Sustainable Gardening Tips

Biodiversity at Walter Sisulu
NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS

Birds create much of the atmosphere at the Garden with their calls and constant activity. The Garden offers many habitats from cliff face and grassland to water, woodland and bushveld, attracting a diverse range of birds.

'Bird zones' which are natural or semi-natural areas from which people are excluded have been created. These provide safe-havens for birds (and other animals) to find food, nesting sites and material without interference.

The change in the seasons will also determine which birds you are likely to see, as some species are migrants. Some only appear in winter, such as the delicate Fairy Flycatcher, while others are summer visitors such as cuckoos and swallows.

In autumn, the Verreaux's Eagles perform dramatic, swooping dives near the nest beside the Waterfall

These flights are part of their courtship displays, which strengthen the pair's bond at the start of the breeding cycle

The Sasol Dam and Bird hide offer views of both the dam and a small wetland area

The Walter Sisulu NBG bird list lists a total of 226 species
The Garden is also home to various reptiles, butterflies and other insects, frogs and mamals, such as caracal (wild cat), small buck species, South African hedgehog, Black-backed jackal, bats, Cape porcupine and Rock hyrax (dassie). In late 2007, a Red Data List fish species, the Marico Barb, was discovered in the plunge pool of the Waterfall.