SOUTH AFRICA

Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein

Languages: English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa & more

Currency: South African Rand (ZAR)

Population: 60,604,992

Time Zone: UTC+2

Plug types: Type D, M + N

Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein

Languages: English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa & more

Currency: South African Rand (ZAR)

Population: 60,604,992

Time Zone: UTC+2

Plug types: Type D, M + N

My Wildlife Destinations

Phinda Private Game Reserve

Phinda Private Game Reserve

Last visit: November 30, 2014

Nestled in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal, Phinda Private Game Reserve is a breathtaking sanctuary celebrated for its rich biodiversity and luxurious experiences. Covering 28,555 hectares...

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Phinda Private Game Reserve

Last visit: November 30, 2014

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park

Location: KwaZulu-Natal | Main activity: Big 5 Safaris

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Location: KwaZulu-Natal | Main activity: Safari & beach

Ndumo Game Reserve

Location: KwaZulu-Natal | Main activity: Birding & safari

Phinda Private Game Reserve

Location: KwaZulu-Natal | Main activity: Big 5 Safari

St Lucia

Location: KwaZulu-Natal | Main activity: Accommodation & nature walks

Tembe Elephant Park

Location: KwaZulu-Natal | Main activity: Big 5 Safari

Thanda Private Game Reserve

Location: KwaZulu-Natal | Main activity: Big 5 Safari

My Observed Wildlife

Birds: Non-passerines

Bustards

Black-bellied Bustard

(Lissotis melanogaster)

Cormorants & Allies

Great Cormorant

(Phalacrocorax carbo)

Long-tailed Cormorant

(Microcarbo africanus)

Cuckoos

Burchell’s Coucal

(Centropus burchelli)

Green Malkoha

(Ceuthmochares australis)

Red-chested Cuckoo

(Cuculus solitarius)

Gulls

Grey-headed Gull

(Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)

Hawks, eagles, kites & allies

African Cuckoo-Hawk

(Aviceda cuculoides)

African Fish Eagle

(Haliaeetus vocifer)

African Harrier-Hawk

(Polyboroides typus)

Bateleur

(Terathopius ecaudatus)

Black-chested Snake Eagle

(Circaetus pectoralis)

Black-winged Kite

(Elanus caeruleus)

Brown Snake Eagle

(Circaetus cinereus)

Crowned Eagle

(Stephanoaetus coronatus)

Forest Buzzard

(Buteo trizonatus)

Jackal Buzzard

(Buteo rufofuscus)

Lizard Buzzard

(Kaupifalco monogrammicus)

Long-crested Eagle

(Lophaetus occipitalis)

Martial Eagle

(Polemaetus bellicosus)

Osprey

(Pandion haliaetus)

Southern Banded Snake Eagle

(Circaetus fasciolatus)

Steppe Buzzard

(Buteo buteo vulpinus)

Tawny Eagle

(Aquila rapax)

Wahlberg’s Eagle

(Hieraaetus wahlbergi)

White-backed Vulture

(Gyps africanus)

Yellow-billed Kite

(Milvus aegyptius)

Herons, pelicans, ibises & allies

African Spoonbill

(Platalea alba)

Black-headed Heron

(Ardea melanocephala)

Goliath Heron

(Ardea goliath)

Grey Heron

(Ardea cinerea)

Hadada Ibis

(Bostrychia hagedash)

Hamerkop

(Scopus umbretta)

Little Egret

(Egretta garzetta)

Squacco Heron

(Ardeola ralloides)

Western Cattle Egret

(Bubulcus ibis)

Hornbills & Hoopoes

African Hoopoe

(Upupa africana)

Crowned Hornbill

(Lophoceros alboterminatus)

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

(Tockus leucomelas)

Trumpeter Hornbill

(Bycanistes bucinator)

Kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers & allies

African Pygmy Kingfisher

(Ispidina picta)

Broad-billed Roller

(Eurystomus glaucurus)

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

(Halcyon albiventris)

European Bee-eater

(Merops apiaster)

European Roller

(Coracias garrulus)

Giant Kingfisher

(Megaceryle maxima)

Lilac-breasted Roller

(Coracias caudatus)

Little Bee-eater

(Merops pusillus)

Pied Kingfisher

(Ceryle rudis)

White-fronted Bee-eater

(Merops bullockoides)

Landfowl

Crested Francolin

(Ortygornis sephaena)

