Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa

 Join three members of our Seabird Conservation Programme in celebrating World Penguin Day, celebrated annually on 25 April. The team takes us through the diverse global array of penguins, relays some interesting facts about penguins, and then go into the conservation of the African Penguin in particular.  This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform. 

 Trevor Hardaker features the birds of the West Coast National Park as part of our monthly SANParks destination feature.  This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform. 

The Critically Endangered Blue Swallow is a much sought after ‘tick’ for any keen birder. However, its future as a tickable species is in peril, with diminishing habitat, dwindling conservation capacity, unknown migratory routes and destinations.  It is not all doom and gloom with key conservation organisations in Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, Conservation Outcomes and BirdLife South Africa partnering together to save this awesome swallow. Join Brent Coverdale and Steve McKean to understand why the species is in such dire need of help, what conservation actions are being undertaken and how you can play a part.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Birds do not recognise international boundaries. Each year many millions of shorebirds and landbirds are on the move, using invisible highways to migrate from their northern breeding grounds in Eurasia to wintering areas in western and southern Africa.Migratory birds fly thousands of kilometers, relying on a complex migration strategy, which requires numerous connected sites along their travel path, as they make the arduous journey, often from one hemisphere to the other. Unfortunately, their journey has become more dangerous and onerous as they face increased and diverse threats. It is vitally important that a coordinated, flyway-wide conservation strategy is required to mitigate these threats. If the stop-over sites along the migratory route, on which these species rely to refuel, are not properly protected, there could be a dramatic impact on these birds’ chances of their survival into the future. The East Atlantic Flyway is one of the recognized migratory routes for birds, consisting of 75 countries and covering an area of approximately 45 605 000 km2. BirdLife South Africa’s East Atlantic Flyway Project Manager, Bronwyn Maree, funded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, is working together with the southern African countries of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe to identify and address the threats faced by priority species and sites along the flyway, as well as conserve and connect these ecologically important areas, through regional cooperation and transboundary biodiversity conservation.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa hosted Ernst Retief, BirdLife South Africa's Spatial Planning and Data Manager.BirdLife South Africa is developing exciting fine-scale bird distribution maps using computers and Geographic Information Systems. During this talk, Ernst Retief will explain how they are creating these maps and how they will benefit bird conservation in South Africa.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

On Tuesday, 23 March 2021 at 19:00​ (SAST), BirdLife South Africa's weekly webinar series ‘Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’ hosted Dr Simeon Bezeng Bezeng, BirdLife South Africa's Regional Red Lists and Key Biodiversity Areas Programme Manager.Currently fewer than 5% of African parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have geospatial biodiversity data to inform wise land-use decisions and policies, and to promote conservation actions for the achievement of the CBD Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Sustainable Development Goals. To understand how BirdLife South Africa & the IUCN Species Survival Commission are helping other African countries deliver on their biodiversity targets, please tune into this interesting presentation, where Dr Simeon Bezeng will be discussing the important work he is doing to support African countries identify the most important places to safeguard biodiversity.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

On Tuesday, 16 March 2021 at 19:00​ (SAST), BirdLife South Africa's weekly webinar series ‘Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’ hosted Andrew de Blocq (BirdLife South Africa's Avitourism Project Manager), Etienne Marais (Indicator Birding), Dr Callan Cohen and Vincent Ward (Birding Africa).On the face of it, birding is one of the most peaceful, environmentally friendly, and unobtrusive pursuits. However, with the birding community growing at an impressive rate, new technologies being available to all, and a growing competitive atmosphere, the behaviour of birders can be damaging to birds and their habitats. Andrew de Blocq, our Avitourism Project Manager, leads a panel of esteemed birders on the topic of how birders should conduct themselves if they are concerned about the welfare and conservation of the creatures they enjoy.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

On Tuesday, 9 March 2021 at 19:00​ (SAST), BirdLife South Africa's weekly webinar series ‘Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’  hosted Linda van den Heever (Vulture Project Manager at BirdLife South Africa).Vultures may not win many prizes in the beauty department, but without them our world would be a decidedly less pleasant place. They are nature’s supreme clean-up crew, getting rid of carcasses and unwanted organic waste, free of charge. Not only can they directly prevent the development and spread of pathogenic microbes by quickly and efficiently removing carcasses from the environment, but they can also regulate the numbers and composition of mammalian scavengers such a feral dogs, preventing the proliferation and spread of diseases such as rabies and canine distemper. They are a vital component of our ecosystems, particularly in the developing world where citizens frequently have no access to, or funds for, proper health and veterinary care. The protection of vultures is crucial, as it will contribute to human health, livelihoods and well-being, particularly as it relates to local communities, the poor and vulnerable.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

