Southern Free State

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Great birding sites in the Southern Free State are:

	Smithfield
	The small town of Smithfield is as yet relatively unknown as a birding destination. However, a combination of diverse habitats, some special birds, a growing tourism industry with a range of accommodation bode well for avitourism in this area.

Philippolis & surroundings

The Philippolis area in the southern Free State is characterized by typical karoo habitat and associated karoo bird species (a number of which are endemic). Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler, Pririt Batis, Ashy Tit, Brown-crowned Tchagra and Common Scimitarbill are common in the wooded drainage lines. Dusky Sunbirds are attracted to flowering Nicotiana glauca while Black-headed and White-throated Canaries and other seedeaters are attracted to water. Roadside birds include Blue Crane, Ludwig's Bustard and Secretarybird.

If you know the area, are a keen birder and would like to assist please contact us.

Lesotho Highlands

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Great birding sites in the Lesotho Highlands are:

Mafika Lisui/Bokong Nature Reserve

The tarred Mafika Lisiu Pass is on the main northern access route from the western lowlands of Lesotho to the Katse Dam deep in the highlands of the Maluti Mountains. From the summit of this spectacular Pass, the road traverses the 1970 ha Bokong Nature Reserve before dropping steeply to the east to the village of Ha Lejone. At more than 3000 metres a.s.l., the Reserve is one of the highest in Africa.

If you know the area, are a keen birder and would like to assist please contact us.

Central Free State

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Great birding sites in the Central Free State are:

	Koppies Dam Nature Reserve
	Situated in the highveld region of the northern Free State, this 3400 ha reserve comprises mainly mixed grassland with dense acacia thickets, together with willow trees along the Renoster River. The reserve boasts a checklist of about 250 bird species, approximately 160 of which are common or regularly seen.

Willem Pretorius Game Reserve

This reserve qualifies as one of the top birding spots in the Free State. Situated in the central Free State, it surrounds the Allemanskraal Dam, and has a range of habitats, most of which are easily accessible. Specials include Martial Eagle, Black Harrier, Orange River Francolin, Blue Crane, Blue Korhaan, Double-banded Courser, Ground Woodpecker (uncommon), Melodious Lark and Pink-billed Lark, Sickle-winged Chat, Karoo Robin and Kalahari Robin, Pririt Batis, Fairy Flycatcher, Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-cheeked Waxbill and Yellow Canary.

FS National Botanical Gardens, Bloemfontein

The Free State National Botanical Gardens (FSNBG) represent one of South Africa's botanical gardens managed under the auspices of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), with the primary aim to conserve a unique habitat and to cultivate indigenous plant species. The FSNBG checklist includes 145 bird species and between 40–50 species can be recorded during a 1–2 hour visit, especially during summer and when the dams are filled with water and thus attract numerous waterfowl species.

Hagesdam/Tafelkop

In the Hagesdam and Tafelkop areas, situated 60-70 km south-west of Bloemfontein, mainly cattle and sheep farming are practiced, with limited areas under cultivation. A brief stop at the "Klein Kaalspruit" bridge en route in summer provides views of South African Cliff Swallows, Little and White-rumped Swifts breeding under the bridge. A Spotted Eagle Owl may also be seen roosting near the bridge.

Kloofeind

Kloofeind is situated next to the N8 about 20 km west of Bloemfontein's city centre. The main attraction at Kloofeind is undoubtedly the presence of African Rock Pipits – this is the closest locality to Bloemfontein for this species, and it is quite easy to hear and see this sought-after endemic here. Other species to be found include Layard's Tit-Babbler, Fairy Flycatcher, Grey-backed Cisticola and Short-toed Rock Thrush. Cape Penduline Tit, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Karoo Scrub-Robin, Long-billed Pipit and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting are common.

If you know the area, are a keen birder and would like to assist please contact us.

Kalahari Thornveld

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Great birding sites in the Kalahari Thornveld are:

Sandveld Nature Reserve

Sandveld Nature Reserve is arguably one of the best birding sites in the Free State province. Habitats include open water, shoreline, marshy areas, grassland, savanna (mostly Kalahari Thornveld, but also sweet-thorn) and karoo scrub, most of which are easily accessible in a sedan vehicle. With a checklist of 295 bird species, lists of 70-80 bird species are easily achievable in the reserve; up to 150 species may be seen during a two- to three-day stay in late summer.

