Photos with this report (click to enlarge) | |||
 Cape Sugarbird |
 Southern Double-collared Sunbirds |
 Cape Eagle-Owl |
|
 Red-winged Francolin |
 White-starred Robins |
 Arrow-marked Babblers |
|
Overview
This private tour was run for the Tucson Audubon Society and was divided into two portions. An eight-day leg in and around Cape Town and the Western Province, followed by a ten-day Kruger and highveld leg. Most clients joined for both the Cape and Kruger legs, but there were a small number of clients who joined only the Cape leg and only the Kruger leg respectively. Run during the spring period in South Africa, this tour was timed to maximize the birding potential, due to the onset of the breeding season in South Africa. Adverse weather did not play a role in this tour, and largely good weather (though cold on a few days around the Cape) was had throughout the tour.
The Cape leg started in Cape Town, the mother city of South Africa. Here several days were spent exploring the wonders of the Cape Peninsula, taking a pelagic boat trip in search of various seabirds, and a visit to some of the False Bay birding sites, such as Rooiels, to look for a number of endemic birds like Cape Rockjumper. We then transited up the west coast to the charming hamlet of Langebaan, scenically set on the Langebaan Lagoon, before heading inland to the rain-shadow side of the Cederberg Mountains and the desolate plains of the Tankwa Karoo (and all its many endemic birds). The trip then ended back in Cape Town, before moving onwards to the bustling metropolis of Johannesburg in central South Africa for the Kruger leg of the tour. From Johannesburg, the tour headed eastwards towards the world-famous Kruger National Park, with stops along the way in the rolling grasslands of Dullstroom, set in the high altitude hills of the Drakensberg Mountains, along with the montane forests of Mount Sheba, on the edge of the escarpment. Five days in the wonderful Kruger National Park followed, before rounding off the trip in style in the diverse acacia thornveld of the Rust de Winter region, just outside of Johannesburg.
Combining both legs the tour totaled 17-days, and covered a wide range of habitats. The endemic-rich Western Cape province produced some of South Africa’s most wanted specials, such as Cape Rockjumper, Black Harrier, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler and Karoo Eremomela, while the pelagic trip off Cape Town yielded numbers of albatrosses and petrels in an incredible spectacle of birds. The Kruger leg produced some fine regional specialties as well, such as Gurney’s Sugarbird, Cape Eagle Owl, Orange Ground Thrush and Knysna Turaco, along with some of Kruger’s iconic species such as Southern Ground Hornbill, Kori Bustard and Saddle-billed Stork. Mammals also featured heavily on the tour, and on top of finding and enjoying ‘The Big 5’ (which are African Elephant, African Buffalo, White Rhino, Lion and Leopard), we were treated to special sightings of other scarce mammals such as African Wild Dog and Honey Badger. The total bird list exceeded 400 species, and the mammal list well over 50 species. The full lists can be found at the end of this tour report.
Detailed Report
Day 1, 24th September 2022. Birding the Cape Peninsula
The whole group had arrived a few days prior to the official beginning of the tour, so we had a full day at our disposal to get familiar with some of the local species, in some of the most majestic settings on the Cape Peninsula. Our morning began at the famous Boulder’s Beach – home to a large African Penguin colony. Here the African Penguins were the main highlight, and put on a good show for us. We also managed to acquaint ourselves with the likes of more widespread species such as Southern Boubou, Cape Robin-Chat, Karoo Prinia, Southern Double-collared Sunbird and Red-winged Starling, amongst others. The rocky shoreline also provided us with African Oystercatchers, along with several marine cormorants including the scarce Crowned Cormorant, a variety of gulls and terns, including Hartlaub’s and Grey-headed Gulls, and several Eurasian Whimbrels. Numbers of Rock Hyrax were also present.
The Cape Point section of the scenic Table Mountain National Park followed, and we spent our time exploring the Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope environs, along with a few areas throughout the park. We added some good birds to our trip list with the likes of Common Ostrich, Southern Boubou, Cape Grassbird, Cape Bunting and Rock Kestrel putting in appearances, while some exploring of the flowering proteas gave up the incredible Cape Sugarbird along with bright Orange-breasted and Malachite Sunbirds. Yellow Bishops were also present in the fynbos. The park also gave our mammal list a bit of a boost, with a few of the large Common Eland visible, along with the ever-present Chacma Baboons and numbers of Afro-Australian Fur Seals off the coast.
Eventually, we had to tear ourselves away, and we enjoyed the scenic coastal ride as we made our way to the impressive Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. These famous gardens need no introduction, and our afternoon walk through showed us exactly why. Scenery aside, the birding was excellent, and we made slow progress. Nesting Spotted Eagle-Owls halted us at the gate, before masses of activity in a flowering section delivered the likes of Bronze Mannikin, Common Waxbill, Pin-tailed Whydah, Cape Canary and several bright sunbirds we had become acquainted with earlier in the day. Moving through the gardens we added the likes of Speckled Mousebird, Cape Spurfowl, Helmeted Guineafowl and the scarce Forest Canary. We also enjoyed some good raptor watching, with great looks at Forest Buzzard, along with a young Black Sparrowhawk. Following a magical first day exploring the Cape Peninsula, we settled in for the evening.
Day 2, 25th September 2022. Pelagic off the Cape Peninsula
The sea conditions and weather had aligned for today, and meant we were able to depart on our scheduled pelagic birding trip, out of Hout Bay. After getting on board our boat, we paused for the likes of Crowned Cormorant and Grey Heron in the harbor, before we found ourselves heading out to the deep. A Southern Right Whale brought us to a stop soon after, where we enjoyed great looks as it loafed around the surface and breached several times. We picked up on a distant trawler, and made our way towards her, with the birds picking up as we pulled into her wake. Shy and Black-browed Albatrosses dominated the proceedings, along with White-chinned Petrel, while smaller numbers of Sooty Shearwater and Cape Gannet were also present. As we began sifting through the vast numbers of birds we added a few others like Northern Giant Petrel, Brown (Sub-antarctic) Skua and Common Tern. We also eventually picked out a Cape (Pintado) Petrel, but try as we might, we couldn’t turn up any other pelagic birds. We visited another trawler on our way back in, but very few birds were present behind this boat. A stop off at Seal Island, just outside Hout Bay, finally delivered us our last marine cormorant – Bank Cormorant, amongst the hordes of Afro-Australian Fur Seals. We had the afternoon at leisure, as we recouped from a good, but tiring day out at sea.
