Latest admissions:
April 2017
1 Fish Eagle
1 Barn Owl
1 Little Sparrowhawk
1 Crowned Eagle
1 Long-crested Eagle
3 Spotted Eagle Owls
1 Cape Vulture
Long-crested Eagle
March 2017
1 Marsh Owl
1 Spotted Eagle Owl
1 Peregrine Falcon
2 Jackal Buzzards
1 Barn Owl
1 Steppe Buzzard
1 Long-crested Eagle
Juvenile Jackal Buzzard
February 2017
2 Steppe Buzzards
3 Yellow-billed Kites
2 Amur Falcons
1 White-faced Owl
1 Barn Owl
1 Spotted Eagle Owl
1 Cape Vulture
Spotted Eagle Owl
January 2017
1 African Harrier Hawk
2 Yellow-billed Kites
2 Jackal Buzzards
1 African Goshawk
2 Steppe Buzzards
1 Crowned Eagle
1 Black Sparrowhawk
Juvenile Crowned Eagle
December 2016:
2 Jackal Buzzards
1 Honey Buzzard
1 Black Sparrowhawk
3 Yellow-billed Kites
1 Spotted Eagle Owl
1 Steppe Buzzard
2 African Goshawks
3 Barn Owls
1 Wahlberg's Eagle
European Honey Buzzard
November 2016:
1 Lanner Falcon
1 Wood Owl
3 Yellow-billed Kites
1 Crowned Eagle
1 Little Sparrowhawk
1 Eurasian Hobby
1 Steppe Buzzard
1 Black Sparrowhawk
Eurasian Hobby
October 2016:
2 Black Sparrowhawks
3 Wood Owls
1 Barn Owl
2 Spotted Eagle Owls
1 Yellow-billed Kite
Wood Owl with Avian Malaria
September 2016:
2 Barn Owls
5 Spotted Eagle Owls
1 Black Sparrowhawk
2 Yellow-billed Kites
1 Crowned Eagle
1 Marsh Harrier
1 African Goshawk
1 Jackal Buzzard
Crowned Eagle (Juvenile)
August 2016:
1 Secretary Bird
4 Jackal Buzzards
1 Lanner Falcon
5 Spotted Eagle Owls
1 Barn Owl
1 Black Sparrowhawk
1 Fish Eagle
2 Peregrine Falcons
1 Marsh Owl
Fledgling Spotted Eagle Owl admitted.
July 2016:
1 Barn Owl
3 Spotted Eagle Owls
1 Cape Eagle Owl
6 Jackal Buzzards
1 Long-crested Eagle
1 Martial Eagle
1 Secretary Bird
1 Lanner Falcon
1 Black Sparrowhawk
1 Black Eagle
1 Little Sparrowhawk
1 Cape Vulture
Juvenile Martial Eagle admitted.
Latest releases:
April 2017
1 Spotted Eagle Owl
2 Jackal Buzzards
2 Cape Vultures
Fitting a transmitter to a Cape Vulture prior to release.
March 2017
1 Amur Falcon
Male Amur Falcon ready for release
February 2017
3 Yellow-billed Kites
2 Barn Owls
Yellow-billed Kite ready for release
January 2017
1 Steppe Buzzard
1 Crowned Eagle
1 Jackal Buzzard
1 Black Sparrowhawk
1 Barn Owl
Steppe Buzzard released.
December 2016:
4 Spotted Eagle Owls
1 Steppe Buzzard
2 Yellow-billed Kites
1 Little Sparrowhawk
2 Barn Owls
Barn Owls released as part of the Owl Box Project
November 2016:
2 Wood Owls
1 Black Sparrowhawk
3 Spotted Eagle Owls
Spotted Eagle Owls in release enclosure.
October 2016:
13 Spotted Eagle Owls
Spotted Eagle Owls in box
September 2016:
1 Crowned Eagle
1 African Goshawk
3 White-faced Scops Owls
4 Jackal Buzzards
1 Palm-nut Vulture
1 Spotted Eagle Owl
Southern White-faced Scops Owl
August 2016:
1 Long-crested Eagle
2 Barn Owls
1 Yellow-billed Kite
2 Jackal Buzzards
2 Spotted Eagle Owls
Juvenile Yellow-billed Kite released.
