St Lucia's mangrove kingfishers.

We are privileged in St Lucia to have Mangrove kingfisher as visitors every winter to the mangrove forests bordering the estuary. Although relatively common further north up the East coast (they occur all the way up to Somalia), they are nevertheless very rare in South Africa. The South African population is estimated at less than 400 individuals which spend October to March in mangrove forests in the Transkei and March to September at a handful of Kwazulu-Natal sites such as Richard's bay, Umlalazi Nature Reserve, St Lucia estuary and Kosi Mouth. 

Mangrove forests are not an easy habitat to bird in- squelching mud, rank vegetation, hordes of mosquitoes make finding the kingfisher quite a challenge. Especially in Kwazulu-Natal when they are generally quiet, inactive and elusive in the winter months.

A big concern is that habitat destruction is threatening the viability of our South African population and the population as a whole. South Africa's mangrove forests are dwindling due largely to development, increased sedimentation and physical removal of trees for firewood and crafts. The total mangrove coverage in South Africa is currently estimated at a meagre 1688ha.  The largest remaining mangrove areas are at Mhlathuze (+-600 ha), Lake St. Lucia (+-500 ha), Richards Bay (+-250 ha), Mngazana (+-100 ha), Mlalazi (+-60 ha), and Kosi Bay (+-60 ha), along with about a dozen smaller sites.  To put the total remaining mangrove into perspective, more than 200ha of mangrove was removed just for harbour development in Durban bay alone! Furthermore, of the 17 estuaries in Transkei in which mangrove forests used to occur only 14 still have mangroves.   

Of local concern has been a massive die off of mangrove trees around the St Lucia estuary due to prolonged flooding and increased sedimentation. A swathe of grey, dead mangrove trees now lines the estuary where there was once thriving mangrove forest. It is currently unknown just how much has been lost due to the flooding but it appears to be an alarming proportion. 

This cannot bode well for this beautiful bird which relies on the dense cover provided by the mangroves and the rich and diverse diet provided by this productive habitat.

Dead mangrove (Grey areas) surrounding the St Lucia estuary