Blog & Photo Archive
Birding is about finding beauty in the everyday birds; the thrill and passion comes from the backyard species as much as it does the once-in-a-lifetime bird, as does the responsibility to protect them.
These entries are vignettes, lessons, personal reflections, and conservation efforts.
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August 31, 2025
Lilac-breasted Roller
Arguably one of the most iconic and beautiful birds in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Lilac-breasted Roller is a favorite bird among many avian enthusiasts. The striking colors and characteristic display flight make it easy to see why this bird is so well known across the world.
The Lilac-breasted Roller, Coracias cordatus, boasts around eight different feather colors, making it one of Africa’s most colorful species. The name “roller”comes from the captivating flight display that they do to attract a mate, and with the beautiful blues, greens and pinks, it truly is a spectacle to watch.
These birds mate for life, and are known to care for and protect their young fiercely, often found chasing other birds away when they get too close. Perhaps this is why in Southern Africa, the bird is associated with marriage, particularly among the Zulu people, who use the feathers as a symbol of bondage between new couples.
Often found in more open and grassy areas, where hunting is easier, Lilac-breasted Rollers can be found in a variety of woodland and bush country, generally atop higher posts where they have a good view of the ground below. It is this reason that they are an easier bird to capture on photo, but definitely no less magnificent.
October 8, 2025
A Birding Story
When I was ten years old, my mother got a camera for her birthday. She had always loved birds, and so when she got it, that’s what she would take photos of. Over time, I grew to love the challenge of looking at a photo and trying to identify the bird in it. I began to get really good at figuring the birds out, so I started reading literal field guides, and I learned about how birds that may look the same actually had different habitats, calls, and even behaviors. It all just fascinated me.
Then, one day, my mother contacted an old friend of hers, who just happens to be the daughter of the author of the Tanzanian Bird Atlas. They both encouraged us to not only keep birding, but to start documenting what we saw in the field, and from there my love for our avian friends has only ever grown with time.
Birding has become the real and true love of my life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world felt uncertain and everything was locked down, getting out of the house and into nature is what kept me grounded and helped me cope. When I’m having a bad day at school or can’t focus, it’s the sweet song of a Robin-Chat or the criticizing call of a Puffback that pulls me back into reality and motivates me to keep pushing. Birding is no longer just my favorite hobby—it’s a part of who I am. It has taken me to places where I could only ever dream of going, and has shown that now, more than ever, the birds need our help; they are in trouble and it’s up to us to help them. Birding was my wake up call to the reality of the world we live in, what will yours be?