A Bird Watcher’s Paradise

Veiled by the jungles and grasslands of South Africa are as many as 850 different species of birds. Far from the hustle and bustle of the nation’s great cities, the abundant birdlife make up a beautiful palette of colours and sounds that annually delight bird lovers from all around the world. While South Africa’s economic makeup is making the nation more attractive to international companies, one of the country’s strongest industries is still tourism. While there are many channels of South African tourism, bird watching has quickly become one of the biggest tourist attractions.

While the Drakensberg area is teeming with nearly 300 species of birds, one of the most fascinating birds to behold in South Africa has got to be the endangered Bearded Vulture, also known as the Lammergeier. This massive bird has a wing span of three meters and has been seen soaring as high as 24,000 feet. Most incredible to observe is when the Bearded Vulture drops the bones of his prey from a staggering height in order to break the bones on the rocks. He then scoops down to eat the bone marrow which makes up nearly ninety percent of his nutritional needs. It comes as no surprise, for that reason, that people now often call him “bone-breaker.”

The Tembe Elephant Park in KwaZulu-Natal has far more wildlife than elephants to see. Home to almost 350 species of birds, this is the place to see a variety of migratory birds. The Steppe Eagle for example migrates every winter all the way from Eastern Europe to the bottom of the African continent to enjoy the comfortable warm climates of the savannas. These beautiful creatures feast mainly on the carcasses of dead animals but also enjoy feeding on partridges, rabbits and rodents. While vacationing in the Tembe Elephant Park, bird watchers will also enjoy glimpses of the African Marsh-harrier and the Lemon-breasted Canary which prefer dwelling near the swamplands.

The Wakkerstroom Birding Site in the Mpumalanga province is teeming with both endangered and endemic birdlife. Positioned just between Mozambique and Swaziland, this park is home to the Yellow-breasted Pipit, which is native to South Africa. The lifestyle of this highly-favoured creature has remained obscure because of how difficult sightings can be. Bird watchers often have to spend an entire day hiding out in the cold, wet grassland to get a glimpse of the Yellow-breasted Pipit. Because the vast majority of this area is privately owned, it’s vital for bird watchers to arrange for guides to go with them on their expeditions into the Wakkerstroom. The guides are fortunately quite affordable and have received the essential consent to take bird watchers onto the grounds.

The biggest free-flight aviary in the entire world, Birds of Eden, is in the Western Cape of South Africa and should therefore be made a priority for any bird lover visiting the nation. Situated on the lavish Garden Route, this aviary serves as a dwelling for the nation’s national bird, the Blue Crane. This endangered bird is the only crane known to man without a hint of red on his feathers. Red is normally used by creatures to scare off their enemies, so this crane’s methods are unique. When threatened, the Blue Crane ruffles up the feathers of his blue and grey head and begins taunting and dancing towards his enemy to protect himself. It’s quite a sight to behold!

While trying to sight birds, don’t forget to clothe yourself with plain colours that will easily fade into natural landscapes. Also avoid any clothing that makes the slightest noise while you’re moving through the bush. The quieter you can be, the greater your chances are of finding what you’re after. Be careful to not leave your binoculars behind; these will prove to be invaluable when you’re trying to see the detail of a bird’s appearance and behaviour. Don’t be too proud to take a guide along for the ride if you’re new to the area’s birdlife. The spring and summer months extend from September to March and have proved to be the most fruitful for bird watchers to visit South Africa.

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