On Tuesday,  16 February 2021 at 19:00​ (SAST), BirdLife South Africa's weekly webinar series ‘Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’ hosted Kishaylin Chetty (Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd), Carina Pienaar and Dr Melissa Whitecross from the Landscape Conservation Programme Manager at BirdLife South Africa. Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson, Head of Conservation at BirdLife South Africa also attended the question session.  The Ingula Partnership, a conservation collaboration between Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, the Middelpunt Wetland Trust and BirdLife South Africa, is hailed as one of the great conservation success stories that is a proven example of a successful partnership between a big industrial corporate entity and members of the non-profit sector. The partnership was established in 2004 and has achieved a great deal for the conservation of threatened birds not just in the Ingula region, but across South Africa. This includes the declaration of the Ingula Nature Reserve, 8 000 ha of pristine eastern Free State grasslands that is home to several threatened birds and other biodiversity. The Ingula Partnership is also currently driving projects on several threatened bird species including the Critically Endangered Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Endangered Secretarybird and Vulnerable Southern Bald Ibis. Join Kishaylin Chetty, Carina Pienaar and Dr Melissa Whitecross as they showcase the diverse and important conservation research and implementation taking place across South Africa all thanks to 18 years of The Ingula Partnership.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Durban Bay supports one of the largest and busiest harbours in the southern hemisphere. Not surprisingly, the rich biodiversity that it once supported has been seriously degraded by harbour, and other city, developments. It thus provides a valuable test case of the worst impacts of such human development on an extensive coastal aquatic ecosystem. Situated at the heart of a major South African city, the waterbird populations of Durban Bay are well known, especially since the advent of monthly waterbird counts of the entire Bay extending back over 20 years.This talk will dip into this rich source of information to answer questions such as: Which waterbirds have gone extinct in the Bay and which have colonized the system? Which species have been most negatively impacted by development and which have benefited? Which parts of the Bay are most important for waterbird populations? What are the key patterns of migration into and out of the Bay by waterbirds? What are the explanations for these patterns? And of particular interest to birders, what are the most exciting vagrant waterbirds that occasionally pitch up in the Bay? Most importantly, the talk will also outline the major conservation threats faced by waterbirds in the Bay both historically and currently.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

On Tuesday, 2 February 2021 at 19:00​ (SAST), BirdLife South Africa's weekly webinar series ‘Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’ will host representatives from BirdLife South Africa, Water Wise (Rand Water) and Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo as they celebrate World Wetlands Day. This year's virtual Flufftail Festival is kindly supported by Toyota South Africa. The aim of The Flufftail Festival is to engage and educate communities about the importance of safeguarding water, protecting wetlands and conserving waterbirds. South Africa is a water-scarce country and future predictions under climate change scenarios indicate that much of central and western South Africa will become more arid in time. With water scarcity becoming an ever-present reality in drought-stricken South Africa, The Flufftail Festival is designed to raise awareness about our most important resource with a focus on the future generations who will one day manage it. The festival also highlights the concept of wetland conservation and exposes participants to the wealth of natural biodiversity, including the waterbirds that live within these unique ecosystems. The Flufftail Festival affirms the importance of highlighting the plight of our natural resources to urban communities who have limited access to the natural environment.With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting large, in-person gatherings, The Flufftail Festival has moved online and the history of this event will be shared as well as the many important conservation messages surrounding water, wetlands and waterbird conservation, during this webinar.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africareturns to your screens to host CEO and Founder of CNP Safaris, Lou Coetzer.  When birding, there is a much deeper spiritual fulfilment in slowing down, to experience and understand bird behaviour before moving on in search of “the” next bird species. There is hardly a better nature experience than doing birding from the waterside view on a CNP Photography boat amongst the birds on the Chobe River in Botswana. Join Lou as he shares his vast experiences photographing birds across the Chobe region of Botswana.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

