PELICANS AT THE BOTANIC GARDENS

In about 2003 an unexpected species of bird was sighted at the Botanic Gardens. Although they feed in Durban Bay and at the Umgeni river mouth, the Pink-backed Pelicans had seldom ventured into the city to roost. Their normal breeding area is in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (Mkuzi Game Reserve) The excitement grew early in January in 2004, when these birds started collecting and using nesting material, displaying courtship behaviour and sporting very fine breeding plumage. Late in February 2004, the first chicks hatched, and were closely watched as they grew to adulthood- testing their swimming and fishing skills on the lake in the Botanic Gardens until they were mature enough to fly to their normal feeding grounds. The pelicans have been monitored over the past years, and although the numbers diminish between May and November, they are always present and have now bred early each year for the past six years. Their breeding pattern is unusual, as the birds normally start nesting in May or June. In 2011 9 young were raised. Durban Botanic Gardens is proud to be the home of the most southern breeding colony of Pink-backed pelican in South Africa.

List of the birds at the Durban Botanic Gardens