Birding Sites

Winelands Birding Route

Garden Route Birding Route (Knysna area)

As one travels eastwards from Cape Town, the coast becomes progressively more wooded and subtropical, the ocean warms, the rains fall year-round, and the forests host an ever-greater diversity of birds. The region from Mossel Bay to the Tsitsikamma is known as the Garden Route for the amazing beauty of the area – it is a natural garden of mountains, forests, fynbos and water. The Garden Route has a Mediterranean Maritime climate, with moderately hot summers, and mild to chilly winters. Bird specials include Forest Buzzard, African Crowned Eagle, Knysna Turaco, Emerald Cuckoo, Half-collared Kingfisher, Narina Trogon, Knysna Woodpecker, Chorister Robin-Chat, Knysna Warbler and Olive Bush-Shrike.

Some magnificent birding spots

Garden Route National Park – Wilderness section (IBA)

Wilderness National Park, now part of the Garden Route National Park, lies at the heart of the Garden Route between the popular tourist towns of George and Knysna. The three interconnected coastal lakes linked to the Indian Ocean, the dune system and its associated thickets, reedbeds, marshes and woodlands, as well as the nearby coastal forest provide a diverse array of habitats which makes for some excellent birding opportunities.

Woodville forest - Garden Route National Park

Wilderness National Park protects some prime examples of Afromontane forest, and Woodville forest is the jewel in the crown. The forest here is classic Afromontane forest, distinguished by the presence of large yellowwoods (Podocarpus sp), the largest of which is the aptly named 'Big Tree'. This enormous Outeniqua yellowwood has been estimated at 800 years old, and it is from this point that a gentle 2km circular trail meanders through the forest.

	Langvlei & Rondevlei culvert – Garden Route National Park (Wilderness section)
	Stopping at the culvert that spans the channel between Langevlei and Rondevlei, parking off the road, look for Pearl-breasted swallows (summer only) hawking over the open areas. Cape longclaw and Bokmakierie (both southern African endemics) forage in the open scrubby grassland together with Levaillant's cisticola.

Robberg Nature Reserve

Robberg Nature Reserve is situated on Cape Seal point, just a few kilometers south of Plettenberg Bay. The fynbos specials to look for at Robberg are the Orange-breasted sunbird and the Cape sugarbird (both SA endemics), found in the vicinity of any flowering Proteas or Ericas. Greater and Southern double-collared sunbirds are common in the reserve. Victorin's warbler, another SA endemic, occupies the scrubby mountain slopes, preferring the moist south-facing slopes.

	Nature's Valley – Garden Route National Park, Tsitsikamma section
	At the eastern end of the Garden Route, nestled in between the mountains and the ocean, the forest and the Groot River, lies Nature's Valley. This small, picturesque village lies within the Tsitsikamma National Park and offers easy access to some pristine Afromontane forest and thus excellent forest birding opportunities.

	Ebb & Flow camp site - Garden Route National Park (Wilderness section)
	The Ebb & Flow camp site, both north and south, lies on the bank of the Touw River providing scenic views across the river or into forest clad hills. From the campsite it is easy to access a number of different habitat types, including Afromontane forest, an estuary, the Touw River and wetlands, which all together provide an opportunity for a wide diversity of bird species.

Diepwalle forest - Garden Route National Park (Knysna Lakes section)

The forest here is classic Afromontane forest, distinguished by the presence of yellowwoods (Podocarpus sp), a large example of which is the King Edward VII tree. This enormous Outeniqua yellowwood has been estimated at ±600 years old. The Diepwalle forest, situated 23 km's north of Knysna, forms part of a 60 500 hectare forest complex. Numerous trails of various length criss-cross the forest complex allowing one to explore the area, such as the well-known Elephant Walk.

	Bitou Pan
	Bitou Pan is a seasonal pan located in the floodplain of the Bitou River and is best visited after good rains when large numbers of waterfowl are present. Species that have been recorded here include Blue crane, African snipe, South African shelduck, African spoonbill, Redbilled & Hottentot teals, Kittlitz's plover, Ruff, Black-winged stilt and Pied avocet.

	Assegaay Bosch Game Farm
	Assegaay Bosch Game Farm lies in the heart of the Klein Karoo, nestled in the foothills of the Rooiberg Mountains between the villages of Vanwyksdorp and Calitzdorp. This reserve conserves almost 10 000 ha of Succulent Karoo, making it a great destination to view Karoo specials.

