Rockrunner & Co.
Hello, I'm your Namibian birding concierge
I emigrated to Namibia in 2019 after visiting this beautiful country regularly for years. I've logged more than 200 species within Windhoek city limits and visited almost all of Namibia's far-flung corners. I know where to find both the region’s sought-after endemics and its overlooked gems—and I know how to maximize your budget.
​
Rockrunner & Co. is a dedicated birding operation showcasing Windhoek’s diverse avi-fauna. The name comes from one of my favorite near endemic species, the Rockrunner—a bird as unique and full of character as Namibia itself.
​
Whether you're chasing a few key lifers, hoping to maximize your species count, or simply enjoying the thrill of birding in a new place, I’d love to help you make the most of your time in Windhoek (and Namibia). My tours are designed to be time- and cost-effective for anyone at the start or end of their Namibian adventure.
​
If you’re ready to explore Windhoek’s birdlife, let’s go birding!
My Birding Bone Fides
I coordinate eBird data quality review for Namibia. This volunteer work involves following up on rarity records, evaluating documentation, updating filters, supporting photo IDs, maintaining range maps, and approving hotspots. I also serve as the caretaker reviewer for four southern Angola provinces until a local review team can be established.
Merlin, the popular and free birding app, does not yet know many species in Southern Africa. In fact, it only knows our European migrants and species with global distributions (e.g., Laughing Dove). I am part of a small team working to change that! Together, we are training Merlin's SoundID feature to recognize common garden birds across the subregion (and, later, less common birds).
I run the Namibia Birdsong Collection on Macaulay Library. This space archives bird sounds from Namibia and Botswana, mostly recorded on phones by non-eBirders. All the sounds archived here are shared on local social media, but would otherwise be lost to the void after a few days. The Collection ensures they remain available for research projects and general interest birding.
To be honest, I don't have enough time to do this project justice. Birding Hotspots is an incredible crowd-sourced site dedicated to providing information about the best places to go birding. I edit the Namibia entries and provide written text when I can. I encourage everyone to contribute.
I support the birding community in Namibia through involvement with Namibia Bird Club, participation in a Windhoek garden bird survey, actively contributing to local birding Q&A groups, and, most recently, providing comments on a newly released official country list.
My Birding Story in 10 Birds
1
Black-fronted Bulbul
Also known as the African Red-eyed Bulbul, this friendly little garden visitor was the first bird I intentionally photographed in Namibia. The time was COVID, and I had just finished my PhD dissertation. Now, with a thesis-sized hole in my daily routine, I decided—on a whim—to take up birding again after having last kept a list in middle school (!).