Birds and Agrochemicals on the global stage From 29 September to 3 October, the combined 9th World Congress of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and the 12th Biennial Meeting of SETAC Africa was hosted in Johannesburg. Delegates from 42 countries attended the congress, which had the theme ‘Sustainable Development in a Changing World’. This was an opportunity for me to deliver a presentation about the Birds and Agrochemicals Project’s research on wine grape agrochemicals and how toxicity risk assessments can identify potentially high-risk pesticide products. Its results can play a crucial role in product registration processes, decision-making and farming practices. Toxicity risk assessments are a legal requirement in many countries, but not in South Africa. Our research has shown that many products currently in use pose potentially toxic reproductive and acute risks to birds. The ‘Science with the People: Unlocking the Potential of Citizen Science’ workshop that I attended at the conference provided an opportunity for practical training and highlighted key aspects to consider when engaging communities in projects. The conference offered networking opportunities with key stakeholders and exposure to global research trends and cutting-edge techniques. DR LORINDA HART, BIRDS AND AGROCHEMICALS PROJECT MANAGER

RETURN Africa sponsors BBD2025 BirdLife South Africa is delighted to announce that registration for the 41st Birding Big Day (BBD2025), which will take place on Saturday, 6 December 2025, is now open. This year we have teamed up with RETURN Africa, one of South Africa’s premier luxury birding outfits, which has a stunning camp situated in the birding hotspot of Pafuri, northern Limpopo. Not only sponsoring BBD2025, RETURN Africa is providing a spectacular grand prize of four nights for four people in its Pafuri camp, worth an incredible R64 000. Rather than being a reward for team effort, the grand prize is eligible to every participant in BBD2025. The winning participant will be selected by lucky draw and can choose three other guests they would like to invite to share their stay at the RETURN Africa camp. Pafuri is the perfect destination for such a prize, offering visitors the chance to find bird species that occur nowhere else in South Africa. The lucky winner – and chosen guests – may see such specials as Tropical Boubou, Mottled and Böhm’s spinetails, Three-banded Courser, Arnot’s Chat, Racket-tailed Roller and the elusive and charismatic Pel’s Fishing Owl. But RETURN Africa’s generosity doesn’t end there; the company is also supporting the work of the Science and Innovation Programme, which organises and maintains Birding Big Day. The event is one of the highlights in any birder’s annual calendar, but it is also critically important for the Science and Innovation Programme. Once a year, some 450 teams from across the country provide a snapshot of the distribution of our birds and in doing so provide vital data that allow us to monitor trends in the health of our bird populations over time. Such data have been effectively used in major landmark conservation projects such as the Regional Red Data Book 2025 and the National Biodiversity Assessment. To participate in BBD2025 and stand a chance to win this outstanding grand prize, please go to birdlife.org.za/bbd. Should you have any questions, please e-mail me at david.ehlers.smith@birdlife.org.za DR DAVID EHLERS SMITH, SCIENCE AND SPATIAL PLANNING PROJECT MANAGER

Birding for a cause: the Kruger Challenge The Kruger Birding & Wildlife Challenge is back for its third edition from 12 to 21 February 2026. It offers an exceptional opportunity to discover the Kruger National Park while making a tangible difference for conservation. Every registration directly supports Middelpunt Wetland Trust and BirdLife South Africa’s critical work to protect the White-winged Flufftail, one of Africa’s rarest and most enigmatic species. Thanks to Rockjumper Birding Tours, which generously volunteers its resources and expertise to organise this event, proceeds will fund vital research and conservation efforts. The Kruger National Park boasts an impressive list of more than 500 bird and 150 mammal species, including the legendary Big Five. This extraordinary biodiversity creates one of the planet’s premier wildlife experiences, offering participants unmatched birding and game-viewing opportunities. Teams will gather in Johannesburg on 12 February 2026 for a welcome dinner and a briefing before heading to Phalaborwa Gate the following day. Starting from Mopani Camp on 13 February, nine-member teams will travel the entire length of the Kruger Park in purpose-built, open-sided safari vehicles, each accompanied by an expert bird and wildlife guide. Some of the birds likely to be seen are illustrated in the accompanying photographs. After nine exhilarating days of discovery, the teams reconvene at Berg-en-Dal Camp on 20 February for the prizegiving ceremony and farewell dinner. The all-inclusive package covers nine nights’ accommodation, open-air safari vehicles with