About Selwyn

Selwyn was brought up near Kitwe and on his grandmother’s farm in Chisamba, Zambia. The farm covered 16,000 acres and had two herds of Sable, with over 200 Sable in one herd alone. This environment sparked his lifelong love for birds, animals, and nature. As a seven-year-old boy, he would wander around listening to bird calls. There were no bird books available at the time, so whenever he heard an unfamiliar sound, he would set out to find the source of his feathered friend, thinking, “Ah, so that’s what you sound like!”

A pair of Ross’s Turacos would make their way past the back garden every day, while the Pennant-winged Nightjar was considered a regular garden bird.

Together with Professor Derrek Engelbrecht and his son, Daniel, he holds the South African record for 336 bird species seen and heard in a single day during Birding Big Day. This achievement took place in the Polokwane, Magoebaskloof, and Tzaneen areas, which explains his deep passion for birding in this part of Limpopo and throughout the continent.

Each year, he records well over 400 bird species within the Greater Gauteng zone and knows the region exceptionally well. Overseas birders who find themselves between birding trips or with a few spare days between work commitments often call on his expertise.

For many years, he has also assisted the West Rand Honorary Rangers with fundraising efforts in the Kruger National Park, allowing him to become highly familiar with the reserve. Specialist birders needing only a handful of species for their Southern African lists are often directed to him, as he has earned a reputation for not giving up until the birds are found.