KwaZulu-Natal’s birdlife boosts tourism as vital habitats face growing pressure - IOL

BirdLife eThekwini KZN outing to Vumbuka Nature Reserve, Umbogintwini, in coastal forest habitat.

KwaZulu-Natal’s extraordinary mix of forests, wetlands, mountains, grasslands, and bushveld has made it one of South Africa’s richest birding destinations, with more than 650 species recorded in the province.

From the Drakensberg Rockjumper to the Pink-throated Twinspot, the province offers birders the chance to see species that can be difficult to find elsewhere. But some of the habitats that make KZN so important for birdlife are under growing pressure from agriculture, forestry, pollution, habitat fragmentation, and human disturbance.

Steve Davis, a conservation committee member of BirdLife eThekwini KZN, said the province’s strength as a birding destination lay in the diversity of habitats packed into one region.

“KZN has a huge diversity of habitats, including subtropical coastal and mistbelt forests, dune forest, sand forest, extensive estuary systems such as Lake St Lucia, mid-altitude grasslands and wetlands, the Drakensberg mountains and extensive bushveld in Zululand,” he said.

Davis said KZN was home to four South African endemics — Rudd’s Lark, Cape Parrot, Knysna Warbler, and Knysna Woodpecker.

He said 21 species occurring in the province were endemic to the broader South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho region, while 88 species found in KZN were listed in the Red Data Book.

For dedicated birders, some species can be reason enough to travel.

Among KZN’s sought-after birds are the Lemon-breasted Canary, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Woodward’s Batis, Livingstone’s Turaco, Neergaard’s Sunbird, Southern Banded Snake-eagle, Spotted Ground Thrush, Blue Swallow, Gurney’s Sugarbird, and Drakensberg Siskin.

One of the province’s most unusual drawcards is the Green Barbet, whose South African population is restricted to oNgoye Forest in Zululand.

Southern Banded Snake Eagle at Eastern Shores, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, in eastern coastal littoral grassland habitat.

That diversity also gives birding a tourism value that extends beyond the reserves themselves.

Davis said several tour operators serve the birding market, while accommodation establishments participate in BirdLife South Africa’s Birder Friendly Establishment initiative.

“The mere fact that birders travel to various areas for birding and stay in accommodation in these areas injects revenue and makes locals realise that there is a tangible benefit in preserving habitats and wildlife,” he said.

Overseas birders also contribute foreign exchange as they travel to South Africa to experience the country’s birdlife.

Zululand remains one of KZN’s main birding hotspots, with Ndumo Game Reserve, uMkhuze, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park offering a wide range of species.

The mistbelt forests and grasslands are also important, particularly for birds such as the Cape Parrot and Blue Swallow, while the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park combines mountain scenery with species that include threatened raptors such as Cape and Bearded Vultures.

Davis said lesser-known destinations, including Weenen Nature Reserve and Ithala Game Reserve, also offered good birding opportunities.

Nyamithi Pan, Ndumo Game Reserve, within an eastern coastal littoral wetland system.

While birding has long had a following in KZN, Davis said there was a steady flow of newcomers. Younger enthusiasts sometimes begin birding at school, move away from the hobby during the demands of early careers and family life, and return to it later.

Technology has also changed how people find, photograph, and share birds. The availability of better binoculars, digital cameras, online information, and social media has made it easier for people to take part, while WhatsApp groups and online webinars allow birders to share sightings and information quickly.

“It has become very much easier to find and share information on birds and birding spots now,” Davis said, adding that even people who were less able to travel could follow sightings and activities online.

Pink-throated Twinspot at kuMasinga Hide, uMkhuze Game Reserve, in sand forest and bushveld habitats.

Birders are also doing more than ticking species off a list, with their sightings feeding into citizen-science projects that allow researchers to track where birds occur, whether populations are changing, and which habitats may be under pressure.

Davis said there were not enough scientists to monitor bird populations and habitats at the scale and frequency required, making information submitted by ordinary birders important to conservation.

The Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2, or SABAP2, collects bird-distribution data over long periods, including information on species of conservation concern such as vultures, Secretarybirds, Southern Ground Hornbills, and cranes.

Spotted Ground Thrush at Pigeon Valley Nature Reserve, Durban, in coastal forest habitat.

Co-ordinated waterbird counts, conducted every six months, also provide records of the numbers and species found at important wetlands. Davis said the information was also used as part of South Africa’s reporting under international agreements, including the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species.

The data show changes in where some species occur.

Davis said birders and atlassers had recorded several species spreading southwards from areas where they were once more commonly encountered in northern KZN. These include Woolly-necked Storks, Red-billed Firefinches, Purple-banded Sunbirds, and Palm-nut Vultures.

BirdLife eThekwini KZN outing to Umlalazi Nature Reserve, Mtunzini, with coastal forest, mangrove swamp and estuary habitats.

There has also been growth in the numbers and distribution of Southern Bald Ibis compared with about 30 years ago, which Davis linked to conservation efforts.

Egyptian Geese have also become more widespread, with Davis saying the species has adapted readily to environments such as parks and golf courses.

At the same time, Davis said counts had shown declines among some coastal, estuary, and wetland-associated birds, including sandpipers, plovers, and terns.

“Habitat destruction, pollution, and human disturbance are thought to be the main reasons behind this.” 

Among the habitats causing the greatest concern are mistbelt forests, Midlands grasslands, wetlands, and estuaries.

Davis said farming and forestry expansion were placing pressure on grasslands. Where vulnerable habitats fell within protected areas, protection appeared adequate, but fragmentation remained a major long-term threat to species dependent on specialised habitats.

The critically endangered Blue Swallow is particularly vulnerable because it depends on a specific type of Midlands grassland at a particular altitude — land that is also suitable for commercial plantations.

The White-winged Flufftail is highly endangered and relies on particular marsh and wetland habitats. Davis said the bird was so secretive and difficult to detect that its actual numbers were not known.

Vultures face a different set of dangers, including lead poisoning from carcasses of animals shot with lead ammunition, deliberate poisoning by poachers, and the collection of body parts for the traditional medicine (muthi) trade.

For Davis, protecting KZN’s reputation as a birding destination over the next decade will require birders themselves to become more involved in conservation.

He encouraged people to join local bird clubs and BirdLife South Africa, participate in monitoring projects and submit sightings to SABAP2 through the BirdLasser app.

“Merely birding for one’s own interest is not contributing to the conservation of birds.” 

Davis said individual birders and clubs did not always have enough influence over decisions affecting birds and their habitats, while BirdLife South Africa’s collective voice carried greater influence with decision-makers.

Education would also be important, particularly among younger South Africans.

Davis said environmental conservation needed to be taught at school level so that future generations understood why protecting natural systems mattered.

Birds, he said, were more than a drawcard for tourists and hobbyists.

They are also widely regarded as indicators of the health of the environment around them.

Cathedral Peak range, Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site.

Sani Pass in the southern Drakensberg.