July 2016:
1 Lanner Falcon
1 African Goshawk
African Goshawk released.
June 2016:
5 Barn Owl chicks (returned to nesting boxes)
1 Lappet-faced Vulture
1 White-backed Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture released.
May 2016:
1 Little Sparrowhawk
Little Sparrowhawk released.
April 2016:
4 Fish Eagles
Fish Eagle sent for release.
March 2016:
1 Steppe Buzzard
4 Spotted Eagle Owls
1 African Harrier Hawk
Spotted Eagle Owls released.
Latest research:
March 2017
The annual Endangered Wildlife Trust Bird of Prey Conference was held in Witsand, Northern Cape, this year. The meeting allows for the sharing of projects, research and conservation efforts in the bird of prey field.
February 2017
There are now 3 raptor projects with the University of Kwazulu-Natal that have alpha-numeric colour rings fitted on birds. Anyone sighting a Crowned Eagle, Long-crested Eagle or Jackal Buzzard with a colour ring, must please contact us with a time, date and location of the sighting, as well as the code on the ring, and photo if possible
January 2017
Stats for the 2016 year have been compiled, and while some cases are still pending outcomes from 2016, we still see some interesting trends:
Most prevalent species this year were Spotted Eagle Owls
The worst threat to raptors still remains collisions; power-lines, fences and vehicles being the biggest culprits.
2016 Outcomes
December 2016
We assisted Dr Shane McPherson with his season of Crowned Eagle chick ringing as part of his post doctoral work on the species. In total 20 chicks were ringed this season. Data collected from movements and dispersal patterns of these young birds will provide interesting results in years to come.
Dr Shane McPherson preparing to ring a Crowned Eagle chick.
November 2016:
The final ringing and research training day for 2016 was held at the clinic for students from UKZN. The session was supervised by Dr Lorinda Hart.
Final ringing training session for 2016
October 2016:
We recently presented at the first annual mini-research symposium at Fountainhill Estate in Wartburg. The estate is run by the Taeuber Management Trust, which promotes scientific research and practical applications that encourage the philosophy of 'farming in harmony with nature.'
Ben presenting at the symposium
September 2016:
As part of a post -doctoral project that Dr Lorinda Hart is doing on the range and movements of rehabilitated Jackal Buzzards, alpha-numeric colour rings were fitted onto the first four birds for the project. It was a good opportunity to involve students in training for ringing and DNA collection.
Alpha-numeric ring on Jackal Buzzard
July 2016:
Ringing training was conducted by Dr Lorinda Hart for students from UKZN and other interested ringers. A team of students from UKZN were also present to collect feather and blood samples for DNA analysis.
Dr Hart observing a ringer working on a bird.
Ben Hoffman joined a team from the Endangered Wildlife Trust, Percy FitzPatrick Institute, Overberg Lowlands Conservation Trust/Overberg Crane Group, fitting satellite transmitters onto Blue Cranes in the Western Cape for research.
Ben Hoffman fitting a GPS tracker onto a Blue Crane.
April 2016:
Ringing training was conducted by Dr Lorinda Hart for students from UKZN. This time the ringing demonstrated was on bigger raptors (Fish Eagles) using the big G rings issued by SAFRING for larger birds. Blood samples were also collected. Transmitters will be fitted to the birds and they will be part of Dr Hart's postdoc research on movement patterns.
Dr Hart instructing a student.
March 2016:
BirdLife South Africa is collecting data on fence collisions and mortalities for all bird species throughout South Africa
If you see a bird caught or injured on a fence, whether it is dead or alive, please gather as much data as possible on the type of bird, the injury sustained, the type of fence, and the location.
Data can be submitted to:
http://www.birdlife.org.za/conservation/important-bird-areas/iba projects.
February 2016:
Both Secretary Birds were released with transmitters on. Unfortunately we lost signal from the first bird a week after release. The second bird's transmitter is working well and we are getting signal from it.
January 2016:
This month saw us starting to track the movements of the Cape Vulture released with a transmitter. The data was fascinating to see how far the bird moved from its place of release in Kamberg right down into the mountains of the Eastern Cape.
Vulture transmission points