New in HOORC's Library: Botswana bird monitoring report

Important bird areas of Botswana : monitoring report 2007, published by Birdlife Botswana in December 2007 as a special supplement to Babbler, is now available in HOORC's Library. The report uses maps and colour illustrations to describe flight routes, nesting site status and territories of birds in three areas: the Linyanti swamps, Lake Ngami and the Makgadikgadi Pans. The report also describes environmental conditions in the areas surveyed:

"The issue of disturbance from livestock is debatable. Cattle possibly trample some nests, especially those of Collared Pratincoles; this species breeds on the short grasslands adjacent to the water, and birds can be seen performing their distraction displays as grazing cattle approach their nests. However, the vegetation along the lake edges is kept short by the livestock grazing pressure, and maintained as suitable habitat for both Collared and Black-winged Pratincoles -- the latter is a globally threatened species, and the International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Black-winged Pratincole (AEWA, 2004) highlights the importance of cattle grazing in maintaining suitable habitat for this species." -- Lake Ngami Important Bird Area Monitoring Report 2007, P. Hancock, M. Muller and K. Oake, p. 10