Day 3, 26th September 2022. Birding False Bay and beyond
An always exciting day, as we made our way through Cape Town, and out to the other side of False Bay – bound for the Hottentot Hollands range, where we would focus our efforts on finding the specials of Rooiels and Betty’s Bay. A cool, drizzly and breezy morning greeted us as we stepped out of the car at Rooiels. It was a pretty quiet morning with little in the way of bird activity, but our patience was rewarded with good and extended views of the highly prized Cape Rockjumper, including a seemingly fledged chick being fed by the parents. Ground Woodpecker frustrated us by calling out of sight, and we also notched up the likes of Peregrine Falcon and Booted Eagle, along with Cape Rock Thrush. We also enjoyed repeat views of the likes of Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Grey-backed Cisticola and Yellow Bishop.
After a coffee to warm up, we headed out to Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, where we spent a few hours exploring. The sun had just come out now, and the activity level increased dramatically. We quickly added a few new species with Streaky-headed Seedeater and Bar-throated Apalis, along with enjoying good views of other special birds like Swee Waxbill, before a Brimstone Canary stole the show for a bit. We enjoyed our first views of Cape Weaver, along with several hirundines such as Black Saw-wing and White-throated Swallow. Exploring some of the mountain fynbos finally gave some good views of Cape Siskin, with several fleeting views earlier in the day, along with Neddicky and another Cape Rock Thrush. Here we also finally heard Victorin’s Warbler, and spent a while working the bird, with only me getting brief views of this shy species. We eventually left the bird in peace, without views, finding a party of Cape Batis and Amethyst Sunbird, before calling it time on our botanical garden visit. A brief Verreaux’s Eagle was seen by some, flying overhead. We transited back to Cape Town, pausing for a pair of Blue Cranes – South Africa’s national bird, near Grabouw, before a final stop at Sir Lowry’s Pass produced a showy Victorin’s Warbler that we all managed to get onto in record time. We settled in for the evening following another good day in the field!
Day 4, 27th September 2022. Birding up the West Coast
After a hearty breakfast, we gathered all our things, and set off for the west coast north of Cape Town – bound for our eventual end destination at Langebaan. We started off our morning in the Darling Hills area, where we unsuccessfully hunted for Cape Clapper Lark, but did manage several views of the prized Southern Black Korhaan. The mix of agricultural lands and natural renosterveld was extremely birdy, and we added a number of species as we went along. The delightful Bokmakierie was thoroughly enjoyed, as were the likes of African Hoopoe, Cardinal Woodpecker and European Bee-eater. Several raptors were seen including Jackal Buzzard, Yellow-billed Kite and African Marsh Harrier, amongst others. We also enjoyed our first looks at Pied Starling and Southern Red Bishop, and managed to eke out the likes of Long-billed Crombec and both African Reed and Little Rush Warbler, from their thickets. Numbers of Pearl-breasted Swallows were busy over the area. Following our lunch break in Darling – a town that invokes its name – we journeyed towards the West Coast National Park, pausing at the Tinie Versveld Nature Reserve for a few grassland species. Here it took us a long while to track down the persistently calling Cloud Cisticola, but our patience and perseverance were rewarded with good views in the end. We also enjoyed Capped Wheatears, Large-billed Larks, Cape Longclaws and Yellow Canaries while we searched.
We eventually made it to the West Coast National Park, and immediately headed off for the Geelbek hides, where to our dismay found the tide already in. Nonetheless, we still checked it out, and enjoyed both Greater and Lesser Flamingo side by side, along with bits and pieces of several shorebirds – everything from Common Ringed and Kittlitz’s Plovers, to Pied Avocet, Common Greenshank, Little Stint and Marsh Sandpipers. A quick visit to the nearby Abrahmaskraal Waterhole produced a fine array of birds, and we found it hard to leave the place when the time came. Fine male Southern Black Korhaans showed well on the plains outside the hide, while an even better Black Harrier came swooping around giving all excellent views! Dainty Black Crakes and shy African Rails both showed, with the African Rails in particular coming extremely close. We also added several common waterbirds, along with Cape Shoveler and a group of African Spoonbills. Pressing onwards to Seeberg hide in the north, we finally found Grey-winged Francolin, and the walkway down to the hide gave up Cape Penduline Tit, Chestnut-vented Warbler and Karoo Scrub Robin. The tide was still in, which was beneficial because the different nature of the sandbars meant that more shorebirds congregate here at high tide. Numbers of African Oystercatchers and Common Whimbrels were present, as were Common Greenshank and White-fronted Plover. Some careful scanning revealed a Curlew Sandpiper amongst them all. We also got more looks at both Greater and Lesser Flamingo, and added a few Terns to the list with Sandwich and Caspian showing. Following a long, but excellent, day which yielded more than 100 species, we settled in for the evening.
Day 5, 28th September 2022. Birding from Langebaan to the Tankwa Karoo
Our morning kicked off at the nearby Langebaan Quarry, where a pair of Verreaux’s Eagles have bred for some time. While the adults were missing in action, we did see the large fledged chick on the nest, and spent some time watching the bird, along with the antics of the many nearby Rock Kestrels – some of which were even landing on the eagle nest as well. Numbers of African Black Swifts were also present in the area. Some of the coastal vegetation nearby gave up a fine Cape Penduline Tit, along with Red-faced Mousebird and our first views of White-throated Canary. Soon we found ourselves bound for the Vredenberg farmlands, where Cape Long-billed Lark would be our main target. Our main access point was closed due to roadworks, and we opted to explore another quiet backroad. It took a few goes, but persistence and a lot of careful scanning eventually gave us an excellent Cape Long-billed Lark. Also present here were close Blue Crane, numbers of Large-billed and Red-capped Larks, and masses of Capped Wheatears, amongst other more widespread species.
A detour back to Langebaan followed, before we got going once more – pausing at the Kliphoek Salt Pans for some brief post-lunch birding. Things started off with a bang as we found a Chestnut-banded Plover, our main target at the first time of asking, and at the same spot, a lovely Secretarybird walking in the surrounding fields. It took a while before we all had good looks at the Secretarybird, while we found many more Chestnut-banded Plovers as we went along. Masses of both Greater and Lesser Flamingos were present on the pans, while a stately African Swamphen walked the edges of some reeds and African Spoonbill probed around the shallower reaches. Nearby, a tern roost held several species from Caspian and Greater Crested Terns to Whiskered and Sandwich Terns. Several other shorebird species we had seen yesterday were also seen, as was a large grouping of Black-necked Grebes in a variety of plumage states. Bright European Bee-eaters were also enjoyed. Before long, we had to pull ourselves away, and continue our journey to the Tankwa Karoo, where we would spend the next two nights. This was a spectacular drive passing through the Cederberg Mountains, and our final stop of the day gave us the hoped-for Cape Clapper Lark, right on cue. We settled in for the evening following another long, but great, day!
