The Birding Life Podcast Network

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...

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...

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 recor...

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 Waterbe...

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 yea...

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...

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 concentr...

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 ecosys...

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...

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...

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...

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, conse...

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 wi...

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 recordin...

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 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...

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 l...

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 ma...

One of the things that has changed dramatically in birding over the last few years is the role that technology plays in helping us enjoy birds, keep records, contribute to conservation, and connect with other birders. Today we are going to be talking about an app that has made a significant impact on the Southern African birding community. If you've spent any time around birders recently, chances...

In this episode, Gabby is joined by primatologist Dr Paula Pebsworth from the Chacma Baboon Project for a thoughtful conversation about one of southern Africa’s most intelligent, adaptable and often misunderstood animals: the chacma baboon. Baboons are deeply social animals with complex relationships, strong learning abilities and important ecological roles, yet they are also frequently at the cen...

There are some guests who simply make you think differently about birds, conservation, and our place in the natural world. Today's episode is a special one because it marks Episode 200 of The Birding Life Podcast. When I started this podcast, I never imagined that we would reach 200 episodes. Along the way we've spoken to birders, guides, photographers, conservationists, scientists, authors, and s...

One of the things I love about birding is that there are so many different ways to enjoy birds. Some people love chasing rarities. Some people love atlasing. Some people enjoy bird photography. Others simply enjoy spending time in nature. My guest today is someone who has spent decades behind a camera. Rory Baker is a professional wildlife photographer, photography educator, and founder of Rory Ba...

Today, Gabby Sykora is joined by Dr Kelsey Skinner, Executive Director of the African Pangolin Working Group, for a powerful conversation about conservation, perseverance, and one of the world's most threatened mammals. Together, they explore the work being done to protect pangolins from illegal wildlife trade, the challenges of rescue and rehabilitation, and the growing efforts to secure a future...

If you're listening to this episode on the day it is released, tomorrow is Youth Day in South Africa. It is a day when we celebrate the young people of our country, and for this episode, I wanted to hand over the microphone to two young people who are making a difference in the world of nature and conservation. My first guest is Liam Botha. Liam is a birder, herper, wildlife photographer, artist,...

Welcome back to part two of our birding journey through Limpopo with Daniel Engelbrecht. In this episode, we continue our journey into some of Limpopo's most iconic birding destinations. We visit the forests of Magoebaskloof, explore the legendary Soutpansberg mountains, and then head north into one of South Africa's greatest birding regions, the northern Kruger National Park. Along the way, Danie...