South Africa Parks
Botswana Parks
By Philip Briggs
Philip lives in South Africa and is the author many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Bradt and Insight guide to South Africa.
The Kgalagadi has an impressive bird checklist of just over 300 species, but only 102 of those are resident. The park has a fair number of both arid area and bushveld birds and is particularly renowned for its birds of prey, with 46 species recorded. Some of the species you can expect to see are black-chested snake eagle, bateleur, white-backed and lappet-faced vulture and tawny eagle. Sociable weavers and their enormous nests are very conspicuous in the park. Pygmy falcons often live alongside the weavers and share their nests. This interesting co-dependency is currently under study. Migratory birds are present from November to April.
Notable Birds in Kgalagadi
Common
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Birding Specials –Treats for Avid Birders
(E) = endemic to South Africa & (NE) = near-endemic to South AfricaBest Time for Bird Watching
Bird watching in Kgalagadi is always good, but especially so from November to April, when you can observe migrant birds, as well as resident species. The midday heat can be extreme at this time, however, so it is important to plan accordingly. General wildlife viewing is better from March to May, the end of the Wet season.
Best Parks for Birding –Including Birding Rating
Kruger is great for general birding, while Mkhuze is a real birding hotspot, offering almost as many species in a much smaller area with an incredible number of specials. The dry Kgalagadi is known for its raptors.
- Kruger NP 4.5/5 212 Birding Ratings
- Hluhluwe-iMfolozi GR 4.1/5 73 Birding Ratings
- Kgalagadi TP 4.2/5 56 Birding Ratings
- Mkhuze GR 4.6/5 16 Birding Ratings
Want to Visit Kgalagadi TP?
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Facts & Figures
