Birds

Masters of the air

Curiously enough the famous naturalist [Darwin] did not see, or failed to recognize, the Wirebird as a native, for he does not mention it but stated his belief that all the birds of the island had been introduced within recent years.{c}

We have an eclectic collection of birds

SEE ALSO: Our other pages featuring birds are: ⋅ Seabirds ⋅ The Wirebird

Anyone interested in the birds of St Helena should obtain a copy of ‘A Guide to the Birds of St Helena and Ascension Island’, by Neil McCulloch, published by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, ISBN 1 901930 46 7. Much of the material presented here is sourced from this book. The earlier book ‘The Birds of St Helena’, compiled by Beau Rowlands in 1998 is, apparently, also worth reading.

Our eclectic collection

Our many other birds are all introduced species. They were brought here mostly either to serve specific environmental purposes, or for game, or as caged-birds which escaped into the wild. They are listed below in alphabetic order of their island name.

Below: Canary Cardinal Java Sparrow Moorhen Mynah Bird Partridge Peaceful Dove Pheasant Pigeon Waxbill

Canary

The Yellow Canary serinus flaviventris is thought to have been introduced as a caged bird in the late 18th Century. 12cm long, it is a seed-eater and probably the best songster of all our birds. They associate in groups of up to 50 birds and can be seen (and heard!) island-wide, including in Jamestown.

Cardinal

The Madagascar Fody foudia madagascariensis, locally known as a Cardinal, Robin or simply Red Bird because of the male’s distinctive red plumage, is thought to have been introduced as a caged bird in the late 17th Century. 13cm long, it is a seed-eater that will also take nectar and insects, it is another good songster. Groups of up to 100 birds are not uncommon. They frequent up-country areas (Longwood; Blue Hill) and are only occasionally seen in Jamestown.

1875: A common field-bird, where it may be seen associating with crithagra butyracea{1}, and in all probability breeds with it. It is not plentiful, but maybe seen occasionally in flights of a hundred or more when the corn is being reaped. It is caught by the natives and sold to passengers on board ship. It changes its plumage regularly from red to brown every year. This bird has a habit of frequenting those parts of the Island where the common flag antholyza atthiopica grows; it will sit perched on the long flower-stalk enjoying the honey, sucking it through an aperture which it bites at the bottom of each long tubular flower.{d}

You will not be surprised to be told than they are no longer sold to tourists!

Java Sparrow

The Java Sparrow padda oryzivora is thought to have been introduced as a caged bird in the late 18th Century due to its attractive appearance, though its song is not particularly interesting. 15cm long, it eats seeds and because of its powerful bill can tackle larger seeds than others, and commonly invades chicken coops to eat the chicken feed, often in large groups. Its spread is island-wide, including Jamestown.

According to the Records:

‘St Helena: A Physical, Historical and Topographical Description of the Island{2}’ describes the Java Sparrow as:

A tolerably abundant bird, inhabiting the low rocky lands on the northern side of the Island. These birds are frequently seen hopping about in pairs, and also in flights in the interior when the corn is ripening. It is not many years since they were introduced, and they appear to thrive well and to be increasing in numbers.

Moorhen

The Moorhen gallinula chloropus is locally known as a Water Bird or Water Duck. The first record of their existence here is from 1670 but it is unclear if it was introduced intentionally (and for what reason?) or arrived as a stowaway on a ship. 32cm long and eating plant matter and small animals, its range seems to be confined to Sandy Bay and Fisher’s Valley, though some seem to live in the Heart Shaped Waterfall area. Most island residents will not recall ever having seen a Moorhen.

Mynah Bird

The Myna or Common Mynah acridotheres tristis, also locally known as the Indian Myna[h] or Miner Bird, is ubiquitous on St Helena and is likely to be the first bird you see. 26cm long and with striking yellow legs, the species is thought to have been introduced in 1829{3} to control cattle ticks, but these birds apparently did not become established.

1875: This bird was introduced in the year 1829, and has not multiplied to any extent. It is still to be found inhabiting the Peepul trees ficw terebrata in Jamestown, but is rare.{d}

The current population is thought to descend from escaped caged birds kept by Miss Phoebe Moss at The Briars from 1885. Mynahs eat just about anything; they are energetic raiders of garbage bags and are considered a pest. They can be found island-wide. In Jamestown they roost in the Duke of Edinburgh Playground and in Castle Gardens and create much noise at dawn and at dusk. You can hear them (above, right).

In 1975 the Ivylets presented a Pantomime entitled ‘The Blue Mynah Bird of Happiness’. Local drivers tend to attempt to run them over, rarely successfully.

It has been claimed that Mynahs take Wirebird eggs, but no conclusive evidence has ever been found.

Partridge

The Chukar Partridge alectoris chukar, like the Pheasant are thought to have been introduced by the Portuguese soon after the island’s discovery. About 33cm long, they appear in groups of 20 or so, usually in semi-desert areas, feeding on seeds, plant-shoots and insects.

Peaceful Dove

Peaceful Doves geopelia striata are also known as Turtle Doves, Zebra Doves or just simply Doves. 24cm long, they were introduced in the 18th Century from Mauritius and were probably not caged but introduced as wild birds. They eat seeds and tend to inhabit the warmer, wetter parts of the island, though there is a large population in Jamestown. They are noted for their gentle Coo Coo sound (right) and are generally tame, readily accepting scraps at open-air restaurants and cafés.

A turtle dove waddled over the dirt and almost sat on my shoe. Napoleon’s entourage had shot these trusting creatures for sport; and probably their skill had lain in inducing the birds to hop off the barrels of the guns.{e}

Pheasant

The Ring-Necked Pheasant phasianus colchicus may have been introduced by the Portuguese soon after the island’s discovery; they are reported to have been part of the diet of Fernão Lopez. At 53-89cm long they are our largest non-domesticated bird and are thought to be present in significant numbers, but are rarely seen. They are mostly found in more wooded areas or in flax plantations, feeding on seeds, plant shoots and insects.

