The White-winged Flufftail has been downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered thanks to years of innovative conservation work.
South Africa (06 July 2025) – It’s a small bird with a big legacy, and this year, conservationists have a rare reason to celebrate. After more than a decade of painstaking work, South Africa’s White-winged Flufftail has officially been downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered. It’s a moment of cautious triumph in a field where good news is often hard-won, and even harder to hold onto.
The elusive White-winged Flufftail is one of Africa’s most threatened waterbirds, its presence so rare and secretive that for decades, researchers were left guessing. Found only in Ethiopia and South Africa, this marsh-dwelling bird became the focus of a deeply committed collaboration between BirdLife South Africa and the Middelpunt Wetland Trust, one that would span years of dawn wake-ups, frozen boots, and remote wetland surveys just for the chance of a sighting.
But persistence pays off. Through the use of cutting-edge techniques like camera traps and acoustic monitoring, scientists and citizen conservationists finally began to crack the mystery of the Flufftail’s habits, breeding grounds, and population size. The breakthrough revealed a larger population in South Africa than previously estimated, prompting the recent downlisting by the IUCN’s Regional Red List.
“This downlisting represents the power of rigorous science in conservation,” said Dr Alan Lee of BirdLife South Africa. “While we celebrate this breakthrough, the bird’s Endangered status is a reminder that our work is far from over.”
Indeed, the White-winged Flufftail still faces considerable threats. South Africa’s wetlands, the bird’s only known breeding habitat, remain under severe pressure from mining, agriculture, pollution, and climate change. These fragile ecosystems are among the country’s most threatened, yet least protected.
Malcolm Drummond, chair of Middelpunt Wetland Trust, recalls the early years vividly:
“When we formed Middelpunt Wetland Trust in 1994, we were driven by the fear that we might lose this extraordinary bird forever. To see Middelpunt declared a nature reserve and Ramsar site, and to know the population is larger than we hoped, it validates every early morning spent in the wetlands.”
But the battle is ongoing.
“The White-winged Flufftail is present in more locations than we once thought,” added Dr Kyle Lloyd, BirdLife South Africa’s Wetland Conservation Project Manager. “But each of these populations is small, fragmented, and fragile. This downlisting is not a free pass, it’s a signal to keep going.”
To support these efforts, BirdLife South Africa has developed detailed guidelines for land users, developers, and conservation authorities to help safeguard these wetlands. The science is there, now it needs to be applied.
Mark Anderson, CEO of BirdLife South Africa, reminds us of what’s at stake:
“With Ethiopia only able to support about 55 breeding pairs, South Africa holds the key to this species’ survival. We all have a role to play in ensuring the White-winged Flufftail doesn’t slip through our fingers.”
From a whisper in the reeds to a reason for hope, the Flufftail’s story is a testament to what’s possible when people, passion, and patience align. It’s not the end of the journey, but it’s proof that even the rarest birds can still find their wings.
References:
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Colyn RB, Campbell A, Smit-Robinson HA. 2020a. The use of a camera trap and acoustic survey design to ascertain the vocalisation and breeding status of the highly elusive White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi. Avian Conservation & Ecology 15: 2.
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Colyn RB, Howes-Whitecross MA, Howes C, Smit-Robinson HA. 2020b. Restricted breeding habitat of the Critically Endangered White-winged Flufftail in Ethiopia and its conservation implications. Ostrich 91: 204–213.
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Lloyd KJ. 2025. White-winged Flufftail. In: Lee ATK, Rose S, Banda S, Bezeng SB, Maphalala MI, Maphisa DH, Smit-Robinson H (eds), The 2025 Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa. https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-list/white-winged-flufftail/
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Lloyd KJ, Muller M, Linström A, Grundling P-L, Pretorius L, Grundling RE, Smit-Robinson HA. 2025a. Best Practice Guidelines for High-Elevation Wetland and Peatland Management in Southern Africa, Version 1. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa. https://www.birdlife.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Wetland-Management-Guidelines-layout-pages.pdf
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Lloyd KJ, Ralston-Paton S, Day KD, Retief E, Smit-Robinson HA. 2025b. Guidelines for surveying and mitigating impacts on White-winged Flufftail in avifaunal assessments for development applications, Version 1. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa. https://www.birdlife.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Guidelines-for-surveying-and-mitigating-impacts-to-White-winged-Flufftail-layout-pages.pdf
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Sande E, Ndang’ang’a PK, Wakelin J, Wondafrash M, Drummond M, Dereliev S. 2008. International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the White-winged Flufftail (Sarothrura ayresi). CMS Technical Series No. 19, AEWA Technical Series No. 38. Bonn, Germany.
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Skowno AL, Poole CJ, Raimondo DC, Sink KJ, Van Deventer H, Van Niekerk L, Harris LR, Smith Adao LB, Tolley KA, Zengeya TA, Foden WB, Midgley GF, Driver A. 2019. National Biodiversity Assessment 2018: The status of South Africa’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Synthesis Report. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute, Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries.
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