Day 6, 29th September 2022. Birding the Tankwa Karoo
A beautiful day dawned over the Tankwa Karoo, and following a hearty breakfast, saw us heading out into the plains in search of the many endemics that call this home. We got off to a good start enjoying Layard’s Warbler and Grey Tit around the lodge, before finding the first of many Karoo Chats for the day. Excellent views of Large-billed Lark were enjoyed, before we picked out our first Karoo Lark. While enjoying great views of the latter, the subtly beautiful Rufous-eared Warbler piped up and showed nicely for all. A lively group of Karoo Eremomelas didn’t put up too much of a fight – this area surely being one of the best areas in the country to connect with this otherwise decidedly tricky bird. Stops here and there gave up further species such as Tractrac and Sickle-winged Chats, Spike-heeled Larks, while Karoo Korhaans were heard a few times, and rather unfortunately seen only by Luke and I, despite a huge amount of effort. Denser karooid vegetation finally gave up Yellow-bellied Eremomela, before we started working a small riverine area. The bird life here was truly prolific, and we quickly notched up the hoped for Namaqua Warbler, along with the lively Fairy Flycatcher. Several Acacia Pied Barbets along with White-throated Canary, Red-faced Mousebird, Layard’s Warbler, Long-billed Crombec, Karoo Scrub Robin, and Fiscal Flycatcher, amongst others, were all enjoyed. Our excitement wasn’t over yet, when we picked up a Black-headed Canary moving overhead – and followed it into the distance. We moved on up to the area where it had seemingly landed and enjoyed much better looks, albeit briefly, before it disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared.
We eventually had to tear ourselves away and break for lunch, and we settled into a lovely rocky area. Almost as soon as we stepped out of the car, we picked up the hugely prized Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, and spent a short while enjoying the bird as it snuck around the rocky cervices it frequents, and calling atop bushes. Following our lunch, a short spell of birding produced yet more birds with a pair of Pale-winged Starlings and Mountain Wheatear being found, while both Booted Eagle and African Harrier Hawk were seen overhead. We made our way back to the lodge, with a surprise group of Namaqua Sandgrouse, here at the very southern edge of their range, and a Pale Chanting Goshawk stopping us. Following a truly excellent day out, we had the afternoon at leisure. A night drive post-dinner was rather on the quiet side, except for a wonderful Spotted Eagle-Owl sighting.
Day 7, 30th September 2022. Birding from the Tankwa Karoo to Cape Town
Our last full day of the Cape section of the tour had arrived, and our morning saw us visiting a nearby wetland, where we unsuccessfully tried for views of a vocal Red-chested Flufftail. Many other species were around and kept us busy in the interim, with the likes of White-backed Mousebird, Bokmakierie, Karoo Thrush, Karoo Chat, Mountain Wheatear, Malachite Sunbird and Nicholson’s Pipit, amongst others. We also enjoyed views of African Reed Warbler, while a calling Little Bittern remained out of sight. Following another good breakfast, we gathered our things, and started the drive back to Cape Town. A parting gift for us was another group of the scarce Namaqua Sandgrouse flying by.
Protea Canary was the next target on our radar, and our first stop near Ceres had us nearly get blown off the hills by an immensely strong wind. We sought shelter lower down the slopes, and had to make do with the likes of Bar-throated Apalis, Malachite Sunbird and several of the similar Streaky-headed Seedeaters – but no Protea Canary. We headed to another site en-route, and found the wind to have totally died down here, but the Protea Canaries were notable only by their absence. We spent a while working this site, and enjoyed other species such as Verreaux’s Eagle flying overhead, while a pair of bright Cape Rock Thrushes sat atop some proteas, and a Victorin’s Warbler called from some of the denser stands of thickets. We eventually had to call it, and made our way onwards to the Strandfontein Nature Reserve, which incorporates a fantastic sewage treatment plant that houses many waterbirds. This would be our final stop of the day, and we spent a few hours working the network of pans and waterbodies. As usual, vast numbers of birds were present, and amongst the hordes of Cape Teals, Cape Shovelers and Greater Flamingos, we enjoyed scarcer species such as Fulvous Whistling Duck, Southern Pochard, Maccoa Duck, Glossy Ibis, Lesser Flamingo and Great White Pelican. The reedy verges held onto African Swamphens, and a bright Malachite Kingfisher, while the muddy verges supported a few shorebirds, notably Black-winged Stilt and Pied Avocet. The surrounding areas gave us further species including Zitting Cisticola, Yellow Bishop and Pin-tailed Whydah. We wrapped up our time in and around the Cape with a good meal, before settling in for the evening.
Day 8, 1st October 2022. Flight to Johannesburg, and start of Kruger leg
The day was set aside as a travel day, with most of the group making their way up to Johannesburg to continue with the Kruger leg of this tour. We had an easy morning before saying farewell to Bill, who would be leaving the group and not joining the Kruger leg, and making our way to the airport.
We had a smooth trip, checking in to our well-appointed lodge in Johannesburg in the mid-afternoon. Here we met with the new participants joining only this leg of the tour, and enjoyed some garden birding around the lodge grounds before settling in for the evening. We were able to acquaint ourselves with several common garden birds such as Crested Barbet, Dark-capped Bulbul, Karoo Thrush, Red-headed Finch and Streaky-headed Seedeater, amongst others. A surprise Red-throated Wryneck was a welcome sighting.
