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Bateleur, with its distinctive plumage and graceful flight pattern, is under threat “The bateleur is a truly charismatic and eye-catching bird of prey, with its distinctive plumage — and combination of black, white and vibrant red-orange on the face and legs,” BirdLife said of the species that is equally at home in the bushveld of the, a famed 18th-century French explorer, writer and ornithologist, and is said to be French for a “tumbler” or “tightrope walker”.
“Its isiZulu name, ingqungqulu, is onomatopoeic, referring to the sounds of battle drums due to the species’ relation to war in the Zulu culture. Also very fittingly, its scientific name, Terathopius ecaudatus, is a celebration of its marvellous face, and its short tail,” it said. The bateleur is sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females can be differentiated based on their plumage or appearance. This is most easily done when they are in flight by looking at their underwing pattern. with an estimated population reduction of more than 50% over the past 40 years. The regional population size is estimated at fewer than 1 000 mature individuals.
The non-profit bird conservation organisation said it is suspected that habitat transformation has led to a decrease in their available prey base, especially outside protected areas. The tendency of bateleurs to scavenge, too, puts them at particular risk from indiscriminate poisoning, especially by small stock farmers.
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