The following pictures and notes were sent to us from a bander friend of one of our past directors. This fellow has banded birds in South Africa but is now in the northlands of Canada, eager to be banding again. We have included his comments before each series of pictures to explain them. If you wish to correspond with him please write to rpbo@islandnet.com and we will put you in touch.
Hi Rod and others,
These photographs are of Quelea, a small seed eating finch that
is supposedly a pest. It was first controlled by aerial spraying
the roosts (mostly in reedbeds over water) with a finchicide,
active ingredient Fenthion. Thousands of other birds died and
it really devastated our raptor populations.
We (the South African Orthinilogical Society and later BirdLife SA) finally got the government to stop using poison - they changed to using explosives in the roosting or nesting areas. It was less successful, but at least we had fewer deaths of non target species.
Our object was to indicate to the government departments and farmers that the birds are there because the farmers provide food - and if you destroy one flock, another flock will take its place in no time - which we proved. It is a typical African species - feast or famine - no middle ground - there are either billions of them or nearly none. They can breed successfully in less than three weeks.
We banded as many birds as possible from a flock and then, after every control effort, the officials had to pick up the dead birds, count them and inspect them for bands.
We had birds travel 4000km in three weeks, and, just as we predicted, the birds ranged over all of southern Africa. Will they ever stop controlling Quelea?? Not in your life - they and the farmers enjoy the big bang they make, they like seeing the dead bodies of the "pests" afterwards and they want to protect their jobs.
But at least we proved our point. The project is still going on and the results are still coming in from all of southern Africa.
Enjoy, Sam.
Hi Rod,
Here are a few shots of some other birds we banded - the Falcon
suffered from poisoning, we healed it, banded it and then released
it.
The small owl is a Pearlspotted Owl - a real terror for all and everyone. Size for size it is supposedly the strongest raptor in the world. It often catches pigeons five to six times its own size and weight. And boy, if you get an ill tempered one you really have problems - these little claws are needle sharp and they are pushed through your fingers in no time. And having a head that can take a razor sharp bill through 360 does not bode well for your fingers and knuckles - sometimes it is a real bloodbath to band and measure one of these small owls.
The three male lions behind the fence are a Kalahari farmer's answer to too many break ins. He fed them venison and donkeys. They were very effective as watchdogs - he had no more visits from thieves and robbers - nor from his friends or neighbours!!
Regards, Sam.
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