Day 9, 2nd October 2022. Birding Johannesburg, and transfer to Dullstroom
Our morning started off at the nearby Bullfrog Pan, where we enjoyed a productive session of waterbirding. The birds rolled in thick and fast, and some early highlights went to the likes of Fulvous Whistling Duck, Blue-billed Teal, Southern Pochard and Maccoa Duck. Numbers of African Spoonbill were present, and we did well to notch up the mighty Goliath Heron as well. A big heronry was present here, and a wide variety of egrets, herons and ibises were constantly moving about. The reedbeds held various warblers, with only Lesser Swamp Warbler showing for us, whilst ubiquitous species such as Southern Red Bishop, Southern Masked Weaver and African Stonechat all entertained. The surrounding suburbia added various other species such as Green Wood Hoopoe, Black-collared Barbet, Red-throated Wryneck, African Olive Pigeon, Red-headed Finch and the introduced Rose-ringed Parakeet. Back at our lodge, we gathered our belongings and set off, bound for the quaint holiday town of Dullstroom, set in the high Drakensberg mountains. We arrived in good time and, following a short break at our wonderful guesthouse, we set out for the afternoon. Some birding in the area got us excellent views of a pair of Blue Cranes, and some very distant views of the prized Gurney’s Sugarbird for some (though we vowed to try again for the sugarbird). Bright Cape Longclaws were also enjoyed, as were the delightfully common Long-tailed Widowbirds. We settled in for a vigil in the area, hoping for the scarce Cape Eagle-Owl to show, and we were in for a treat. Shortly after settling in, Luke expertly spotted the bird up on a distant slope, and we spent the next hour or so enjoying the most incredible sighting, as the bird called continuously. We did not approach the bird at all, and enjoyed our distant views through the scope. We were also treated to a second individual popping up and joining in on the show. Of course, a wide range of other species were also seen whilst we were enjoying the owls, with special mention going to Purple Heron, Long-crested Eagle, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers and Pied Starling, amongst others. A Spotted-necked Otter was also seen frolicking about nearby. Eventually though, with the sun setting, we called it a day and retired for dinner. Post-dinner, we opted for a short night drive into the surrounds, where our main target, African Grass Owl, showed wonderfully, right on cue. Just like on our previous tour through the area, we reveled in the experience of having multiple Striped Flufftails hooting around us in the dark of night. Whilst they remained unseen, it was a truly wonderful experience. Various animals were also seen, including the scarce African Wild Cat, along with Hewitt’s Red Rock Hare, whilst also getting various antelope such as Common Duiker and Grey Rhebok. And so wrapped up a wonderful day to start the Kruger leg of this tour, complete with a number of the country’s most difficult to find species!
Day 10, 3rd October 2022. Birding Dullstroom, and transfer to Mount Sheba
We started the day off early, as we set about birding the scenic De Berg Road that runs through Verlore Valei Nature Reserve. We had a very birdy morning as a result of high bird activity because the birds were starting their breeding season. Stately Buff-streaked Chats sat atop rocky outcrops, while Drakensberg Prinias kept to the more wooded valleys. The piercing calls of Eastern Long-billed Larks were never far away and, before long, we were enjoying our first of many views of this species. A coffee break couldn’t even halt the birding, as we were regularly interrupted with the likes of Red-winged Francolin, African Snipe, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Mountain Wheatear and best of all, the highly sought-after Yellow-breasted Pipit. We continued our way up to a protea stand, where we enjoyed excellent views of Gurney’s Sugarbird – after our poor views the previous day. A Southern Bald Ibis flyby, along with the likes of Blue Crane, Jackal Buzzard, Bokmakierie, Cape Grassbird, Wailing Cisticola, Malachite Sunbird and Nicholson’s Pipit were also enjoyed throughout the morning. As always, various mammals were seen, and included Blesbok and Mountain Reedbuck. We eventually had to tear ourselves away from the excellent birding in the area, as we settled in for a late brunch. We had an extremely short distance to go, making our way to Mount Sheba, where we arrived in the early afternoon, after pausing for a large flock of Black-winged Lapwings along the way. This lovely lodge is set in a tract of montane forest, and thus supports a totally different suite of species from those we had encountered previously on the tour. Following a short rest, we reconvened in the afternoon for a walk around the expansive grounds. We had another excellent spell of birding, notching up many of the main forest species. The edges gave us more widespread species such as Cape Batis, Olive Bushshrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Bar-throated Apalis, Greater Double-collared Sunbird and Swee Waxbill, amongst others. As we ventured deeper into the more forested areas, we quickly notched up the highly sought-after Narina Trogon, which showed spectacularly well, perching motionless above us for a long while. Once we had had our fill, the difficult Orange Ground Thrush followed, again giving us excellent views! We weren’t done yet though, as the bright White-starred Robin and the lively Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler also put in appearances, before we called it a day. Following dinner, a quick jaunt around the grounds gave us a delightful pair of African Wood Owls, rounding off another truly excellent day!
Day 11, 4th October 2022. Birding Mount Sheba, and transfer to the Kruger National Park
Our morning started off with a walk around the forests of Mount Sheba. We had done very well connecting with many of the area’s specials yesterday already, and set out to try and get the few remaining birds. Top of the list was Knysna Turaco, and while we heard various birds regularly throughout the morning, a lack of fruiting trees made actually seeing these shy birds quite difficult. Some brief views, to get the monkey off our back, were followed by much better, and prolonged, views of this stunning bird. Chorister Robin-Chat played hide and seek with us, but eventually showed, as did an Olive Woodpecker and a Grey Cuckooshrike. Lemon Doves zipped off the pathways, while Narina Trogons were out in force, with several sightings as we went along. We again enjoyed several species we had seen yesterday, such as Cape Batis, Olive Bushshrike, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Drakensberg Prinia, Orange Ground Thrush, White-starred Robin and Swee Waxbill. Several species, like African Emerald Cuckoo, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher and Green Twinspot, were heard throughout the morning and, sadly, remained as heard only, despite our best efforts. We also spent a while watching numbers of Little, White-rumped and African Black Swifts and Common House Martins coming in to drink from a small pond – right in front of us –a thrilling experience.
After gathering our things, we checked out, and made our way over to the nearby Kruger National Park, with a few stops along the way for birds like Black-winged Lapwing and Cape Vulture, and lunch. We entered the Kruger at the Phabeni Gate, and slowly made our way to Skukuza Camp, our base for the next three nights. Progress was slow, thanks to all the new birds and mammals which came flooding by – moving into a totally new habitat type, and especially one as diverse as the bushveld, resulted in a totally new suite of species. We encountered common species like Natal Spurfowl, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Water Thick-knee, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Fork-tailed Drongo, Rattling Cisticola, Cape Starling, White-bellied Sunbird and Yellow-fronted Canary. While also finding the first of our true bushveld species such as White-backed Vulture, Bateleur, Purple Roller, Striped Kingfisher, Little Bee-eater, Bearded Woodpecker, Magpie Shrike, Burchell’s Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Scarlet-chested Sunbird and Golden-breasted Bunting. The scarce Dark Chanting Goshawk was a notable find. A number of mammals were seen along the way, and included both common species like Impala, Common Wildebeest, Plains Zebra and Steenbok and some of the iconic African mammals like Common Warthog, African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Southern Giraffe and our first African Elephants. We arrived into Skukuza in the late afternoon, and settled in for the evening, brimming with excitement for the days to come!
