The Hadeda, Bostrychia hagedash a bird found in Africa, has become an indicator as to health of your lawn. Cussed by many that cannot tolerate the distinct haa-haa-haa-de-dah call it emits at loud volume. It loves to alight on the roofs of houses and emits the loud call, reputed as an alarm call or when they are in flight.

Although this call is startling and disturbs the sleep of young children, scaring the "day lights" out of unsuspecting humans, it is a call, so distinct, that even the uneducated would know what bird it is. It is not a beautiful bird, in fact quite unassuming, with a dull dark brown colouring, dull purplish wings, unassuming black legs and a long distinguishable Ibis beak.

It is not hunted for food, not even by the starving, animals are known to capture them when caught off guard. They congregate in small groups and are so often seen in the gardens. Now due to the hated loud call, home owners chase the birds, some houses fit shiny spinning reflectors, that aid in deterring the birds from roosting on the roof. However, sit and watch these birds in the garden. Their long curved sword like bill is inserted into the soil, in search of food. As they feed on crickets, worms, “park town” prawns, lizards, beetles and spiders, they cannot be harming the lawn.

With time on my hands, I have watched these detested birds walk around the garden in search of food, and as I get great pleasure from studying the habits and idiocentric behaviour of anything and everything, a certain behaviour became unmistakable. This bird knows where the soil is soft, well aerated and habituated by the very insects you wish to have in the garden soils. Now this is not a discovery of note, I have not discovered the world is round, but it dawned on me, that where the lawn grass was not in the best of conditions, the bird would merely walk over this area to begin it's probing again on a better conditioned area.

Could I now watch and note the areas the bird avoided, and test the soils there? That is exactly what I have done, and the result is astounding. The areas the birds avoid, are areas of high compaction, requiring aeration, and show signs of excessive thatching, requiring attention for water penetration. What a wonderful garden condition indicator this bird hated my so many actually is.

Wake up occupants of the African Sub-Saharan continent, watch the bird, detested by most, it informs you of bad soil conditions in your garden, maybe even on the lands of your farm or golf course. Learn to tolerate the loud call of a bird that can show so much.