How we benefit by conserving the Blue Swallow e-zine:

The Blue Swallow is an ambassador for a vital South African ecosystem namely grasslands. The South African grasslands form the major portion of our water catchment areas. More than 60% of the Grassland Biome has already been modified - forestry and agriculture playing largest roles. In South Africa only 2,23% of the Grassland Biome is formally conserved. The Grassland Biome is the least conserved, most transformed and therefore most highly threatened of South Africa's 7 biomes.

The people of South Africa and the Blue Swallows are equally dependent upon the good management of the grasslands as "water factories". The Blue Swallow is specialised to living in two grassland types in South Africa namely North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld and Natal Mist Belt. Of all the grassland types in South Africa in need of conservation, the two highest priority types are North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld and Natal Mist Belt. Both grassland types are located along the eastern South African escarpment in the Northern Province, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

As a globally threatened species the Blue Swallow, as a component of its unique grassland ecosystems in South Africa and Africa, should be viewed as the ambassador for the conservation of all of the other faunal and floral components and processes of its unique grassland ecosystem. Conserving the Blue Swallow will therefore result in the survival of other unique grassland species for which there is no working group and thus no conservation efforts.

South Africa is world-renowned for its biodiversity. Our grasslands are amongst the richest habitats for this biodiversity and are home to many fascinating endemic bird species, bird species only found in South Africa and nowhere else in the world. Birding is the fastest growing recreational activity in the world. The effective conservation of our bird-life will maintain unique birding areas that foreign tourists will visit and from which local communities will benefit. Protection of South Africa's high biodiversity systems will be good for biodiversity, good for water quantity and quality, provide tangible benefits to local communities and be good for the Blue Swallow.

Current Conservation Status

The Blue Swallow is considered to be South Africa's most endangered bird species (Brooke 1984). There are currently 81 known nests and a further 39 possible nests in South Africa and Swaziland. The numbers were obtained after extensive surveys conducted over the past fourteen years. Optimistically it may be possible to add a further ten nests once certain localities in the former Transkei and certain of the tribal trust-land areas in KwaZulu-Natal have been investigated for the presence of Blue Swallows.

An assessment for the total African distribution range of the Blue Swallow in 1985 listed it as near-threatened. By 1994 the Blue Swallow's status had deteriorated and it is currently considered to be vulnerable (Collar & Stuart 1985, Collar et al. 1994). Since the 1994 assessment at least for South Africa and Kenya the species status has probably deteriorated from vulnerable to endangered (Nasirwa & Njoroge 1996). Countries for which information is minimal at this stage are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Mozambique.

As a species of high conservation priority the Blue Swallow, as a component of its unique grassland ecosystems in South Africa and Africa, should be viewed as the ambassador for the conservation of all of the other faunal and floral components and the processes of its preferred grassland ecosystems. The Blue Swallow therefore ensures the long-term survival of other grassland species for which there is no working group and thus no conservation efforts.

Current global population

An optimistic assessment indicates that there are only 1500 breeding pairs of Blue Swallows remaining for their entire African breeding distribution range. The adult breeding population total is approximately 3 000 individuals.

A total of 89 definite and 34 possible breeding pairs are thought to occur in Southern Africa. An estimated 20 breeding pairs occur in Swaziland. In South Africa KwaZulu-Natal contains 51 definite and a further 19 possible nests, Mpumalanga contains 27 definite and a further 3 possible nests and the Northern Province contains 1 definite and a further 2 possible nests.

Elsewhere in Africa, numbers of breeding birds are estimated as follows: 300 pairs in the eastern-highlands of Zimbabwe, with another 100 pairs possible in adjacent Mozambique; 360 pairs in Malawi; 400 pairs in the southern highlands of Tanzania and 100 pairs in each of northeastern Zambia and southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), respectively.

Large breeding populations of Blue Swallows currently in protected areas are Nyanga National Park (580 km²) in Zimbabwe (estimate of 200 breeding pairs) and Nyika National Park (3134 km²) in Malawi (conservative estimate of 260 breeding pairs) (Worsley pers comm., Holroyd & Quinni in prep).

Distribution range

The Blue Swallow's global distribution range is limited to 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is subsequently an intra-African migrant (Turner 1989). It breeds in KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Northern Province, eastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique in southern Africa. In east Africa the Blue Swallow breeds in Malawi, north-eastern Zambia, south-eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo and south-western Tanzania (Turner 1989). The birds arrive at their breeding grounds in South Africa and Swaziland towards the end of September (Parker 1994), and depart again in mid-April (Keith et al. 1992). From throughout their breeding range the Blue Swallows migrate in the non-breeding season to Uganda, western Kenya, north-eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo and possibly also north-western Tanzania in central Africa but do not breed there (Earle 1987).

The furthest north that a Blue Swallow has ever been recorded is Kidepo Valley National Park that has its north-western boundary on the border between Uganda and Sudan in the north-eastern part of Uganda (Butchard 1996). The Blue Swallow range states are Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland.

