24 July 2026 – Three community-led initiatives from Botswana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have been shortlisted for the 2026 Wilderness Impact Challenge, a competition that rewards innovative solutions that strengthen Africa’s conservation economy while improving livelihoods. The finalists were selected from...

Finding presence, healing, and community in the skies above the Garden Route By Stephan van Wyk As birders, we are intimately familiar with the thrill of the chase. We willingly drag ourselves out of bed at ungodly hours, pack our...

How a quest for one bird can open up entire worlds. Text Anton Crone Our goal was the Rosy-throated Longclaw, a species found nowhere else in South Africa save for the north-eastern corner of KwaZulu-Natal. It’s an ‘uncommon resident in...

South Africans Invited to Count Cranes

Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger – Sarah Barratt of Thornybush Game Lodge has been crowned Safari Guide of the Year (SGOTY) 2026 after five days of competition in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. Otto Scribante of Singita was named...

Nature’s quiet corners Some of the most memorable experiences in nature are not necessarily the dramatic ones. They are the quieter moments: a bird among flowering shrubs, the dawn chorus drifting across a river, or the discovery of a wild...

by Wesley Gush and Cassie Carstens Two key skills are needed if you to study Secretarybirds in South Africa. The first is the ability to drive vast distances for long hours. These birds occur in most rural regions across the...

The shift to mirrorless cameras for wildlife photography has been expensive but rewarding for birders. Sony set the pace, forcing traditional market leaders Canon and Nikon to switch from SLR to mirrorless systems. Since 2020, Canon has released a series...

South Africa’s proposed new conservation targets fall short of the internationally agreed goal of protecting 30% of land, freshwater and marine areas by 2030, according to conservation group WWF South Africa. A draft version of the country’s third National Biodiversity Strategy...

 Photo by LIZ HART, text by FAYE KNIGHT May brings a safari favourite for this month’s bird spotlight; the Lilac-Breasted Roller, photographed here by Liz Hart Easily spotted by its bright lilac chest, bright blue undercarriage, black tipped and turquoise...

Almost three-quarters of a million Gen Z-ers in Great Britain now regularly enjoy birdwatching, making it their second fastest growing hobby  Massive 10-fold increase in 16 to 29-year-olds (Gen Z-ers) regularly birdwatching since 2018, and numbers are still on the rise  Research published ahead of International Dawn Chorus Day on Sunday 3rd May,...

Many of South Africa’s most recognisable birds of prey are disappearing at an alarming rate, according to a major new study tracking raptor populations across central South Africa over the past 16 years. Researchers analysed trends for 18 raptor species...

Holding the Line 1 May – There is a quiet thread running through this issue: a story of change, human pressure, and the ways birds and the people who follow them respond. We begin deep in time exploring with Birgette...

Image by PETER-JOHN WELCOME, text by FAYE KNIGHT As we reach the start of the first quarter of the year, April brings a new bird of the month, the Black-collared Barbet, photographed by Peter-John Welcome. With their distinctive red face and broad...

Into the Blue is a powerful short documentary by Richard Flack that traces the fragile future of one of South Africa’s rarest birds, the Blue Swallow. What began as a simple day of filming at Roselands Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal evolved...

Image by MANFRED SUTER, text by FAYE KNIGHT March has quickly snuck up on us which means the bird of the month is here! The Pennant-Winged Nightjar, a jewel in the crown for SA birders, is the featured bird for the month...