UCT Open Access Journals (Univ. of Cape Town)
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Bird distribution dynamics 13 - the grebes of South African, Lesotho and Swaziland
Get PDF...The paper considers the three species of grebes that occur in southern Africa. It presents maps showing the SABAP1 distribution, the SABAP2 distribution, and a range-change map which shows how the distributions have changed in the quarter-century between the two atlasing projects...
How the east was won: breeding range extension of the Grey-backed Sparrow-lark Eremopterix verticalis.
Get PDFThe establishment of a breeding sub-population/s in South Africa?s Limpopo Province represents a considerable easterly range extension of the species. Furthermore, the increasing frequency of occurrence of GBSLs in areas outside its historical range, particularly in the eastern Lowveld regions of South Africa, including the Kruger National Park, is noteworthy. The species range expansion should be monitored so that we can accurately map this species conquest of the east. Is the GBSL perhaps ?the canary in the coal mine?? with regard to climate change in southern Africa
Three shades of brown: Lark-like Buntings Emberiza impetuani with colour aberrations
Get PDFHuge numbers of Lark-like Buntings have been ringed in the Namibian semi-arid plains: in 15 years almost 12 000 birds, both juveniles and adults. Almost all of them were healthy and in good condition. Only a very small percentage showed injuries, parasites like mites or feather flies, abnormalities on the beak and the feet (like distortions, growths, missing toes or even one leg, missing or spiraling claws), and just a handful of individuals had a single white feather on head, alula or mantle
The mynas are coming! A summary of Common Myna records in Namibia
Get PDFIt will be fascinating to monitor their spread, which will no doubt continue, across Africa. Human populations have expanded and urbanized across the continent, creating an abundance of myna habitat, and, perhaps more importantly, creating a network of habitat corridors through the building of roads and towns along those roads
Effectiveness of medical interventions implemented during ototoxicity monitoring to prevent further deterioration of hearing thresholds
Get PDFBackground: MDR-TB patients are often treated with aminoglycosides which may lead to irreversible ototoxic hearing impairment. Early identification of changes in the hearing thresholds of patient is critical in facilitating treatment modifications that can minimise communication impairment.Design: A retrospective review of medical records of all patients who underwent ototoxicity monitoring from 2012-2014 was conducted. Patients treated with aminoglycosides and with normal hearing thresholds at baseline were included.Results: 26 of 509 patient records met inclusion criteria. There were 9 males and 17 females. The mean age was 36.81±11.48. Half of the participants were on treatment for ≤160 days, whereas the rest were on treatment for ≥161 days. The greatest deterioration in hearing thresholds (post-treatment initiation) occurred in the high frequencies (4-8 kHz). Participants on treatment for >160 days had the greatest deterioration in hearing thresholds. Modifying the frequency of drug administration led to a lesser degree of deterioration of hearing thresholds.Conclusion: Early detection of deterioration in hearing thresholds can potentially minimise ototoxicity in patients who are being treated with aminoglycosides. More research is needed regarding the effectiveness of these strategies
Garden Warbler ringed in Cape Town
Get PDFWhile walking along our line of mist nets we noticed an unfamiliar warbler among the many weavers. We suspected that it was a Garden Warbler Sylvia borin, even though this species rarely occurs in Cape Town. At the ringing table it was soon confirmed as a Garden Warbler due to the light eye-ring, dark eye, and no eyebrow
Synthetic nesting materials use in birds' nests
Get PDFIn November 2014, a nest was found on the lawns of the University of Pretoria campus. Further inspection of the nest revealed the unusual nature of its construction: it had been lined with synthetic thermal insulatio
Disturbance foraging by White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis
Get PDFFirst record of disturbance foraging by White-throated Swallow
Roosting behaviour of Wattled Starlings in the Agulhas Plain
Get PDFApparent disappearance as Wattled Starlings go quiet in roost, possibly to reduce presence to predator
Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini) chick fatality due to dogs
Get PDFAfrican Black Oystercatcher chick fatalities occur due to a number of different factors. These include wave action, wind-driven sand storms, and predation by birds and wild mammals. The anthropogenic causes are related to excessive site disturbance which reduces parental foraging ability and more direct fatalities as a result of unrestrained dogs