Days 12-15, 5th-8th October 2022. Birds and mammals in the Kruger National Park
We had four full days within the Kruger, as we attempted to find as many birds and mammals as we could, moving between the camps of Skukuza (three nights) and Satara (two nights). We also had the use of an open safari vehicle for the duration of our full days within the park. All our time in Kruger is discussed below under a single entry, as the days merged together with a similar suite of species seen daily.
Our time in the park could not have gotten off to a better start, when right out of camp, on our first morning, we ran into a pack of African Wild Dogs on the move. We spent some time following the dogs, before eventually letting them be. These rare animals were once on the verge of extinction, and while their distribution and numbers are still only a shadow of what they once were, the dogs have rebounded remarkably well in the Kruger – with many packs now spread throughout the park.
As we went along, we made sure to spend time exploring the various habitats, along with taking some walks around the various camps. The camps, especially, are excellent for birding, and with the added bonus of being able to walk freely around the camps (not outside, naturally), it makes the birding far easier, not being confined to a vehicle. We would go on to find nearly 200 species of birds within the Kruger alone, including some of the iconic birds of the park, such as Kori Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, Secretarybird, Brown Snake Eagle, African Scops Owl and Southern Ground Hornbill. The camp walks offered, as always, the best birding within the park, with its mix of natural bush, watered lawns and fruiting trees. Special birds seen in the camps included the stunning Purple-crested Turaco, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Mourning Collared Dove, African Green Pigeon, African Goshawk, Little Sparrowhawk, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Crowned Hornbill, Crested, Black-collared and Acacia Pied Barbets, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Brown-headed Parrot, Gorgeous Bushshrike, Brubru, Terrestrial Brownbul, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Wattled and Violet-backed Starlings, the dainty Bearded Scrub Robin, Grey Tit-Flycatcher, White-browed Robin Chat, Collared, Marico and Purple-banded Sunbirds, Red-billed Firefinch and Golden-breasted Bunting, amongst so many more.
More open areas of the park held species such as Common Ostrich, Red-crested Korhaan, Burchell’s Coucal and vast numbers of Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Larks amongst others. More wooded areas supported a wide mix of birds from Green Wood Hoopoe, White-fronted Bee-eater and Grey-headed Bushshrike to White-crested Helmetshrike, Black-headed Oriole and Southern Black Tit. Closer to the rivers, the thicker vegetation added the likes of Trumpeter Hornbill, White-throated Robin-Chat and Ashy Flycatcher, while slightly rockier iterations of it added further species such as Black-crowned Tchagra, Mocking Cliff Chat, Southern Black Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Violet-eared Waxbill and Long-tailed Paradise Whydah. The numerous rivers, dams and general waterbodies were usually well attended to, and amongst the more common species, we notched up African Black Duck, Black Crake, Black-winged Stilt, White-crowned Lapwing, Ruff and Wood Sandpipers and best of all, a pair of the scarce Greater Painted-snipes. Larger waterbirds also featured heavily, and we enjoyed the likes of Yellow-billed, Woolly-necked and Saddle-billed Storks, African Openbill, African Spoonbill, Goliath Heron, Great and Intermediate Egrets and Striated Heron, with the ubiquitous Hamerkop being a group highlight. Of course, African Fish Eagles were never far away, and we also notched up Giant Kingfisher, while surrounding reedbeds held busy colonies of Village and Lesser Masked Weavers, along with vocal Red-faced Cisticolas. Kruger is also an excellent place to get to grips with raptors in southern Africa, and this trip was no exception, yielding many species. African Harrier Hawk, Hooded and White-headed Vultures, Martial, Tawny and Wahlberg’s Eagles, African Hawk Eagle and Gabar Goshawk were all notable additions.
Mammals were also a high priority for the group, and we made sure to keep a beady eye open for some of the special mammals. African Elephant was very common within the park, and we had our fair share of herds daily. White Rhino have suffered at the hands of poachers pretty heavily in recent years, so much so that they’re not a regular occurrence anymore, and require a dedicated effort. We did manage to find several of these gentle giants, and enjoyed an incredible sighting of several White Rhinos bathing in a waterhole, while a herd of African Elephants splashed around at the other end. Curious Smith’s Bush Squirrels and troops of Vervet Monkeys and Chacma Baboons were also daily sightings. It took us a few days to get good looks at Lions, but after several sightings of mostly hidden cats, we enjoyed a few totally unimpaired sightings of these beasts. Only a single Leopard was seen, which goes to show the difficult nature of finding these shy cats, while Spotted Hyaenas were also seen daily. Families of Banded Mongoose roamed around the camps, while families of the cute Common Dwarf Mongoose frequented the more open areas away from the camps. Iconic species like Southern Giraffe, Hippopotamus, Common Warthog and Plains Zebra were all regularly seen, while bovids were well represented with the likes of African Buffalo, Greater Kudu, Nyala, Bushbuck, Waterbuck, and Common Duiker, together with the numerous Impala, Common Wildebeest and Steenbok all regularly seen. A night drive added nocturnal species such as Black-backed Jackal, Common Genet, African Civet and Scrub Hare, while camps gave us boisterous Honey Badgers (for some) and silent African Wild Cats. We also found quite a few reptiles during our stay, including several snakes. No less than two massive South African Rock Pythons were seen, along with Boomslang and a Mozambique Spitting Cobra, along with Rock and Nile Monitors, Southern Tree Agama and the impressive Giant Plated Lizard.
Day 16, 9th October 2022. Transfer to Rust de Winter
Our time in Kruger had come to an end all too quickly, and we ended it with a birdy walk around the Satara Camp where we were staying. Many fruiting and flowering trees meant the camp was absolutely heaving with birds. Masses of go-away-birds, hornbills, barbets, bulbul, starlings and weavers were all moving about in a cacophony of noise, while some careful searching gave up Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Scops Owl, Red-faced Mousebird, Bearded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Parrot, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Black-backed Puffback, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Green-winged Pytilia and Village Indigobird. We had a long drive ahead of us to transit to Rust de Winter, so eventually bid our farewell to the park, and settled in for the drive. We made a few stops along the way for species such as Greater Kestrel and Scaly-feathered Weaver, and eventually made it to our comfortable and well-appointed lodge in the late afternoon, where we settled in for our final evening of the tour.
