Addo Elephant National Park’s large size and rich biodiversity have resulted in a bird checklist of roughly 420 species, which is very impressive this far from the tropics. It is a good place to see and such as , and . Bird Island, which can be visited only by special arrangement, is home to the world’s largest colony and large numbers of . are present from November to April.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
(E) endemic = only lives in South Africa(NE) near-endemic = most of the global population is resident in South Africa
- African dusky flycatcher
- African firefinch
- Black-crowned night heron
- Blue crane (NE)
- Cape bulbul (E)
- Cape francolin (NE)
- Cape penduline tit
- Cape reed-warbler
- Cape siskin (E)
- Cape sugarbird (E)
- Cape weaver (NE)
- Capped wheatear
- Denham’s bustard
- Emerald-spotted wood dove
- Forest canary (NE)
- Greater double-collared sunbird (NE)
- Grey-winged francolin (NE)
- Ground woodpecker (NE)
- Jackal buzzard (NE)
- Karoo scrub robin (NE)
- Knysna woodpecker (E)
- Lesser striped swallow
- Little grebe
- Long-billed crombec
- Northern black korhaan
- Orange-breasted sunbird (E)
- Pale chanting goshawk
- Pearl-breasted swallow
- South African shelduck
- Southern boubou
- Southern double-collared sunbird (NE)
- Southern red bishop
- Southern tchagra (NE)
- Streaky-headed seedeater
- White-browed robin-chat
- White-rumped swift
- White-throated canary
Best Time for Bird Watching
Bird watching in Addo is rewarding throughout the year, especially as its main attraction is and species that are generally year-round. It is at its very best, however, from November to April, during the summer months. This is when birds from Europe, Asia and North Africa are also present, and many resident species enter their colorful breeding plumage.