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Bird of the Year is one of BirdLife South Africa’s annual initiatives for creating awareness about birds and bird habitat conservation. The aim of the initiative is to choose a bird species and focus various activities and events on that species during the year. It is an important initiative to improve public awareness about the species and the need to protect the species (and related species) and their habitats. Birds are important environmental indicators, the proverbial “canaries in the coal mine”. By focusing on birds, and the sites and the habitats on which they depend, BirdLife South Africa aims to improve the quality of life for birds, for other wildlife and ultimately for people. Bird of the Year 2013White-winged Flufftail (Sarothrura ayresi)This elusive and poorly known species has a fragmented distribution, a small population and specific habitat requirements. The White-winged Flufftail is only known to occur in high altitude wetlands in South Africa and Ethiopia. It is severely threatened by habitat destruction and degradation, including wetland drainage, agriculture, water abstraction, overgrazing by livestock and cutting of marsh vegetation. It is listed as Critically Endangered in The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Barnes 2000).
Images kindly donated by Warwick Tarboton Despite a number of studies by conservationists in South Africa and Ethiopia, little is known about the White-winged Flufftail’s biology. It is important, for example, to understand this flufftail’s habitat requirements and obtain data on population size, distribution, movements, genetics, etc. There is also a pressing need to protect the wetlands which are used by this species. Wetlands are one of the most threatened habitats in South Africa and water is one of South Africa's scarcest resources. At present many water resources are polluted by industrial effluents, domestic and commercial sewage, acid mine drainage, agricultural runoff and litter. Bird of the Year 2013 is proudly sponsored by Eskom
Bird of the Year resourcesLearning materials Download the lesson plans and activity sheets by clicking on the links below. Bird of the Year 2013 Fact Sheet Lesson 2 - What makes a wetland special? Lesson 3 - Animals found in wetlands Lesson 4 - Threats to wetlands Activity 1 - South African wetlands Activity 2 - Making a model of a functioning wetland Activity 3 - Wetlands Food Web Activity 4 - Threats to wetlands (the story of Wanda the White-winged Flufftail) Activity 5 - Colouring-in templates Activity 6 - Word search and crossword Poster The Bird of the Year 2013 poster is available free of charge from BirdLife South Africa's offices in Johannesburg. Please contact Kathleen April Okoye on 011 789 1122 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Pin Badges The Bird of the Year 2013, White-winged Flufftail, pin badges are avaialble from the BirdLife South Africa offices for R25 (exluding postage). To place an order, please contact Kathleen April Okoye on 011 789 1122 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Previous birds of the yearYear Bird 2012 African Fish Eagle For more information, please contact Nikki McCartney, Events Manager on 083 636 1060 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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| Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 06:30 |
