SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS AND THEIR DIET 



destroying rodents and the larger insects ; also by killing off 

 feeble and sick birds and reducing those which are apt to 

 multiply unduly, such as many species of seed-eating birds. 



The Kestrel. 



(G enus — Tinminculus. ) 



Diet. — The food of the kestrels consists of mice, small 

 birds (mostly seed-eating species), grasshoppers, locusts, termites, 

 beetles, other insects, and kindred forms of life. 



The South African kestrel or rooivalk is one of the best- 

 known kestrels. All the species of this genus of hawks are of 

 high economic value. 



The Cuckoo Falcon. 



(Genus — Baxa.) 



Diet. — There is only one species of cuckoo falcon [Ba-za 

 verreaiixi) in South Africa. It feeds largely on the highly 

 useful insect-killing chameleon and mantis, and sometimes on 

 insectivorous birds and their nestlings. Although it also eats 

 locusts and certain other injurious pests, it does, on the whole, 

 more harm than good. It cannot, therefore, be classed as a bird 

 of economic value even when it keeps strictly to its natural 

 habits. 



The Eagle. 



(Genera — Aquila.^ Eiitolmcetus^ Spixatus^ Lophocetus.^ Halicttus^ 

 Helotarsus^ and Circatiis.) 



Diet. — The eagles of the species grouped under the above 

 genera prey upon the smaller antelopes, hares, dassies, monkeys, 

 small carnivorous animals, the larger birds, rats, and the small 

 stock and poultry of the farmer. Away from the haunts of 

 man, the eagle helps in a considerable degree to maintain the 

 balance of Nature ; but the farmer who rears small stock and 

 poultry cannot afford to permit eagles to live in his neighbour- 

 hood. On purely agricultural farms, where monkeys and rats 



VOL. II. '},'y^ 3 



