African Birdlife - May/June 2024

In this issue

Waterbirds • African Penguin • Cape Town's Big Bird Year • Parasitism • Robberg • Walker Bay

prey for penguins

To stem the African Penguin's slide to extinction, government support for optimal no-take zones around South Africa's penguin colonies is critical.

5 mins

a star is born

It’s every producer’s dream to plan a wildlife television series and pick the right characters before filming.

2 mins

flood impact on wetland birds

One of the features of a warming planet is increasingly erratic rainfall; years of drought followed by devastating floods. Fortunately, many waterbirds are pre-adapted to cope with such extremes, especially in southern Africa where they have evolved to exploit episodic rainfall events in semi-arid and arid regions. But how do waterbirds respond to floods in areas where rainfall - and access to water - is more predictable? Peter Ryan explores the consequences of recent floods on the birds of the Western Cape's Olifants River valley.

5 mins

Southern SIGHTINGS

The late summer period naturally started quietening down after the midsummer excitement, but there were still some classy rarities on offer for birders all over the subregion. As always, none of the records included here have been adjudicated by any of the subregion's Rarities Committees.

4 mins

when perfect isn't enough

Egg signatures and forgeries in the cuckoo-drongo arms race

5 mins

winter wanderer

as summer becomes a memory in the south, the skies are a little quieter as the migrants have returned to the warming north. But one bird endemic to the southern African region takes its own little winter journey.

1 min

water & WINGS

WATER IS LIFE. As wildlife photographer Greg du Toit knows better than most.

1 min

CAPE crusade

The Cape Bird Club/City of Cape Town Birding Big Year Challenge

5 mins

Living forwards

How photographing birds helps me face adversity

10 mins

footloose IN FYNBOS

The Walker Bay Diversity Trail is a leisurely hike with a multitude of flowers, feathers and flavours along the way.

6 mins

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African Birdlife Magazine Description:

African Birdlife is a world-class bi-monthly magazine about birds and birdwatching in Africa. It includes informative articles and stunning photographs of Africa's birds. Features include: The latest news on bird conservation and behaviour; equipment reviews; photographic tips; competitions to win great prizes. It serves as an important mouthpiece for BirdLife South Africa to create awareness about bird research and conservation.