…we’ve trained our lenses on birds behaving badly and beautifully.
The latest African Birdlife magazine is out on Friday 20 June, and it’s ruffled more than a few feathers—in the best way. We’ve packed this issue with top-tier photography that gets you closer to the action than ever before. Secretarybirds go talon-to-talon, vultures dodge scavengers of the two-legged kind, and an African Jacana proves that parenting isn’t a walk in the park – or on lily pads.
Eye-level immersion
Thinus van Staden’s new photographic series doesn’t just get close. His stunning images take us to water level, where we meet birds on their own turf, and in their splash zone.
No camera? No problem
Even without the perfect light or a 600mm lens, Grootbos’ forest and fynbos prove that sometimes just being in the presence of flamboyant creatures and flowers is enthralling.
Birds, brains, and climate change
We get serious with:
- A study on climate shifts and fynbos pollinators.
- A conversation with Jessica Wilmot on European Rollers. Speaking in awe of those tiny avian athletes, she says ‘the sheer resilience and determination it takes for a 150g bird to travel more than 10,000 km’ is deeply felt.
Things you didn’t know you needed to know
- What’s up with falcon alar stripes?
- What else can wind farrms do to avoid bird strikes?
- Where exactly do Secretarybirds go when they fledge?
- How did avian flu reach Marion Island?
- Are there really Lovebirds in Gauteng!?
New flock in the office
Meet the fresh folks at BirdLife South Africa HQ. Yes, they know their cisticolas.
A heartfelt farewell
We pay tribute to the tireless conservation patron, Pamela Isdell, whose legacy will live on through the vital penguin and vulture programs she was a fundamental part of.
A new journey begins
We’re kicking off a three-part travel and birding series across the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area—a place where history, birds, and communities intersect in fascinating, feathery ways.
It’s all inside the latest issue – and there’s more. Dive in. Stare at the pictures. Stay for the stories.
Anton Crone
Editor, African Birdlife