Helmeted Guineafowl

(Numida meleagris)

Southern Crested Guineafowl

(Guttera edouardi)

Mousebirds

Speckled Mousebird

(Colius striatus)

Nightjars

Swamp Nightjar

(Caprimulgus natalensis)

Owls

Barn Owl

(Tyto alba)

Spotted Eagle-Owl

(Bubo africanus)

Pigeons & Doves

Emerald-spotted Wood-dove

(Turtur chalcospilos)

Laughing Dove

(Spilopelia senegalensis)

Red-eyed Dove

(Streptopelia semitorquata)

Ring-necked Dove

(Streptopelia capicola)

Rock Pigeon

(Columba livia)

Storks

African Openbill

(Anastomus lamelligerus)

African Openbill @ Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa. Photo: Håvard Rosenlund

African Woolly-necked Stork

(Ciconia microscelis)

Saddle-billed Stork

(Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)

Trogons

Narina Trogon

(Apaloderma narina)

Turacos

Livingstone’s Turaco

(Tauraco livingstonii)

Purple-crested Turaco

(Gallirex porphyreolophus)

Waders & Shorebirds

African Jacana

(Actophilornis africanus)

Black-winged Stilt

(Himantopus himantopus)

Blacksmith Lapwing

(Vanellus armatus)

Pied Avocet

(Recurvirostra avosetta)

Spotted Thick-knee

(Burhinus capensis)

Three-banded Plover

(Charadrius tricollaris)

Water Thick-knee

(Burhinus vermiculatus)

Wattled Lapwing

(Vanellus senegallus)

White-fronted Plover

(Charadrius marginatus)

Waterfowl

Egyptian Goose

(Alopochen aegyptiaca)

Spur-winged Goose

(Plectropterus gambensis)

White-faced Whistling-Duck

(Dendrocygna viduata)

Woodpeckers, barbets & allies

Black-collared Barbet

(Lybius torquatus)

Crested Barbet

(Trachyphonus vaillantii)

White-eared Barbet

(Stactolaema leucotis)

Birds: Passerines

Bushshrikes & Allies

Black-backed Puffback

(Dryoscopus cubla)

Chinspot Batis

(Batis molitor)

Gorgeous Bushshrike

(Telophorus viridis)

Grey-headed Bushshrike

(Malaconotus blanchoti)

Southern Boubou

(Laniarius ferrugineus)

White-crested Helmetshrike

(Prionops plumatus)

Corvids

Pied Crow

(Corvus albus)

White-necked Raven

(Corvus albicollis)

Drongos

Fork-tailed Drongo

(Dicrurus adsimilis)

Square-tailed Drongo

(Dicrurus ludwigii)

Monarchs

African Paradise-Flycatcher

(Terpsiphone viridis)

Old World Flycatchers & Allies

African Stonechat

(Saxicola torquatus)

Ashy Flycatcher

(Fraseria caerulescens)

Bearded Scrub-Robin

(Cercotrichas quadrivirgata)

Cape Starling

(Lamprotornis nitens)

Common Myna

(Acridotheres tristis)

Kurrichane Thrush

(Turdus libonyana)

Mocking Cliff-Chat

(Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)

Pale Flycatcher

(Agricola pallidus)

Red-backed Scrub-Robin

(Cercotrichas leucophrys)

Red-billed Oxpecker

(Buphagus erythrorynchus)

Red-capped Robin-chat

(Cossypha natalensis)

Red-winged Starling

(Onychognathus morio)

Southern Black Flycatcher

(Melaenornis pammelaina)

Violet-backed Starling

(Cinnyricinclus leucogaster)

White-throated Robin-Chat

(Dessonornis humeralis)

Old World Warblers & Allies

Cape White-eye

(Zosterops virens)

Common Bulbul

(Pycnonotus barbatus)

Common Bulbul @ Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa. Photo: Håvard Rosenlund

Green-backed Camaroptera

(Camaroptera brachyura)

Sabota Lark

(Calendulauda sabota)

Sombre Greenbul

(Andropadus importunus)

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

(Chlorocichla flaviventris)

Zitting Cisticola

(Cisticola juncidis)

Sparrows, Finches & Allies

African Golden Weaver

(Ploceus subaureus)

African Firefinch

(Lagonosticta rubricata)

Black-tailed Waxbill

(Estrilda perreini)

