For the first time ever, YOU voted to decide which bird will soar, flutter, or glide to victory as
Bird of the Year 2026!
Voting closed at midnight, 30 September
Known as the Witkruisvleivalk in Afrikaans, mmankgodi-wa-dihlaba in Sesotho and umamhlangenomnyama in isiZulu, it is categorised as “near-endemic”, meaning that the majority of its population occurs within South Africa, and it has the unfortunate distinction of being by far the most threatened near-endemic raptor in our country.
With a core range in the Western Cape province, the Black Harrier is also migratory and highly nomadic within South Africa: you could be lucky enough into this Endangered bird anywhere from Langebaan to Lesotho, depending on the season.
The conservation of this magnificent raptor has been overseen for several years by the members of the Black Harrier Task Force, who have greatly increased knowledge and understanding of the Black Harrier.
Honorary mentions must go to the Bearded Vulture and Botha’s Lark, both of whom received significant amounts of votes and are equally deserving of the title! There’s always next year…
We look forward to sharing more about and celebrating the Black Harrier throughout 2026, but for now, we thank each and every one of you who took a Bird of the Year candidate ‘under their wing’ by casting their vote, sharing the initiative with others, and helping us raise awareness about our country’s magnificent birdlife!
THE BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA
ANNUAL RAFFLE IS BACK!
This time, we’re taking you to the birding paradise of Ecuador — from 15 to 21 February 2026!
Enter BirdLife South Africa’s annual raffle and stand a chance to win a 7-day/6-night birding trip to Ecuador from 15 to 21 February 2026, for two people sharing, with Rockjumper Worldwide Birding Adventures. The prize includes return flights from Johannesburg. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the breathtaking Eastern Andes and discover some of Ecuador’s spectacular bird life!
There are 1000 tickets to be sold, with all funds raised going towards supporting BirdLife South Africa’s important work to conserve our country’s magnificent birdlife .
Entries close at 12h00 on Friday, 17 October 2025 or when all the tickets have been sold, whichever comes first. The draw will take place on Friday, 24 October 2025 at BirdLife South Africa’s head office in Johannesburg.
This Raffle is subject to Terms and Conditions that can be accessed and viewed here.