Page 3 - 24 October 2025

THE REPORTER 24 OCTOBER 2025 · PAGE 3

This time of the year I love watching the
little Southern Red Bishops (Rooivink)
changing into their breeding colour. The
very drab, easy to overlook males slowly
turn into these strikingly beautiful birds.
They seem to know just how resplendent
they are in the red and black attire, as they
become extreme cocky and self-assured.
When not breeding these birds disperse
and form large flocks. We have had a few of
these flocks visiting our feeders. They often
arrive before the food is set out. The
bishops, weavers and African Red-eyed
Bulbuls (Rooioogtiltop) arrive first, and get
a little annoyed if Kevin is late with their Southern Red Bishop (Rooivink) looking particularly scrubby, but Southern Red Bishop (Rooivink) looking stunning in his full breeding
food!
extremely cute. plumage.
A few early birds started changing last
month, but suddenly most of them are in
full breeding plumage. Summer is well on
the way!
According to the Apps, they breed from
October to March in the summer rainfall
region. The nest is a woven oval of grass
with a side top entrance attached to upright
steams above water or above the ground.
They lay 2-5 eggs.
The little males love to show off. They fluff
up their red feathers and look like little black
and scarlet bumble-bees. With their puffed-
up feathers they swivel around a reed and
bounce up and down. The females inspect
the nests critically that were built by the
males. If a females approves of the nest,
she accepts the male. They are very
entertaining. A successful male may
acquire as many as 8 mates in a season.
The Greater Painted Snipe (Goudsnip) is
still happily visiting the sewerage ponds. We
paid him a visit on Saturday afternoon, but
did not get great photographs.
We watched an African Fish Eagle
(Visarend) chasing a number of ducks and
geese, but is was not successful in catching
any. It flew off, calling as it went. Lovely to
see and hear.

African Fish Eagle (Visarend) flying off
after an unsuccessful chase.

Cape Weaver (Kaapse Wewer)
all aflutter, displaying for the females.