Day 17, 10th October 2022. Birding Rust de Winter, and departure
This was the final day of the tour, and the group was keen to make the most of the morning, with flights only later in the afternoon and evening. An early start saw us heading out to some nearby roadside routes, where we would focus on the excellent acacia thornveld birding possible in the area. Things started off quickly, picking up almost all of the main specials such as Crimson-breasted Shrike, Black-chested Prinia, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Southern Pied Babbler, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Marico Flycatcher and African Firefinch, without much difficulty. This diverse area also yielded birds like Magpie Shrike, Long-billed Crombec, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Chestnut-vented Warbler, White-throated Robin-Chat, Marico Sunbird, Violet-eared Waxbill and Green-winged Pytilia. Venturing slightly further out, we picked up the sought-after (and diminutive) Cape Penduline Tit along with others such as Lesser Honeyguides, Pearl-breasted Swallow, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver and Black-throated Canary. We eventually returned for a late breakfast, following which we had some time to collate our belongings and prepare for the flights to come. A walk around the lodge grounds was productive, even though this was in the heat of the day, and we enjoyed numerous birds from the vocal Red-chested Cuckoos, to the tiny Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and many others like Black Cuckooshrike, Groundscraper Thrush and the bright Red-headed Weaver.
Following an exciting two and a half weeks of travelling around South Africa, and seeking out its many birds, mammals and general diversity, the tour came to an end at the Johannesburg Airport, later in the day.
Bird List - Following IOC (12.2)
Birds ‘heard only’ are marked with (H) after the common name, all other species were seen.
The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following BirdLife International. CR = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable
Common name Scientific name
Ostriches (Struthionidae)
Common Ostrich Struthio camelus
Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae)
White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata
Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor
Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis
Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca
South African Shelduck (H) Tadorna cana
Blue-billed Teal Spatula hottentota
Cape Shoveler Spatula smithii
African Black Duck Anas sparsa
Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Cape Teal Anas capensis
Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha
Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma
Maccoa Duck - EN Oxyura maccoa
Guineafowl (Numididae)
Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris
Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae)
Crested Francolin Ortygornis sephaena
Red-winged Francolin Scleroptila levaillantii
Grey-winged Francolin Scleroptila afra
Common Quail (H) Coturnix coturnix
Cape Spurfowl Pternistis capensis
Natal Spurfowl Pternistis natalensis
Swainson's Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii
Red-necked Spurfowl (H) Pternistis afer
Nightjars (Caprimulgidae)
Fiery-necked Nightjar (H) Caprimulgus pectoralis
Swifts (Apodidae)
African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus
Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba
African Black Swift Apus barbatus
Little Swift Apus affinis
White-rumped Swift Apus caffer
Turacos (Musophagidae)
Grey Go-away-bird Crinifer concolor
Purple-crested Turaco Gallirex porphyreolophus
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix
Bustards (Otididae)
Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori
Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii
Red-crested Korhaan Lophotis ruficrista
Southern Black Korhaan - VU Afrotis afra
Cuckoos (Cuculidae)
Burchell's Coucal Centropus burchellii
Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas
African Emerald Cuckoo (H) Chrysococcyx cupreus
Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius
Sandgrouse (Pteroclidae)
Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua
Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae)
Rock Dove Columba livia
Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea
African Olive Pigeon Columba arquatrix
Lemon Dove Columba larvata
Mourning Collared Dove Streptopelia decipiens
Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata
Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola
Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis
Emerald-spotted Wood Dove Turtur chalcospilos
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis
African Green Pigeon Treron calvus
Flufftails (Sarothruridae)
Red-chested Flufftail (H) Sarothrura rufa
Striped Flufftail (H) Sarothrura affinis
Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae)
African Rail Rallus caerulescens
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata
African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis
Black Crake Zapornia flavirostra
Cranes (Gruidae)
Blue Crane - VU Grus paradisea
Grebes (Podicipedidae)
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae)
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees (Burhinidae)
Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus
Spotted Thick-knee (H) Burhinus capensis
Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae)
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini
Stilts, Avocets (Recurvirostridae)
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Plovers (Charadriidae)
Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus
White-crowned Lapwing Vanellus albiceps
Black-winged Lapwing Vanellus melanopterus
Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus
African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius
Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris
White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus
Chestnut-banded Plover Charadrius pallidus
Painted-snipes (Rostratulidae)
Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis
Jacanas (Jacanidae)
African Jacana Actophilornis africanus
Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae)
Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Ruff Calidris pugnax
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Little Stint Calidris minuta
African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)
Grey-headed Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
Hartlaub's Gull Chroicocephalus hartlaubii
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
Skuas (Stercorariidae)
Brown Skua Stercorarius antarcticus
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
Penguins (Spheniscidae)
African Penguin - EN Spheniscus demersus
Albatrosses (Diomedeidae)
Black-browed Albatross - EN Thalassarche melanophris
Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels (Procellariidae)
Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli
Cape Petrel Daption capense
White-chinned Petrel - VU Procellaria aequinoctialis
Sooty Shearwater Ardenna grisea
Storks (Ciconiidae)
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis
African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus
Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus
Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer
Gannets, Boobies (Sulidae)
Cape Gannet - EN Morus capensis
Anhingas, Darters (Anhingidae)
African Darter Anhinga rufa
Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae)
Reed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus
Bank Cormorant - EN Phalacrocorax neglectus
Cape Cormorant - EN Phalacrocorax capensis
White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus
Ibises, Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)
African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
Southern Bald Ibis - VU Geronticus calvus
Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
African Spoonbill Platalea alba
Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae)
Little Bittern (H) Ixobrychus minutus
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Striated Heron Butorides striata
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Great Egret Ardea alba
Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Hamerkop (Scopidae)
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta
Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus
Secretarybird (Sagittariidae)
Secretarybird - EN Sagittarius serpentarius
Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae)
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus
