With more than 350 species recorded, Madikwe Game Reserve is a great birding destination. A colorful array of hornbills, rollers, barbets and other typical birds can be seen here alongside western dry-country specials such as , , and . (present from November to April) include , and , which are frequently seen hawking (catching flying insects in the air) over Tshukudu and Tlou Dams.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- African finfoot
- Barred wren-warbler
- Black-backed puffback
- Black-throated canary
- Blue-cheeked bee-eater
- Bronze-winged courser
- Burchell’s courser
- Burchell’s sandgrouse
- Common ostrich
- Crimson-breasted shrike
- Eastern chanting goshawk
- European bee-eater
- Gabar goshawk
- Green-winged pytilia
- Kori bustard
- Long-tailed paradise whydah
- Marico flycatcher
- Mocking cliff chat
- Red-billed buffalo-weaver
- Shaft-tailed whydah
- Southern carmine bee-eater
- Southern pied babbler
- Temminck’s courser
- Violet-eared waxbill
- White stork
- White-throated robin-chat
- Yellow-throated sandgrouse
Best Time for Bird Watching
Birding is always good in Madikwe, especially when it comes to dry-country specials. However, the months of November to April stand out as the best time for birding, thanks to the presence of a wide variety of . For general wildlife viewing, the dry winter months from May to September are best.