White-winged Flufftails / Bird Matters Project Profile

Hanneline Smit Robinson of Birdlife South Africa discusses the conservation of the critically endangered White-winged Flufftail.

For more information, contact Hanneline at conservation@birdlife.org.za

As the Terrestrial Bird Conservation Manager she looks specifically at our threatened species in the country, some of which include the White-winged Flufftail, the Secretary Bird, Taita Falcon, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, amongst many others. As well as at two common birds species as ambassadors for other species that have similar habitats – the Orange-breasted Waxbill and European Roller.

We have five globally critically endangered species in South Africa now, up until last year, there were only two species, the White Winged Flufftail and the Tristan Albatross. Then sadly last year another three species were up listed to critically endangered, those are the Hooded Vulture, White-backed Vulture and White-headed Vulture.

The White-winged Flufftail occurs in South Africa and Ethiopia and it was up listed to be globally critically endangered in 2014 due to the critical threat of habitat loss in both countries. It is estimated that there are 250 of the birds left in the world. They breed in Ethiopia in the Berga Wetland, which is close to Addis Ababa, so only one breeding site is known for this species and three sites where they are known to occur in Ethiopia, and they’re only there in their summer months, from June to September, then arrive in South Africa from March to November. So there are a couple months in between, where they are unsure where the species is, and whether it’s migrating. So it was important to understand the migratory connection between the South African and Ethiopian White-winged Flufftail populations. In order to do so, genetic and isotope studies were initiated.

They collected blood samples from both South African and Ethiopian birds. This was done easily in Ethiopia, it was far more difficult to catch the birds in South Africa. They have now completed the first genetic studies. The results show there are only three interspecific variations between the White Winged Flufftails collected in South Africa and those in Ethiopia, which makes it very likely that it is one species and that they are migratory.

The isotopes support what they found with the genetic results showing a wide variety of carbon isotope values, probably showing that they’re moulting in many different C3 and C4 habitats, but the Ethiopian and South African birds don’t show any significant difference, which again supports that they are one species.

Knowing that, shows that we can’t only focus our efforts here in South Africa, because with the birds breeding in Ethiopia, it’s critically important to conserve its breeding habitat in Ethiopia.

Overgrazing by cattle, horses and sheep in Ethiopia is a massive threat to the species, and so community involvement has become critical for the survival of the species. So a school was built there, where 1200 pupils attend. The school is called the Flufftail school.For this, the local community, the site support group and the dairy farmers protect their local wetland, so there is no grazing during the breeding season by horses cattle and sheep, which gives the birds an opportunity to breed in that area.

In South Africa there are also many threats, particularly habitat loss, but from different sources. Coal mining is a particular threat to the species - pollution of our water and wetland systems, as well as over grazing and the wrong burning practices, so coming back to management of the wetland habitats.

There’s a relative positive response, specifically from farmers, most of whom get very passionate about the birds and want to get involved in the protection of the species.

Some of the areas are already formally protected, or are Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, now part of the plan is to list those that don’t qualify as yet, either as IBA’s or more importantly give them a formally protected status as a nature reserve.

This interview took place at Flock in Kruger 2016, the Birdlife South Africa AGM, which ran alongside the Learn About Birds Program, a combine Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology initiative.

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