Bird distribution dynamics 5 - White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland

Abstract

In South Africa, the White-browed Sparrow-Weaver has more grid cells with increases in reporting rate than cells showing decreases, between SABAP1 (1987 - 1991) and SABAP2 (2007 - ). The highly urbanised Gauteng region has low reporting rates for the species. This results in a hole in the core of the distribution, which stretches from Limpopo to the Free State. The White-browed Sparrow-Weaver has increased in numbers and range in the Eastern Cape, spreading southwards through the Cradock district since 1950. This species appears to be expanding westwards in KwaZulu-Natal and the Kruger National Park, although reporting rates are currently low. The eastern Free State and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park show large increases between SABAP1 and SABAP2.