Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon occurs on all continents except Antarctica. This wide distribution has resulted in it being well studied, and renowned for its incredible high-speed stoops that have been measured to exceed 240 km per hour. This species has evolved to hunt at high speed and its nostrils are shaped […]
Read more ...Hadeda
The Hadeda’s raucous call is unmistakeable. Loud, harsh and usually catching you by surprise. Hadedas were not indigenous to strandveld or renosterveld of the South Western Cape. Man-made changes in the form of cultivated agricultural fields, irrigated sports grounds and alien trees for nesting have made the environment more suitable […]
Read more ...Black Sparrowhawk
Raptors, or birds of prey, always have some appeal to us because of their aerial antics and regal stance. The Black Sparrowhawk is one of the stealthy hunters and has moved into the Western Cape over the past 20 years. The availability of mature bluegum (eucalyptus) trees for nesting purposes […]
Read more ...Spotted Eagle-Owl
Myths and superstition have been the lot of these nocturnal hunters. Owls have adapted to feeding at night as they have developed acute hearing and their flight feathers are designed to support silent flight for stealthy swoops on their prey. Our ancestors have feared these birds as harbingers of bad […]
Read more ...Southern Red Bishop
Camouflage and stealth are definitely not in the male Southern Red Bishop’s vocabulary during the breeding season! Breeding plumage consists of bright red and pitch black feathers that are shown off at their best from a prominent perch while attracting further attention by making loud swizzeling sounds. At times the […]
Read more ...Cape White-eye
The Cape White-eye is widespread throughout most of South Africa and is a well-known garden, bush and forest bird that bears descriptive Afrikaans names like Witogie, Glasogie and Meelogie because of the white ring of feathers around its brown eyes. This tiny creature is heard well before dawn and is […]
Read more ...Cape Robin-Chat
“Perky” best describes the cheerful Cape Robin-Chat. The orange breast and grey belly are offset by the white eyebrow and the striking black band across the face that resembles a highwayman’s mask. This species is widespread throughout southern Africa and is a favourite garden bird. The Cape Robin-Chat prefers well […]
Read more ...Fiscal Shrike
The Common Fiscal, or Fiscal Shrike, is boldly marked with pitch black above and crisp white below. The white bar in the wings extends all the way up to the “shoulder” and, when perched, forms a distinct “V” pattern on the back. The robust bill is tipped with a hook […]
Read more ...Barn Swallow
Birdlife South Africa has elected the Barn Swallow as the “bird of the year” to create awareness about migratory birds in general, wetland conservation and global climate change. Barn Swallows (Europese Swaeltjies) are one of the most widespread swallow species in the world. Millions of these swallows migrate between Europe/Asia […]
Read more ...Bokmakierie
The Bokmakierie, as opposed to his secretive cousins in the bush-shrike clan, calls from an elevated perch, giving the impression that they are plentiful. The far carrying call, which can be clearly heard all around the Tygerberg Hills, sounds similar to “Kokkewiet”, its alternative Afrikaans name. The male initiates the […]
Read more ...Karoo Scrub-Robin
Tygerberg Nature Reserve conserves one of Cape Town’s most threatened types of vegetation, namely Swartland Shale Renosterveld. Some bird species are habitat specialist and are mainly restricted certain vegetation types. It is here on the Tygerberg that we can find the Karoo Scrub-Robin, which is endemic to the drier western […]
Read more ...Jackal Buzzard
The Jackal Buzzard, which is displayed on our logo, is endemic to southern Africa. It is the largest raptor that is resident on the Tygerberg Hills. It is not a secretive bird and can often be seen gliding on the thermals or soaring in the breeze. Sometimes these birds hang […]
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