SARBN: More on the White-breasted Waterhen - email 1
Trevor Hardaker
Hi All,
Just to show that I am happy to consider everyone’s opinion here, here is a note received from Derek Engelbrecht for your to read and consider. I will also post a few more comments of my own in a separate email shortly:
White-breasted Waterhen – an alternative opinion
Having seen the bird yesterday, I did some of my own reading about the species, and please allow me to give my opinion. You are, of course, welcome to have your own opinion.
Although not known as a migrant, the Birds of the World text for the species reads as follows: “Extent of migration from northernmost breeding areas and seasonality of occurrence not clear; current expansion northwards into Japan indicative of mobility of species; recorded E to Bonin Is.” From this extract, it is clear that we don’t know enough about the species' movements, but it is evident that at least some populations migrate, and the species may well be ‘wired’ for migration but don’t always do so. By all accounts, this also appears to be a species that is currently undergoing a global range extension, with an increasing number of records from Japan and the Middle East. Africa is the logical next frontier for White-breasted Waterhen.
Although it is more likely to undertake short-distance movements, records on some Indian Ocean islands, such as the Maldives, Socotra, the Chagos, and Cocos Islands, suggest the species is capable of long-distance movements (sometimes > 1 000 km in the case of the Maldives to Chagos Islands, Sumatra to Cocos Islands, or Cocos Islands to Christmas Island). Based on this, I differ from Trevor’s opinion that the species does not like to cover large expanses of water. It might not like it, but clearly, it does, whether on its own or ship assisted. Furthermore, although not such a long distance from Oman, a 2019 record of the species in Kuwait was the first record of the species in the Western Palaearctic, but this ‘range extension’ would not necessarily have involved crossing a large expanse of open water. The Kuwait record was about 1 300 km from the nearest populations in Oman, so the species does move around. As far as we know, the Socotra record Trevor refers to is probably as close as it got to mainland Africa until the 29th of July 2023, but who is to say the species has never made that jump across to Africa? The most logical point of landfall would be somewhere in the Horn of Africa, a region with a dodgy security record and hence relatively few birders visiting that region. It is, therefore, not surprising that the species has not been recorded from that region as it would be a vagrant, and it will require a bit of luck and a birder being at the right place at the right time to see it on the continent. In my humble opinion, I would not be surprised if there are occasional records of the species from that region in the future. Given that it is a rallid, and rallids can be shy and easily missed, it is conceivable that a rarity such as a White-breasted Waterhen in Africa may escape the radar.
The Tzaneen bird
Firstly, it is a vagrant, and as we know, the presence of a vagrant often raises the question, “Why here?”. Nothing unusual about the bird - a vagrant - showing up at a farm dam in Tzaneen. If we assume the Oman origin hypothesis of this bird, a site somewhere on the east of the subregion will make sense. If you know Tzaneen, you would know the subtropical environment would undoubtedly resemble the habitat in its native range. Nevertheless, it could have shown up anywhere, yes, even in somebody’s garden in Claremont or anywhere in Africa, for that matter. Vagrants do what vagrants do. The argument that the Tzaneen individual would have travelled thousands of kilometres, bypassing many suitable waterbodies before ending up near Tzaneen, applies, of course, to all vagrants. Even regular migrants that are vagrants here, e.g., Lesser Whitethroat, Wood Warbler, Laughing Gull, and most others, would likely have passed suitable habitats somewhere on their way down to southern Africa. Who knows why this individual is seemingly happy at this dam outside Tzaneen? There are many examples of individual birds that buck the trend and spend their lives alone but are happy in regions well beyond their normal range. One should also be careful not to assume the bird made this hypothetical trip from Oman or the Middle East all in one go. Perhaps the bird is just a happy wanderer and has undergone short- or medium-distance movements over months or maybe even years to end up where it is now. Remember, it is a rallid, and they can easily go undetected. Recall the Houdini-like appearance and disappearance of the Sooty Gull a few years back … and Sooty Gull is a large bird frequenting open terrain. Also, how did a bird like the Laughing Gull manage to go ‘undetected’ or rather unreported before it reached the southern Cape? So, the fact that a small rallid such as White-breasted Waterhen may go undetected should be expected, rather than it being a surprise that it was not seen in suitable habitats elsewhere in Africa.
Regarding crossing 4 800 km of open sea from the Maldives, again, it assumes that the bird followed the route Trevor outlined. I don’t discount ship-assisted dispersal from anywhere within its range, but what about ‘island hopping’ from the Maldives or Chacos, to the Seychelles etc, and from there on to Madagascar, or Africa? Perhaps Cyclone Freddy gave those lovely rufous vent feathers a good push from behind and placed the seemingly impossible (Africa) within range. In case you forgot, the record-breaking Cyclone Freddy originated well within the range of White-breasted Waterhen and crossed the entire Indian Ocean before making landfall in Mozambique. Such a hypothesis is not too farfetched. We are in the domain of pure speculation here, but we are dealing with an extreme rarity, a vagrant, so perhaps extreme hypotheses may be warranted.
We had the opportunity to watch this bird for quite a while yesterday, and based on its behaviour, I am confident that this is a wild bird. Although happy to forage out in the open, it is rather skittish and darts for cover at the slightest movement when approached too closely. If it were a bird from a captive collection, I would expect it to be more relaxed in the presence of people, but this bird clearly was not. Some literature sources suggest that the species is mostly crepuscular (active at dawn and task). Although it foraged out in the open for short periods during the day yesterday and seemingly today, too, it was clear from its behaviour that it was more active at dusk when we were there; bathing preening etc. Often, the behaviour of captive birds deviates from their wild conspecifics. The bird also displayed natural territorial aggression towards the resident Black Crakes and Three-banded Plovers. Captive birds are likely to be more tolerant of other birds in an aviary. Considering it is currently the species' breeding season within its native range, this territorial or aggressive behaviour may have its origins in the hormones.
I agree with Trevor, “Yes, birds do weird things at times…” and I also agree that “… all of this just seems VERY strange”, but disagree that this is not a genuine vagrant. We are dealing with a vagrant, and what vagrant does not constitute a strange phenomenon? Considering my counterarguments, I regard this bird as a genuine vagrant.
Regarding who would keep this species in captivity locally, I agree with Trevor that it is possible. Still, I am unaware of any facility in this region that would keep this species. If someone raises their hand to say they lost a White-breasted Waterhen from an aviary in the area, I’d be the first to remove it from my list. Also, many birds in collections have leg bands, and this bird doesn’t have one.
If Trevor’s vague recollection of historic reports turns out to be correct, it would be a pity that earlier records of the species in the region were not announced. For all we know, the species occurrence in the subregion may not be so unusual and would not have generated the current debate about whether this species is a genuine vagrant or not.
After all of this, it boils down to YOUR decision as to whether you would record it on your list or not. Neither Trevor’s nor my opinion is the final say, but I hope our different opinions may have helped you to make up your mind if you were a fence-sitter.
Good luck to those going to see the White-breasted Waterhen and enjoy it - it is a beautiful rallid!
Derek Engelbrecht