Learn-the-Birds

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Adam Scott Kennedy

Birding since the age of four, Adam travelled extensively across the world from his family home in the UK in search of birds, animals, culture and amazing places. He took his first independent overseas trip at the age of 17 and hasn’t stopped since. He has led dedicated birding trips to New Zealand, Madagascar, Ecuador and the Galapagos, among many others. Having seen over a third of the world’s bird species, he now focuses his efforts in East Africa where he now resides. His favourite birds are trogons. He has produced five photographic field guides to the birds and animals of the Masai Mara, Serengeti, and Kenya’s Rift Valley. He currently uses a Canon R5 with Canon 100-500mm lens.
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Nicholas B. Pattinson

Nick has been a member of the Hot Birds Research Project for 9 years, studying temperature-related effects on the physiology and behaviour of birds. Currently, he is in the process of completing a PhD in Biological Sciences at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. He is also a full time research scientist at the environmental consultancy, GroundTruth. Generally, Nick is enthusiastic about science, nature, birding, and conservation.  You can find Nick on ResearechGate at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicholas_Pattinson
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Karen Gallardo Cruz

When a marine biology class inspired me to pursue the field of ecology, I honestly did not know what that meant for my career, but I was fascinated by the intricate interactions between organisms and their environment. Since then, I've found my career path in scientific research and have been fortunate enough to conduct work in California, French Polynesia, and Hawaii. I've remained focused on a central question: how are organisms influenced by changes in their environment? More specifically, how do human-caused changes influence animal behavior? The goal of my research is to help conserve our natural ecosystems, especially my favorite part of them--birds! I am proud to say that my research has been used to create an Air Tour Management Plan for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which will restrict the number of helicopter overflights over the home of many of Hawaii's native bird species. I'm excited to continue contributing to bird conservation through my future PhD research, in which I hope to explore how noise affects ecological interactions in agricultural landscapes, with potential implications for crop pollination and pest management.
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Dr Derek Engelbrecht

Derek has always been passionate about the natural world, and this was nurtured by his parents, who always bought him animal books. After matriculating, he studied towards a BSc degree in Zoology and Botany at the then Rand Afrikaans University, followed by a BSc Honours in Zoology and an MSc in Zoology (Cum Laude). This was followed by a PhD in the conservation genetics of minnows in mountain streams.

Derek moved to Polokwane in 1992 when he assumed a position as a tutor in the Department of Physiology. In 2007 he switched his allegiance and joined the Department of Zoology at the University of Limpopo as an associate professor.

His research interests are varied, and he has supervised students in topics ranging from plant ecology to anatomy, but his main research focus and interest are birds, specifically larks. Beyond larks, he has published papers on a variety of other birds. He prides himself that he has the somewhat unique distinction of having published peer-reviewed scientific papers on all five vertebrate taxa: fish, frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. To date, Derek has published 168 scientific and semi-scientific papers on various topics.

He serves on several national and international working groups for threatened taxa, such as the IUCN Hornbill Specialist Group, Southern Ground Hornbill Advisory Panel, Cape Parrot Action Group and Botha’s Lark Working Group. He is a registered A-class ringer with SAFRING and has ringed around 10 000 birds at the end of 2022. He is also the chairperson of the Limpopo Regional Bird Atlas committee and a longstanding member of Birdlife Polokwane where he serves on the club’s management committee. Derek is also on the editorial board of three scientific journals, Ostrich, Afrotropical Bird Biology, and Hornbill Natural History and Conservation, and is the co-editor of Birdlife Polokwane’s birding magazine, The Lark. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the 8th edition of Roberts Birds of Southern Africa, currently under revision in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Derek is a member of the E-birders, the winning team of the 2022 South African Birding Big Day, and also the current BBD record holders with 236 species recorded in 24 hours. In 2018, Derek was honoured by Birdlife South Africa when he received the Eagle-Owl Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Conservation of Birds and Their Habitats.