Habitat

The Blue Swallow prefers high altitude, high rainfall (> 1000 mm p.a.), undulating, open, primary mist-belt grasslands (Allan et al. 1988). The preferred sour grasslands generally have a sward height of < 0.5 meters. The Blue Swallow ecosystem throughout its breeding range in Africa is characterised by the occurrence of mist, during the birds breeding periods. In South Africa and Swaziland the bird is specialised to and therefore only found within the two grassland types known as north-eastern mountain sourveld and Natal Mist-Belt (Acocks 1975). Natal Mist-Belt is the grassland type in which the Blue Swallow is found at the southernmost limit of its African distribution range - KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. From information published in 1967 the grassland type in which the Blue Swallow is found in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia appears to be similar to the grassland type known as North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld in South Africa and Swaziland (Wild et al. 1967). At this stage the grassland type in which the birds are breeding in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo is believed to be similar to that of their range in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia. As yet no information could be obtained on the grassland composition or type that the birds inhabit in north-western Tanzania. In South Africa North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld contains 130 endemic plant species and Natal Mist-Belt contains 51 endemic plant species.

The two grassland types in urgent need of conservation in South Africa are North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld and Natal Mist Belt (Duthie 1994; Low & Rebelo 1996).

Nest, Eggs and Nestlings

Blue Swallows construct a cup-shaped nest out of a mixture of mud and grass. The nest is attached to the wall of natural or artificial holes. Natural holes currently used by the birds are natural sinkholes and Aardvark burrows or artificial sites such as abandoned mine shafts. The birds prefer holes with an overhang under which the nest is constructed so as to protect the exposed cup from the wind and rain. Nests in suitable nest sites are often repaired each breeding season and used over many seasons. Both the male and female contribute to nest building or repair. The female carrying out most of the work.

Two to three eggs are laid at 24 to 48 hours between each successive egg. Only the female incubates the eggs for 14 - 16 days. The female incubates the nestlings. Both the male and female feed the nestlings. At the peak of their development the adult birds arrive at the nest with food for the nestlings at a rate of once every 2 minutes. Nestlings fledge 20 to 24 days after hatching and remain in the nest area for two to three weeks during which time the parents continue feeding them. The nestlings gradually begin feeding themselves during this period. When conditions are favourable Blue Swallows are double brooded, certain pairs being capable of raising two sets of nestlings in a single breeding season. Adverse weather conditions as a result of mist and rain often result in Blue Swallow eggs not hatching or nestlings not fledging (Evans & Bouwman 2000). In some seasons this seriously affects breeding success. Fiscal Shrike has been recorded predating both Blue Swallow eggs and nestlings.

Threats

The major reason for the reduction in surface areas and fragmentation of these two grassland types and the concomitant endangered status of the Blue Swallow has largely been as a result of commercial forestry for the timber, pulp and paper industry (pine, eucalyptus and wattle plantations). The high altitude, high rainfall, mist-belt grassland areas that are characteristic Blue Swallow habitat are unfortunately also highly suited for the commercial cultivation of these exotic trees. In Zimbabwe the borders of Nyanga National Park are easily found as wattle and pine plantations have been planted right up to the edge of the park. Private ownership of the mineral rights to most of the Blue Swallow localities in Mpumalanga represents a current and potential future threat (Evans 1996). Increased tourism activity and development has resulted in the loss of Blue Swallow breeding pairs in the Mac Mac and Graskop Townlands area. This highlights the need for careful consideration and proper planning of tourism ventures (Evans 1997). Other reasons for the decline in and vulnerable status of the Blue Swallow and its grassland habitats are habitat destruction and fragmentation due to potato, maize and sugar cane cultivation, road construction, overgrazing and inappropriate annual burning of grasslands to improve grazing potential. The annual burning of grassland types that should be burnt every two to three year's results in a drastic decrease in overall biodiversity. A factor resulting in a reduction in the breeding success of Blue Swallows in certain breeding areas is disturbance of the birds at the nest by the young boys herding the cattle on tribal grazing lands (Boycott pers comm).

Conservation

Due to the migratory nature of the Blue Swallow it is necessary to focus conservation action, advocacy and monitoring over its entire distribution range. Conservation activity should be aimed at preventing the status of the Blue Swallow from deteriorating further. This is achieved by working at resolving conflicts between the requirements of the Blue Swallow and the factors threatening the future existence of those requirements.

The Blue Swallow is listed on both Appendix I and II of the international Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

Protected Areas, Natural Heritage Sites and Important Bird Areas

Malolotja Nature Reserve (IBA SW001) in Swaziland and Impendle Nature Reserve (IBA SA077) in KwaZulu-Natal are the only formally protected areas holding breeding Blue Swallows; with totals of eight pairs each. Another 22 breeding pairs of Blue Swallows are protected in six Natural Heritage Sites; three in Mpumalanga and three in KwaZulu-Natal. The KwaZulu-Natal Mistbelt Grasslands (IBA SA078), a series of disjointed grassland patches in a farmland mosaic, hold 38-55 Blue Swallow breeding pairs (Johnson et al. 1998). The nine breeding pairs in the Blue Swallow Natural Heritage Site (IBA SA014) in Kaapsehoop represents the highest breeding density for South Africa (1 pr/52 ha) (Allan et al. 1988). The Graskop Grasslands (IBA SA011) and Misty Mountain Natural Heritage Site (IBA SA013) hold 14 and 2 breeding pairs of Blue Swallows respectively. Blyde River Canyon (IBA SA010) contains a single breeding pair with the possibility of a further pair.

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