Interactions between African Openbills and Spotted Thick-knees

Abstract

A small number of vagrant African Openbills Anastomus lamelligerus have been present along the Overberg coast, Western Cape, for slightly more than 9 months now. They seem to be quite settled and they are feeding on the abundant supplies of both Garden Snail Helix aspersa and different species of sea snails as well as black mussels Choromytilus meridionalis (pers obs). They are more than 1 500 kilometres southwest of their usual distribution range in southern Africa.