drivers and fuel, professional bird and wildlife tour leaders, the opening dinner and drinks at Birchwood in Johannesburg, and all transfers to and from Johannesburg. For detailed pricing and booking information, please visit the Rockjumper website. BirdLife South Africa gratefully acknowledges ZEISS, Painted Wolf Wines and SANParks as sponsors of this conservation initiative. We welcome additional sponsors who share our commitment to biodiversity conservation and would like to support this meaningful event. Please contact me at marlize.muller@birdlife.org.za to explore partnership opportunities. To book your place in the 2026 Kruger Challenge, contact Tarryne Dickerson (SA Operations Consultant, Rockjumper Birding Tours) at Tarryne@rockjumper.com DR MARLIZE MULLER, STEENKAMPSBERG CONSERVATION OFFICER

Conservation redefined at Middelpunt There’s a conservation success story in the high grasslands of Mpumalanga, just 13.5km from Dullstroom. Middelpunt Nature Reserve, a 508ha protected area, has become an important site for innovative conservation approaches. One of Africa’s most threatened and elusive bird species is at the centre of this story: the White-winged Flufftail. In the first confirmed breeding record for southern Africa, this globally Critically Endangered bird was observed with chicks at the site in 2020. The flufftail’s connection with the Middelpunt wetland began in 1992, when it was first spotted after years of absence from South African records. A remarkable conservation partnership was forged between the owners of the land, Middelpunt Wetland Trust, BirdLife South Africa and Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency. This alliance ultimately led to the declaration of the site as a nature reserve in 2022 and its recognition as a wetland of international importance, or Ramsar site, in 2023. Innovation in grazing management  Middelpunt Nature Reserve has been the testing ground for an innovative wildlife-friendly fence design for livestock farms. Traditional livestock fencing has long posed barriers to wildlife movement. The smooth bottom wire of the specially designed fence is positioned 30cm above ground level to allow small mammals to pass safely underneath it. Above it are three strands of barbed wire for livestock control, and the final strand is also smooth to prevent bird entanglements. Camera trap studies have documented remarkable success: Grey-crowned Cranes leap effortlessly over the barrier while antelope slip safely beneath it. The project, made possible by generous donations, is now being studied as a potential model for wildlife-compatible infrastructure across South Africa. This research could revolutionise how we balance agricultural needs with wildlife conservation. Beyond physical infrastructure, we use remote-sensing technology to monitor wetland health and vegetation changes. This approach enables the management team to track habitat conditions over time, detect early signs of degradation and make data-driven decisions about grazing pressure and fire management – all crucial for maintaining optimal conditions for the White-winged Flufftail and other wetland-dependent species. Ancient peat, modern challenges  Beneath the Middelpunt wetland’s surface lies a hidden treasure: a layer of 9000-year-old peat up to 2.6m deep. This ancient carbon sink accumulates peat at 0.36mm per year, making it a crucial ally in the fight against climate change while providing essential ecosystem services, including water purification, flood control and biodiversity support. However, managing this delicate ecosystem requires constant vigilance. The management team is implementing stricter burn protocols, limiting fires to early spring and ensuring that no more than two-thirds of the reserve burns annually. A model for collaborative conservation  What makes the Middelpunt wetland truly special is its collaborative governance model. Middelpunt Nature Reserve Landowners’ Association partners with BirdLife South Africa and Middelpunt Wetland Trust to create a framework that allows private landowners, NGOs and government agencies to share responsibility for conservation outcomes. These parties meet biannually to discuss the implementation of the management plan and the annual plan of operation to ensure that habitats are maintained and, where possible, improved. Gavin Walker, the owner of Elands Valley, which forms part of Middelpunt Nature Reserve, says, ‘It is an honour and a pleasure to be a part of Middelpunt Nature Reserve. We will strive to protect this wonderful wetland and do whatever it takes to achieve that.’ This approach has attracted international recognition. The Middelpunt wetland featured as a case study at Ramsar COP15, demonstrating how private land conservation can achieve global conservation goals. The reserve has also been highlighted in BirdLife South Africa’s Best Practice Guidelines for High-Elevation Wetland and Peatland Management in Southern Africa, serving as a model for similar initiatives across southern Africa. Facing regional challenges  The Middelpunt wetland’s success is in stark contrast to the threats facing the broader region. Multiple mining applications, from illegal prospecting activities to large-scale industrial proposals, continue to put pressure on the area. The reserve’s formal protection status, including its 5km buffer zone, provides crucial legal barriers against such threats, which underscore why the Middelpunt wetland’s conservation model matters. In a landscape under increasing development pressure, private conservation initiatives like Middelpunt Nature Reserve prove that landowners can be leaders in protecting critical habitats for species and ecosystem services for downstream communities. Looking forward  As Middelpunt Nature Reserve enters its third year of operation, significant progress has already been made. Old fencing that once fragmented the wetland has been removed, eucalyptus saplings have been cleared, the wetland is being rehabilitated and signage has been erected that provides background to the reserve and highlights key rules and regulations. Looking ahead, priorities include: further reducing and monitoring cattle density by improving rotational grazing, continuing alien vegetation control, refining fire management protocols and concluding the wildlife-friendly fence research. Perhaps most importantly, Middelpunt Nature Reserve continues its core mission of providing quality habitat for the White-winged Flufftail. Recent assessments have downlisted the species from Critically Endangered to Endangered at the regional level. This downlisting results from our increased knowledge about the elusive bird after more than five years of dedicated study. Our improved understanding has allowed for this change in status, but the species still depends on our continued vigilance and efforts to protect its habitat. The story of Middelpunt Nature Reserve demonstrates that effective conservation requires more than just good intentions. It demands scientific rigour, technological innovation, collaborative partnerships and adaptive management. As this small reserve continues to punch above its weight in conservation impact, it offers hope and practical lessons for protecting Africa’s irreplaceable natural heritage. We thank and acknowledge Dullstroom Trout Farm, Eland’s Valley Guest Farm, Middelpunt Wetland Trust, Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency and the many individuals who have contributed to the research and conservation of the White-winged Flufftail. Middelpunt Nature Reserve is a closed, private reserve dedicated to preserving the species and is not open to tourists. DR MARLIZE MULLER, STEENKAMPSBERG CONSERVATION OFFICER, AND DR KYLE LLOYD, WETLAND CONSERVATION PROJECT MANAGER/ROCKJUMPER FELLOW OF WHITE-WINGED FLUFFTAIL CONSERVATION

Bumper breeding for Secretarybirds! Nest monitoring in the Eastern Free State has been difficult over the past few years. Nests are few and far between and breeding events were even rarer. Despite loads of patience and dedication, we (and to a greater extent the Secretarybird adults) had to wait for conditions to be right. A wet winter has resulted in more than enough prey items in the grasslands of the province and the time was finally right for the birds to get busy. We can only monitor so many nests each season and in the past it seemed that only the inactive ones were visited within the core study area of the Eastern Free State and Mpumalanga grasslands and the arid savanna of the Northern Cape around Kimberley. To our great satisfaction, this season has been the exact opposite! To date there are two active nests near Kimberley, two between Wakkerstroom and Volksrust, and five in the Free State. Secretarybirds lay between one and three eggs, which are incubated by both parents over 40–45 days. The nestlings spend roughly 10 weeks on the nest platform before spreading their wings to go and find some snakes to kick around. Globally this species is classified as Endangered, but in South Africa it is Vulnerable. And with a bumper breeding season like the current one, there is some hope for their continued survival. Do you know of a Secretarybird nest in your area? We would love to know the details! You can report them on our website or send the details to me at cassie.carstens@birdlife.org.za CASSIE CARSTENS, SECRETARYBIRD PROJECT MANAGER

Let’s protect the most vulnerable species Birds on the Brink is a visually striking and deeply moving book that highlights the urgent challenges facing the birdlife of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. Written by Dr Alan Lee and Shamiso Banda, the book profiles the region’s most threatened sea, coastal and terrestrial species. Through first-hand accounts from scientists, conservationists and guides, Birds on the Brink offers valuable insight into the science, skill and dedication needed to safeguard species under threat. It is both a tribute to resilience and a call to action for everyone who believes in protecting our natural heritage. Get your copy today and be part of the effort to secure a future for our birds. Order Birds on the Brink here.

