The Birding Life Podcast Network

Wildlife photography gives us an incredible opportunity to connect people with the natural world, but where do we draw the line between capturing a moment and interfering with it?

In this special panel discussion, we explore the often complicated subject of wildlife photography ethics across mammals, birds, reptiles and other wildlife.

Joined by Dr Stephanie Klarmann, Devon Kerr and Marik Kilian, we unpack topics including disturbanc...

Today's episode is going to be a little bit different. Normally, I have a guest joining me on the podcast, but today I've decided to do something that I've actually been putting off for quite some time, and that is recording a solo episode!

I must admit, I'm a little bit nervous about doing this, so please be kind! But I thought this would be a great opportunity to share something that I'm really passionate about, and that is local ...

Juan van den Heever is a wildlife photographer, birder and conservationist who has made quite a name for himself in the world of wildlife photography. Having been named a runner-up in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and had one of his photographs featured on the cover of a David Attenborough book, Juan has already achieved some incredible milestones in his career. But his journey doesn’t stop beh...

In this episode of The Birding Life Podcast, I sit down with Barry Forbes for a conversation about sound recording and the way it can completely change how we experience birds.

Rather than a formal interview, this episode is a relaxed discussion about Barry’s journey into birding, how he became interested in recording bird sounds, and what he has learnt along the way.

We chat about how sound recording can improve your ability t...

With the chaos of putting together the final bits and pieces for the YWP Exhibition later this month, Gabby found time for a quick catch-up with a familiar face to the Birding Life, Joshua Winter.

It’s been a busy year for Josh too. While there may have been fewer wildlife trips than usual, he’s spent plenty of time in the field, gaining hands-on experience working with wild animals in the Waterberg and on the outskirts ...

In this week's episode we are going back to a project that we first spoke about right at the beginning of the year, the Big Year of African Sounds.

The idea behind the project is simple, but incredibly important. Africa has some of the most remarkable birdlife in the world, but when it comes to sound recordings, many of our species are still poorly represented in major sound libraries.

So this year, birders across the continent have ...

Tristan is the host of the SnA Youth Birders podcast and forms a core part of the Admin team of the SnA Youth Birders group itself. He is a rising star on the social media front and aims to be a bird show host and a conservation personality one day.

He is an experienced birder with many years under the belt- guiding both privately and for Birdlife South Africa. He is well known for his exceptional bird call ID skills and his love o...

If you are a birder from KwaZulu Natal, you will probably know Mount Moreland. During summer, an estimated three million Barn Swallows gather there to roost in the reedbeds, creating one of the great birding spectacles in the province. But Mount Moreland is also an important wetland supporting a much wider range of wildlife.

What makes the story even more interesting is that this enormous concentration of birds sits right next to Ki...

What happens when three young scientists with a shared fascination for the natural world come together? You get ZooLogic ZA.

In this episode, Gabby sits down with Devon, Ross and Strijdom to talk wildlife, science, conservation and the curiosity that keeps pulling them deeper into the natural world. From rhino research and snake handling to insects, butterflies and the stories hidden in the ecosystems around us, the conversation exp...

This week's episode is a little bit different, and a lot of fun.

My guest is Themba Robin, a South African comedian, content creator, actor, MC and voice artist, known for his satirical takes on everyday South African life and for finding humour in the things most of us walk straight past.

And that is part of what makes this conversation so interesting.

Birders are a very particular bunch. We have our habits, our obsessions, our stran...

Anton is well-known for his incredible Big Birding Year in 2019 where he managed to see over 800 bird species. Today we sit down and look back at that big year- his highs, his lows, his lifers and his dips. Anton shares with us how he raised money for White-winged Flufftail conservation whilst managing to fund his very own big year. Anton gives advice for youngsters potentially looking to do their own big year and for those looking...

We identify birds by name, we learn them by name, and we talk about them by name. But how often do we stop and ask where those names actually come from, what they mean, or what stories sit behind them?

My guest today is Eddie Germiquet, author of South African Birds by Name, a book that explores the origins and meanings behind the names of our birds.

Eddie’s own background makes him particularly well suited to this subject. His...

Nardus Taljard has built an impressive online community around something he genuinely loves, wildlife, Kruger and the stories that unfold in the wild.

But what does it actually take to turn that passion into a successful digital platform?

In this episode, Gabby sits down with Nardus to chat about the journey behind the content, from growing an audience and working with brands to photography, conservation, the realities of social medi...

My guest today is Kenyan birder, guide and ornithologist James Apolloh Omenya, who was part of an expedition into the Boni Forest region of Kenya in search of two of the country’s lost birds, the Red Weaver and the Tana River Cisticola.

The expedition involved difficult travel, motorbikes, local guides, security concerns, armed escorts, and a search through a part of Kenya that very few birders will ever get to experience.

And ...

Welcome to episode one of the SnA Youth birders podcast! This podcast has been created to share birding with a younger generation and to help those parents that are raising young naturalists.

We chatted with one of Southern Africa’s top young birders- Daniel Engelbrecht. He gives us insight into his recent trip to Uganda and his upcoming African trips. We chat about his love for bird call recording and the African Big Year of...

Today we are chatting about a citizen science project that has been running for more than 30 years and has become an incredibly valuable source of information about some of South Africa’s large terrestrial birds.

I am joined by Dr David Ehlers Smith, Science and Spatial Planning Project Manager at BirdLife South Africa, to talk about CAR, or Coordinated Avifaunal Roadcounts.

We are going to unpack what a CAR count actually is, ...

What happens when a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa becomes a lifelong obsession - and ultimately the backdrop to an extraordinary writing career?

Internationally bestselling author Tony Park joins Gabby Sykora for a conversation that goes far beyond the pages of his novels. From more than three decades of African adventures to wildlife crime, conservation, unforgettable characters and the wild places that continue to inspire his ...

Welcome to Season 15 of The Birding Life Podcast, Africa's biggest birding podcast. It is great to be back and kicking off another season of conversations with the people who make the birding world what it is.

And for our first episode, I'm joined by someone who certainly isn't a stranger to the podcast. Tristan Spurway has joined us before, but a lot has happened in his birding journey since we last properly caught up.

Tristan has d...

On this special World Ranger Day edition of the podcast, Gabby sits down with conservation activist and Saving the Wild founder Jamie Joseph for one of the most powerful conversations we have had.

While rangers continue to risk their lives protecting South Africa’s wildlife, Jamie reveals why the biggest battle is not always fought in the bush, but in the courtroom. Together, they unpack why so many rhino poachers never see pr...