Remembering Kenneth Newman, the man behind many beloved bird books, whose paintings taught generations of birders how to look. On 22 August, more than 50 original Kenneth Newman artworks and rare prints appeared on the walls of Zaagkuilsdrift Bird Sanctuary...

South Africa’s Bird of the Year campaign is returning for 2027, giving the public another chance to choose a species that will take centre stage in the country’s birding and conservation community. More than 10,000 people voted last year to...

At a Cape Vulture Nature Reserve in Limpopo, visitor income is being used to support vulture monitoring, community projects and environmental education. On 5 September, as International Vulture Awareness Day is marked around the world, observers at Cape Vulture Nature...

Swee Waxbills were the highlight of August on the Birdlife Calendar, and these little finches are more than what they eye can see! This pair was beautifully photographed by Dionne Miles.

In the Kruger Park’s remote north, the landscapes and special birds of Pafuri make a compelling case for unfinished business. Text & photographs by Anton Crone. How Bongs spotted the bird – confidence, experience, sheer certainty of its location –...

A ringed royal albatross photographed off Cape Point on 3 August 2026 raises questions about how to identify young birds of the two royal albatross species. Peter Ryan. In the good old days, there were Wandering and Royal Albatrosses. Then...

Cape and Southern Grey-Headed Sparrows, Yellow Canary and the Southern Masked Weaver  Photo by Willem Kruger, text by Faye Knight July brings four very well-known birds to the Birdlife Calendar this month! The Cape Sparrow, The Southern Grey-Headed Sparrow, the...

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...

One of South Africa’s premier vulture-viewing destinations will welcome visitors again from 1 August 2026, when the Mzimkulu Vulture Hide near Underberg reopens after a temporary closure linked to regional Foot-and-Mouth Disease concerns. Although vultures are not affected by the...

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...

BirdLife South Africa’s annual raffle is back—and this year, you could win the birding adventure of a lifetime: an 8-day journey for two to the Philippines’ Visayan Islands, worth R150,000! Explore Cebu, Bohol, and Negros, each home to bird species...

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...

Winter brings the Free State alive as sunbirds return to flowering Leonotis, revealing a fascinating relationship between birds, nectar and seasonal change. By Dawie de Swardt. During the winter months of April and May flowering Leonotis leonorus (Lion’s Ear or...

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...

Although based at the University of York, Colin Beale has spent a quarter of a century studying birds in East Africa. His entertaining book, 101 Curious Tales of East African Birds , grew out of a series of tweets on...

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...