Bird Watching

South Africa`s attraction as a birding destination par excellence has to be one of the world`s best kept secrets. Out of a total of more than 820 species (including some splits which are not yet universally recognised) 121 species are vagrants or accidentals, 40 species endemic to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland and a further 110 species are endemic (or nearly so) to the southern African sub-continent, i.e. the area south of the Zambezi and Cunene Rivers.

This makes South Africa one of the most desirable birding areas in Africa. Add to this a well-developed road system, an excellent network of internal airline routes and a plethora of car hire companies (including the large internationals) and this surely has to be one of the most desirable birding destinations in the world.

Bird Watching in South Africa is best in the breeding seasons from October to March , when the summer migrants have arrived.

Botswana has up to 600 species of birds to temp the most demanding ornithologist. The national bird, the lilac breasted roller, the exotic, brightly plumaged malachite kingfishers, saddle-billed storks, carmine bee-eaters, coppery tailed coucals, owls and a host of rare varieties are found here. The Tuli block is one of the best bird watching spots in Southern Africa because of its diversity of habitats in a small area.