A major new conservation initiative aimed at strengthening biodiversity protection and community resilience in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was officially launched in Gaborone, Botswana, on 12 May 2026. The 30-month project, titled Integrated Management for Biodiversity Conservation and Community Resilience in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, is funded by the European Union through the NaturAfrica programme and implemented by African...

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, when the symphony of birdsong reaches its peak each spring   The RSPB and its President, NHS and TV...

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 and eight large terrestrial bird species between 2009 and 2025 using 752 road count transects...

Mount Moco, one of Angola’s most important biodiversity strongholds, has officially been granted legal protection following the publication of Law No. 5/26 in the Diário da República (the Angolan Government’s Official Gazette) on 9 April 2026. The legislation establishes the Mount Moco Conservation Area as a Partial Nature Reserve, marking a landmark moment for conservation in Angola. Feature image: Swierstra’s Francolin, endemic...

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 Cohen, discovering how early humans shaped our relationship with birds as both sustenance, and perhaps...

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 black collar, this chunky, medium sized barbet is native to the diverse landscapes of sub-Saharan...

9 April 2026 Velddrif, Western Cape, South Africa – A ground-breaking research initiative by BirdLife South Africa is set to uncover the remarkable journeys of migratory shorebirds by deploying tracking devices on these species – a first for the country. The project focuses on tagging, colour-ringing, and monitoring species such as Curlew Sandpipers (Calidris ferruginea)...

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 into an 18-month, no-budget project driven by passion, persistence and a shared urgency to tell...

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 of March in Birdlife’s calendar photographed by Manfred Suter.  The pennant-winged nightjar acquires its name...

By John Kinghorn, Avitourism Project Manager, BirdLife South AfricaFor many people, birding and tracking seem to belong to two entirely different worlds. Birders are often imagined by others with binoculars pointed skyward, scanning treetops for flashes of movement and bright colours, so fixated on their target that they seemingly disconnect from their surroundings entirely. Trackers,...