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Untamed Birding with John Kinghorn

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Untamed Birding with John Kinghorn

My name is John Kinghorn - South African Naturalist, Presenter, Conservationist, and Specialist Bird Guide.

This page is a window into my world: a life dedicated to conservation, birding, nature, & helping others connect with the untamed.

07/05/2026

Bird migration isn’t just a journey, it’s an ancient instinct that shifts with the seasons, chases survival, and has the ability to unite nations 🌍
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12/04/2026

A bird’s bill is more than just a bill - it’s a finely tuned tool shaped by diet, habitat, and survival strategy. From cracking seeds to probing mud, every curve and length tells a story, and by paying attention to bill shape, you unlock clues about what birds eat, how they feed, and where to find them.

Next time you’re in the field, don’t just look at the birds obvious features such as its plumage - take time to study its bill and how it’s utilising it. It’s one of the fastest ways to sharpen your ID skills.

13/03/2026

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣’𝙨 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨 - birding shouldn’t be complicated. It doesn’t start with expensive gear or knowing hundreds of names - it starts with simply noticing. The calls outside your window, the movement in a nearby tree, the silhouettes overhead, the difference in feather details.

Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed. Embrace the learning journey! 🪶
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12/03/2026

Exciting updates for the Big Year of African Sounds initiative! 🎶 Have you submitted your sound recordings yet? If not, now is the time! There are monthly challenge prizes up for grab, including chances to win sound recording equipment! 👀
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08/03/2026

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣’𝙨 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨 - starting birding is exciting…but it can also feel incredibly overwhelming! With so many field guides, apps, and tools available, one of the first questions new birders ask is: “What should I actually use?”

The truth is that there isn’t just one correct answer. Different resources work for different people, and the best choice will often depend on how you like to learn and what you want to achieve from your birding journey.

In this instalment of Birding Basics, we’ll walk through some of the most popular options used by birders in Southern Africa today, from traditional field guides to more modern tools, and hopefully help you decide what might work best for you.

Let’s begin 🐦
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31/01/2026

Grace in motion! This stunning 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩-𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝘼𝙡𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 (𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙥𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙖) was a highlight of BirdLife South Africa’s Flock to Marion AGAIN! voyage last year (2025). Although I have been incredibly fortunate to have previously spent time with this species, the thrill of encountering them never fades! These elegant seabirds are true masters of the Southern Ocean, their wingtips akin to brushstrokes on a canvas of wind and water, tracing the crests of the waves with effortless precision. An absolute privilege to be able to share moments with them and marvel at their beauty!
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📍Flock to Marion AGAIN! Voyage | BirdLife South Africa

30/01/2026

Join me as I embark on another South African Birding Big Year, this time, one that’s focused on celebrating South Africa’s incredible bird songs! 🎶

🪶Cornell Lab of Ornithology, SWAROVSKI OPTIK Birding, BirdLife South Africa

23/11/2020

This Great Spotted Cuckoo [Clamator glandarius] had just been harassing some Burchell’s Starlings before briefly pausing to have its picture taken. It’s great to have these birds back in the garden, often heard calling throughout the night as they announce their arrival and enter into territorial disputes.

10/11/2020

I’ve never managed to get a photograph of an African Black Oystercatcher [Haematopus moquini] which I was happy with, so I was glad to spend time with this obliging individual whilst at the Gamtoos River mouth recently 🌊

31/10/2020

An African Scops Owl [Otus senegalensis] has to try very little to conceal himself as he relies entirely on his cryptically coloured plumage to do the job for him. Originally described as a species in 1837 from a specimen collected in Gambia, the African Scops Owl is now widespread across most of sub-Saharan Africa.

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