MIGRANTS IN THE AFROTROPICAL REGION SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR

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Abstract
Many species breed in southern Africa, some as far south as the Cape Province, but winter north toward the equator or even crossing it. The breeding season may be in the hot pre-rains, the rains or both. In general, those in the 1st and 3rd categories are absent only in the coldest months, but the presence of those in the 2nd is largely tied to the rains. Some other species migrate to higher latitudes to molt, not to breed, spending the rains in what are generally drier regions. Most such examples are ground-feeding birds of open grasslands. It is possible that the same populations of certain species breed twice in the year: in moist lower latitudes in the dry season, in drier higher latitudes in the rains. There are doubtless instances of migration still undetected. Investigation is needed as to why some species are migratory on 1 side of the equator, but not the other.