Birds on the brink

Hierdie boeiende pragpublikasie, met baie volkleurfoto’s en kaarte, beslaan 312 bladsye en word deur PRHSA uitgegee. Dit belig Suid-Afrika se bedreigde voëlspesies en diegene wat werk om hulle te red. Hierdie boek hoort in elke huis, want ek glo dit is ons kollektiewe plig om sulke verdienstelike en broodnodige inisiatiewe te ondersteun.

Die uitgewersbrief lui: “Birds on the Brink is an important and captivating book. Rooted in BirdLife South Africa’s Regional Red Data Book, it brings to the popular market the plight of the coastal, marine and terrestrial bird species most at risk within South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. The book highlights the beauty, unique traits yet vulnerabilities of these birds, emphasising the threats to their existence, including habitat loss, climate change, energy infrastructure and competition for resources. Personal accounts from scientists and guides working on the front lines offer insight into the passion, commitment and skill required to protect and safeguard these species for a viable future. A valuable resource for birders, students, educators, conservationists and anyone who cares about the future of our planet, Birds on the Brink is both an enduring record and a call to action. It is also a reminder that while the challenges are immense, so too is our capacity for change.”

Ek lees op bladsy 13: “Bird populations the world over are in decline. According to BirdLife International, nearly half of all bird species are trending downward, with more than one in eight at risk of extinction. While this trend is largely generated by human action, there is still hope that birds can be brought back from the brink. In this, science is showing the way, first by understanding the threat imperilling birds, and secondly by implementing strategies to help safeguard them. This book combines scientific rigour with compelling storytelling to detail the vulnerabilities of birds most at risk in South Africa and its neighbours, Lesotho and Eswatini, and to spotlight the people whose efforts are helping to save them.”

Meer oor die skrywers: Alan Lee is ‘n ornitoloog en bewaringsbioloog en die programbestuurder vir wetenskap en innovasie by BirdLife South Africa. Shamiso Banda is ‘n bewaringskundige, navorser en wetenskapkommunikeerder.

Kyk na ‘n kort video van die boek hier.

Birds on the Brink is by boekwinkels beskikbaar, maar jy kan dit ook hier aanskaf. 

South African Birds by Name

Hierdie hardebandpublikasie beslaan 233 bladsye en word deur Struik Nature, ‘n druknaam van PRHSA uitgegee. Die mooiste volkleurillustrasies vergesel die inskrywings. Die boek belig die oorsprong en betekenisse van voëlname. Dit is die ideale gids vir beginnervoëlkykers, maar selfs kenners sal hierdie interessante inligting van waarde vind.

Die uitgewersbrief lui: “What’s in a name? As birding grows in popularity, more and more people are beginning to appreciate that birds carry not only ecological significance but represent unique stories, embedded in the names they’ve been given. South African Birds by Name provides insight into the origins and meanings of these ‘scientific’ names, mostly rooted in Greek and Latin, helping readers to make sense of the species they are looking at. Eddie Germiquet has painstakingly researched historic explorer accounts, indigenous names, ancient mythologies and early science writings to demystify and simplify the nomenclature. Where a name derives from a physical attribute of the bird, he has drawn a captivating illustration to depict it. Names deriving from explorers, biologists and other historical figures are also explained, uncovering some fascinating histories.”

Mark D. Anderson (CEO BirdLife SA) skryf op bladsy 5: “South African Birds by Name arrives at an important moment in South African ornithology. As the number of birders increases, the need for a deeper nderstanding of bird names has become clear. Knowing why a bird is called what it is transforms identifiation from a simple exercise into a richer engagement with nature. Etymology adds texture to observation – it invites us to consider the explorers, scientists, indigenous peoples and storytellers whose words have defined our knowledge of the avian world.”

Wat ‘n wonderlike nalatenskap is hierdie boek nie! My kopie kry ‘n ereplek op my boekrak.

Meer oor die skrywer: Eddie Germiquet het sedert sy kinderjare ‘n passie vir voëls. Ná sy aftede het hy interpretatiewe vaardighede toegepas en ‘n persoonlike projek aangepak om die oorsprong en betekenis van voëlname te ondersoek.

South African Birds by Name is by boekwinkels beskikbaar, maar jy kan dit ook hier aanskaf.

Kompetisie

Twee gelukkige KragDag-lesers kan elk ‘n kopie van óf South African Birds by Name óf Birds on the Brink wen. Die boekpryse kan slegs na ‘n adres in Suid-Afrika gestuur word waar ‘n koerier wel aflewer. Om vir die pryse in aanmerking te kom, kan jy hier onder in die kommentaarveld vertel waarom jy graag ‘n kopie sal wil wen. Sluitingsdatum: 1 Desember 2026.