Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary offers good bird watching with more than 240 species recorded. Mountain birds such as boulder chats, jackal buzzards and swifts can be found on Nyonyane Mountain. The grassland area supports pipets, longclaws, bustards and stone chats. Waders and several kingfisher species, as well as fish eagles, can be found around the and rivers. Forest patches deliver rare species such as the Narina trogon, and there are some reed beds with breeding bishops, whydahs and weavers. Even the eucalyptus forests provide a breeding site for crowned eagles and black sparrowhawks. 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 finfoot
- African grass owl
- African pygmy kingfisher
- Blue crane
- Buff-streaked chat (NE)
- Buffy pipit
- Chorister robin-chat (NE)
- Crested guineafowl
- Crowned eagle
- Denham’s bustard
- Greater painted-snipe
- Narina trogon
- Senegal lapwing
- Shelley’s francolin
- Short-tailed pipit
- Southern bald ibis (NE)
- Square-tailed nightjar
- Tambourine dove
- Verreaux’s eagle
- Violet-backed starling
- White-crested helmet-shrike
- White-backed night heron
- White-eared barbet
- Yellow weaver
- Yellow-fronted tinkerbird
- Yellow-rumped tinkerbird
Best Time for Bird Watching
While bird watching in Mlilwane is at its best from November to April – when migratory birds from Europe and northern Africa are in the sanctuary – it’s also good year-round. The period from June to September (the dry months) is the best time for general wildlife viewing.