Liwonde National Park is one of Malawi’s top bird-watching sites, with a checklist of more than 400 species that includes several alluring specials. For casual visitors, some of the more attractive waterbirds seen on boat trips include African fish eagle, African openbill and long-toed lapwing. Rarer waterbirds include Pel’s fishing-owl, red-necked falcon, white-backed night heron and rufous-bellied heron. Liwonde is great for birds of prey such as the bateleur, martial eagle and snake eagle. Localized woodland species include Böhm’s bee-eater, Lilian’s lovebird, Livingstone’s flycatcher and brown-breasted barbet.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- African cuckoo hawk
- African pitta
- African skimmer
- African wood owl
- Bat hawk
- Bearded scrub robin
- Bennett’s woodpecker
- Black-throated wattle-eye
- Böhm’s bee-eater
- Broad-billed roller
- Bronze-winged courser
- Brown-breasted barbet
- Collared palm-thrush
- Dickinson’s kestrel
- European honey buzzard
- Green malkoha
- Green twinspot
- Green-winged pytilia
- Grey-headed bush-shrike
- Gull-billed tern
- Lilian’s lovebird
- Little bee-eater
- Livingstone’s flycatcher
- Long-toed lapwing
- Mosque swallow
- Mottled spinetail
- Palm-nut vulture
- Pel’s fishing-owl
- Racket-tailed roller
- Red-billed helmet-shrike
- Red-headed weaver
- Red-necked falcon
- Red-necked spurfowl
- Rufous-bellied heron
- Southern brown-throated weaver
- Spur-winged lapwing
- Swallow-tailed bee-eater
- Western banded snake eagle
- White-backed night heron
- White-browed robin-chat
Best Time for Bird Watching
While the birdlife in Liwonde is good year-round, the presence of migratory birds during the Wet season (November to April) makes it the best time for bird watching. The Dry season (May to October) is the best time for general wildlife viewing, with ideal conditions from July onward.