Wilderness-Sedgefield Lakes complex

The Wilderness–Sedgefield Lakes complex (WSLC) incorporates the Wilderness National Park and the Goukamma Nature Reserve. Wilderness National Park and Goukamma NR, now part of the Garden Route National Park, lie at the heart of the Garden Route between the popular tourist towns of George and Knysna. This vast 12 250 ha lake system is ranked as an IBA as it regularly supports in excess of 20 000 waterbirds, though on average the monthly totals are 10 000+. Furthermore, Palearctic migrant waders and southern African waterbirds, especially ducks, use the Lakes to moult and breed.

	Outeniqua Mountains
	Rising from the coastal plain just inland of Mossel Bay and George, running parallel to the coastline, lie the Outeniqua Mountains. Stretching almost 100 km in length the impressively solid barrier separates the high rainfall, and subsequent abundance of the Garden Route, from the contrasting and arid Little Karoo.

Karoo Birding Route (Beaufort West area)

The Karoo is an area of magnificent landscapes and the arid, brown expanses and isolated hills provide birder the opportunity to find sought-after dry western endemics such as Karoo Eremomela, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler and Namaqua Warbler. Other bird specials include Karoo Korhaan, Karoo Lark, Grey Tit, Tractrac Chat, Layard's Tit-Babbler, and Fairy Flycatcher.

Some magnificent birding spots

Karoo National Park

The Karoo National Park lies just north of Beaufort West in the middle of the semi-arid Great Karoo. The IBA incorporates the town of Beaufort West and its sewage works, as well as the park. The Karoo NP and surrounds has been included as an IBA because of its importance in conserving Lesser kestrel, which although it breeds in Europe and Asia, over-summers in Africa and up to 3 000 birds roost in several large Eucalypts within the town and forage over the plains of the Karoo NP.

	Anysberg National Reserve
	Anysberg Nature Reserve lies on the western fringe of the Little Karoo, in the transition zone between fynbos and karoo-type vegetation. Situated only 4 hours from Cape Town, near the towns of Laingsburg and Ladismith, this 62 500 ha reserve offers some spectacular scenery. From gently undulating terrain and Karoo plains to rugged mountains with steep gorges, the landscape is never boring.

Swartberg Mountains

The extensive Swartberg Mountain range lies to the north of the towns of Oudtshoorn, Calitzdorp and Ladismith, orientated along an east-west axis parallel to the coastline. The endemic fynbos biome supports many range-restricted species, but it is the presence of the globally important populations of Ground woodpecker, Cape rock-jumper, Protea seed-eater and Cape siskin that exemplify this site as an IBA.

Overberg Birding Route (Hermanus area)

The Cape Overberg region lies near Cape Town on the southernmost tip of Africa. The region is a gently undulating coastal plain that provides a large diversity of much-coveted species, from Cape Rock-jumper to Blue Crane. Other bird specials include African Penguin, Agulhas Long-billed Lark, Clapper Lark, Victorin's Warbler and Southern Tchagra.

Some magnificent birding spots

Overberg wheatbelt

Located at the southern tip of the African continent, this large (±300 000 ha) agricultural area stretches inland from Caledon to Riversdale south of the Langeberg and Riviersonderendberg Mountains, and along the coast between Hermanus and Stilbaai. The Overberg wheatbelt is rated as an IBA due to the presence of species of global conservation concern, namely significant populations of Black harrier and Blue crane. In fact this region supports the highest density of Blue crane in the world, and during the winter months nearly 20% of the global population congregates here.

Botriviervlei and Kleinmond estuary

The Botriviervlei and Kleinmond estuary lie about 15 km west of Hermanus between the small coastal towns of Kleinmond and Hawston. These water bodies and associated habitats have been rated as an IBA because they regularly support an average of 25 000 birds, and on occasion have been known to hold in excess of 40 000 birds. The permanent lagoon is an important summer refuge for waterbirds when surrounding ephemeral water-bodies dry up, and often support very large numbers of Yellow-billed duck, Southern pochard and South African shelduck.

De Hoop Nature Reserve

De Hoop Nature Reserve lies close to the southernmost tip of Africa, just 20 km's from Agulhas and roughly 60 km's east of Bredasdorp. De Hoop Nature Reserve is rated as an IBA due to the presence of species of global conservation concern, namely significant populations of endemic Black harrier, Blue crane, Cape vulture, African black oystercatcher and Knysna woodpecker. Furthermore, 97 species of waterbirds are dependant on De Hoop vlei.