Benfontein

Benfontein is perhaps one of the prime birding localities in the western Free State. This is partly due to the large diversity of bird species that frequent the property as a result of the diverse habitat types, but also because of the knowledge that has been gained through several ornithological research projects about the property's avifauna. Thus far c. 260 bird species have been recorded on Benfontein.

If you know the area, are a keen birder and would like to assist please contact us.

Escarpment

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Great birding sites on the Escarpment are:

Memel

Memel is situated in the north-eastern Free State, where it borders Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, close to the Drakensberg Escarpment. The main birding habitats in the Memel area are extensive high-altitude plateau grasslands, particularly to the south and south-west of Memel, wetlands, including the extensive Seekoeivlei wetland (immediately to the north of Memel) and others, particularly along the Klip River to the south. Rocky hillsides and cliffs are also present and are host to a number of interesting bird species.

	Verkykerskop
	The small country village of Verkykerskop lies nestled in the foothills of the Drakensberg escarpment between the towns of Memel and Harrismith. The area is typified by numerous sandstone hills rising prominently above gently undulating grassland.

Van Reenen's Pass

Straddling the provinces of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, the small village of Van Reenen sits perched on top of the Drakensberg escarpment. The steep, rocky cliffs of the Drakensberg provide excellent nest sites for cliff nesting birds such as Bald ibis, Cape vulture, Peregrine falcon, Rock kestrel, Jackal buzzard and White-necked raven. A number of swift species also utilise cliffs for breeding, so in summer keep an eye in the sky for African black, Alpine, White-rumped and Little swifts. Pied and Red-winged starlings are regularly seen on the roadside or near human habitation.

Harrismith

One of the larger towns in the region, Harrismith is a great stepping stone from which to explore the highland areas of the Drakensberg escarpment; Sterkfontein Dam NR, Qwa-Qwa NP, Golden Gate Highlands NP and Royal Natal NP. Birds to look out for in the surrounding countryside include Blue & Grey-crowned crane, Blue & Barrow's korhaan, Ludwig's bustard (occasionally), Southern bald ibis, Ant-eating chat and Pied starling.

Witsieshoek

Witsieshoek is situated high up in the Drakensberg Mountains close to the Lesotho border. The spectacular drive up to the viewpoint at the Sentinel often rewards one with White-necked ravens, Wailing cisticola, Drakensberg siskin, Long-billed pipit, Jackal buzzard and Rock kestrel. But by far the highlight of this drive is the chance to see the endemic Drakensberg rock-jumper in the rock-strewn slopes around the car park.

Golden Gate National Park

The Golden Gate Highlands National Park derives its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the park's sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag rock, keeping vigil over the main rest camp. This 11,600 hectares of unique environment is true highland habitat, providing home to a variety of mammals and birds, including the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and the equally rare bald ibis, which breed on the ledges in the sandstone cliffs.

If you know the area, are a keen birder and would like to assist please contact us.

Riemland

	Sasolburg & surrounding areas
	First-time visitors to the greater Sasolburg area can be excused for not being overly enthusiastic about its birding potential. However, once they start exploring, they will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of habitats and their associated avifauna.

Maloti

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is nestled in the eastern Free State between the Loch Athlone and Sol Plaatjies dams. The town itself and surrounding areas offer great birding, mostly on tarred roads. Apart from the open water and fringing habitats of dams and rivers in the area, other habitats include typical sandstone koppies and cliffs of the eastern Free State, sheltered kloofs / valleys with indigenous vegetation and wide open grasslands.

	Fouriesburg
	Fouriesburg is nestled in the sandstone mountains of the eastern Free State. The town environs and surrounding areas offer great birding, mostly on tarred roads, the best of which is certainly to be found in Meiringskloof. This site is accessible from town and is situated in a picturesque valley bounded by impressive sandstone cliffs and dominated by ouhout Leucosidea sericea bush.

Gumtree / Kirklington

The Gumtree area is situated between Clocolan and Ficksburg in the eastern Free State. The area is characterized by flat-topped, sandstone outcrops so typical of this area, with wooded hillsides and more densely vegetated valleys. Birds associated with the bushy, boulder-strewn hillsides include Mocking Cliff-Chat, Cape Rock Thrush, Ground Woodpecker (which nests in holes in banks of erosion gulleys), African Olive Pigeon, Layard's Tit-Babbler, Cape Batis, Swee Waxbill and Streaky-headed Seedeater, while it is not unusual to encounter Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk where taller trees occur.