Online Birding Enthusiast Course

Online Birding Enthusiast Course

Take your passion for birds to new heights with EcoTraining's flagship Online Birding Enthusiast Course, written by the late Joe Grosel (1966–2021), one of southern Africa's most loved birding specialists.

Over six weeks of twice-weekly live online lectures, you'll work through ten expertly crafted modules covering bird evolution, anatomy, physiology, behaviour and identification, all grounded in Joe's renowned SSBHVC method (Size, Shape, Behaviour, Habitat, Voice, Colour).

No equipment required. Just your eyes, your ears, and a willingness to slow down. Every session is recorded, every module comes with a downloadable study guide, and you'll graduate with an EcoTraining Certificate of Participation. Join 84 birders already enrolled.

View Course details

· 27 February 2026

Live cohort · 23 June – 28 July 2026

Welcome back, birder.

Your Online Birding Enthusiast journey is underway. Pick up where you left off, join the next live lecture, or explore the library — everything you need is on this page.

Take your passion for birds to new heights.

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Continue Learning

Module 1 — Bird Evolution, Taxonomy & Morphology

Start with Module 1 · 10 modules in total

Start Module 1 →

Next Live Session

Twice weekly · Tue + Thu · 18:00 SAST

⬤ Live · Upcoming

Module 1 — Bird Evolution, Taxonomy & Morphology

Tuesday 23 June 2026 · 18:00 – 20:00 SAST (GMT+2)

Lecturer: EcoTraining Birding Team · 60-90 min lecture + Live Q&A

Join Zoom Live → Add to Calendar

Tue 23 June · Module 1 — Bird Evolution Thu 25 June · Module 2 — External Anatomy

Your Modules

10 modules · Click to open

Bird Evolution, Taxonomy & Morphology

Live Tue 23 Jun

External Bird Anatomy

Live Thu 25 Jun

Internal Bird Anatomy

Live Tue 30 Jun

Bird Physiology

Aspects of Bird Behaviour

Bird Identification: Step-by-Step

Key Features of Bird Families

Live Tue 14 Jul

Bird ID Groupings of southern Africa

Live Thu 16 Jul

Perching Birds (Advanced Passerines)

Live Tue 21 Jul

Live Thu 23 Jul

Bird Call Library

95+ species · Cornell-quality recordings

Listen to the bush.

Quick samples from your 95-species call library. Use these in tandem with the Merlin Sound ID app — voice is often the single most reliable way to identify a bird.

Bateleur

African Hoopoe

Fork-tailed Drongo

Black-collared Barbet

Browse Full Library (95 calls) →

Study Guide PDFs

Print, take to the field, take into the bush

01

Bird Evolution, Taxonomy & Morphology

Key terms · Diagram references

02

External Bird Anatomy

Topography · Feathers · Beaks · Feet

03

Internal Bird Anatomy

Skeleton · Respiration · Heart · Digestion

04

Bird Physiology

Flight · Song · Thermoregulation

05

Aspects of Bird Behaviour

Courtship · Nesting · Song vs Call · Migration

06

Bird Identification: Step-by-Step

The SSBHVC method

07

Key Features of Bird Families

25+ families covered in detail

08

Bird ID Groupings of southern Africa

Grassland · Woodland · Wetland · Coastal · Arid · Fynbos · Forest

09

Perching Birds (Advanced Passerines)

Songbirds · LBJs · 11 family deep-dives

10

Raptors

Eagles · Hawks · Falcons · Vultures · Conservation

Recommended Apps & Resources

Take into the field with you

Cornell Lab’s free sound + photo identification app. Essential for the SSBHVC voice step.

Birds of the World

Cornell Lab’s full life-history reference. Subscription required for deep dives.

Southern African Bird Atlas Project — submit sightings, view species distribution.

The global birding logbook. Track your life list, find hotspots, contribute to science.

Your Community

You’re not birding alone

Cohort WhatsApp Group

Share sightings, ask questions between sessions, post photos, find your tribe.

Join the Group →

Need Help?

Question about the platform, your enrolment, a missed session or a study guide? Our eLearning team responds within one business day.

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Your Certificate Awaits

Complete all ten modules and pass the final assessment to graduate with your EcoTraining Online Birding Enthusiast Certificate of Participation.

10 modules · Final assessment unlocks at 100%

🐤 Follow the Flock

Fill your feed with feathers. These accounts keep the learning going between modules — local heroes first.

🇿🇦 South African voices

BirdLife South Africa

Conservation news & events

Stunning SA bird photography

BirdLasser Community

Where SA birders share sightings

African Birdlife Magazine

Website & socials

The flagship SA birding magazine

🌍 World-class birding feeds

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

@audubonsociety

Daily bird beauty & science

Bird song & ID channels

Train your ear between lessons

Quick, fun bird clips & IDs