Tembe Elephant Park has more than 340 bird species recorded and is a birder’s paradise. The extensive checklist is due to the variety of habitats, which includes , scrub and . Some tropical birds are at the most southerly point of their range, including and Rudd’s apalis. The guides are knowledgeable and most birders will walk away with several under their belt. are present from November to April.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
(NE) near-endemic = most of the global population is resident in South Africa- African broadbill
- Ayres’s hawk-eagle
- Bat hawk
- Black coucal
- Brown scrub robin (NE)
- Chestnut-fronted helmet-shrike
- Eastern nicator
- Gorgeous bush-shrike
- Green twinspot
- Lemon-breasted canary
- Narina trogon
- Neergaard’s sunbird
- Palm-nut vulture
- Pink-throated twinspot
- Plain-backed sunbird
- Purple-banded sunbird
- Retz’s helmet-shrike
- Rosy-throated longclaw
- Rudd’s apalis
- Rufous-bellied heron
- Southern banded snake eagle
- Southern crested guineafowl
- Swamp nightjar
- Woodwards’ batis
Best Time for Bird Watching
Tembe Elephant Park is a birder’s paradise year-round, but the very best time is from November to April, when from Europe and Asia are present. General wildlife viewing is better during the dry winter months from May to September.