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City all aflutter over strange sightings Cape Argus 30 June 2010 Written by John Yeld – Environment and Science Writer South African male soccer lovers have been noticing with deep appreciation, if perhaps with a lack of gender sensitivity, the presence of many foreign birds of the two 0-legged variety in Cape Town during the World Cub. But local birders have also been alerted to the possible arrival of winged individuals that – if the reports are true - could add further colour and glamour to the local scene that is currently greatly enlivened by orange miniskirts, skimpy yellow-and-green tops and figure-hugging pale blue-and-white dresses. Somerset West birder John Carter reported on the Cape’s internet birding site this week that he had had a third-had report of a bird at Llandudno that was described as a Puffin – a pelagic seabird species whose natural habitat is confined to the northern hemisphere. Although these birds reveal something of a body odour problem because of their fishy diet, they are extremely colourful during the breeding season when their large beaks are a bright reddish-orange. A skeptical Carter was passing on the report “as is”. “I certainly would not recommend a search, but anyone in the area might like to keep their eyes open…”
Mariana Delport, a registered field guid who specializes in birding tours, responded with a report of another strange sighting: “I received a phone call yesterday from somebody living in Rondebosch. He said he went out into his garden very early in the morning and saw what looked like a turaco feeding on fruits in the garden tree. It appeared dark with white around the eyes and an orange bill. “I suggested that it might be an escaped cage bird. Those who live in or near Rondebosch can watch out for this strange bird – might even be the “puffin” seen near Llandudno!”
Turacos are African birds, occurring only south of the Sahara. The turaco family includes what used to be called louries in southern Africa, but some of which have now been renamed go-away birds. There are some 18 species of turacos which are usually blue, green or purple. The closest occurring species, the Knysa turaco, is found in the indigenous southern Cape forests.
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1Comment
at Monday, 12 July 2010 08:43
LOL!
Wow! super strange things happening in the Cape hey. Lovely report, John.
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