Thornybush has more than 280 bird species recorded. Although the focus tends to be more on mammals, Thornybush is a good birding destination. If you are a serious birder, sharing a vehicle with other guests might be frustrating. Therefore, it would be advisable to book private drives. Walking safaris and night drives both add to the bird-watching experience and increase the chances of seeing a variety of species. Migratory birds are present from November to April.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- African green pigeon
- African hawk-eagle
- Arrow-marked babbler
- Black-crowned night heron
- Chinspot batis
- Common greenshank
- Greater painted-snipe
- Jameson’s firefinch
- Lesser spotted eagle
- Little grebe
- Pennant-winged nightjar
- Senegal lapwing
- Shaft-tailed whydah
- Southern pochard
- Stierling’s wren-warbler
- Temminck’s courser
- White-winged widowbird
- Yellow-breasted apalis
Best Time for Bird Watching
Thornybush offers decent bird watching the whole year through, although it is at its prime during the migratory season from November to April. This is when birds from Eurasia and elsewhere in Africa are present. The drier months, June to September, are best for general wildlife viewing.