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Peepers

These are the best places in the world to go birdwatching

From South Africa to Ecuador.

BIRD WATCHING IN Ireland is one thing – but doing it in other countries is another thing altogether.

Whether you’re in the mood for travelling or not, feast your eyes on National Geographic’s list of the best places in the world to go birdwatching.

The list has been put together as part of National Geographic’s 2018 Year of the Bird, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. And the photos are pretty stunning.

Here’s a look at some of the locations on the list.

South George Island

001_king-penguin-bird-south-georgia-island The King Penguin on South George Island

Here, you’ll find three-foot tall king penguins on an island studded with glaciers. This is also the final resting place of Ernest Shackleton.

Cape May, New Jersey

002_bird-flock-cape-may-new-jersey A bird flock in Cape May, New Jersey.

At this narrow peninsula you’ll get to see songbirds and warblers, depending on the time of year.

New Guinea Highlands

005_bird-of-paradise-new-guinea A bird of paradise in New Guinea.

What a treat to see the amazing birdlife of New Guinea – described by National Geographic as “a birdwatcher’s wonderland”. The bird in the photo above is the courting male Raggiana bird of paradise.

Mindo, Ecuador

007_hummingbird-mindo-ecuador Hummingbird in Mindo, Ecuador

In this forest – a mile above sea level – you can spot hummingbirds who feed on flowers with names like ‘shining sunbeam’ and ‘glowing puffleg’.

Hula Valley, Israel

008_cranes-hula-valley-israel Cranes in Hula Valley in Israel.

Around a billion birds pass through this area before crossing the Sahara Desert every autumn. Some birds even spend the winter here too, thanks to work done on restoring the wetlands.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

009_kruger-national-park-south-africa Kruger National Park in South Africa,

You’ll have to go on safari here to find some incredible birds – like the secretarybird, which is a type of eagle, and the lesser jacana which has toes that let it stand on floating lily pads.

Also among the places to visit: Nagaland in India, to see Amur falcons, Karum National Park in Ghana to look at the 300 bird species in the park, Broome in Western Australia to catch birds like curlews, knots, godwits and sandpipers. Check out the full National Geographic list here.

Read: Birds may learn new songs in similar way to how children learn new language>

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