BIRDS THAT VISIT DIE OOG
Welcome to a bird watchers paradise.
With benches to sit quietly on and, especially in the evenings, watch a cloud of birds descend on the area.
Die Oog is an important urban evening roost site for sacred ibis, cattle egrets and reed cormorants. Residents of Die Oog include yellow-billed ducks, moorhens, dabchicks, coots, egyptian geese, spotted thick-knees (dikkops), cape weavers, fiscal shrikes, helmeted guinea fowls, hadeda ibis, karoo prinias and pintailed whydahs. Frequent visitors include the black sparrow hawk, grey heron and little egret.
Weaver Birds in Die Oog
The majority of birds here are the dominant cape weaver but there are also southern masked weavers nesting here. A lot of research is being done on the weaver birds and it’s been found that even though it may seem like it, the females do not destroy the nests built by males. Rather, females lay their eggs in their favoured nest and males destroy nests that have not attracted a female. Building these nests takes time to perfect and as the weaver bird becomes more experienced the nests become smaller and tighter.
Here is a 15 minute presentation by Dr. Oschadleus about the Cape Weaver (2017)
Dr. H. Dieter Oschadleus is the bird ringing co-ordinator at SAFRING and has a PhD on The Moult Patterns in Southern African Weavers. Dieter is an associate at the Animal Demography Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town. He is also an Honorary Research Fellow, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Cape Weavers and Hadedas breeding at Die Oog
Like a storybook which includes drama with the neighbours, disappearances, history, predators and surprise visitors – an interesting dynamic occurs amongst the Cape Weaver and the Hadedas. Find out more about their existence together in the conservation area.
Interesting facts about Weaver Birds
- In Die Oog there are two species of weaver bird, the majority of birds are the dominant cape weaver but there are also southern masked weavers nesting here.
- Weavers build domed nests, sometimes with long entrance tunnels. They are usually extremely durable with elaborate weavings and knots using grass and reed blades.
- Females do not destroy the nests built by males. Rather, females lay their eggs in their favoured nest and males destroy nests that have not attracted a female.
- Practice makes perfect! As a weaver bird becomes more experienced his nests become smaller and tigher.