Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is a very rewarding bird-watching destination with more than 520 bird species listed, a remarkable number for a tiny landlocked country. Roughly 7% of the species known from Eswatini are to South Africa, and a significant subset of these near-endemics only occur in South Africa, Eswatini and/or Lesotho. Beautiful Malolotja Nature Reserve is a breeding site for the blue swallow, which is one of Africa’s rarest birds, as well as the localized .
Endemic & Near-endemic Birds
No birds are endemic or near-endemic to Eswatini, but the kingdom is home to a high proportion of those species that are near-endemic to South Africa.(NE) = South African near-endemic that occurs in Eswatini
(NE/SLE) = South African near-endemic restricted to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini
- African pied starling (NE/SLE)
- African rock pipit (NE/SLE)
- Black harrier (NE)
- Blue crane (NE)
- Bokmakierie (NE)
- Brown scrub robin (NE)
- Buff-streaked chat (NE/SLE)
- Bush blackcap (NE/SLE)
- Cape grassbird (NE)
- Cape rock thrush (NE/SLE)
- Cape weaver (NE)
- Cape white-eye (NE)
- Chorister robin-chat (NE/SLE)
- Cloud cisticola (NE)
- Drakensberg prinia (NE/SLE)
- Eastern long-billed lark (NE/SLE)
- Fairy flycatcher (NE)
- Fiscal flycatcher (NE)
- Forest buzzard (NE/SLE)
- Forest canary (NE/SLE)
- Greater double-collared sunbird (NE/SLE)
- Grey-winged francolin (NE/SLE)
- Ground woodpecker (NE)
- Gurney’s sugarbird (NE)
- Jackal buzzard (NE)
- Karoo prinia (NE)
- Knysna turaco (NE/SLE)
- Sentinel rock thrush (NE/SLE)
- Southern bald ibis (NE/SLE)
- Southern double-collared sunbird (NE)
- Southern tchagra (NE)
- Swee waxbill (NE)
Other Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- African broadbill
- African finfoot
- Bearded scrub robin
- Black coucal
- Black-winged lapwing
- Blue swallow
- Denham’s bustard
- Eastern nicator
- Green twinspot
- Grey sunbird
- Pink-throated twinspot
- Retz’s helmet-shrike
- Rudd’s apalis
- Scaly-throated honeyguide
- Senegal lapwing
- Striped flufftail
- Thick-billed cuckoo
- White-backed night heron
Best Time for Bird Watching
The birdlife in Eswatini is at its best from November to April, when migratory birds from Europe and northern Africa are present, including the very rare blue swallow. At this time, many resident species are nesting and in breeding plumage. However, the is only active during the winter months of June to October. For general wildlife viewing, the Dry season (May to September) is better.
Recommended Birding Books
-
Roberts Bird Guide (2nd edition; book and app)
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Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (book and app)
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Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa (book and app)
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Pocket Guide: Birds of Southern Africa