Exhibition of Bird Paintings - Johannesburg, 17 March-23 April 2016

Concern over migrant birds prompts international response

In recent months, the indiscriminate and unsustainable killing of migrant birds in North Africa has become an issue of public concern in a growing number of countries.  There has been widespread hunting and trapping of migratory birds in Egypt and also Libya, especially through the use of mist nets along large stretches of the Mediterranean coast. In response, the BirdLife Partnership, Government Agencies, the Convention on Migratory Species and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds have rapidly moved to address the situation.

“Bird trapping in these countries is an ancient tradition. The main target species, Common Quail, is a local delicacy”, said Marcus Kohler, BirdLife’s Senior Programme Manager for Flyways.

“It’s a legitimate way for local people to supplement their diet. However, the indiscriminate nature and scale of the trapping has now reached worrying proportions and is having an impact upon other species.”

It’s not only Quail that are caught; many other species, such as European Turtle-dove and Red-backed Shrike, are also trapped as ‘bycatch’ in significant numbers. The increasing use and magnitude of mist net trapping is a new and worrying development.

Current estimates are that millions of birds are caught each autumn as they leave Europe and Asia for their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa.

To read the full Birdlife International article with videos click here.

Action for Amur Falcons brings hope for an end to hunting in Nagaland

Male, Nylsvlei, February 2012
(Photo Stan Culley)

Last year’s news of the massacre of Amur Falcons in India shocked the world. BirdLife’s Indian Partner BNHS moved immediately to mobilise a response. The trapping was stopped, nets destroyed and arrests made, although not before terrible damage had been done.

This year, the generous response to our international appeal has enabled BNHS, with the support of the BirdLife Partnership, to organise a comprehensive programme to keep the falcons safe around the Doyang reservoir, where they roost during their stopover. The programme has mainly been implemented by a local NGO, Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust, working with the Nagaland Forest Department.

As a result, not a single Amur Falcon was trapped during the 2013 autumn migration. Attitudes have changed so much in the space of a single year that the Amur Falcons are now treated, in the words of Nagaland’s Chief Minister, as “esteemed guests”.

To read the full Birdlife International post click here.

Help save The Tana River Delta in Kenya

Dear friends at Birdlife, please could you consider signing and promoting a growing global petition regarding the pending /proposed development of the Tana River Delta in Kenya? The Tana River Delta in Kenya has vast importance to birds that migrate from Europe and Asia and I am concerned that the Delta is at threat from foreign companies taking over land for dubious agricultural schemes. In particular, the Canadian company Bedford Biofuels licenced to grow the biofuel crop Jatropha Curcas which in the Nature Kenya & RSPB's view would have a devastating impact on the environment and biodiversity in the area.

If you agree would you please sign and promote the following global community petition and help raise awareness and pressure on the Kenyan government?.......

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Protect_The_Tana_River_Delta/?cezxNbb

If you could also pass this link to the petition to as many contacts as possible to help the campaign or add a link to your website that would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

Dave Scott

RSPB member

Scotland UK

Kenyan authority rejects the case for jatropha at Dakatcha IBA

Clarke’s Weaver Ploceus golandi
(Image credit: Steve Garvie)

Following a campaign led by Nature Kenya, supported by other BirdLife Partners, Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has officially rejected a proposal to convert 10,000 hectares of Dakatcha Woodland IBA to grow the biofuel crop jatropha Jatropha curcus.

Dakatcha Woodland holds at least half of Kenya’s East African Coast biome species, and is the only site outside Arabuko-Sokoke where Endangered Clarke’s Weaver is known to occur. It also holds substantial populations of Sokoke Pipit, and both species may breed at Dakatcha. Read more here

 

 Source: Birdlife International

British birdwatchers rally to save their summer migrants

Common Cuckoo: a migrant in trouble

(Photo John Carey)

It’s one of nature’s greatest miracles: millions of birds leave Africa each spring and head north to nest in the UK and other parts of Europe, only to return to Africa each autumn. However this multi-million-winged migration is under threat.
In the UK, for example, according to the 2010 Breeding Bird Survey of the 10 UK birds which have declined the most since 1995, eight are summer migrants, including the Common Cuckoo, European Turtle-dove, Yellow Wagtail and Common Nightingale. Similar rates of loss have been noted across Europe.

Read more.....here

Source: Birdlife International

Hunting threat to Dwarf Olive Ibis

(Photo credit-Nik Borrow)

Reports from BirdLife Species Guardians on São Tomé – a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea - indicate that hunting is increasing and includes the Critically Endangered Dwarf Olive Ibis Bostrychia bocagei. A group of hunters were found with more than 90 São Tomé Green Pigeons Treron sanctithomae and at least one Dwarf Olive Ibis on 26 April 2011.
BirdLife Species Guardians from Associação de Biólogos Santomenses (ABS, the BirdLife contact NGO in São Tomé and Príncipe) found the hunters whilst carrying out surveys in Monte Carmo in Obô Natural Park, one of the main strongholds for the ibis.

Read More...........here

Source- Birdlife International

BirdLife Partnership in Africa launches Local Conservation Groups report

'The BirdLife Partners in Africa have published a report on their experience of working with Local Conservation Groups (called Site Support Groups – SSGs in Africa).  Launched at a colourful ceremony in Kinangop, Kenya, the report underlines the principle that biodiversity conservation must coincide with sustainable natural resource management for the benefit of the local people. Members of the local community and other Kenyan SSGs, plus other NGOs and Government and donor representatives, were among those who attended the ceremony.'

Read more and download report....here

Source: Birdlife International

A lifeline to prevent Africa’s first recorded bird extinction

Liben Lark

 (Photo Greg Davies)

''Liben Lark with a population of possibly fewer than 100 birds, is widely tipped to become mainland Africa’s first recorded bird extinction, unless urgent action is taken to prevent its demise from the only area it now inhabits: a single grassy plain in southern Ethiopia.''

read more... here

and some food for thought

A list of extinct birds






Source: Birdlife International