Urban Perils - House Sparrows on the decline

Supertramps are species that have spread around the world in association with humans and they include rats, house mice and a host of weedy plant species.

TOXIC OVERLOAD You are what you eat

Many marine organisms ingest plastic litter at sea, either directly through indiscriminate foraging behavior or indirectly through contaminated prey.

Sharp shooting

Canon’s RF 100–500mm zoom lens

SHAPE-SHIFTING Birds responding to heat stress

Museum collections have always been an essential re-source for ornithological research.

Far & wild

Road-tripping in Namibia

Ringing IN THE Changes

Sandwich Terns in South Africa

Kicking off

In October last year we were for­tunate to pay our fifth visit to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Time out

VIEW FROM A HIDE

It's complicated

PROS AND CONS OF FEEDING VULTURES

GET EVEN closer

Celestron NexYZ Smartphone Adapter

THE dark side

Do dark upperwings improve flight performance?

Stay OR go?

Migration as an evolutionary driver

Green & gold

Birds of the oases and desert in Chad

Resetting THE system

The FitzPatrick Institute’s mandate is to conduct cutting-edge research while educating the next generation of ornithological researchers and conservation leaders.

Coastal REFLECTIONS

CLOSE TO where I live on the Cape Peninsula, a broad white beach sweeps south to meet the mouth of a small river. The outlet greets the sea at the base of a mussel-encrusted, rocky point, while the back of the beach sometimes features an expansive tidal lagoon, a combination of elements that creates a haven for coastal wildlife.

By any other name...

Bird names are a perennial hot topic. Why do they keep changing? Who decides, and how? And no, it’s not a ruse by the authors of bird books so that they can keep on producing ‘updated’ editions!

Burning issue

KYALAMI’S GRASS OWLS

Twitter Feed

The aloes flowering in our gar­den have proved to be a popu­lar attraction for the many birds on the wildlife estate in which we live. We planted the aloes spe­cifically to attract birds and the fact that they are water­wise is an added bonus, especially in the dry winter months here in the Lowveld.

Freeze Frame

I derive great pleasure from being able to share the beauty of the natural world as seen through my lens. As long as I can remember I have loved the outdoors, but it was only in 2015 that I became truly passionate about wildlife photography. I enjoy spending as much time as I can in the bush and over the years I have visited many of the great national parks in southern Africa. Animal and bird behaviour fascinates me and I often try to capture an image that tells a story.

Living In Luangwa

Zambia’s South Luangwa national park is well known in safari circles for its stunning scenery and abundance of big game. Herds of elephants drink and bathe along the riverbanks, giraffes feed from acacias in the riparian strip and lions pursue vast, dusty buffalo herds through the thickets.

Specials Overload

Photographing birds between Zaagkuildrift and Kgomo-Kgomo

Owl Awards 2021

BirdLife South Africa presents worthy recipients with Owl Awards in recognition of their outstanding efforts to help ‘give conservation wings’.

Sightings In The Subregion

Winter is never an optimal time from a rarities point of view, but in the past some of our most exciting ‘finds’ have occurred during this season. The latest review period was no different, producing a mega first bird for the subregion as well as several other good species to keep twitchers entertained.

The Enigma Buzzard

The late Leslie Brown, doyen of African raptorphiles, remarks in his African Birds of Prey (1970) that he found the status of the European Honey Buzzard in Africa puzzling. In his own experience he never saw one in Kenya during his 25 years’ residence there. He correctly surmised that birds from Western Europe disappeared into the forests of West Africa and the Congo Basin. This has been recently authenticated by several birds from Germany being tracked with telemetry. But what about the eastern population that crosses into Africa via Eilat? For example, in May 2015 as many as 450 000 individuals were recorded in two days. Any birds seen in southern Africa would be derived from this source.

Hope For Penguins

The De Hoop Nature Reserve on the south-western coast of South Africa is one of CapeNature’s flagship conservation areas. The associated marine protected area is home to a vast array of marine species, from whales to fish and turtles. And for a short time in the mid-2000s it was home to African Penguins too. A small colony established itself there naturally and was first found on a small headland on the eastern side of the reserve in 2003. Increasing to 18 breeding pairs by 2006, with about 100 other penguins roosting there regularly, the colony seemed off to a promising start. However, penguins are particularly vulnerable to predators when on land. A local caracal soon learnt that there were easy meals to be had and the colony was abandoned by 2008.

Journey To The End Of The Earth

After being thrown from my bed for the third time, I decided to get up and find a vantage point to better enjoy the storm. As I walked down the swaying corridor and up the stairs with the gait of a drunken sailor, I began to reconsider my decision to go outside. It was a doubt quickly stubbed as I jumped through the heavy metal door leading outside moments before it smashed closed behind me with a deep roll of the ship.

Birding MBOMBELA

The heart of the Lowveld

Give & Take

The quest for ascendency on the predatory ladder

Montagu's Harriers Hunting In The KNP

Montagu’s Harriers hunting in the KNP

Feather Light

Leucistic White-fronted Plover – or is it?