South Africa's coastal zone varies from extreme desert in the west to wet, sub-tropical forests in the south and east, from long sandy beaches and rich estuaries to vertical cliffs fending off the pounding surf of the southern oceans. The biodiversity of this zone is stunning and is reflected in the rich bird life with some 600 species - from albatrosses (at least 7 species) patrolling the boundless ocean expanse to the wide variety of eagles found in mountain, forest and woodland areas. A good proportion of the land-based species are endemic to South Africa.

The forests and thickets of the eastern coastal zone are a southerly extension of more northern vegetation types and as such, act as a narrow corridor down which many tropical species may penetrate into the more temperate regions of the continent. These then add considerably to the species that are more typically southern.

For the enthusiastic birder, the vast variety of both resident and migrant birds always holds some as-yet-to-see species. To observe even 75% of the birds present in South Africa may take the keen observer a lifetime, however careful observation during a casual day-trip can often reveal close to 100 different species.