Hlane Royal National Park is home to more than 250 bird species. It has a dense population of birds of prey, including five vulture species. In fact, the park sustains the highest density of tree-nesting vultures in southern Africa. Red-billed oxpecker, which was extinct in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), has made a comeback here, and big colonies of red-billed queleas nesting is a sight to behold. Migratory birds are present from November to April.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
Eswatini has no endemic birds.(NE) near-endemic = lives in Eswatini and neighboring countries
- African broadbill
- African finfoot
- Black-rumped buttonquail
- Blue swallow
- Blue-mantled crested flycatcher
- Brown-backed honeybird
- Buff-spotted flufftail
- Buff-streaked chat (NE)
- Burnt-necked eremomela
- Bush blackcap (NE)
- Chorister robin-chat (NE)
- Collared pratincole
- Crowned eagle
- Denham’s bustard
- Golden-breasted bunting
- Gorgeous bush-shrike
- Green twinspot
- Grey sunbird
- Knysna turaco (NE)
- Kori bustard
- Lesser jacana
- Lesser spotted eagle
- Pel’s fishing-owl
- Pennant-winged nightjar
- Pink-throated twinspot (NE)
- Red-footed falcon
- Rudd’s apalis (NE)
- Rufous-bellied heron
- Southern bald ibis (NE)
- Square-tailed drongo
- Striped flufftail
- Terrestrial brownbul
- Thick-billed cuckoo
- White-eared barbet
- White-starred robin
- Yellow-billed oxpecker
- Yellow-streaked greenbul
- Yellow-throated woodland warbler
Best Time for Bird Watching
In Hlane Royal National Park, bird watching is good all year round – but at its best from November to April. Migratory birds from Europe and northern Africa are in the park in these months. The best time for wildlife viewing in general is during the dry months of June to September.