Nyika National Park is a key birding destination that supports more than 400 species, including several with a restricted range. Grassland birds are commonly seen and include Denham’s bustard, montane marsh widowbird, Crawshay’s francolin (an endemic subspecies of red-winged francolin that some authorities regard to be a full species) and the very vocal black-lored cisticola. The Endangered wattled crane used to be common too, but it hasn’t been seen in several years. Nyika supports a range of alluring species associated with highland forest and , and it is worth arranging a dedicated birding excursion to look for some of these specials.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
(NE) near-endemic = lives in Malawi and neighboring countries- African hill babbler
- Augur buzzard
- Bar-tailed trogon
- Bertram’s weaver
- Black-backed barbet
- Black-lored cisticola (NE)
- Blue swallow
- Chapin’s apalis (NE)
- Chirping cisticola (NE)
- Cinnamon bracken warbler
- Crawshay’s francolin (NE)
- Denham’s bustard
- Fülleborn’s boubou (NE)
- Great snipe
- Hildebrandt’s francolin
- Lesser kestrel
- Long-crested eagle
- Montane marsh widowbird
- Mountain yellow warbler
- Moustached green tinkerbird
- Olive-flanked robin-chat (NE)
- Oriole finch
- Pallid harrier
- Red-faced crimsonwing
- Ruwenzori nightjar
- Scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird
- Sharpe’s akalat
- Slender-billed starling
- White-tailed blue flycatcher
- Whyte’s barbet
- Wing-snapping cisticola
- Yellow-crowned canary
Best Time for Bird Watching
Nyika NP has good birdlife all year round. However, as with most protected areas in Malawi, the Wet season (November to April) is the best time for bird watching. This is due to the park’s population of migratory birds at that time.