Southern Jewels: an introduction to birding the tip of Africa

By Leon Marais and Martin Benadie

South Africa: an overview

South Africa lies right at the southern tip of the African continent and covers a total area of 471 445 square miles. Divide the area by the 800 or so recorded species and you come up with a very rich birding destination indeed, with no fewer than 45 endemic species. The key factor in both the number of species and the degree of endemism is the diversity of habitats. It’s literally a world in one country, divided into seven different biomes, namely: arid and moist savannah; desert; forest; grassland; Karoo (a semi-desert type biome); and Fynbos (chaparral-type vegetation). While the savannah occupies much of Africa south of the tropics, and desert comes into its own in neighbouring Namibia, the other biomes are fairly unique and as such hold much interest for the international birder.

Some prime birding areas in more detail:

1. The Kruger National Park.

For sheer diversity and numbers of birds the Kruger National Park ranks as one of the country’s top destinations. It’s a huge tract of conserved savannah, covering some 12 500 square miles in the north-east of the country. While the Park’s official bird list stands at around 500 species, it’s the numbers of individual birds and ease of viewing that really turns it into a superb birding venue. The open habitat and generally bold disposition of the feathered inhabitants makes for easy spotting – you don’t have to look too hard to record 120 species or more in a day. Passerines such as Turacos, Kingfishers, Hornbills, Rollers, Shrikes and Sunbirds are abundant and raptors are particularly well represented, with no fewer than 56 recorded species (including owls and vultures). As in the rest of South Africa, summer months (November to March) are best for birds, when residents are joined by large numbers of Palearctic and Intra-African migrants such as waders, buzzards and cuckoos. The Kruger National Park offers birding with the additional excitement of large mammals – lions, elephants, hippopotamus and the like. Of course this means that most birding is done from a vehicle, but the well-wooded rest camps provide ample bird watching when the day is too hot to be out in the car.

Five best birds: while there’s so much to see here, the five best birds in the Kruger are chosen for size and awe-factor.

1. Martial Eagle.
2. Southern Ground Hornbill.
3. Pel’s Fishing Owl.
4. Lappet-faced Vulture.
5. Kori Bustard.

2. Wakkerstroom and the high-altitude grasslands

This small agricultural town lies on the inland plateau that covers much of the eastern interior. The plateau here varies between 5000 and 6300 feet above sea level and is dominated by open grassland – or what is simply known as ‘veld’ in local lingo. Forest is found in gullies and along rivers, and other habitats include large wetlands, scrub, rocky slopes and cliff faces. One of the key factors in the quality of Wakkerstroom’s birding is the fact that the region is only really suited to pastoral farming and has thus escaped the intensive maize culture and agro-forestry that has devastated much of the country’s grasslands. While this area does not compare with the previous location for numbers and diversity (area list is 374 species), it is an endemics hot-spot. 15 of the 45 endemics occur in this grassland habitat, including the three specials – Rudd’s Lark (critically endangered), Botha’s Lark (endangered) and Yellow-breasted Pipit. The three South African crane species (Wattled, Grey-crowned and Blue) can also be seen here in summer, and a morning excursion into the back-country can produce many other incredible birds, not the least of which are Denham’s Bustard, Ground Woodpecker and Southern Bald Ibis. This is drive and stop-type birding country, where one needs a vehicle to cover enough area to find these specials. Local knowledge of prime spots and locations for sought-after species is also invaluable.

Five best birds: endemic-status and rarity is what counts here.

1. Rudd’s Lark.
2. Botha’s Lark.
3. Yellow-breasted Pipit.
4. Blue Crane.
5. Blue Korhaan.

3. The 'Fynbos' and Karoo

The south-western corner of South Africa is another unique biome. Much of it is covered by the Cape Floral Kingdom (locally known as ‘Fynbos’) and the expansive dry plains of the Karoo. The birding is unique and no other part of Africa offers such a high concentration of easily accessible endemics amidst such spectacular scenery.

A total of 450 species have been recorded in the primary habitats of Fynbos and the Karoo. Fynbos is a heath-like type of vegetation and is characterised by Protea, Erica and Restio plant genera, whilst the Karoo is a vast semi-desert of stony plains interspersed with low dunes and rocky outcrops. Endemic birds include species of Larks, Sugarbirds and Sunbirds, Warblers and Korhaans. This is truly one of the planet's more unique regions, much of which is within easy reach of the tourism gem of Cape Town. Most birding takes place within an excellent network of conserved areas as well as on district roads in rural areas. An added attraction is the world-famous pelagic birding from Cape Town. In winter (May-Sept), day-trippers regularly see over 10,000 seabirds of up to 30 species (including albatross, petrels, storm- and giant-petrels, shearwaters, gannets and gulls), making it one of the most memorable yet easily accessible pelagic birding experiences on earth.

Five best birds of this region: These are just some of the ‘star’ birds found nowhere else in the world:

1. Cape Rock-jumper.
2. Cape Sugarbird.
3. Cape Siskin.
4. Victorin's Warbler.
5. Karoo Korhaan.

Conclusion

South Africa offers the international birder incomparable diversity within a relatively small area. To find such diversity in other parts of the world one might need to tour an entire continent. Furthermore, by birding in this area one not only gains but also gives something back – both to the local people and the environment. Impoverished people are beginning to see the potential of birds to generate direct financial rewards through tourism and site-guide training initiatives. Yet all these efforts need support from the birders themselves in order to be effective. So why not look into a South African birding tour – it’s well worth it!

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