10 November – Half-collared Kingfisher, by Rob Smith. Each day we scour Birdlife South Africa’s social media community, and submissions from photographers, to find the Photo of the Day. Sometimes we don’t find a winner, but thanks to the talent...
N’Djamena, Chad, 17 October– The Chadian government and the conservation organisation African Parks have restored their partnership agreements for the management of the country’s protected areas, ending a two-week diplomatic standoff triggered by Chad’s unilateral termination of the accords earlier this month....
By Anton Crone – With a great variety of field guides (old and new) in circulation, and phone apps to back them up, birders are spoilt for choice when it comes to tools that help identify birds. But there has...
London, 14 October – South Africa’s Wim van den Heever has won the coveted title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025, after first taking the Urban Wildlife category prize. His remarkable image of a brown hyena navigating the ghostly...
In a landmark boost for seabird conservation, South African computer entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Shuttleworth has donated US $1 million to the Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project, reinforcing efforts to rid Marion Island of invasive house mice and restore habitat for vulnerable seabirds. Mouse Menace Threatens...
8 October – The government of Chad said it has withdrawn a mandate held by conservation organisation African Parks to manage its wildlife reserves; the NGO has managed some of the country’s most important protected areas for more than a decade....
The people of South Africa have spoken, and the Black Harrier (Circus maurus) will be BirdLife South Africa’s Bird of the Year for 2026 2 October 2026 – For the past 18 years, BirdLife South Africa has named one South...
24 September – A Lappet-faced Vulture chick hatched at Vulpro’s captive breeding facility at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape on 24 September, coinciding with South Africa’s Heritage Day. The vulture species is nationally Critically Endangered. The birth of...
During the 2025 Zululand Vulture Project Aerial Survey, a team of conservationists confirmed the very first active Hooded Vulture nest ever recorded in KwaZulu-Natal. The discovery is not only a provincial milestone but also the southernmost breeding site documented for...
9 September – The Top 10 finalists are perched and preening for the Bird of the Year title, each hoping your vote will crown them the 2026 champion of chirpers. These aren’t your average backyard sparrows, they’re feathered A-listers (and...
Bird photographers from across South Africa have been recognised for their striking images in the 2025 BirdLife South Africa Photography Competition, announced this week. From dramatic portraits to evocative environmental shots, the winning entries highlight both the artistry of photography...
Vultures may not be the most glamorous of Africa’s raptors, but their role is vital. By stripping carcasses clean, they prevent the spread of deadly diseases like anthrax, botulism and rabies. Without them, ecosystems and human communities alike would be...
Rediscovering the joy of watching birds in northern KwaZulu-Natal Text & Photographs by Anton Crone About halfway through my field notes from a recent trip is the headline “Birds I saw after I dropped my phone in the drink”, followed by...
The world’s leading wildlife photography competition, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, presents a sneak peek of its sixty-first competition, which will be showcased in an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London, from Friday 17 October 2025. We are thrilled to...
Cape Town, South Africa – 26 August 2025 – Conservation organisations BirdLife South Africa and SANCCOB have raised serious concerns following the announcement of new ship-to-ship fuel transfer regulations, which have been described by some as a lifeline for the...
I recently returned from another visit to Malawi, a country I have long loved for its vibrant culture. This time, I paid closer attention to its remarkable birdlife and realised just how much I had been missing. It is that...
As part of our Women’s Month celebration, we’re speaking to some of South Africa’s most inspiring female bird guides. Lethukuthula Nxele is one of BirdLife South Africa’s Community Bird Guides based in northern KwaZulu-Natal. After qualify as a guide in...
By Anton Crone From backyards in the United States to the bushveld of South Africa, blind birders are proving that nature is not only something to see. For most birders, the thrill lies in glimpsing flashes of movement and colour...
19 August – On World Photography Day, we celebrate the art of bird photography and those who dedicate countless hours to capturing the wild beauty of our feathered world. From patient waits in the wild to fleeting shots of birds...
As part of our Women’s Month celebration, we’re speaking to some of South Africa’s most inspiring female bird guides. First up is Thabile Mthiyane, one of the country’s most respected area specialists. Since graduating from BirdLife South Africa’s Avitourism Project...
Mpumalanga, South Africa – In a pioneering move for avian conservation and renewable energy, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has launched South Africa’s first state-sponsored bird-tracking initiative focused on informing safer wind energy development in the ecologically sensitive province of Mpumalanga. Dubbed the Mpumalanga...
In a promising leap for endangered vulture species in South Africa, conservation organisation Vulpro has announced the hatching of twenty vulture chicks at Shamwari Private Game Reserve during its second breeding season at the new facility. Described as a “major milestone for vulture...
Appeal to fishermen to not discard fishing line. The discovery of an entangled Water Thick-knee at the end of July 2025 on the beach at Mtunzini (KZN) has prompted me to once again appeal to fishermen to be careful and not to discard...
Ever wondered why flufftails are called ‘flufftails’? It’s somewhat of an odd name for a family group, because not all flufftails have wispy, decomposed, fluffy tail feathers! Admittedly though, as a family group, they do have much softer tail feathers...
Polyandry & male participation during chick rearing age Polyandry, a mating system where parental duties are role reversed (male incubates and rears the chicks), is very rare amongst the world’s bird species, and makes up less than one percent of...
