BLSA Blog

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[vc_section full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1655545929659{background-color: #2568b3 !important;}”] [vc_row type=”vc_default” css=”.vc_custom_1779429264319{background-color: #ffffff !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}” el_id=”story1″][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”327290″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”img_link_large” css=”.vc_custom_1779435380467{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}” el_class=”lessspace”][vc_single_image image=”327292″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”img_link_large” css=”.vc_custom_1779432351553{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}” el_class=”lessspace”][vc_single_image image=”327293″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”img_link_large” css=”.vc_custom_1779436350881{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}” el_class=”lessspace”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=””]<strong>Renewed commitment to Ingula</strong> BirdLife South Africa is delighted…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2026 APRIL The Bird Fair is back! Where do you want to be on Saturday, 5 September? At the South African Bird Fair in the Pretoria National Botanical Garden, for sure! Be there and you can expect a day of birding excitement in serene settings. Guided birding walks throughout the day, fascinating talks, exhibitors…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2026 MARCH An exploded map of north-eastern Lesotho, the focus of the 2026 Lesotho atlas bash, before the bash took place (5 February 2026). The pentad colours are ‘legacy’: green is the minimum requirement for statistical inference from data collected therein; yellow and orange (empty pentads) were the main focus of the bash. Credit…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2026 FEBRUARY Learners were pleased to receive a copy of BirdLife South Africa’s recently published children’s storybooks, Run Until You Can Fly and Piffy and Zenzy Go Birding, with bookmarks linked to the audio books. Credit Kurt Martin The White-winged Flufftail is an engaging and charismatic species that helps learners understand and appreciate how…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 A team of CapeNature rangers at Witfontein Nature Reserve put their bird identification skills to the test in friendly competition to log more species for SABAP2 than the other teams. Credit Natalie Baker The CapeNature rangers were briefed about bird species in the reserve’s habitats and given training in reporting sightings to SABAP2…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 A team of CapeNature rangers at Witfontein Nature Reserve put their bird identification skills to the test in friendly competition to log more species for SABAP2 than the other teams. Credit Natalie Baker The CapeNature rangers were briefed about bird species in the reserve’s habitats and given training in reporting sightings to SABAP2…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 A team of CapeNature rangers at Witfontein Nature Reserve put their bird identification skills to the test in friendly competition to log more species for SABAP2 than the other teams. Credit Natalie Baker The CapeNature rangers were briefed about bird species in the reserve’s habitats and given training in reporting sightings to SABAP2…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 Workshop attendees at the SETAC conference held in Johannesburg. Birds and Agrochemicals on the global stage From 29 September to 3 October, the combined 9th World Congress of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and the 12th Biennial Meeting of SETAC Africa was hosted in Johannesburg. Delegates from 42 countries attended…

September Newsletter 2025 © Odette Curtis-Scott The newly acquired Goereesoe section forms part of the Haarwegskloof Reserve Cluster. Dr Odette Curtis-Scott with Chuana, a tagged Black Harrier whose movements are providing crucial data to guide conservation actions and safeguard the future of this endangered species. A race against time for Black Harriers With fewer than…

Phindile Ntshangase is a familiar presence around St Lucia, a popular KwaZulu-Natal birding hotspot. Dolly Khanye spends most of her time birding around Memel in the Free State, where she loves visiting Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve and its surroundings. Birding on the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk is always rewarding, especially in the company of BirdLife South…

July Newsletter 2025 Rory in full breeding plumage in Xinjiang, a striking contrast to the colours we see in South Africa. Credit Ma Ming From Limpopo to China: a European Roller’s migration   The Flyway and Migrants Project is thrilled to announce a new milestone in migratory bird research: confirmation that European Rollers migrate between South…

June Newsletter 2025 Wind turbines and birds BirdLife South Africa recognises the value of renewable energy as part of South Africa’s green transition. However, while renewable technologies are relatively benign compared to thermal generation, they can have negative impacts on birdlife. At wind farms, bird collisions with turbine blades are of particular concern. Large soaring…

