Birding

For this blog post we’ll be looking at Owls, and more specifically the owls of Kruger. If taxonomy is your thing, you’ll know then that we are actually dealing with two Families here – Strigidae, or ‘true or typical Owls’; and Tytonidae, the Barn Owls, though the differences are mainly internal. Kruger has 11 of the 12 Owls occurring in Southern Africa (the only one that isn’t present is Cape Eagle Owl). With a warm and dry-ish climate, Kruger supports a good invertebrate and small vertebrate population, which allows for a rich diversity of predatory species, owls included (though Verreaux’s Eagle Owl doesn’t just stick to small vertebrates!). Night drives can produce some great owl sightings, though one doesn’t necessarily have to be out at night to see them. Hard work and good observational skills can produce some great day time sightings, though in my experience at least two of the species seem to be declining in numbers, or at least not being seen as regularly. Read on to find out more.

South Africa offers some of the best birding on the continent. While it may not have the most number of species, it does have the most endemics. South Africa has 18 birds that are only found within her borders, but that figure jumps to 38 endemics and 30 near-endemics if you include Lesotho and eSwatini, two small nations within South Africa. In this Blog Post we look at 10 of the Best Birds to see in South Africa.

It's always more fun on the water... birding, that is. In Southern Africa birding is usually done by foot or car - car being the most used method generally, especially in national parks where there are certain creatures that can make you very glad that your medical cover is up to date. In open savanna habitat the car has certain advantages - it acts a bit like a mobile hide (or 'blind' of you are American), and also allows you to cover more distance, upping your bird daily bird count. But sitting in a car for long periods is not ideal either, and where possible, birding by boat offers a fresh perspective. Read more about the various boat trips we do on our 'Windhoek to Victoria Falls' itinerary....

If you are coming on a South African birdwatching trip, be prepared to see a lot of Larks!

Larks have featured in the writings of playwrights and philosophers throughout written history. And while they are generally not much to look at (for the average person that is), their beautiful calls are perhaps what has given them a place in the mind of man. Southern Africa is generously endowed with Larks (Family Alaudidae), sporting no fewer than 31 species, with 16 of them endemic to the region and 10 near-endemic (Chamberlain's Guide to LBJ's by Faansie Peacock). Now for beginners especially, and those on their first African birding trip, Larks can be a bit of a daunting group to get to grips with, though in reality they aren't too challenging (or at least not as challenging as the Pipits and Cisticolas!). So let's take a look at some of the Larks one may see on a typical birding tour to South Africa.

Raptors of Kruger.

What raptors can you see on a Kruger National Park Birding Safari?

For many a birder, the raptors are a firm favorite, embodying power, grace and beauty, and seeing a new species of raptor is sure to get the pulse rate up for a few minutes. They make great photographic subjects and, when on an African birding safari, new species of raptor are bound to be seen pretty regularly, adding up to an exciting experience indeed...

With an abundance of food, there are few places that offer such a number and variety of birds of prey as the savannas of Africa. And there are few large, savanna-dominated parks that are as affordable and easily accessible as the Kruger National Park of South Africa, which offers some superb raptor viewing indeed...