FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
@africanornithology.bsky.social
Research Institute within the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
https://science.uct.ac.za/fitzpatrick/fitz-news/current-news
https://science.uct.ac.za/fitzpatrick/fitz-news/current-news
🪶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
#PygmyFalcon #AfricanOrnithology
November 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
🪶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
#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
#PygmyFalcon #AfricanOrnithology
November 12, 2025 at 4:05 PM
🌵 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
#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
doi.org/10.1007/s103...
#PygmyFalcon #AfricanOrnithology
November 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
🔬 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
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
#AfricanOrnithology #PygmyFalcon
November 4, 2025 at 4:02 PM
🪶 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
#AfricanOrnithology #PygmyFalcon
💡 Did you know? Though widespread, Woodland Kingfishers remain important ecological indicators. Their presence often signals healthy insect populations in woodlands.
#WoodlandKingfishers #AfricanOrnithology
#WoodlandKingfishers #AfricanOrnithology
October 27, 2025 at 4:02 PM
💡 Did you know? Though widespread, Woodland Kingfishers remain important ecological indicators. Their presence often signals healthy insect populations in woodlands.
#WoodlandKingfishers #AfricanOrnithology
#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
#VultureConservation #AfricanOrnithology
Trends in territory occupancy, distribution and density of the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis in southern Africa | Bird Conservation International | Cambridge Core
Trends in territory occupancy, distribution and density of the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis in southern Africa - Volume 24 Issue 2
doi.org
October 24, 2025 at 4:08 PM
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
#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
#AfricanOrnithology
Potential release sites and strategies for a Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus reintroduction in South Africa
Browse all journals
doi.org
October 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM
🦅 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
#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
#WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology
October 20, 2025 at 4:23 PM
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
#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
doi.org/10.2989/0030...
#AfricanOrnithology
October 17, 2025 at 4:07 PM
🕊️ 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
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
Anthropogenic activities influence the abandonment of Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) territories in southern Africa
Abstract. Developing an effective conservation strategy for a critically endangered species relies on identifying the most pressing threats to the species.
doi.org
October 15, 2025 at 4:06 PM
🦅 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
#WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology
October 13, 2025 at 4:46 PM
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
#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
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
#AfricanOrnithology
October 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
🕊️ 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
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
#WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology
October 6, 2025 at 4:06 PM
💡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
#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
With its electric-blue plumage and distinctive calls, this summer visitor is impossible to miss in African woodlands.
#BirdOfTheMonth #WoodlandKingfisher #AfricanOrnithology
October 1, 2025 at 4:08 PM
🐦 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
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
www.projectvulture.org.za
#AfricanOrnithology
September 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
👀 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
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
www.projectvulture.org.za
#Beardedvulture #Africanornithology
September 22, 2025 at 4:04 PM
🪶 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
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
#AfricanOrnithology #Beardedvulture
September 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
🔬 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
#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
www.projectvulture.org.za
#AfricanOrnithology #beardedvulturerecoveryprogramme
September 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
🧪 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
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
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
September 6, 2025 at 8:00 AM
🦅 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
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
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
September 3, 2025 at 4:02 PM
🦅 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
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
📸Michelle Risi & Christopher Jones
#Wanderingalbatross #Africanornithology
August 30, 2025 at 5:30 PM
💡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
📸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
📸: Michelle Risi & Peter Ryan
#Wanderingalbatross #africanornithology
August 29, 2025 at 4:00 PM
💡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
📸: 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
📸: Christopher Jones
#Wanderingalbatross #Africanornithology
August 28, 2025 at 4:01 PM
💡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
📸: 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
📸: Michelle Risi & Peter Ryan
#AfricanOrnithology
August 27, 2025 at 4:04 PM
💡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
📸: Michelle Risi & Peter Ryan
#AfricanOrnithology