The Best Sub-Tropical Coast Birding In South Africa
If you like to do your birding in warm weather and lovely lush bush, then the sub-tropical coastal areas of northern KwaZulu Natal may well be the place for you.
It has hot summers, mild winters and plenty of rain. This makes for lush vegetation that supports a high population and great variety of birds.
The area is well served by excellent provincial parks and several of the best private game reserves in the country. It also has wonderful beaches if you like to combine a bit of snorkeling, diving, or lazing in the sun with your birding!
We lived for ten years in Durban and got to know these areas before and during that time. To that local knowledge we can now add the confidence provided by an ABTA and ATOL protected UK company, with access to all the resources of the Hays Group. We can give you completely independent advice on where to go, how to get there and, if you are looking for a birding guide, whom you should go with.
Contact us today to start planning!
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The Best Options For Sub-Tropical Coast Birding
There are so many absolutely wonderful places for birding in this region that it would be impossible to list half of them. Some of the best are...
- Hluhluwe
- St Lucia
- Lake Mavuya
- Mkhuze
- Phinda
- Sodwana Bay
- Lake Sibiya
- Ndumo
- Kosi Bay
- Bivane
- Ithala
- Hlatikulu Forest
- Pongola
There are over 600 species listed in this area. Just to give you a taster, here are a few:
Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Great White and Pink-backed Pelican, Saddle-billed and Yellow-billed Stork, White-backed Night-Heron, Dwarf Bittern, African Finfoot, Lesser Jacana, Caspian Tern;
Livingstone’s and Purple-crested Turaco, Narina Trogon, Yellow-spotted Nicator, Green Malkoha, Black Coucal, Brown-headed Parrot, African Broadbill, Mangrove Kingfisher, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Neergaard's Sunbird, Rudd’s Apalis, Green and Pink-throated Twinspots, Lemon-breasted Canary, Collared Pratincole, Woodward's Batis, Short-tailed Pipit, Rosy-throated Longclaw, most of which are vulnerable or near threatened species;
Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, African Cuckoo Hawk, Pel’s Fishing-Owl and Palm-nut Vulture.
You could do a self drive and search, go on an extended guided tour, get local guides at some of the main birding sites, like St Lucia, or go to one of the provincial parks or private game reserves. It all depends how you like to do it, how long you have and what other activities you would like to combine into your holiday.
We can advise on all these choices.
Enquire today and we will get back to you for a no-obligation chat about it!
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