TBL Podcast - Season 13 Episode 1 - The Big Year of African Sounds: A Conservation Movement in the Making

In this episode, we explore one of the most exciting and impactful initiatives in African birding for 2026: The Big Year of African Sounds.

Joining me are two key voices behind the project – Ian Davies from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and John Kinghorn, BirdLife South Africa’s Avitourism Manager. Together, we dig into the heart of this ambitious collaboration that aims to capture the continent’s birdlife through sound.

We’ll talk about how this project helps conservation, how it supports guides and local communities, and why even your basic phone recording can make a difference. We'll also share some practical advice on how you can get involved, and how recording bird sounds can transform your own birding journey.

This episode is more than a conversation about apps and recordings – it’s about community, purpose, and building something together that could impact African birding for years to come.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Big Year of African Sounds https://www.africansounds.org/

eBird https://ebird.org/