Blue Waxbill

(Uraeginthus angolensis)

Bronze Mannikin

(Spermestes cucullata)

Common Waxbill

(Estrilda astrild)

Dark-backed Weaver

(Ploceus bicolor)

Golden-breasted Bunting

(Emberiza flaviventris)

House Sparrow

(Passer domesticus)

Jameson’s Firefinch

(Lagonosticta rhodopareia)

Long-tailed Paradise Whydah

(Vidua paradisaea)

Pink-throated Twinspot

(Hypargos margaritatus)

Southern Red Bishop

(Euplectes orix)

Thick-billed Weaver

(Amblyospiza albifrons)

Village Weaver

(Ploceus cucullatus)

Yellow-fronted Canary

(Crithagra mozambica)

Sunbirds

Purple-banded Sunbird

(Cinnyris bifasciatus)

Swallows & Martins

Barn Swallow

(Hirundo rustica)

Lesser Striped Swallow

(Cecropis abyssinica)

Wire-tailed Swallow

(Hirundo smithii)

Wagtails & Pipits

African Pied Wagtail

(Motacilla aguimp)

Yellow-throated Longclaw

(Macronyx croceus)

Mammals

Afrotheres

Aardvark

(Orycteropus afer)

African Bush Elephant

(Loxodonta africana)

Carnivores

African Wild Dog

(Lycaon pictus)

Banded Mongoose

(Mungos mungo)

Black-backed Jackal

(Lupulella mesomelas)

Caracal

(Caracal caracal)

Cheetah

(Acinonyx jubatus)

Leopard

(Panthera pardus)

Lion

(Panthera leo)

Rusty-spotted Genet

(Genetta maculata)

Slender Mongoose

(Herpestes sanguineus)

Spotted Hyena

(Crocuta crocuta)

Even-toed Ungulates

African Buffalo

(Syncerus caffer)

Blue Wildebeest

(Connochaetes taurinus)

Cape Bushbuck

(Tragelaphus sylvaticus)

Common Duiker

(Sylvicapra grimmia)

Common Warthog

(Phacochoerus africanus)

Greater Kudu

(Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

Hippopotamus

(Hippopotamus amphibius)

Impala

(Aepyceros melampus)

Mountain Reedbuck

(Redunca fulvorufula)

Natal Red Duiker

(Cephalophus natalensis)

Nyala

(Tragelaphus angasii)

Southern Giraffe

(Giraffa giraffa)

Southern Reedbuck

(Redunca arundinum)

Suni

(Neotragus moschatus)

Waterbuck

(Kobus ellipsiprymnus)

Odd-toed Ungulates

Black Rhinoceros

(Diceros bicornis)

Plains Zebra

(Equus quagga)

White Rhinoceros

(Ceratotherium simum)

Primates

Blue Monkey

(Cercopithecus mitis)

Chacma Baboon

(Papio ursinus)

Thick-tailed Greater Galago

(Otolemur crassicaudatus)

Vervet Monkey

(Chlorocebus pygerythrus)

Rodents

Cape Porcupine

(Hystrix africaeaustralis)

Red Bush Squirrel

(Paraxerus palliatus)

Reptiles

Crocodiles

Nile Crocodile

(Crocodylus niloticus)

Lizards

African Striped Skink

(Trachylepis striata)

Cape Dwarf Gecko

(Lygodactylus capensis)

Eastern Sand Skink

(Trachylepis depressa)

Flap-necked Chameleon

(Chamaeleo dilepis)

Giant Legless Skink

(Acontias plumbeus)

Nile Monitor

(Varanus niloticus)

Rock Monitor

(Varanus albigularis)

Southern Tree Agama

(Acanthocercus atricollis)

Tropical House Gecko

(Hemidactylus mabouia)

Snakes

Eastern Natal Green Snake

(Philothamnus natalensis)

Puff Adder

(Bitis arietans)

Red-lipped Snake

(Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia)

Savanna Vine Snake

(Thelotornis capensis)

Short-snouted Grass Snake

(Psammophis brevirostris)

Southern African Python

(Python natalensis)

Spotted Bush Snake

(Philothamnus semivariegatus)

Turtles

Eastern Hinge-back Tortoise

(Kinixys zombensis)

Leopard Tortoise

(Stigmochelys pardalis)

Serrated Hinged Terrapin

(Pelusios sinuatus)

Blog posts

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