May Newsletter 2025 newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 Double the impact of your donation! For the whole of June 2025, all donations made to the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion Project will be doubled, while matching funds last. Help us raise R220 000 by supporting the initiative to save Marion Island’s seabirds. The money raised this June…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 [/vc_column] A pair of Grey Crowned Cranes, one of the target species in the CAR surveys. Credit Cassie Carstens A CAR datasheet. Credit Cassie Carstens Save the date for CAR! Gather your binoculars and camera, get the datasheets, put on a jacket and grab your car keys. The dates for the next Coordinated…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 The court order signifying hope for African Penguins. BirdLife South Africa and SANCCOB staff with our incredible legal team on the steps of the High Court. Hope for African Penguin In a last-minute bid to avoid litigation that could have lasted for years, BirdLife South Africa and SANCCOB, represented by the Biodiversity Law…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 African Birdlife online BirdLife South Africa is delighted to bring you African Birdlife online, the brand-new digital companion to African Birdlife magazine. Whether you’re a seasoned birder, a nature enthusiast or just discovering the joy of birds, this website is your go-to source for up-to-date birding news, stunning photography daily, trip reports, reviews, interviews with…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 There’s an excellent chance that Wandering Albatrosses will grace the voyage with their presence. Credit Jody de Bruyn Participants of Flock to Marion 2022 congregated on the ship’s pool deck to show their support for the Mouse-Free Marion Project. Credit Mark D. Anderson Flock to Marion AGAIN! For those who may be new…

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newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 The BirdLife South Africa team at the awareness-raising event in Cape Town. Dr Alistair McInnes (bottom right) was one of the speakers. The event was well attended by journalists, influencers, researchers and others who have a stake in the future of African Penguins and marine ecosystems. Nicky Stander, of SANCCOB, spoke eloquently about…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 Two large Secretarybird nestlings on a nest platform. Credit Cassie Carstens A Secretarybird feather near a nest is a clue to whether the nest is being used. Credit Cassie Carstens Looking for Secretarybird nests? Eyes down! Spring is here and Secretarybirds are beginning to breed in earnest. But finding their nests is no…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 A chick uses its egg tooth to carefully carve its way out of its egg. Many species lay a single egg, which makes that egg a precious investment for the species’ survival. Credit Lorinda Hart Eggsamining the risk of pesticides Perfected in birds, the egg comprises a hard and protective, yet breathable shell…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 An AI-generated image illustrating the use of AI, BirdNET and remote acoustic monitoring devices for monitoring birds. AI and BirdNET insights We are excited to provide an update on the BioSoundSCapes project, a key component of the broader BioSCape initiative that aims to understand and preserve the unique ecosystems of the Cape Floristic…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 This photo of a Secretarybird pair on a large firethorn bush near Memel in the Free State was sent in by local farmer Danie Swanepoel. Hanlie Michau, a local birder, captured this Secretarybird flushing from a possible nest tree near Marblehall on the Springbokvlakte in Limpopo. A Secretarybird on a potential nest tree…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 Birds of the Karoo Surveying the birds of the Karoo in 2017 and 2018 was one of the more memorable chapters of my life. The surveys were conducted on a shoestring budget, camping and biking to keep costs down and maximise effort, with long stints away from family. Most took place on private…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 European Rollers – where do they go? BirdLife South Africa is protecting migratory birds one solar-powered satellite tag at a time. And its species of choice? The European Roller. This captivating migratory bird, a flagship species for the East Atlantic Flyway Initiative, is also a crucial indicator of ecosystem health. Individual populations have…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 African Penguins forage most successfully in groups. Credit Alistair McInnes No break for penguins While conservation scientists have long been aware of, and worried by, the decline in the number of African Penguins, ongoing research indicates that the plight of this iconic species is worse than ever. The species has now lost a…

