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...

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)...

When you next see a European Bee-eater, don’t assume that it’s from western or central Europe or if it speaks French or Spanish, because it probably doesn’t! Some  interesting results were  posted on Facebook presenting migratory patterns. The birds that breed in western Europe migrate to West Africa and those that migrate to eastern southern African,...

By Hugh Chittenden – Welcome to the world of weird things, trichoptiles, the strange hair-like protrusions on newly hatched coucal chicks. I’ve been trying to get my head around the function of coucal trichoptiles. Being almost ground level breeders, two of the main predators of coucal chicks would be mongoose and snakes.  But those spiky white wire-like protrusions may...

By Hugh Chittenden This note deals with one of the most interesting aspects of Korhaan biology which is their habit of using throat feathers in display, especially while calling. The ‘black’ Korhaans are better known for their aerial cruises while calling and are not included here. The throat patches of the four species included in...

Birding is often portrayed as a gentle, solitary pursuit, binoculars raised and voices lowered. Yet behind this calm exterior lies one of the most significant nature-based activities in the United States, both culturally and economically. According to Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis, released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS),...

South Africa is on the verge of taking great strides towards establishing the country’s first bird observatory at the Khoisan Karoo Conservancy in Northern Cape province. The project is driven by Mr PC Ferreira who has made enormous progress in conservation at his nature reserve, now his passion and enthusiasm may soon make his bird...

By Alan Lee The National Biodiversity Assessment 2025 (NBA) was launched on 9 December 2025 by an array of governmental luminaries, including Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts. The NBA marks a major milestone for biodiversity science and conservation in South Africa. Produced by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) together with more than a hundred...

By Anton Crone I visited Mauritius some years ago. By then I had already read The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions by David Quammen, an exceptional exploration of how isolation shapes evolution, and how it also makes islands hotspots for extinction. But I wasn’t in Mauritius for its ecology....

Calling all bird-enthusiasts, nature-lovers and friendly competitive teams: this year (on 6 December 2025) the team at BirdLife South Africa are once again calling you to take part in their annual Birding Big Day. It’s simple: register your team, pick your patch (either a 50 km radius or a more relaxed 6 km radius), get...