I still remember the moment my first safari guide stopped the vehicle, hummed with excitement, and pointed towards… a bird.
My heart sank a little. A bird? We have birds at home! Can we go find a lion or an elephant?
On a later trip, I had a guide who drastically changed my feelings about birds. When we stopped in the bush for a sunset, she pulled out her bird book, handed me a list of species found in the area, offered me her binoculars, and began explaining all the little details to keep in mind about birds. She gave me advice on how to distinguish calls, how to read a flight pattern from a distance, what to look for in a nest. Little by little, the constant chatter I had been ignoring as background noise while searching for a “real” game became something I actually listened to.
The alarm calls forced us to stop and scan the area for predators. The vultures flying overhead meant that something might be feasting on a nearby carcass. And suddenly, counting species became its own kind of game. On my recent trip to Botswana, we saw over 120 species of birds in the delta alone; colorful songbirds, harems of ostriches, elusive owls and just about everything else.
This is what completely reframed birding for me: large mammals are relatively consistent from one safari destination to the next. But birdlife can change dramatically depending on the landscape, the season and where in the world you are. Adds a completely new layer to each destination.
So the next time your guide stops and points at a bird, lean in instead of looking past it. Ask them to open the bird book (I’ve never been in a safari vehicle that didn’t have one). Ask about the courtship dances, the nests that different species build, which makes each one unique. You’ll be surprised how quickly a “background bird” becomes one of the highlights of your trip!
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