Jul /Aug 2013

Circus Act
Finding a Black Harrier roost

An incidental observation led to the discovery of what appears to be the first record of a communal roost of Black Harriers in South Africa.

What's your poison?
Birds and toxic plants

A little bit of what you fancy may not necessarily be good for you. Lyndy McGaw and Andrew McKechnie discuss the effects of plants toxic to birds, and highlight the potential dangers in some common garden species.

Kestrels in the Karoo

The huge flocks of Lesser Kestrels that roost in the trees of some Karoo towns are an extraordinary raptor spectacle – as many as 12 000 birds have been counted at a roost in De Aar. Researcher Anthony van Zyl observes the phenomenon.

Underwater Heron
African Darter

The African Darter is a familiar bird to most of us, yet it is surprisingly poorly studied. Peter Ryan takes a closer look at this intriguing species.