SABAP2 heads to the Northern Cape SABAP2 (the Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2) is the largest and most useful bird-monitoring initiative in South Africa, mapping bird distributions in grid cells that measure 9x8km and are known as pentads. Species lists collected during at least two hours of birding in all habitats accessible within a pentad are the backbone of trend analyses that are subsequently used in Red Listing (to identify species at risk of extinction), the National Biodiversity Assessment and to identify sites that should be prioritised for protection. Most contributors to SABAP2 record their bird lists using BirdLasser, a free mobile app that makes tracking easier and pinpoints locations. These data can be used for fine-scale habitat suitability models even if checklists are not submitted to SABAP2; if the user has signed up to the Threatened Species Cause, the data are made available to BirdLife South Africa. An atlas bash for SABAP2 is a short, targeted campaign in an under-sampled area, where small teams coordinate to submit many full-protocol cards; unlock access to tricky pentads; and improve coverage from ‘single-visit’ to ‘decision-grade’ (at least four cards per pentad). It’s birding with purpose, not only an adventure with friends and colleagues, but scientifically of high value. With its long distances and relatively few birders, the Northern Cape is SABAP2’s biggest challenge. Even though the project has been going for 18 years, there are still ‘virgin pentads’ that no birder has visited to submit a bird list. A team of experienced atlasers recently headed to the Northern Cape where they focused on a triangle of low-coverage and virgin pentads south of Vanwyksvlei, east of Kenhardt and around Brandvlei. This is ‘Bushmanland’, an area of Nama Karoo typically with significant grass cover after rains, but also comprising shrubland, which becomes more dominated by acacia-type vegetation as it transitions into arid savanna associated with the Kalahari. Between them, the eight team members – Leonie Fouché, Renier and Millene Balt, David Ehlers Smith, Stefan Theron, Tino Herselman and Charlie and Alan Lee – contributed: 71 full-protocol checklists across 58 pentads 185 species recorded 4039 BirdLasser records logged. Access proved to be the main challenge, and it was suggested that a new coverage map indicating unlocked gates was needed! However, engaging with landowners beforehand helped us to get into key pentads, and at times we were able to bridge the last kilometres on foot or by bicycle across locked properties (with permission of course!). Although birding was good, the invasive prosopis (a wattle-like tree) covered extensive areas in several pentads, and access to at least one pentad was obstructed by prosopis thickets that have grown across old farm roads. As always in the Karoo, wind pumps and leaking reservoirs create productive micro-wetlands that attract swarms of birds to drink. Karoo and Kalahari-edge birds were strongly represented. Red Lark was recorded near Brandvlei, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler and Sclater’s Lark featured on targeted missions, and wet patches held waterfowl, Glossy Ibis and Greater Flamingo. A spread of raptors included Martial Eagle and even Black Harrier. The most frequently recorded species on full-protocol lists were: Lark-like Bunting, Sabota Lark, Cape Sparrow, Rufous-eared Warbler, Pied Crow, Cape Turtle Dove, Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark, Black-chested Prinia, Northern Black Korhaan and Southern Masked Weaver. The bash converted low-information pentads into ones that are now closer to (or over) the minimum four-card threshold that makes SABAP2 data most powerful for detecting change over time. Get involved  Use BirdLasser (and submit your data to SABAP2!), as BirdLife South Africa benefits from the fine-resolution data. The Bindo app is a beginner-friendly alternative that has a stronger focus on birding community and features to make sure you are recording the right birds in the right places. New to atlasing? See birdmap.africa for guidelines. Already atlasing? Organise a local bash! Pick a cluster of under-sampled pentads, invite a few friends and aim for full-protocol cards. Sincere thanks to the landowners and farm staff who gave us access and to all participants for the kilometres, maps and braais. We also acknowledge generous support to BirdLife South Africa’s SABAP2 efforts from GlobalMapper and regular donors David Ludlow and Eckhardt Buchmann, and we thank BirdLife South Africa funders (Ekapa, Italtile, Afrit, FirstRand, Mapula Trust), who made it possible for Alan and Dave to participate in this bash. Thanks to all SABAP2 participants and the FitzPatrick Institute for continuing to engage in this most important project. DR ALAN LEE, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION PROGRAMME MANAGER