Hooded Vulture - CR Necrosyrtes monachus
White-backed Vulture - CR Gyps africanus
Cape Vulture - VU Gyps coprotheres
White-headed Vulture - CR Trigonoceps occipitalis
Lappet-faced Vulture - EN Torgos tracheliotos
Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus
Bateleur - EN Terathopius ecaudatus
Martial Eagle - EN Polemaetus bellicosus
Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis
Wahlberg's Eagle Hieraaetus wahlbergi
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
Tawny Eagle - VU Aquila rapax
Verreaux's Eagle Aquila verreauxii
African Hawk-Eagle Aquila spilogaster
Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar
Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates
Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus
African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro
Little Sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus
Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk Accipiter rufiventris
Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus
African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus
Black Harrier - EN Circus maurus
Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius
African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
Forest Buzzard Buteo trizonatus
Jackal Buzzard Buteo rufofuscus
Barn Owls (Tytonidae)
African Grass Owl Tyto capensis
Owls (Strigidae)
Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum
African Scops Owl Otus senegalensis
Cape Eagle-Owl Bubo capensis
Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl (H) Bubo lacteus
African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii
Mousebirds (Coliidae)
Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus
White-backed Mousebird Colius colius
Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus
Trogons (Trogonidae)
Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina
Hoopoes (Upupidae)
African Hoopoe Upupa africana
Wood Hoopoes (Phoeniculidae)
Green Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus
Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas
Ground Hornbills (Bucorvidae)
Southern Ground Hornbill - VU Bucorvus leadbeateri
Hornbills (Bucerotidae)
Southern Red-billed Hornbill Tockus rufirostris
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas
Crowned Hornbill Lophoceros alboterminatus
African Grey Hornbill Lophoceros nasutus
Trumpeter Hornbill Bycanistes bucinator
Rollers (Coraciidae)
Purple Roller Coracias naevius
Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris
Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti
Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristatus
Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus
White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
African Barbets (Lybiidae)
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus
Acacia Pied Barbet Tricholaema leucomelas
Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus
Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii
Honeyguides (Indicatoridae)
Brown-backed Honeybird (H) Prodotiscus regulus
Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor
Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Red-throated Wryneck Jynx ruficollis
Ground Woodpecker (H) Geocolaptes olivaceus
Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni
Bearded Woodpecker Chloropicus namaquus
Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens
Olive Woodpecker Dendropicos griseocephalus
Caracaras, Falcons (Falconidae)
Rock Kestrel Falco rupicolus
Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
African & New World Parrots (Psittacidae)
Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus
Old World Parrots (Psittaculidae)
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
Wattle-eyes, Batises (Platysteiridae)
Cape Batis Batis capensis
Chinspot Batis Batis molitor
Bushshrikes (Malaconotidae)
Grey-headed Bushshrike Malaconotus blanchoti
Olive Bushshrike Chlorophoneus olivaceus
Orange-breasted Bushshrike Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus
Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis
Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus
Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis
Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus
Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla
Southern Boubou Laniarius ferrugineus
Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus
Brubru Nilaus afer
Vangas & Allies (Vangidae)
White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus
Cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae)
Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius
Black Cuckooshrike Campephaga flava
Shrikes (Laniidae)
Magpie Shrike Urolestes melanoleucus
Southern White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus anguitimens
Southern Fiscal Lanius collaris
Figbirds, Old World Orioles, Piopios (Oriolidae)
Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus
Drongos (Dicruridae)
Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis
Monarchs (Monarchidae)
Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher (H) Trochocercus cyanomelas
African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis
Crows, Jays (Corvidae)
House Crow Corvus splendens
Cape Crow Corvus capensis
Pied Crow Corvus albus
White-necked Raven Corvus albicollis
Rockjumpers (Chaetopidae)
Cape Rockjumper Chaetops frenatus
Fairy Flycatchers (Stenostiridae)
Fairy Flycatcher Stenostira scita
Tits, Chickadees (Paridae)
Southern Black Tit Melaniparus niger
Grey Tit Melaniparus afer
Penduline Tits (Remizidae)
Cape Penduline Tit Anthoscopus minutus
Larks (Alaudidae)
Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata
Eastern Long-billed Lark Certhilauda semitorquata
Cape Long-billed Lark Certhilauda curvirostris
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix leucotis
Sabota Lark Calendulauda sabota
Karoo Lark Calendulauda albescens
Cape Clapper Lark Mirafra apiata
Large-billed Lark Galerida magnirostris
Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea
Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae)
Sombre Greenbul Andropadus importunus
Yellow-bellied Greenbul Chlorocichla flaviventris
Terrestrial Brownbul Phyllastrephus terrestris
Yellow-streaked Greenbul Phyllastrephus flavostriatus
Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor
Cape Bulbul Pycnonotus capensis
Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae)
Black Saw-wing Psalidoprocne pristoptera
Banded Martin Neophedina cincta
Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola
Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga
Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula
Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiata
White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis
Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum
Red-breasted Swallow Cecropis semirufa
Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis
Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica
Greater Striped Swallow Cecropis cucullata
Crombecs, African Warblers (Macrosphenidae)
Cape Grassbird Sphenoeacus afer
Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens
Victorin's Warbler Cryptillas victorini
Leaf Warblers (Phylloscopidae)
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla
Reed Warblers & Allies (Acrocephalidae)
Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris
Common Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Grassbirds & Allies (Locustellidae)
Little Rush Warbler Bradypterus baboecala
Cisticolas & Allies (Cisticolidae)
Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops
Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chiniana
Grey-backed Cisticola Cisticola subruficapilla
Wailing Cisticola Cisticola lais
Levaillant's Cisticola Cisticola tinniens
Croaking Cisticola (H) Cisticola natalensis
Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapilla
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
Cloud Cisticola Cisticola textrix
Wing-snapping Cisticola Cisticola ayresii
Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava
Black-chested Prinia Prinia flavicans
Karoo Prinia Prinia maculosa
Drakensberg Prinia Prinia hypoxantha
Namaqua Warbler Phragmacia substriata
Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica
Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida
Rufous-eared Warbler Malcorus pectoralis
Green-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura
Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata
Cinnamon-breasted Warbler Euryptila subcinnamomea
Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis
Karoo Eremomela Eremomela gregalis
Burnt-necked Eremomela Eremomela usticollis
Sylviid Babblers (Sylviidae)