February Newsletter 2024 newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 An adult Secretarybird in South African grassland. Credit Cassie Carstens The last Secretarybird in Gauteng? The grasslands of Gauteng are probably one of the most threatened habitats in the entire country. The economic heart of South Africa continues to develop at breakneck speed and the last natural pieces of the…

newsletterE-Newsletter 2025 Recommended avitourism service provider Bosch Luys Kloof has joined BirdLife South Africa’s network of recommended accommodation establishments. At this private nature reserve, situated near Seweweekspoort on the cusp of the Little Karoo and Great Karoo, dramatic vistas of mountains, valleys and karooveld await you. The reserve offers guided nature drives, hiking trails, 4×4…

enewsletter_header Happy holidays! As I write this message, I am reminded of the fragility of our planet. Some parts of South Africa have experienced searing heat, and the rains have not arrived. During the past few weeks birds have died in the northern and western parts of the country, some when the temperature reached the…

Part of the BioSCape team with the NASA aircraft in Cape Town, late October 2023. Credit Otto Whitehead NASA N95 tail section. Credit Otto Whitehead Spills and thrills of BioSCape There have been several moments during the BioSCape journey when we have wondered, ‘Is this going to happen?’ In case you’ve missed it, BioSCape is…

Windmills are a quintessential part of the Karoo experience. They also provide a home for Greater Kestrels and Pied Crows. Henk Nel rewards Renier Balt for his efforts to bring the atlasing group together and make the bash happen. Karoo landscape. Credit Tino Herselman Atlas bashing in the Karoo Undertaking an atlas bash in the…

enewsletter_header Vincent Parker. Nick Prentice. Dominic Naidoo. Priscilla Beeton. (Left to right) Nina Braude, Kate Handley and Celine Oates of the Biodiversity Law Centre. Lily Bickerstaffe and Alberto Vaccari. Mark D. Anderson (CEO of BirdLife South Africa), Yvonne Pennington (Chairperson of BirdLife South Africa) and Gavin Walker. Barbara Bickel. John Clements. Mark D. Anderson, Yvonne…

enewsletter_header Colouring-in champions BirdLife South Africa is pleased to announce the winners of the ‘Win with Faansie’ colouring-in competition, which was part of the African Bird Fair last month. The winner for the 7–10 age group is Nate Eatwell (aged 9) from KwaZulu-Natal; and for the 11–13 age group is Claire Fowler (aged 11) from…

enewsletter_header John Gibbs, BirdLife South Africa’s new Birds and Renewable Energy Project leader. Wind turbines produce clean energy, but they can negatively impact biodiversity. BirdLife South Africa helps the wind energy industry minimise this risk. Credit Sam Ralston-Paton A new leader for Birds and Renewable Energy A transition to renewable energy is essential to reduce…

enewsletter_header The BioSoundSCapes team receives equipment training from Rose Snyder (right). Credit Matt Clark Matt Clark pitches the BioSoundSCapes project. Credit Alan Lee Baboons, an integral part of the local environment, showed their mischievous side to workshop delegates on a visit to the Harold Porter Botanical Garden. Credit Alan Lee BioSCapes comes to South Africa…

enewsletter_header May 2023 Newsletter Flock to the Wilderness is here! Bird lovers of all persuasions will descend on Wilderness in the Western Cape this May to celebrate South Africa’s rich birdlife. The occasion will see the return of BirdLife South Africa’s Learn About Birds conference, the first in-person version of the event since 2018. As…

enewsletter_header Sponsorship for three LAB attendees This year’s Learn About Birds (LAB) conference, which forms part of Flock to Wilderness from 24 to 28 May, will see three emerging researchers give presentations, their attendance generously sponsored by Dunefields Private Nature Reserve. Dunefields nestles in a mosaic of fynbos and dune thicket vegetation on the Garden…

enewsletter_header Discovering a precious treasure While doing research on the beautiful and charismatic Cape Parrot, I frequently came across the description of it as a ‘jewel of the forest’. As an artist with a particular love of rich colour, I was excited to explore a palette of iridescent bright and deep bottle-greens, golden yellows and…

enewsletter_header Steven shows learners and teachers how a wetland functions. Credit Sipho Shabalala Bonginkosi demonstrates MiniSASS, a smaller version of the South African Scoring System for wetland and river health. Credit Steven Segang Explaining the wetland food web. Credit Bonginkosi Ndaba Where better to learn about how a wetland works? Credit Bonginkosi Ndaba World Wetlands…

enewsletter_header The Cape Parrot is the Bird of the Year for 2023. Credit Chris Brooke Conservation Conversations are back Our Conservation Conversations webinars will be back on your screens from 24 January 2023 at 19h00 (SAST). The format will be slightly different this year: webinars will take place every two weeks, on the first and…