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Faansie Peacock

Fansie Peacock holding one of his paintings. lives and breathes birds, as his name suggests. Faansie started birding at the age of five and has been trying to quit for 35 years. It doesn’t look like that’s going to happen anytime soon, so now he makes a living as what he calls ‘a professional birder’. He has authored and illustrated a number of books on southern African birds, including the acclaimed Chamberlain’s Waders and Chamberlain’s LBJs - specialist books on the identification and biology of these challenging families. Inspired by his sons’ wonder at the world around them, he produced Faansie’s Bird Book - A fully fledged field guide for kids: a guide to 722 species, aimed at introducing young minds to the wonders of the avifaunal world. He served as editor for the Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. In addition, he has penned numerous magazine articles (including a long-standing column in Weg/Go! magazine) as well as scientific papers. Peacock contributed illustrations of seabirds, nightjars and the Ground Woodpecker cover art for the latest edition of Sasol Birds of Southern Africa. He is also the illustrator for the upcoming Larks of the World (Bloomsbury) and recently tried his hand at mammal illustrations - bats and lemurs - for The Handbook of the Mammals of the World (Lynx Edicions). He was previously employed as Curator of Birds at the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, serves on the South African National Rarities Commitee, was part of the first team to see 300 species in 24 hours in SA, and is a recipient of a BirdLife South Africa Owl Award. He loves telling stories about birds and has spoken to thousands of people on more than thirty topics, amongst which are ‘The Blind Birder’, ‘The Kinky Sex Life of Birds’, live art demonstrations and even bird-related stand-up comedy. Faansie has birded in Madagascar, Thailand, Spain, Australia, Israel, Brazil, Malawi and lots of other prime birding locations but his favourite spot is West Coast National Park. In fact, he lives within walking distance of the park in the town of Langebaan. Faansie and his wife Ronél, and their two sons (both of whom are named after birds) share their garden with rain frogs, tortoises, a fox, and, of course, plenty of awesome birds! He knows virtually nothing about sports.
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Dr Mark Brown

Dr. Mark Brown is an ornithologist and conservationist based in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. With over 25 years of experience, he has conducted extensive research on avian physiology, pollination ecology, and the conservation of nectar-feeding birds. He has published over 100 scientific papers and is a recognized expert in the field. Mark has supervised over 40 postgraduate students and mentored dozens of South African and international students in the fields of ecology, conservation and marine biology. He is passionate about finding solutions to local conservation issues in the greater Plett region, and runs a conservation NPO Conserve Eden and a conservation travel company Discover Eden. Dr. Brown is the lead author of the recently published Roberts Sunbirds and Sugarbirds of Southern Africa, a comprehensive book on these birds, featuring scientific insights and stunning artwork. His work focuses on understanding bird ecology, particularly sunbirds and sugarbirds, and their roles as pollinators.
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Bill Montevecchi

Bill in the field Bill Montevecchi is a John Lewis Paton Distinguished University Professor [Psychology, Biology, Ocean Sciences] at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. He and his students study avian responses to environmental change. Conservation is a priority with research projects aimed at bird interactions with marine and terrestrial energy  developments, light pollution, fisheries, climate change and recently the avian H5N1 influenza. He devotes considerable time communicating evidenced-based scientific information via media and community outreach presentations. His research is the subject of a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio Ideas Program scheduled to air on 28 March.
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Dr Krista Oswald

Despite noKrista Oswaldt necessarily being a birder (I didn’t even own proper binoculars), I completed an Honours BSc studying Tree Swallows through Dalhousie University in Canada, and an internship with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Life was leading me down the ornithological path, and I wasn’t exactly upset about the idea. In January 2015 my flight from Canada to South Africa landed in Port Elizabeth, where I would live for the next 5 years. Except, I actually spent more than two of those years in the Cape Fold Mountains and their fynbos biome, following and learning about Cape Rockjumpers. My research resulted in an MSc (Nelson Mandela University) and a PhD (Rhodes University), but most importantly an infatuation with my study species that I doubt will ever truly disappear. I am now studying birds in the Negev desert of Israel, and doing my best to find an excuse/time/money to go back to the Fynbos and see the worlds best birds.
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Tania Ireton

Tania IretonTania has been passionately interested in birds for half a century and used her day job in computing to fund her birding trips. These trips have taken her to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Hong Kong, South Korea and New Caledonia, although her primary interest has always been Australia and its territories. She has been president of BirdLife Bayside (a branch of BirdLife Australia) since it started in 1996, and has led many of their outings, as well as giving talks to a range of conservation and natural history groups. She has a Graduate Certificate in Ornithology from Charles Sturt University and is also a member of the Victorian Ornithological Records Appraisal Committee which assesses and adjudicates on submitted claims of rare birds in the Victoria.

