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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.

23/09/2026

What happens when you take a bird call, slow it down, and create a series of notes that are at a pitch and tone that we, as humans, can replicate vocally? Then, what happens once you speed it right back up again? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Well, thanks to Planet Birdsong, here’s the answer!

Birds don’t have vocal cords, but rather have a unique adaptation known as a ‘syrinx’ situated just above the entrance to their airways. Using their syrinx, they’re able to produce the incredible (and not so incredible) calls we’re familiar with…yes, I’m looking at you Hadeda 👀

Needless to say, my attempt to reproduce those of a Greater Honeyguide took a lot of concentration and effort! 😅
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12/09/2026

What I love most about books like these is that they allow us to notice and appreciate the beauty within simplicity. Birding is essentially the art of noticing, and if there is one birding family that has taught us to notice, it’s the Newman family; first Ken, then Vanessa, now Nick.
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This is a book that I would recommend to all who are even mildly interested in pursuing birding here in Southern Africa 📚

09/09/2026

𝟱 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 - 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
If you’ve been interested in dabbling in the world of recording bird calls, now is the time! Thanks to the latest update from Merlin Bird ID you can now upload sound recordings directly onto eBird, in app, and all within a matter of seconds!
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An absolute game changer, the update enables quick, efficient submission of sound recordings, directly from the field! 🎶
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13/08/2026

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣’𝙨 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨: 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜

❗️News flash - if you’re in your 20’s/30’s and contemplating dabbling in the world of birding, I would 10/10 recommend saving this post for your first morning out, or sending it onto that mate who keeps saying “I’ve always schhmaaaaaked mossies”.

This one’s for them 👊🏻

The good news is that you don’t need R20,000 worth of gear to fall in love with birding! 🐧 You just need a handful of things, and I’ve mentioned six of them right here.

Swipe through for the exact starter checklist: a budget pair of binoculars (try initially avoiding those R15k ones - great glass, but the expense may hamper actual birding), the best birding apps for South African birders, why the first couple of minutes at dawn matters more than any piece of gear ever will, and benefits of plugging into the local birding community from day one.

And more importantly — what was the very FIRST bird you ever identified? Tell me below 👇 I want to hear the story.

22/07/2026

Gone are the days where bridge cameras are perceived as something “less” in the wildlife photography space.

The only thing “less” about the new Sony RX10 V is that you’ll have to carry less when heading out into the field on your next trip 📸
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05/07/2026

You don’t need a Southern African field guide to start birding 🐦👀…

This might sound a tad controversial, but hear me out 💭 One of the biggest mistakes people make when getting into birding is buying the biggest, most comprehensive field guide they can find.

While these books are incredible resources, they often contain over 900 species, technical terminology, and page after page of information that can feel overwhelming when you’re just getting started. The truth is, your first bird book should build your confidence and get you birding! 💪🏻

Whether it’s a guide organised by colour, a book that focuses on garden birds, a regional guide, or one that teaches the fundamentals of birding, there are plenty of excellent resources designed specifically for newcomers to this incredible lifestyle. Each offers something different, but they all have one thing in common: they help you develop your skills without overwhelming you 📚

Remember, every experienced birder started by learning the common birds first. Once you’ve become comfortable with those, moving on to a comprehensive Southern African field guide becomes a far more enjoyable, and rewarding, experience.

Swipe through these slides to discover six books that are personal recommendations of mine, and make excellent companions for anyone taking their first steps into birding!
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29/06/2026

Twelve years, thousands of hours, countless missed shots, unforgettable moments, and lessons learnt that no camera could teach.

I’m still learning: every trip teaches me something new, every post from a personal inspiration makes me rethink an angle, every missed shot reminds me there’s always room to grow, and every image I’m proud of - and shout of “YES!” in the field - is built on countless imperfect ones that came before it.

I’m still far from where I would like to be, but that’s the beauty of it, isn’t it? There’s always another sunrise, another bird, another opportunity for us to learn, and another moment in nature we can capture through our lens and use to share a story 📸
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10/06/2026

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣’𝙨 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨 - birds communicate through an astonishing variety of sounds, from simple contact calls and alarm notes to elaborate songs used to attract mates and defend territories. Learning and understanding bird calls opens up an entirely new dimension of birding 🎶
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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

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣’𝙨 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨 - 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 bird's obvious features, such as its plumage - take time to study its bill and how it’s utilizing it. It’s one of the fastest ways to sharpen your ID skills.

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