With more than 600 recorded species, Botswana is a superb birding destination. It doesn’t have endemic species, but several have quite small home ranges. The country’s extraordinarily diverse habitat ranges from the Okavango Delta wetlands to the arid salt lakes and bushland of the Kalahari Desert: both waterbirds and dry-country specials can be seen. Great numbers of migratory birds are present from November to April, especially in the country’s north.
Endemic & Near-endemic Birds
Botswana has no endemic birds.(NE) near-endemic = lives in Botswana and neighboring countries
- Short-clawed lark (NE)
Other Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- African finfoot
- African golden oriole
- African hobby
- African pygmy goose
- African skimmer
- Black-faced babbler
- Bradfield’s hornbill
- Brown firefinch
- Chirping cisticola
- Collared palm-thrush
- Copper sunbird
- Coppery-tailed coucal
- Greater painted-snipe
- Greater swamp warbler
- Lesser jacana
- Livingstone’s turaco
- Long-toed lapwing
- Miombo rock thrush
- Pel’s fishing-owl
- Pennant-winged nightjar
- Racket-tailed roller
- Rock pratincole
- Rosy-throated longclaw
- Slaty egret
- Striped crake
- Swamp boubou
- Three-banded courser
- Wattled crane
- Western banded snake eagle
- White-backed night heron
Best Time for Bird Watching
Birding in Botswana is excellent year-round, but best from November to April when the migratory birds from Europe and northern Africa are present. At this time, many resident bird species are also nesting and in breeding plumage. This coincides with the Wet season (November to March), and the rains may make parts of the country difficult to access from January to March. Some lodges also close during this period. For general wildlife viewing, the Dry season (April to October) is better.
Best Parks for Birding Includes Birding Rating
Birdlife is particularly rich in the northern parks, especially Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park, where permanent water is present. The semi-arid parks, such as Central Kalahari Game Reserve, provide the chance to see dry-country specials.
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Okavango Delta
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Moremi GR
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Chobe NP
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Central Kalahari GR
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Makgadikgadi Pans NP
Recommended Birding Books
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Birds of Botswana
Great field guide that covers all known species in Botswana.
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Roberts Bird Guide (2nd edition; book)
Botswana is also fully covered in this regional field guide.
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Roberts Bird Guide (2nd edition; app)
The most definitive resource for southern African birders.
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Sasol Birds of Southern Africa
Good field guide with full Botswana coverage; app available.