Pigeon

Pigeons columba livia are widespread on St Helena and are thought to have been introduced by the Portuguese; they are first recorded in 1578. 33cm long and eating almost anything, they flock in most settled areas, including Jamestown. Like the Mynah they raid garbage bags and are considered a pest.

Waxbill

The Common Waxbill estrilda astrild is often mistaken for a Java Sparrow, though the latter’s tail is shorter. 13cm long, it is thought to have been introduced as a caged bird in the late 18th Century, and eats mostly grass seeds, giving it a wide range across the island - they are particularly common on Deadwood Plain and the nearby Longwood Golf Course where they appear in groups of 10-20 birds.

St Helena’s birds (both Birds and Seabirds) were shown on the following 2017 stamp issue:

The St Helena National Trust has produced this handy chartⒾ, which also includes Seabirds.

Other Birds

Below: Visitors Domesticated Fowl Failed Introductions Extinct Endemics Birds of Paradise Problem Birds

Visitors

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egrets bubulcus ibis(right), locally known as the Cattle Bird, visit our cattle pastures most summers to eat the ticks and other parasites and also feed on other insects and even frogs and small mammals, but do not breed on St Helena. Other wind-blown visitors are also occasionally reported; from the Records:

An Allen’s Gallinule porphyrula alleni was found in The Run in May 2001, and apparently (according to the St Helena News) the Records contain eight other sightings of the same species, mostly all young birds that are presumably more easily wind-blown. A juvenile Dwarf Bittern was identified in November 2011.

Domesticated Fowl

‘Herbert’{4}

St Helena does, of course, have domesticated fowl: chickens, ducks and sometimes geese. These are usually of breeds selected for egg production rather than eating.

Failed Introductions

It seems specimens of the Common or House Sparrow passer domesticus were released at Plantation House in 1869 in the hope of controlling the growing Termite population but without success - the birds did not thrive (probably losing out to the established Java Sparrows) and also made no dent in the Termite numbers.

Other failed introductions include: Skylarks alauda arvensis in 1715; Blackbirds turdus merula, Song Thrushes turdus philomelos, Chaffinches fringilla coelebs and Robins erithacus rubecula in 1824 (presumably by the English trying to make the island more like home); Ostrich struthio camelus from South Africa, for food in 1879; and Owls species unknown in 1930, presumably to control mice and rats.

Extinct Endemics

In addition to the Wirebird St Helena used to have other endemic birds, most of which were lost after the island was discovered in 1502 due to habitat changes caused by the invasion of pigs, goats and rats brought by the Portuguese and the English Settlers. We list these unfortunates below. Images of what they might have looked like can be found in the book Birds of St Helena and Ascension Island (p82).

Birds of Paradise

There is a Line Dancing group called the ‘Birds of Paradise’ which entertains at public events, seen below performing at The Mule Yard:

Problem Birds

We caption this picture: Clearly mynah birds were a problem in the ‘before days’ too…☺

Read More

Below: Books Article: Cattle Egrets Re-visit Birdwatch, 2022

Books

Article: Cattle Egrets Re-visit

Published in the St Helena Herald 24th February 2012{8}

St Helena was honoured with a re-visit from some travellers who have frequently visited the island before. Almost every year a small number of Cattle Egrets are seen, sometimes in Castle Gardens, often at Bottom Woods, and today enjoying the sprinklers on the grass in the Mule Yard in Jamestown.

They are residents of Africa and Asia, but have been known to wander much further afield - to Europe where they now breed, and to far flung offshore locations such as St Helena and Diego Garcia.

They are very adaptable birds, and are often very tame due to their living close to man and his activities. They are called Cattle Egrets because they will feed amongst grazing cattle, sheep and goats, hunting down the insects these animals disturb as they walk through the grass, and even perching on the animal’s backs to get a better view. They will also frequent road verges and townships with poor rubbish control, landfills, and golf courses, as well as freshly dug or harvested agricultural areas.

They are members of the heron family, and like most of the herons can be quite varied in their diet - insects, frogs, fish, scraps, offal and the like. The male birds of some egret species in breeding season sport long feathers on the back of the head which were once much sought after to adorn women’s hats in the Victorian era. The adult Cattle Egrets show a gingery colour on the head and breast, which can be seen on one of the birds in Jamestown today, suggesting the other two might be immature.

The birds being here are an indication that some species can travel long distances, perhaps trapped in high altitude jet streams. Imagine their relief at finding land beneath them, with water, an abundance of insect life, and even friendly people. Far too few cattle for their liking however! So enjoy these ‘tourists’ who make few demands on the island and its economy. They recognise no boundaries, are neither racialist nor religious, they ask for nothing more than to be left alone, and who knows - one day they too might be seeking permission to stay rather than having to make the long flight there and back each year. They can also hitch rides on ships, but although the RMS St Helena (1990-2018) arrived from the Cape yesterday I have heard no rumours of their being stowaways in the rigging!

Dr. Chris Hillman{9}
Wirebird Programme Manager
St Helena National Trust

Birdwatch, 2022

Over the weekend of 28th to 30th January the St Helena National Trust organised the first ‘St Helena Birdwatch’ to encourage residents to go out looking for the many birds that inhabit the island. The objective was record the birds across the island providing a vital snapshot of which species are thriving or struggling, and perhaps provide clues as to why, and how they can be protected or be deemed as an invasive species. Held at a similar time every year, results can be compared with previous years. A poster was published in Our Newspapers which you can downloadⒾ.