Who is Hera and Royal Wasi?
It all started on 07 March 2024. The momentous day we were able to trap two European Rollers on Thornybush Nature Reserve to attach a solar-powered satellite tracker on each. Each individual was given a meaningful name: the female, a first-year bird, was lovingly named Hera, after the Goddess of the Sky, symbolizing her connection […]
Protecting migratory birds – one solar-powered satellite tag at a time
Why the European Roller? This captivating migratory bird, a beloved visitor and a flagship species for the East Atlantic Flyway Initiative, is also a crucial indicator of ecosystem health. Sadly, individual populations have shown severe declines, with their status becoming unfavourable in many countries over several decades. Studies have found that populations have plummeted by […]
Wings of Wonder: Tracking the Epic Journeys of European Rollers
As dawn breaks across southern Africa, five new European Rollers, fitted with lightweight satellite trackers, take flight, beginning journeys that will span thousands of kilometers and cross entire continents. For BirdLife South Africa, these birds’ migrations offer a rare window into one of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacles—and a powerful call to action to protect migratory […]
Driven by Adventure, Connected by Nature: Subaru Southern Africa Partners with BirdLife South Africa
Jessica Wilmot, manager of BirdLife South Africa’s European Roller Monitoring Project, with Toshimitsu Tanaka, Managing Director of Subaru South Africa, with Jessica’s new vehicle. Each spring, South Africa’s skies burst into life with the spectacular flight and familiar calls of migratory birds returning from across the world. From the acrobatics of swallows to the cuckoos’ […]
Who is Hera and Royal Wasi?
It all started on 07 March 2024. The momentous day we were able to trap two European Rollers on Thornybush Nature Reserve to attach a solar-powered satellite tracker on each. Each individual was given a meaningful name: the female, a first-year bird, was lovingly named Hera, after the Goddess of the Sky, symbolizing her connection […]
Hera’s return journey
Since departing from South Africa on March 30, 2024, Hera is finally on her return journey, currently resting again in Somalia. Her return has sparked a mix of excitement and relief within our Regional Conservation Programme. We’re thrilled by the thought of welcoming back our little hero back in just a few weeks, and relieved […]
Roller Ringing – 2025
This season, Craig and I have one clear goal: to ring as many European Rollers as possible. Our ambitious target? Forty-three individuals. While it might not sound like a daunting number, catching European Rollers in a short timeframe is anything but easy. The conditions need to be just right—birds perched within a few meters of […]