What is the appeal of Birdwatching? 

Birdwatching has grown in appeal alongside a whole host of other outdoor activities. It is generally a leisurely and relaxing hobby which fulfils our natural curiosity and desire to learn as well as meeting the need to challenge oneself. And contrary to some of the stereotypes about birders, most birders are highly sociable and spend a great deal of time in discussion with other birders.

Birding is a challenge. The key challenge is to identify the birds you see, and to find and identify particular birds you want to see. Birding grows from being an interest to being a skill. The skill of finding and identifying birds involves knowledge about the habitat, habits plumage and shape of a bird. Once you're into the fun and challenge of identifying birds, the next step is to keep some sort of record of what you have seen. 

This is where listing starts, and for most birders the most important list is a life-list—a list of all the birds seen in one's lifetime. But listing is far more than just about a life-list, it is a way of keeping track of observations, or of organizing a vast number of experiences and ensuring that they are not lost. 

You progress from building up a life-list to becoming a twitcher. A twitcher is someone who actively seeks out new birds to put on their life-list, and the word is supposed to describe the uncontrollable spasms of excitement when seeing a new bird for the first time. Most birders are twitchers to some extent, but the degree to which the ticking of new species is important is a personal thing. 

Birding Etiquette 

Once you are equipped with a pair of binoculars, a notebook and a field guide, you are on the road to birding. Access to most game and nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and wilderness areas is allowed if the necessary permits are arranged prior to the visit, and any admission fees paid.

Birders, in their innocent pursuit, can disturb and harm the very things that have taken their interest. Watching a flock of terns or roosting waders on a beach might seem harmless enough but if you put them to flight you are directly causing a disturbance. This is tolerable if you do it only once, but repeatedly disturbing flocks causes distress and the birds subsequently move away altogether. This often happens if there is more than one birder in the area.

Making any kind of close approach to breeding colonies of birds can cause incalculable harm and may even result in the entire colony disbanding and deserting, with a total breeding failure in that season. Viewing birds in this situation is simple if a quiet and careful approach is made or, even better, if you use a spotting scope and thus avoid too close an approach altogether.

Recognize situations in which birds will flush: they become very agitated, sometimes giving off alarm notes, and they will begin wing stretching. Respect these signals and leave the vicinity. General disturbance of any breeding birds should be avoided. A nesting bird or a bird with young may feign injury, give alarm calls, or dive bomb an intruder in an effort to distract attention away from its nest or young. When you recognize these signals it is best to limit your time in the immediate area in case you cause the birds to desert.

Using a tape recording of a bird's call or song can entice the bird into the open for better viewing. This practice is useful for attracting the more furtive species, as well as nocturnal species. But use recordings and similar methods sparingly, and do not use these methods in heavily birded areas or during breeding season.

Keep the bird's interest in mind. Remember that the habitat in which you are watching the bird is fragile so take care not to damage it or disturb the area.

Practical Items to Pack: 

Clothing Items:
	Since most birding trips start in the early morning with a chill, layering is essential for comfort
	Long-sleeved shirts and trousers to guard against mosquitoes
	Hat for protection against the sun
	Rubber boots for marsh lands and crossing small streams
	Rain gear and umbrella (helpful when you're trying to use cameras and binoculars in the rain)
General Items:
	Binoculars; camera & film; telescope
	Flashlight & spare batteries (for night walks)
	Birding checklists
	Insect repellant
	Sunscreen, lip protection; sunglasses
	Drinking water

Bird & Mammal Checklists:

Included in the cost of your tour is a personalized bird and mammal checklist of species you are likely to encounter on your tour. Upon request, African Treks will be happy to e-mail a complete list of birds encountered on these trips.