Fledgeling Program
About Let’s Go Birding Fledgling Program
The Fledgling Programme – Inspiring the Next Generation of Birders
Let’s Go Birding South Africa is a leading professional birding tour company for local and international birding enthusiasts, offering expertly guided Let’s Go Birding tours and trips across South Africa and beyond. Alongside our professional tours, we are deeply committed to conservation, education and inspiring a lifelong love for nature in future generations through our Fledgling Programme.
Founded by Jacques Giliomee—himself a proud dad of five—the Fledgling Programme was created with a clear purpose: to help preserve our natural environment by introducing children to the joy, value and importance of birding from a young age. In a world where many children spend more time behind screens than outdoors, this initiative encourages kids to reconnect with nature in a meaningful, hands-on way, just as many of us did growing up.
The Let’s Go Birding Fledgling Programme offers free, guided birding outings for children aged 7–10 years and 10–14 years, providing them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to begin their birding journey. These outings are designed to gently guide young birders towards the exciting milestone of identifying their first 100 bird species, while fostering curiosity, respect and awareness of the natural world.
Birding is widely recognised as a powerful educational and developmental activity for children and is strongly supported by conservation organisations such as BirdLife South Africa. Through birding, children learn far more than just bird names—they develop patience, observation skills and a deeper understanding of ecosystems and conservation.
Benefits of Birding for Children
Birding offers a wide range of benefits, including:
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Developing respect, care and love for nature and all its flora and fauna
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Stimulating and enhancing sensory awareness, particularly hearing and sight
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Encouraging mindfulness, focus and being present in the moment
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Promoting outdoor activity, curiosity and environmental responsibility
There is no charge for these outings, but donations are gladly accepted.
