Lunch & Learn: Birds of South Africa with Andrew de Blocq

Photo: Carmine Bee-eater on a Kori Bustard, David Russell/Audubon Photography Awards

Original program date: January 31, 2024

Imagine waking up tomorrow in South Africa - you look outside your window and you see a completely foreign bird - mainly green plumage, with metallic, purple-blue back, upper wings and upper tail, and crimson primaries visible in flight. It has a prominent, white-tipped crest, white markings around the eyes, red eye rings, and a short, red bill. You would be seeing the Knysna Loerie!

Join us for a virtual trip to South Africa, where you can immerse yourself into the splendor and beauty of birds of South Africa! Our speaker, Andrew de Blocq, will be speaking to us from South Africa to cover some of the area’s species, taking special note of some of the more sought-after birds to get excited for! These include some spectacular and charismatic species like the Secretarybird, Knysna Turaco, Kori Bustard, Cape Vulture, Southern Ground-hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, African Jacana, and the national bird of South Africa, the Blue Crane. Andrew also will talk about BirdLife South Africa and its conservation work.