Emeritus Professor of Zoology

MSc University of Cape Town (1973)
PhD University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg (1978)

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Tel: +27[0]46 603 8526
Email: a.craig@ru.ac.za

Research Interests

• Nectar-feeding birds 
• Moult in the annual cycle of passerine birds
• Biology of African weavers (Ploceidae) and starlings (Sturnidae)

Professional societies

• Zoological Society of Southern Africa
• British Ornithologists’ Union
• American Ornithological Society
• Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft
• BirdLife Australia
• BirdLife South Africa

Current and recent students

Michael Lukubwe (PhD) Oxpecker conservation in the Zambezi Region, Namibia

David Chiawo (PhD 2016)  Avifauna of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (Kenya) and adjacent plantations and farmland

Jeff Hean (PhD 2016)  Waterbirds on a South African river linking aquatic and terrestrial food webs

Albert Schultz (PhD)  Endoparasites of African Penguins in Algoa Bay

Maggie Hirschauer (MSc 2017)  Effect of age at release on survival of captive-bred Cape Vultures

Milena Wolmarans (MSc 2015)  Stable isotopes in the feathers of Chorister Robins as evidence of seasonal changes in diet and dispersal

D. Morris  (MSc 2013)  Isolated populations of Drakensberg Rockjumper on the Great Escarpment of the Karoo.

Selected publications

Bonnevie, B.T. & Craig, A.J.F.K. 2018. A song for the South also: defining birdsong in global terms. Ibis 160 (4): 926-928. doi: 10.1111/ibi.12627

Craig, A.J.F.K. & Hulley, P.E. 2019. Montane forest birds in winter: do they regularly move to lower altitudes? Observations from the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Ostrich 90 (1): 89-94. doi: 10.2989/00306525.2019.1568316

Hausberger M., Giacolone A., Harmand M., Craig A.J.F.K., Henry L. 2020. Calling rhythm as a predictor of the outcome of vocal interactions: flight departure in pale-winged starling pairs. The Science of Nature 107: 2. Published online December 2019 doi: 10.1007/s00114-019-1658-1

Craig, A.J.F.K. & Hulley, P.E. 2020. Pied Crows in the Eastern Cape: what bird club records reveal. Ostrich 91 (2): 179-181. doi: 10.2989/00306525.2020.178249

Mullins, R.L.G. & Craig, A.J.F.K. 2020. Counting waterbirds on holiday: a snapshot for one Eastern Cape estuary. Ostrich 91 (2): 182-187. doi: 10.2989/00306525.2020.1783383

Craig, A.J.F.K., Hulley, P.E. & Mullins, R.L.G. 2021. Urban birds in the Eastern Cape: local observations from Mkhanda (Grahamstown) and future questions. Ostrich 92 (1): in press. doi: 10.2989/00306525.2020.

Craig, A.J.F.K. & Feare, C.J.  2009.  Family Sturnidae (Starlings).   In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D.  (Eds) Handbook of the Birds of the World.  Vol. 14:654-758.  Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Craig, A.J.F.K.  2010.  Family Ploceidae (Weavers).   In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. (Eds) Handbook of the Birds of the World.  Vol. 15: 74-197.  Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Craig, A.J.F.K., Bissett, C., Galpin, M.D., Olver, B. & Hulley, P.E. 2011.  The avifauna of Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa.   Koedoe 53(1): Art. #1015, 5 pages. DOI: 10.4102/koedoe.v53i1.1015

Craig, A.J.F.K., Hasson, M., Jordaens, K., Breman, F.C. & Louette, M.  2011.  Range extension of the Lufira Masked Weaver Ploceus ruweti, endemic to Katanga province, Democratic Republic of Congo.  Ostrich 82 (1): 77-78.

Craig, A.J.F.K.  2012.  Seasonal distribution, breeding season and wing moult in the Splendid Glossy Starling Lamprotornis splendidus.  Ostrich 83 (1):33-41.

Houdelier, C., Hausberger, M. & Craig, A.J.F.K.  2012.  Songs of two starling species: common traits versus adaptations to the social environment.  Naturwissenschaften 99: 1051-1062.

Craig, A.  2013.  Garden bird ringing.  Afring News 42: 19-20.

Craig, A.  2013.  Forests far apart, yet familiar birds.  Bee-eater 64 (2): 33-35.

Craig, A.J.F.K.  2014.  Nectar feeding by weavers (Ploceidae) and their role as pollinators.  Ostrich 85: 25-30.

Bonnevie, B.T. & Craig, A.J.F.K.  2014.  Primary wing-moult in relation to body-mass, wing-length and latitude in four insectivorous passerines from southern Africa.  Emu 114: 371-378.

Snel, S. & Craig, A.  2014.  Eagles & farmers.  An Eastern Cape perspective.  African Birdlife 2 (5): 12-13.

Kuiper, T.R., Smith, D.L., Wolmarans, M.H.L., Jones, S.S., Ross W. Forbes, R.W. Patrick E. Hulley, P.E. & Craig, A.J.F.K.  2015.  The importance of winter-flowering Aloe ferox for specialist and generalist nectar-feeding birds.  Emu 115:

Craig, A.J.F.K., Hausberger, M., Bonnevie, B.T. & Henry, L.  2015.  The timing of moult in males and females of the monomorphic Pale-winged Starling Onychognathus nabouroup.  African Zoology 50: 69-71.

Henry, L., Craig, A., Lemasson, A. & Hausberger, M.  2015.  Social coordination in animal vocal interactions.  Is there any evidence of turn-taking?  The starling as an animal model.  Frontiers in Psychology 6: 1416.  doi: 10.3889/fpsyg.2015.01416

Henry, L., Biquand, V., Craig, A. & Hausberger, M.  2015.  Sexing adult pale-winged starlings using morphometric and discriminant function analysis.  PLosOne 10 (9): e0135628.  doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135628

Craig, A.  2016.  Bird colonists in the Eastern Cape: from anecdotes to atlas data.  Bee-eater 67 (1): 16-19.

Craig, A.J.F.K.  2016.  The Mountain Pipit Anthus hoeschi: museum specimens revisited.  Durban Natural Science Museum Novitates 38: 29-41.

Craig, A.J.F.K.  2017.  Gill Memorial Medal Address 2014.  Reviewing the Red Bishop: the bird that introduced me to ornithology.  Ostrich 88 (1): 91-95.

Craig, A.  2017.  Naming the Mountain Pipit – an unofficial history.  Bee-eater 68 (1): 2-4.

Daniels, R.J., Hulley, P.E. & Craig, A.J.F.K.  2017. Comparative perch selection in Southern Fiscal Lanius collaris and Fiscal Flycatcher Sigelus silens at Amakhala Game Reserve, South Africa. Ostrich 88 (2): DOI: 10.2989/00306525.2016.1264496

Chiawo, D.O., Kombe, W.N. & Craig, A.J.F.K.  2017.  Conservation and human livelihoods at the crossroads: Local needs and knowledge in the management of Arabuko Sokoke Forest.  African Journal of Ecology  DOI: 10.11111/aje.12462

Chiawo, D.O., Kombe, W.N. & Craig, A.J.F.K.  2018.  Bird responses to land use change: guild diversity in a Kenyan coastal forest and adjoining habitats.  Emu - Austral Ornithology DOI: 10.1080/01584197.2018.1431052

Last Modified: Wed, 30 Jun 2021 17:01:19 SAST