird ringing in South Africa is a research tool that produces insight into bird populations, distributions, movements and migration, longevity and behaviour.

The co-ordinating body for bird ringing in South Africa is the South African Bird Ringing Unit (SAFRING) which is part of the Animal Demographic Unit (ADU) at University of Cape Town. Bird ringing involves the trapping, identifying, applying of an individually numbered metal ring, taking accurate measurements and weights, recording and submitting this information to SAFRING, and most importantly safely releasing, birds.

It has been a year since we began the bird ringing project on the farm Gartmore in the Karkloof area. Our project was to trap and ring birds to identify species found in the area. We also wanted to determine which species are resident and breed at Gartmore, and which are visitors or nomadic.

We have trapped monthly since January 2010, mostly at the Crowned Crane Hide. During some of the winter months when birdlife was very quiet at the hide, we tried ringing on the bank of the Karkloof River on the northern boundary of the farm. We have ringed 279 birds of 25 different species in 2010. The most commonly caught birds were Red-billed Quelea (78) and Southern Red Bishop (63). African Reed-warbler (African Marsh Warbler) was next most common with 26 birds ringed, then 19 Fan-tailed Widow (Red-shouldered Widow), 16 African Stonechat, 15 Levaillant’s Cisticola, 15 Village Weaver (Spotted-backed) and 14 Common Waxbill. A special for us have been the migrant (European) Sedge Warblers.

On our monthly ringing trips we also complete a bird list of birds sighted and heard, which has contributed to the bird sightings list by adding 13 new species.
We  have been and will be continuing our monthly ringing sessions in 2011.

By Karin Nelson (Qualified bird guide and ringer)

Photographs: By Pat Cahill:
1. Malachite Kingfisher
2. Sedge Warbler (European)
3. Didericks Cuckoo

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To download a copy of the data from the monthly bird ringing click here