Tristan Silver

Tristan is a South African biologist, photographer, birder and content writer. He has had a passion for the outdoors for most of his life, being taught basic biology and being shown animals in their natural habitat from a very young age. He picked up a camera for the first time as an eleven-year-old boy in 2008 and photographed a distant flock of African Green Pigeons on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. Little did he know, this would be the beginning of a journey that has shaped his life.

He is now a passionate birder that can almost always be found with his camera in hand, having never forgotten his roots in photography that led him into the world of birding and exploring. He has travelled extensively throughout South Africa in search of birds, racking up a total of 631 seen species so far. Birds may make up a large portion of his interests, but amphibians, reptiles, insects, some plants and other organisms also pique his interest while exploring. He uses photography as a tool to document his experiences while also putting effort into creating beautiful imagery. His photographs have appeared in the African Birdlife magazine, and he has won photography competitions over the years.

The marine realm has also captivated Tristan since he first entered the ocean with an eye for what lurks below the surface. Once he was old enough, he obtained his Advanced Scuba Diving qualification and has dived on many coral reefs between Durban and Sodwana Bay on the magical east coast of South Africa and in the stunning Red Sea off Hurghada, Egypt. He has admitted that the fascinating diversity of organisms found in underwater ecosystems such as coral reefs would compete with birds if they were more accessible. Pelagic birding is his favourite type of birding. Why? Because it combines his love of birds with the ocean, and watching pelagic birds floating effortlessly over the surface of the ocean is mesmerising.

He completed his honours degree in Biological Sciences, focusing on sensory ecology in frogs, through the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. His most recent exploits found him living in the Kalahari Desert for one year, working as a field research assistant at the Kalahari Research Centre (KRC) in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. There he spent his days with habituated groups of Meerkats, following them as they led their everyday lives - collecting behavioural data for the Kalahari Meerkat Project run by the University of Zurich and the University of Cambridge.

He started writing about his travels and experiences near the end of his school days and has enjoyed doing so ever since. He sees writing as a way to express and share emotions felt during those experiences and combines that with photographs to tell unique stories about unrepeatable moments.

Andean Cock-of-the-rock

14 Beautiful Birds With Orange Heads (With Pictures)

The array of bird species across the globe seemingly has no limit to their colors and patterns. Some color patterns are more commonly seen on birds than others. Some of the rarer color combinations are seen on birds with orange heads. Birds with...

Victoria Crowned Pigeon

12 Splendid Birds With Hair (With Pictures)

Have you ever seen a bird that appears to have hair on top of its head? It may seem like some birds have hair, but they are, in fact, feathers. Birds don’t have any hair on their bodies at all. Nevertheless, birds with feathers on their heads...

Black-billed Magpie

11 Black Birds With White Bellies (With Pictures)

Birds are seen in a wide range of colors and patterns, but few are as visually appealing yet minimalistic as black birds with white bellies. Black and white birds are a common sighting, but those with white bellies, in particular, are far more...

Summer Tanager

10 Beautiful Red Birds in Florida (With Pictures)

Florida is a fabulous destination known for its sunshine, beaches, and amusement parks. But did you know the state is also home to over 550 bird species? Yes, that’s true, and among the array of stunning flying creatures in Florida are the red...

Blue Jay

11 Types of Blue Birds of North America (With Pictures)

In the vibrant realm of birds, few plumage colors invoke a sense of wonder, like the mesmerizing blue tone. Blue birds can be found in vast areas of the planet, from tropical rainforests to local meadows and backyards. Each species shows unique...

Scarlet Tanager

15 Amazing Birds With Red Chests (With Pictures)

Birds are a highly diverse class of animals with an assortment of plumage colorations. Few birds are as striking as those with red chests among the diversity of avian wonders. The intensity of red varies from bright crimson and scarlet to ruby red...

Grey-headed Kingfisher

15 Beautiful Birds With Red Beaks (With Pictures)

Birds are often dressed in unbelievable arrays of colors, which are usually present on their feathers. While feathers are typically their most colorful parts, there are cases when other body parts colorfully outshine the feathers. In the case of...

Juvenile Eurasian eagle owl

How Long Do Owls Live? (Owl Lifespans Explained)

With their enigmatic nocturnal habits and hooting calls, owls have intrigued humans for centuries. The mystery surrounding owls has given rise to various questions about their lives. One of the main questions about owls is: “How long do owls live?”...