Current News | FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology

UCT researchers reveal humidity's deadly role in bird deaths during heatwaves

A newly-published collaborative study by researchers at the Fitz, Pretoria University, Wits, and SANBI shows that elevated humidity significantly increases the risk of lethal hyperthermia in small birds.

Graduation September 2025

Congratulations to all the FitzPatrick Institute students who graduated at the 9 September 2025 Science Faculty graduation ceremony!

Merlyn Nkomo and other Mawazo fellowship recipients

Fitz Doctoral student selected for Mawazo Fellowship

Fitz Doctoral student, Merlyn Nkomo, is one of five UCT women to have been selected for the Mawazo Fellowship.

Hands-on training at Tswalu

Every year, our Conservation Biology Master's students are taken on a two week field trip to Tswalu in the southern Kalahari. Read a blog post by Inaê Guion about how these two weeks breathe life into Conservation Biology theory.

APNR Southern Ground-Hornbill Project Report – July 2025

The APNR Southern Ground-Hornbill Research Project's July 2025 report is now available.

Part of cover of journal, Evolution, June 2025

Bold babies: Why the nestlings of some bird groups evolve conspicuous and diverse appearances

Gabriel Jamie and colleagues have published a study that investigates why the chicks of estrildid finches have such striking variation in appearance.

Claire Spottiswoode elected a Fellow of the Royal Society - May 2025

The FitzPatrick Institute congratulates Prof. Claire Spottiswoode on her election as a Fellow of the Royal Society

African Raptor Leadership Grant call 2025

Applications open for African Raptor Leadership Grant - May 2025

Call for applications for the African Raptor Leadership Grant; deadline 30 June

UPDATE: Tragic attacks on Niassa Special Reserve, Mozambique - May 2025

Update on the attack on Mariri Environmental Centre in Mozambique, an important FitzPatrick study site, in April 2025