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Some target species include: Blue Korhaan, Rudd’s and Botha’s Lark, Yellow-breasted Pipit, Taita Falcon, Orange Ground Thrush, Black-fronted Bush Shrike, Red-necked Spurfowl and Gurneys Sugarbird, African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron, Green Twinspot, Chorister Robin-Chat, Olive Woodpecker, Cape Batis, Knysna Turaco, Narina Trogon, African Crowned-Eagle, Blue Crane and Wattled Crane.
We also target the Kruger’s “Big 6”: Saddle-billed Stork, Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Pel’s Fishing-Owl and Southern Ground Hornbill.
Grasslands dominate the Highveld plateau, which is largely devoid of native trees except for those along some rivers and sheltered hillsides. The plateau extends across eastern Mpumalanga at an altitude of between 1 400m and 1 800m above sea level.
Typical birds include Long-tailed Widowbird, Southern Red Bishop, Cape Longclaw, Black-shouldered Kite, Blue Crane and Rufous-naped Lark. Prized endemics such as Rudd’s Lark, Botha’s Lark and Yellow-breasted Pipit occur in pristine pockets of this habitat.
The escarpment foothills are a region comprising hills, valleys and boulder outcrops, with forest pockets, thicket and broad-leaved woodlands, and fast-flowing rivers and waterfalls in the wet season. Small patches of evergreen forest grow in sheltered ravines and kloofs in the eastern escarpment.
Typical birds here include Chorister Robin-Chat, Olive Woodpecker, Cape Batis, Knysna Turaco, Narina Trogon and African Crowned Eagle.
A birding trip to the Kruger National Park should be on the bucket list of every birder. Spanning 19 685km², it’s the tenth largest game reserve in the world and home to a vast diversity of birds, including vultures, eagles and storks.
Every year, over a million visitors tally up around 520 species. Birders are also challenged to spot the “Big 6”: Saddle-billed Stork, Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Pel’s Fishing-Owl, and Southern Ground Hornbill.
While birding peaks during the summer months (November to March) with the influx of migratory species, the Kruger remains a rewarding destination year-round. Even in the winter months (May to July), a great number of birds can be seen.
The Kruger forms part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, and its landscapes are varied from mountains and bush plains to forests. Its extensive infrastructure includes 3 000km of road, 23 rest camps, many excellent picnic sites, walking trails and 4×4 routes. It also features hides and dams, optimising sightings.
The Highveld plateau is scattered with pan systems which fill up during the wet summer season and typically hold water into winter. These ephemeral wetlands are a magnet for waterfowl, with ducks, geese, herons, cormorants and others often found in abundance.
Blue, Grey Crowned and Wattled cranes breed in these natural wetlands, while plovers and migratory sandpipers forage on the mudflats. Additionally, skulking rallids, such as Red-chested Flufftail, African Rail, African Snipe and Black Crake make for a challenging and rewarding search.
The Highlands and Wetlands birding route includes Wakkerstroom, Chrissiesmeer and Dullstroom.
Target wetland species: African Crake, Red-chested Flufftail, African Rail, Grey Crowned Crane, African Grass Owl, Greater Painted-Snipe, African Purple Swamphen and African Marsh-Harrier.
Target grassland species: Rudd’s Lark, Botha’s Lark, Yellow-breasted Pipit, Southern Bald Ibis, Blue Korhaan, Denham’s Bustard, Buff-streaked Chat, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Eastern Long-billed Lark and Ground Woodpecker.
Target forest species: Bush Blackcap and Chorister Robin-Chat.
The escarpment foothills are a region comprising hills, valleys and boulder outcrops, with forest pockets, thicket and broad-leaved woodlands. During the wet season, there are fast–flowing rivers and waterfalls. Small patches of evergreen forest grow in sheltered ravines and kloofs in the eastern escarpment.
Typical birds include Bat Hawk, Chorister Robin-Chat, Olive Woodpecker, Cape Batis, Knysna Turaco, Narina Trogon, African Crowned Eagle, Barratt’s Warbler and Cape Longclaw.
The region’s Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, which includes the Swadini Dam, offers a wide variety of typical bushveld species. African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Forest Canary, and Green Twinspot can also be found here.
The areas of Mariepskop and Magoebaskloof are largely dominated by Afromontane forest but also include a portion of Northern Escarpment Afromontane fynbos habitat at the summit.
Exploring both habitats ensures a rewarding day of birding with species such as Orange Ground Thrush, Black-fronted Bush-Shrike, Cape Parrot, Barratt’s Warbler, White Starred Robin, Grey Cuckooshrike, Olive Bush-Shrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Red-necked Spurfowl and Gurney’s Sugarbird to be found.