Kruger2Canyon News

HOEDSPRUIT – In a ground breaking expedition a
group of birding experts took to the mountainsides in the
Hoedspruit area to try and establish the true number of
nest sites of the rarest falcon in the world, the Taita
Falcon, in South Africa. The Taita is the rarest breeding
bird in South Africa and thus the group believe it to be
imperative that they monitor the populations and breeding
efforts of this species, so that any threats to the bird or its
habitat can be identified in good time, and conservation
efforts geared to preserve the timid falcon. This was only
the second ever South African Taita Falcon survey. The
first one took place two years ago, in the form of a
two-week long search of the mountains outside
Hoedspruit, by a group of raptor biologists and
enthusiasts, whose aim it was to add to the two known
South African nest sites, and to derive an estimate of the
national population of this very rare, cliff-loving species.
After much sweat and waiting and waiting ... at all the best
rock faces in the region, they came away with two more
nest sites, a good deal of cuts and bruises, and the great
satisfaction of having doubled the known population of
Taita Falcons in South Africa. In October this year, most
of the same enthusiasts returned to the escarpment to
repeat the process, and put to rest the niggling doubts they
had about cliffs that they had not covered completely
during the first survey, and to explore the new possibilities
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