Yellow-billed Duck, photographed by Adam Cruickshank As we celebrate Youth Day in South Africa, it is a great time to focus on young people, how they are contributing to conservation and science, and what the future might look like. Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to get to know some of those who are already making a difference. The good news is that the future of science and bird conservation is in good hands. The three people I have been able to connect

Let’s be honest, LBJs can be very tricky to identify! This is not only true for newer birders, but also for experienced birders at times. Even when we think we know what we are doing, we will still sometimes be stumped by a bird we see. What I thought I would do is put together a simple guide to help you identify cisticolas better. You will still need to use your field guide or app alongside this guide, but I am confident that if you follow the steps I give you, you will impr

The Botha’s Lark is a critically endangered species, with an estimated 340 birds remaining. It is endemic to South Africa, found nowhere else on the planet. That alone places a responsibility on all of us to do what we can to protect it. Over the past year, a collaborative effort between Birding Ecotours , Tread Films and BirdLife South Africa led to the creation of a documentary focused on this species and the work being done to conserve it. But this was never meant to be

Dr. Jonah Gula holds a PhD in Ecological Sciences from University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and a MSc in Wildlife Ecology from Texas State University. Jonah’s research background is diverse: he has worked on species from black bears and bighorn sheep to river otters and sage-grouse. However, since 2018 his work has focused on filling knowledge gaps about poorly-studied African waterbirds. This work has led to collaborations across South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, an

Birding is not only about travelling far and wide to see as many species as possible. It is often a gateway into a deeper appreciation of the natural world around us. One of the most rewarding parts of time spent away from cities is what happens after sunset, when the noise fades and the night sky opens up above you. Stars, planets, and the Moon are not just distant objects. They shape rhythms on Earth and add another layer to our understanding of nature. Many birders own she

Wailing Cisticola - photographed by Adam Cruickshank This article originally originally featured in our Daily Birder email. To make sure you never miss a Daily Birder article, subscribe to our mailing list here . This Saturday is one of my favourite birding days of the year. I will wake up earlier than any human should, head out with some amazing people, and take part in a day of birding that our team has planned better than an F1 team in a title race (well hopefully planned