Daniel Engelbrecht
Tour Leader for Birding Ecotours
Dan grew up in the avian-rich Limpopo Province of northern South Africa, where some of his earliest memories are of time spent in the bushveld with binoculars around his neck. What began as a childhood passion soon developed into a lifelong obsession, and he has spent much of his life chasing birds across southern Africa and further afield.
In 2022, Dan moved to Stellenbosch in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, where he completed a BSc (Hons) degree in Biodiversity and Ecology at Stellenbosch University. He now spends much of his time birding this endemic-rich region, leading tours, or working on his world list in some far-flung corner of the globe.
His pursuit of birds has taken him to a wide range of exciting destinations in recent years, including Australia, Turkey, Madagascar, Mauritius, much of southern Africa (Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, and South Africa), the Southern Ocean, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. He has also travelled in the Neotropics, visiting countries such as Panama, Brazil, and Argentina.
Nothing excites Dan more than searching for a poorly known bird with only a handful of records. He is also an avid spotlight enthusiast, always willing to burn the midnight oil in search of owls, nightjars, frogmouths, and other nocturnal species. Few moments are more satisfying for him than finally illuminating that elusive scops owl after a long game of cat and mouse.
Dan is also a keen eBirder (and reviewer) and enjoys adding new species to his eBird photographic and audio recording lists. Big birding days are always highly anticipated, and his team currently holds the South African record, having recorded 336 species within a single day.
He has always enjoyed sharing his passion with others and regularly presents bird identification courses and talks about birding destinations. An enthusiastic and patient guide, Dan finds guiding deeply rewarding and takes great pleasure in helping others discover new birds and enjoy memorable encounters in the field.
Join Daniel Engelbrecht on the following upcoming tours:
