The South African Bird Ringing Unit (SAFRING) is based at the University of Cape Town and is responsible for the administration of all bird ringing within Southern Africa and other African countries. This entails providing bird rings, ringing equipment, and services to volunteers (citizen scientists) and qualified ringers. SAFRING curates all the southern African ringing data on site and maintains a close relationship with all other ringing schemes.
SAFRING communicates with ringers via a mailing list and social media and liaises with provincial authorities who have the responsibility of issuing permits. SAFRING has a strict code of ethics to ensure the safety of birds handled.
Bird ringing/banding is the process whereby registered ringers permanently mark wild birds to study their lifecycles (births, deaths, age of breeding and survival rates), habits, populations and movements. To do this, metal rings (marked with unique numbers) are attached to the bird for future identification.
To find out more about bird ringing:
Two barn owls have been rescued by the Benoni SPCA and were ringed by licensed bird ringer, Arjen van Zwieten on the 23rd of July.
Read the full account in the Sandton Chronicle.
posted by: Janine Dunlop on 28 July 2025Intermediate Egret has been split into 3 species, the Plumed, Medium and Yellow-billed.
The original species reference (60) has been retired and 3 new numbers assigned.
The Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) has been split into two species, the African Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus, 14836) and the Asian Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus, 14837). Across the BirdMap family of projects (incl. SAFRING and CWAC), the original Woolly-necked Stork species reference number (77) will be retired, and the projects will continue with the two new species reference numbers that have been allocated.
On the BirdLasser app, you will notice an [x] prefixed to the 'old' species: [x] Woolly-necked Stork, starting from 25-03-2025. You will now need to change this species in the trip cards to the applicable one, African or Asian Woolly-necked Stork. Also, make sure you log the correct species going forward (and submitting to SABAP2).
| Ring | Ringing date | Common name | Taxanomic name | Location code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D05897 | 2026-04-07 | Starling, Red-winged | Onychognathus morio | 3359S1828E |
| CA35554 | 2026-04-07 | Bulbul, Dark-capped [x] | Pycnonotus barbatus tricolor | 2608S2757E |
| 9A74701 | 2026-04-06 | Gannet, Cape | Morus capensis | 3205S1818E |
| 9A85379 | 2026-04-06 | Gannet, Cape | Morus capensis | 3440S2013E |
| 9A95833 | 2026-04-02 | Gannet, Cape | Morus capensis | 3336S2653E |
| 9A02457 | 2026-03-29 | Gannet, Cape | Morus capensis | 3406S2207E |
| FC69609 | 2026-03-25 | Weaver, Southern Masked | Ploceus velatus | 3013S2607E |
| G35684 | 2026-03-03 | Vulture, White-backed | Gyps africanus | 2447S3151E |
| K41405 | 2026-03-03 | Oystercatcher, African | Haematopus moquini | 3343S2638E |
| CA17352 | 2026-03-03 | Weaver, Cape | Ploceus capensis | 3334S2323E |
| 4H51612 | 2026-02-26 | Tern, Common | Sterna hirundo | 3420S1859E |
| 9A00599 | 2026-02-18 | Gannet, Cape | Morus capensis | 3404S2322E |
| K56436 | 2026-02-18 | Unknown, Unknown | Unknown Unknown | 3402S2529E |
| FC63973 | 2026-02-14 | Weaver, Southern Masked | Ploceus velatus | 2548S2817E |
| 888315 | 2026-02-02 | Eagle-Owl, Spotted | Bubo africanus | 2607S2759E |
| K19535 | 2026-01-30 | Gull, Kelp | Larus dominicanus | 3359S2539E |
| G35685 | 2026-01-29 | Vulture, White-backed | Gyps africanus | 2432S3106E |
| 4H88384 | 2026-01-25 | Tern, Common | Sterna hirundo | 3407S1820E |
| L89401 | 2026-01-20 | Sunbird, Amethyst | Chalcomitra amethystina | 2442S2822E |
| MM00189 | 2026-01-15 | Vulture, White-backed | Gyps africanus | 2423S3057E |
