Help department with information on dead birds

He said the department would plot the dead birds found in the area and said he trusted participants would provide honest information. He cautioned community members to wear gloves when handling the birds. “Spreading some lime onto the corpse helps with decomposition,” he said.

The following information is needed when reporting dead birds:

•  Full name of the person reporting the dead bird
•  Contact details, such as a cellphone number and e-mail address
•  The date that the bird was found and the approximate date of death of the bird
•  Species of the bird, but if unable to identify it, send a photograph to janv@joburg.org.za for identification
•  Physical address of where the bird was found
•  General comments with regard to the dead bird found would also be welcomed such as the following descriptions: blood oozing from mouth, eyes and cloaca [posterior orifice]; soiling of faeces around the cloaca; whether the bird looks healthy; condition of its plumage; how prominently the breastbone is extruding; and whether the wings are well enough developed for it to have flown.

“Region A is privileged to have the Glen Austin Bullfrog Sanctuary within our borders and we will do our utmost best to protect this wetland and its inhabitants,” Van Niekerk concluded.