Allan lives on the Sub-Tropical East Coast of South Africa in an area rich in birdlife.
Participants in his guided walks benefit from his forty years of experience and passion for birds. In addition, his monthly bird talks, as do his Birding with Allan McLennan podcasts, attract a large following.
His other two passions are photographing and painting birds.
He has been involved with numerous local bird counts and is a frequent award winner of South African National Parks Birding events.
Order Passeriformes Family Ploceidae Weavers are captivating seed-eating birds with distinctive rounded conical bills. They are primarily found in sub-Saharan Africa, but some species also thrive in tropical Asia and Australia. This diverse group of...
The Accipitridae family comprises various diurnal birds of prey, such as hawks and eagles, which are familiar to us. These birds display a broad spectrum of adaptations and occupy multiple ecological niches. Some well-known members of this family...
Step into the vibrant world of the Ramphastidae family, home to unique and captivating toucans. These birds and their smaller relatives, the aracaris and toucanets, are renowned for their striking colours and unmistakably large bills. They are a...
Order Falconiformes FamilyFalconidae The Falconidae family includes falcons, kestrels, and caracaras. Small to medium-sized diurnal raptors differ from hawks and their allies by using their beaks instead of their feet to kill prey. Falconiformes...
Order Passeriformes FamilyLaniidae Shrikes have hooked beaks similar to those of raptors. This beak structure enables them to catch small animals and insects. Shrikes use a variety of sharp objects, such as cactus spines, hawthorn thorns, and barbed...
Order Accipitriformes Family Accipitridae Kites are small raptors known for their graceful flight. Their narrow wings and tails give them excellent air maneuverability. These birds are found worldwide and are known for their migratory nature...
Teals are a group of small ducks belonging to the genus Anas of the family Anatidae. Birders can see teals on six major continents and islands. Teals are dabbling ducks, which are a type of true duck species. They are popular game birds. These birds...
The Tits are a diverse group of small passerine birds which belong to the order Passiformes. The family Paridae includes Tits (sometimes called Chickadees), which are found in most continents except Australia, Greenland, and South America. These...
That is the one question I get a lot. How long do birds live? We have seen different species live between three to over eighty years. A lot depends on the species and how we measure their life spans. This is a difficult subject to know for certainty...
“The night was dark and stormy – the rain came tumbling down, the shadow of the raven ……”. This is the typical scenario in fictional horror novels and movies where ravens and crows are stereotyped. Their dark colours, large bills, and equally...