Get reliable rangeland science

Greywing and redwing francolins are members of a fire climax grassland. From previous observation the immediate effect of fire depresses densities of these birds, as does the long-term exclusion of fire. Since the birds are of localised habit it was hypothesised that developing a fine-scale fire mosaic would maintain high densities of the birds. The hypothesis was tested in several ways in a field experiment in the Natal Drakensberg. The outcome of one test was equivocal, but the other tests did not refute the hypothesis. Densities declined markedly when large areas of veld were burnt cleanly. The rate of population recovery apparently varied locally. On large areas burnt cleanly biennially in spring, spring and autumn densities were always lower in the first than in the second year after fire. The birds preferred unburnt rather than burnt areas shortly after the application of fire in spring, but this preference was reversed in autumn six months later.