An artificial heronry for birds in Pietermaritzburg

Artificial roost at the Darvill Bird Sanctuary

A succession of events led to the loss of roost and nest sites for ibises, egrets and herons around Sobantu, a suburb of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The result was that the birds moved into pine trees next to residential housing, with consequent public health issues. The only solution, of cutting down the trees, is negative for both humans and birds.

In an attempt to resolve this conflict, A Rocha South Africa was involved in constructing an artificial heronry at the Darvill Bird Sanctuary with some success. Up to 70 birds of at least 10 species roost there every night.

Many birds are also now breeding at a local bird sanctuary where the local council cleaned out a large pond as part of a shopping development. Birds have been successfully moved from Sobantu, allowing the trees to be retained there.

The continuous monitoring of this project is vital, and with more funding the Darvill site could be improved to entice breeding pairs. The platforms should enable easy access at certain times in the breeding season in order to count and measure eggs, and monitor and ring chicks. By colour ringing chicks we can determine whether or not these birds return to these areas to breed.

Project leader: Mark Brown

Partners: University of KwaZulu-Natal, Birdlife KZN Midlands