Eastern False Bay mountains

This rather large and sprawling IBA encompasses the Boland Mountain complex that extends from Betty's Bay and Kleinmond in the south, sweeps up the eastern side of False Bay, northwards through Grabouw and Franschoek, running to the east of Paarl and Wellington, and continuing north all the way to Tulbagh. Although only a portion of this ± 250 000 ha IBA is formally protected in nature reserves (Kogelberg NR – 18 000 ha, Hottentots Holland NR – 42 000 ha, Limietberg NR – 117 000 ha), much of the area is protected in State Forests, mountain catchment areas and conservancies.

Dyer Island Nature Reserve

Located 5 km's offshore in the Atlantic Ocean between Hermanus and Cape Agulhas, Dyer Island is probably best known for its population of Great white sharks. Dyer Island is recognized as an IBA because of its significant breeding colonies of African penguin, Bank & Crowned cormorant and African black oystercatcher. In the 1970's this island supported the largest population of African penguins in the world, ± 25 000 pairs, but recently numbers have fallen to around 2 000 pairs.

Heuningnes River and estuary system

The Heuningnes system lies between Bredasdorp in the north and Cape Agulhas in the south and extends from 5 km upstream of the Nuwejaars River – Soetendalsvlei confluence to the mouth of the Heuningnes River. The Heuningnes system is rated as an IBA as the pebble slacks behind the beach at De Mond NR are one of only two protected, confirmed breeding sites for Damara tern in South Africa, holding 15% of the national breeding population. The other colony is located some 9 km's west of the estuary, fairly close to Struisbaai. Heuningnes also supports breeding populations of Caspian tern, African black oystercatcher, Kittlitz's plover and Spur-winged goose.

Bontebok National Park

The Swellendam area in the Overberg region of the Western Cape is highly underrated as a bird-watching destination. Nestled at the foot of the majestic Langeberg Mountains and bordered by the winding Breede River, the Bontebok National Park is a place of simplistic beauty and peaceful charm. Although the smallest of South Africa's National Parks (only 3,475 ha in size) it is by no means less diverse. Bontebok NP is a well kept secret and will surprise many a visitor. It definitely offers some pleasant rest camp birding, with a mellow atmosphere – and all of this only a few hours drive from Cape Town – an ideal weekend breakaway!!

Peninsula Birding Route

There can be few natural global icons that can compare in scenic grandeur with the awe-inspiring sight of Table Mountain straddling the Cape Peninsula and overlooking the mother city of Cape Town.

Some magnificent birding spots

	Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
	Situated at the tip of the African continent this important area of biodiversity embraces three prominent headlands jutting out to sea at the point close to the convergence of two great oceans – the warm Indian and the cold Atlantic. Between the two lies the Table Mountain National Park which encompasses most of the South Peninsula wilderness area.

	Boulders Beach Coastal Park – Simons Town
	This site consists of a jumbled assortment of large granite boulders and is home to close on 1000 pairs of African Penguin since the mid 1980's when the first breeding pairs established this mainland rookery.

	Rondevlei Nature Reserve
	Situated on the edge of a low cost housing estate, this iconic birding spot was established in 1952. It comprises a number of strategically placed hides and viewing decks overlooking a broad expanse of reedbeds and open water in a picturesque setting.

	False Bay Coastal Park (Strandfontein)
	Formerly referred to as the Strandfontein Sewage Works, this sprawling matrix of settling ponds, is a delight to visit as all the birding is done in comfort from the car via a net work of service roads within the wetland complex. It represents one of the best spots in the Western Cape to see shore and waterbirds in super-abundance and has yet to fail on delivering a quality birding experience.

	Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
	This exquisitely laid out complex of principal botanical families from all over Southern Africa and beyond is a floral jewel in the Cape Peninsula crown. It represents a mix of botanical and birding delights that can be enjoyed at leisure as one meanders along the network of paths and trails that zig-zag their way across the gardens below the eastern buttress of Table Mountain.

	Table Mountain
	A first time visit to Cape Town for general tourist and birder alike would be less than complete without a trip up Table Mountain.

	Robben Island National Historical Monument
	Made famous as the prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 26 years, Robben Island is now world-renowned amongst birders for its breeding population of African penguin and the feral Chukar partridge! Lying 11 km's north of Table Bay harbour, this largest of South Africa's off-shore islands (574 ha) is also a World Heritage Site.

	Rietvlei Wetland Reserve
	Rietvlei is a predominantly freshwater wetland that lies on the floodplain of the Diep River, between the Cape Town suburbs of Milnerton and Table View. As well as providing a wide diversity of habitats for birds, the views across the bay to Table Mountain are a spectacular backdrop for anyone visiting Rietvlei wetland.