From afar, the acacia trees look like they have been decorated with grass pom-poms. The birds have been busy, building shelters of straw and grass. Up close the real shape of the “pom-poms” becomes clear: grass tubes in the form of an upside down “U”, with an opening at each end. These structures are the...

The Common Chaffinch, a species native to Europe and known for its song, has a vocalisation known as the “rain call.” This call, often described as a soft, repetitive “pink-pink” or “fink-fink,” has intrigued ornithologists for centuries. The rain call has historically been believed to predict rain, a belief deeply rooted in European folklore. Introduced...

Birds with abnormal plumage colours that are caused by genetic mutations such as leucism, albinism and melanism, are considered very rare in wild birds. One published study suggested that only one in every 30 000 birds suffers from these abnormalities! Another even rarer plumage mutation is known as a ‘fawn’ or non-eumelanic mutation. This is illustrated in...

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a protected nature reserve at the southern edge of the Kalahari desert in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. It’s an arid area with high daytime temperatures and unpredictable rainfall. One of the species that lives in this harsh environment is the White-browed Sparrow-Weaver. They live here in social groups of up to 12 birds....