Chobe National Park is a great birding destination, with more than 450 species recorded. Boat trips on the river are excellent for checking off many waders and other waterbirds, especially from November to April when migratory species from Europe and North Africa are present. Photography can be very rewarding here because birds have become habituated to boats. A highlight on the river trips is the African fish eagle whose iconic call will be an enduring soundtrack to your visit. African skimmers gather on the sandbanks and flocks fly over the river, occasionally dipping in the water to feed.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- African hobby
- African marsh harrier
- African skimmer
- Black-winged pratincole
- Broad-billed roller
- Brown firefinch
- Collared pratincole
- Crimson-breasted shrike
- Greater painted-snipe
- Green-capped eremomela
- Half-collared kingfisher
- Knysna turaco
- Kori bustard
- Meyer’s parrot
- Pel’s fishing-owl
- Red-necked falcon
- Rosy-throated longclaw
- Rufous-bellied heron
- Slaty egret
- Souza’s shrike
- Swamp boubou
- Swamp nightjar
- Thrush nightingale
- White-backed night heron
- Yellow-bellied greenbul
Best Time for Bird Watching
Chobe is a great park for birding throughout the year, but the best months are from November to April. This is when migrants swoop into the park. Also during these months, many birds are breeding, and large colonies of waterbirds can be seen nesting on the sandbanks in the river. The best time for mammals, however, is in the dry months from April to October.