On Tuesday, 19 January 2021 at 19:00​ (SAST), BirdLife South Africa's weekly webinar series ‘Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’ returns to your screens to host Dr Krista Oswald, Rhodes University graduate. Join Krista as she brings you into the wild world of South Africa’s fynbos sky islands, and gives an overview of some of her MSc and PhD research into the endemic Cape Rockjumper. Krista will also provide evidence on what makes the Cape Rockjumper (in her unbiased opinion) the best bird in the world.Cape Rockjumpers – one of South Africa’s most charismatic endemics – are suffering population declines that are heavily correlated with habitat warming within their current range. They are restricted in their distribution to the mountain slopes of the Western and Eastern Cape provinces: the “sky islands” of south-west South Africa. From 2015 through 2019 Krista spent time studying these fantastic birds to try and find the mechanism for this decline. With a lot of help, she examined Cape Rockjumper physiology, behaviour, breeding success, nest predation, and genetics. Krista's webinar will focus mainly on a few experiences encountered throughout the fynbos mountains while trying to ring and take blood samples from Cape Rockjumpers across their range (including how Anysberg defeated her) and even a few from visiting some of their Drakensberg cousins. Krista will bring it closer to her South African home, and tell you about some of the more endearing experiences she had nest-searching and monitoring their breeding at Blue Hill Nature Reserve. Come along for a video and photographic tour of the Cape Rockjumper and its home, the beautiful and unique fynbos.These are all links to Cape Rockjumper nest videos:https://youtu.be/m5SJRZXB8zI​https://youtu.be/Z1cKAbb_uG8​https://youtu.be/Rc6psNoHWg0​https://youtu.be/F5b8gMDBh88​https://youtu.be/3de4WUGkXeM​https://youtu.be/VutruCsq-TQ​https://youtu.be/XDkyuL--MKs​Predation on Cape Rockjumper nests:https://youtu.be/Hiey8KHokFA​https://youtu.be/pMSsIGb8ICA​https://youtu.be/60iZBqpQK2gThis podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’ hosts renowned African Bird Photographer, Richard Flack.He will be taking us on a journey of discovery to capture beautiful photographs of birds that evoke emotions and freeze a memory forever. Richard will be combining fieldcraft, technical camera skills and creativity to compose a photograph that tells a story and drives conservation conversation.He will also reveal how to push the boundaries of your own photography by drawing inspiration from others, from art and design and the incredible light and patterns found in nature. If you want to learn how to compose stunning images and receive encouragement and inspiration on your photographic journey, be sure to join us in this, a talk not to be missed!This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa hosts guest presenter, Duncan Butchart.No matter the size of your garden, there is an opportunity to create microhabitats and food-webs that can attract a variety of bird species and provide a refuge for many other species. Insects are crucial prey to many birds species as well as being critical for the pollination of many plants. Sadly, their numbers are decreasing dramatically around the world. Well known author and illustrator, Duncan shares his experiences and provides tips on how to 're-wild' your garden to make a difference.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa hosts Dr Caroline Howes from the University of the Witwatersrand.With the global urban population growing, making cities more sustainable and equitable is increasingly important. In such a city, all residents need fair access to green spaces and the biodiversity they support. Currently many developed world cities exhibit a Luxury Effect with wealthier residents having access to greater biodiversity in their neighbourhoods than poorer residents. Johannesburg's unique history, geography and ecology makes a fascinating place to study urban ecology. This past austral summer, 250 bird point counts were conducted in 28 parks and reserves to examine the ecological and socio-economic drivers of biodiversity in Johannesburg, No evidence of a Luxury Effect was found in the green spaces however, 2 interesting ecological drivers, natural land cover and wetland connectivity were uncovered. These 2 drivers tell a story about Johannesburg's special place in the world and how it's ecology and history have shaped where biodiversity is found and who gets to see it.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa hosts best-selling Author and BirdLife South Africa Board Member, Vernon Head.He will explore his way of seeing the wilderness as he searches for the rarest bird on earth. Vernon will also delve into the process of fashioning a novel inspired by the mighty Congo River and talk about how his personal understanding of birdwatching expanded his literary career as a nature writer. A poem or two might be read and a collection of short stories that he edited, will be promoted.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa’ hosts the delightful Prof. Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan from the University of Cape Town. Prof. Anusuya will be unravelling the Biology of Fossil Birds whose history extends to about 150 million years ago. For the next 85 million years early birds co-existed with dinosaurs and pterosaurs. The End of the Cretaceous Mass Extinction event brought an end to the reign of the dinosaurs on land and pterosaurs in the skies. Fortunately some birds survived. Prof. Anusuya will highlight some of the diversity of extinct birds and give some insight into how information about their biology and life history can be deciphered from their fossilized remains.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa hosts Trevor Hardaker, well know for SA Rare Bird News Alert and Zest for Birds.Trevor will take us on exciting, visual journey through many of the best birds on offer in South Africa. With over 860 bird species recorded in South Africa there is no one right definition to what a "best bird" is. We will take a look at this from various angles, e.g. endemism and record holders. Based on a thorough survey of birders across the country we will also see which species are the favourites amongst the South African birding community.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.

Conservation Conversations with BirdLife South Africa hosts well known wildlife photographer, Albert Froneman. He will be taking us on a photographic journey through the Kgalagadi Transfontier Park. This wildlife photographer's haven offers special opportunities to capture spectacular images of birds and animals in the open semi-desert habitat. There are some 280 species of birds, which are mostly nomadic as well as a wide diversity of birds of prey. Albert will focus on the raptors but also provide an overview of the many other interesting birds found in the area.This podcast is a product of BirdLife South Africa and was produced by Melissa Howes-Whitecross with editing by Carl Bierman, music by Herman Bergmann, visit www.birdlife.org.za/blsa-conversations/ to find out more about BirdLife South Africa, the live webinar series or to support the productions series using the Quicket donations platform.