Maputo National Park offers great birding, with more than 350 species recorded in this relatively small area. This is due to the varied range of habitats, which includes open lakes, marshy wetlands, sand forest, grassland and coastal dunes. A long list of range-restricted specials includes brown scrub robin, Rudd’s apalis, Woodwards’ batis, Neergaard’s sunbird and pink-throated twinspot. The beautiful yellow-throated longclaw is common in grassland, but the rarer rosy-throated longclaw is also present in the same habitat.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
(NE) near-endemic = lives in Mozambique and neighboring countries- African broadbill
- African fish eagle
- African jacana
- African pygmy goose
- Black coucal
- Brown scrub robin (NE)
- Crested guineafowl
- Denham’s bustard
- Eastern nicator
- Gorgeous bush-shrike
- Green malkoha
- Green twinspot
- Grey-rumped swallow
- Livingstone’s turaco
- Madagascar bee-eater
- Mangrove kingfisher
- Neergaard’s sunbird (NE)
- Pale-crowned cisticola
- Palm-nut vulture
- Pink-throated twinspot (NE)
- Rosy-throated longclaw
- Rudd’s apalis
- Senegal lapwing
- Swamp nightjar
- White-faced duck
- Woodwards’ batis
- Yellow-billed egret
- Yellow-rumped tinkerbird
Best Time for Bird Watching
The birdlife in Maputo NP is good year-round. However, the best time for bird watching is during the Wet season, particularly from November to April. This is due to the presence of migratory birds. The best time for general wildlife viewing is during the drier months from July to October.