Recommended Social Media Profiles -

Improve Your Birding With Social Media

Birding content on social media can be more than a pretty picture.

It provides the perfect opportunity for beginner birders to pause and take a closer look, without the stress of gathering clues before the bird flies away, or a friendly space to learn more about birds.

Here are my recommendations.

Facebook and Instagram

In a world where social media is increasingly overrun with AI-generated nonsense, finding high-quality content can be a challenge. However, it still provides a great space for learning and a sense of community for birders.

The Flacks Photography

Richard Flack’s work expands to include the bird’s habitat to combine breathtaking landscape and bird photography. For the birding beginner, this takes his photographs to the next level, adding detail to birds that are often excluded in favour of a tighter composition.

Simply Birding Africa

Doug Newman’s approach with his Facebook Group, Simply Birding Africa, is one of inclusion. The group is heavily moderated and unhelpful or mean comments are not tolerated, creating an incredibly safe space for learning and interaction.

South African Bird ID

Alfie Curling shares his passion for birds on Facebook and in weekly emails. His core focus is to highlight key identifying features on two birds a week, an excellent way to learn more without being overwhelmed. Follow him on Facebook or join his mailing list.

Youtube

Video gives you the best opportunity to learn more about birds. You can see their identifying features, hear their calls, and see how they interact with their environment. Below is a list of some of the best video creators to follow for birding content.

Richard van Haght

Richard is making a name for himself as an excellent videographer, and his videos stand out for their serene atmosphere and lack of unnecessary narration as he visits some of South Africa’s best birding locations.

Safari Expert

Villiers Steyn’s knowledge and enthusiasm as he takes viewers along on his various safari adventures is contagious. His channel includes several South African Bird Call challenges, and he often takes time out to concentrate (and film) birds during his expeditions.

Shaun Ferguson

Shaun combines wide-angle views with high-quality close-ups and descriptions to create a realistic experience of what it feels like to spot and study birds in their natural environment.