National Wetlands Indaba at Ingula  The National Wetlands Indaba is an opportunity for a wide range of people involved in the conservation and sustainable use of South Africa’s wetlands to meet and exchange ideas. From 24 to 27 October, scientists, decision-makers, researchers, conservationists and educators gathered at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park for the…

enewsletter_header Mel Tripp (left) and Stefan Theron with the battle maps. There was no excuse for getting lost on this atlas bash, thanks to the detailed maps for the entire survey domain supplied by Stefan. For beautiful views, just climb a Karoo koppie! A few moments previously, a Cinnamon-breasted Warbler was enjoying this view before…

enewsletter_header Shop for the Birds! As the year-end holiday approaches, BirdLife South Africa is inviting to readers to visit Shop for the Birds! at its headquarters (Isdell House, 17 Hume Road, Dunkeld West) in Gauteng, where they will find a wide range of birding-related items that make perfect gifts for the holiday season. From field…

enewsletter_header Cape Gannet in Ostrich BirdLife South Africa’s Bird of the Year for 2022 is the Cape Gannet. In a fortuitous turn of events, the most recent issue of Ostrich features three articles on this species, as well as a perspective commenting on its precarious conservation status. We are grateful to the publishers NISC and…

Participants in the Kruger Birding & Wildlife Challenge are advised to check any African buffalo they see for an attendant Red-billed Oxpecker. Credit Chris van Rooyen Kruger Challenge 2023 From 12 to 19 February 2023 the Kruger Birding & Wildlife Challenge is on: see how many bird and other wildlife species you and your team…

enewsletter_header July 2022 Newsletter Ostrich on a roll BirdLife South Africa’s scientific journal Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology has attained the highest-ever CiteScore (2.3) and the second-highest impact factor score (1.09) in its 90-year history. And crucially, the impact factor remains above the critical psychological barrier of 1. According to the Academic Accelerator website, Ostrich…

June 2022 Newsletter Harrier expert Dr Rob Simmons releases a tagged Black Harrier. An example of tracking data acquired from a free-flying Black Harrier. Fundraising for Black Harriers Black Harriers are in deep trouble. Fewer than 1300 mature individuals now remain, making the species one of southern Africa’s most endangered raptors. Its population is estimated…

enewsletter_header May 2022 Newsletter The African Bird Fair is back! Join BirdLife South Africa in The African Bird Fair 2022, which will be held on 22 and 23 July. This year we’re hosting a hybrid event: the entire programme will be available virtually, but you’re also welcome to join us in person at Isdell House…

enewsletter_header April 2022 Newsletter BirdLife South Africa AGM 2022 BirdLife South Africa is pleased to invite you to its 93rd Annual General Meeting, which will take place on 28 May 2022 via Zoom. At the meeting, some of the important work undertaken by BirdLife South Africa staff in 2021 will be highlighted and the Gill…

March 2022 Newsletter Happy OVAPD members, including the head of the centre, Deborah Gonsalves, with Andrea Angel of the Albatross Task Force on the left. Credit Reason Nyengera A flow chart showing the project’s activities. Credit Reason Nyengera A bird-scaring line preventing birds from colliding with the fishing gear. Credit ATF South Africa Making bird-scaring…

Flock to Marion guests bid Cape Town farewell. Credit Andy Wassung Peter Harrison MBE, as inspiring a guide on deck as he is a storyteller on stage. Credit Andy Wassung Fellow ‘Flockers’ scan the wake for petrels, prions and penguins. Credit Andy Wassung Community bird guide David Letsoalo and Peter Harrison MBE brave the cold…

Conserving South Africa’s birds in 2022 BirdLife South Africa’s work is immensely important and, to a large extent, our country’s birds are in our hands. And you can help! If you love birds and would like to leave a positive legacy to future generations of South Africans so that they too can enjoy the beauty…