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Chintan Gohel

Chintan Gohel is an Electrical Engineer, working full time in a factory in Nairobi, Kenya. In his free time, he shows a passion for photography in different genres such as wildlife, birds, astro, landscapes, long exposures and more. He is the founder of a local travel group called Matembezi Travelers Club with over 1100 members. A year ago he also founded a photographers group for Nature Photographers to learn from each other, and they are already 250 strong and growing every month. He currently uses a Nikon Z50 with a Tamron 150-600 G2 lens.
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Christa Rolls

Christa RollsChrista Rolls is an Avian Ecologist and Conservation Biologist who loves birds and connecting others with their passion for birding. She started her career in avian ecology in Southern Indiana in 2012, and since then has had the opportunity to work on various projects in the Pacific Northwest, Germany, and, currently, California monitoring bird populations and behavior to help inform management decisions. Christa is also on the Board of Directors for Ecostudies Institute, a non-profit organization based in the Pacific Northwest that conserves wildlife and their habitats through science, restoration, and outreach. Most recently, in September 2020, she founded Birding Tools and hosts the Birding Tools Podcast, which breaks down all aspects of beginning birding, from finding the right pair of binoculars to learning how to find birds in the field.
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Lynette Rudman

Lynette was a foundation phase and preschool teacher for 16 years. She currently writes, designs and creates fabric tactile books for blind preschool readers. Her book, Spider’s Web, won an international tactile book competition in 2009. She is passionate about education and teaching novice birders interesting facts about birds, interesting bird behaviour and bird vocalisations. She is an advocate for ethical birding practices and is not afraid to voice her opinion on this matter. In 2018 she received a merit award from the Grahamstown Rotary Club for her contribution to advancing birding in the Grahamstown area as well as the Eastern Cape Province. Having grown up on a farm and being close to nature all her life, she loves to share her passion for the natural world with others on the two Facebook groups that she created, Eastern Cape Birding and Southern African Bird Calls, and on her Youtube channel. Lynette is a keen photographer of wildlife, including birds, as well as macro photographing of insects and spiders.
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Faraaz Abdool

Faraaz Abdool is an internationally published freelance conservation and wildlife photographer/writer who specializes in birds and the issues they face worldwide. He graciously serves on the Trinidad and Tobago Bird Status and Distribution Committee (formerly the Trinidad and Tobago Rare Bird Committee), and leads birding trips on both islands. Faraaz also runs yearly birding and wildlife tours to East Africa. Faraaz is also the author of “Casual Birding in Trinidad & Tobago”, an extensive volume designed to market T&T as an attractive and easy birding destination as well as to educate the local population about their avian cohabitants. Faraaz cultivates wildlife consciousness via his words and images, in a last-ditch attempt to reconnect humans with nature and save the world.
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Dr Derek W. Keats

Derek was biology professor for over 20 years, and discovered several species new to science (not birds, alas), and even has a species named after him. His studies have encompassed ecology, systematics and phylogeny, as well as technology in education. He has published around 80 academic papers, and more than 100 magazine articles in which he has brought science and nature to lay persons. He has also been a university Deputy Vice Chancellor, held various technology roles in university and business, and is a technology geek. Derek is an accomplished nature photographer on land and under water, with his photos appearing in over 20 books, hundreds of magazines, several mobile apps, and museum exhibits. Today he works in FinTech, but prefers to spend time photographing birds  and unravelling their stories so he can re-tell them to humans. He is co-founder and looks after the technology and arrangements for Learn-the-Birds.
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Etienne Marais

Etienne is one of South Africa's most experienced birders, a veteran guide and has been training birders for 15 years in an array of skills and specialities. He thinks deeply about the experience of birding.
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