Layard's Warbler Curruca layardi
Chestnut-vented Warbler Curruca subcoerulea
White-eyes (Zosteropidae)
Cape White-eye Zosterops virens
Laughingthrushes & Allies (Leiothrichidae)
Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardineii
Southern Pied Babbler Turdoides bicolor
Sugarbirds (Promeropidae)
Cape Sugarbird Promerops cafer
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi
Starlings, Rhabdornises (Sturnidae)
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea
Cape Starling Lamprotornis nitens
Greater Blue-eared Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus
Burchell's Starling Lamprotornis australis
Pied Starling Lamprotornis bicolor
Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio
Pale-winged Starling Onychognathus nabouroup
Oxpeckers (Buphagidae)
Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus
Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorynchus
Thrushes (Turdidae)
Orange Ground Thrush Geokichla gurneyi
Groundscraper Thrush Turdus litsitsirupa
Olive Thrush Turdus olivaceus
Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana
Karoo Thrush Turdus smithi
Chats, Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae)
Karoo Scrub Robin Cercotrichas coryphoeus
Bearded Scrub Robin Cercotrichas quadrivirgata
Kalahari Scrub Robin Cercotrichas paena
White-browed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys
Grey Tit-Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus
Southern Black Flycatcher Melaenornis pammelaina
Marico Flycatcher Melaenornis mariquensis
Fiscal Flycatcher Melaenornis silens
Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens
African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta
Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra
White-throated Robin-Chat Cossypha humeralis
White-browed Robin-Chat Cossypha heuglini
Chorister Robin-Chat Cossypha dichroa
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata
Cape Rock Thrush Monticola rupestris
Sentinel Rock Thrush Monticola explorator
African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus
Sickle-winged Chat Emarginata sinuata
Karoo Chat Emarginata schlegelii
Tractrac Chat Emarginata tractrac
Mocking Cliff Chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
Mountain Wheatear Myrmecocichla monticola
Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata
Familiar Chat Oenanthe familiaris
Sunbirds (Nectariniidae)
Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris
Orange-breasted Sunbird Anthobaphes violacea
Amethyst Sunbird Chalcomitra amethystina
Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis
Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa
Southern Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris chalybeus
Greater Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris afer
Marico Sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis
Purple-banded Sunbird Cinnyris bifasciatus
White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches (Passeridae)
Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow Gymnoris superciliaris
Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer diffusus
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Weavers, Widowbirds (Ploceidae)
Red-billed Buffalo Weaver Bubalornis niger
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali
Scaly-feathered Weaver Sporopipes squamifrons
Thick-billed Weaver Amblyospiza albifrons
Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis
Cape Weaver Ploceus capensis
Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius
Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus
Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus
Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps
Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea
Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix
Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis
White-winged Widowbird Euplectes albonotatus
Long-tailed Widowbird Euplectes progne
Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae)
Bronze Mannikin Spermestes cucullata
Swee Waxbill Coccopygia melanotis
Green Twinspot (H) Mandingoa nitidula
Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild
Red-headed Finch Amadina erythrocephala
Violet-eared Waxbill Granatina granatina
Blue Waxbill Uraeginthus angolensis
Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba
Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala
African Firefinch Lagonosticta rubricata
Jameson's Firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia
Indigobirds, Whydahs (Viduidae)
Village Indigobird Vidua chalybeata
Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah Vidua paradisaea
Wagtails, Pipits (Motacillidae)
Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis
African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp
Cape Longclaw Macronyx capensis
Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus
African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus
Nicholson's Pipit Anthus nicholsoni
Yellow-breasted Pipit - VU Anthus chloris
Finches, Euphonias (Fringillidae)
Forest Canary Crithagra scotops
Black-throated Canary Crithagra atrogularis
Yellow-fronted Canary Crithagra mozambica
Cape Siskin Crithagra totta
Yellow Canary Crithagra flaviventris
Brimstone Canary Crithagra sulphurata
Streaky-headed Seedeater Crithagra gularis
White-throated Canary Crithagra albogularis
Cape Canary Serinus canicollis
Black-headed Canary Serinus alario
Buntings (Emberizidae)
Cape Bunting Emberiza capensis
Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris
Species seen: 408
Species heard: 15
Total species: 423
Mammal List
The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following the IUCN Red List: EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable.
Common name Scientific name
Hyraxes (Procaviidae)
Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis
Elephants (Elephantidae)
African Elephant - EN Loxodonta africana
Rabbits and Hares (Leporidae)
Hewitt's Red Rock Hare Pronolagus saundersiae
Scrub Hare Lepus saxatilis
Squirrels and Relatives (Sciuridae)
Smith's Bush Squirrel Paraxerus cepapi
Old World Mice, Rats and Gerbils (Muridae)
Southern African Vlei Rat Otomys irroratus
Four-striped Grass Mouse Rhabdomys pumilio
Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecidae)
Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus
Vervet Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis
Bats (Chiroptera)
Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat Epomophorus wahlbergi
Cats (Felidae)
Lion - VU Panthera leo
Leopard - VU Panthera pardus
African Wild Cat Felis lybica
Civets, Genets, Linsangs and allies (Viverridae)
African Civet Civettictis civetta
Common Genet Genetta genetta
Hyaenas and Aardwolf (Hyaenidae)
Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta
Mongooses and Fossa (Herpestidae)
Yellow Mongoose Cynictis penicillata
Egyptian Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon
Cape Grey Mongoose Herpestes pulverulentus
Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguineus
Common Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula
Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo
Canids (Canidae)
Black-backed Jackal Lupulella mesomelas
African Wild Dog - EN Lycaon pictus
Eared Seals (Otariidae)
Brown Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus
Mustelids (Mustelidae)
Honey Badger Mellivora capensis
Spotted-necked Otter Hydrictis maculicollis
Horses, Asses and Zebras (Equidae)
Plains Zebra Equus quagga
Rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae)
White Rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum
Hogs and Pigs (Suidae)
Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus
Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamidae)
Hippopotamus - VU Hippopotamus amphibius
Bovids (Bovidae)
African Buffalo Syncerus caffer
Nyala Tragelaphus angasii
Cape Bushbuck Tragelaphus sylvaticus
Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros
Common Eland Tragelaphus oryx
Impala Aepyceros melampus
Steenbok Raphicerus campestris
Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis
Mountain Reedbuck - EN Redunca fulvorufula
Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Grey Rhebok Pelea capreolus
Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus
Blesbok Damaliscus pygargus
Common Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus
Common Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia
Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus
Giraffes and Okapis (Giraffidae)
Southern Giraffe Giraffa giraffa
Bowhead Whales and Right Whales (Balaenidae)
Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis
Species seen: 50
Total species: 50