Bonamanzi Game Reserve

Categories: accommodation; trails; camping; booking required;

Bonamanzi is a self-contained wildlife and birders' paradise in close proximity to the St Lucia Wetlands Park and other world-renowned Zululand game reserves. Bonamanzi is considered to be one of South Africa's best birding spots with 350 species listed in the reserve.

Lemon-breasted Canary. It occurs in small flocks, and is often also seen on the road as well. Look in lala palms for this special species.

The area just inside the gate is a prime spot for finding Swamp Nightjar at night time.

The drive from the gate into the reserve yields many bird species like Eastern Nicator, bulbuls, flycatchers, Blue-mantled Crested-Flycatcher. Lizard Buzzard, and the uncommon Honey Buzzard have been seen. Pink-throated Twinspots also make an appearance at the hide from time to time. Scan the edges of the trees for the Southern Banded Snake Eagle that hunts along the tree line, or may be seen overhead. Also look for Brown Snake-Eagle, Black-breasted Snake-Eagle, Tawny Eagle and White-headed Vulture.Black-winged and Lesser Black-winged Lapwings in grassland.Also found in this habitat are Desert Cisticola, Lazy Cisticola, African Pipit and Black-bellied Bustard.

African Broadbill calls for a very short period in the morning, and late afternoon. In the grassy area between the Lalapanzi road and the forest, look for Grey Penduline-Tit.

Look in the densely vegetated areas for Green Malkoha, Rudd's Apalis and Yellow-breasted Apalis as well as the Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike.

Look out for Marsh and Grass Owls that may be flushed by your vehicle Black Coucal Tit-Flycatcher and Fiscal Flycatcher.

If driving at night, specials that may be seen are Spotted Eagle-Owl, Spotted Thick-knee, Blackbellied Bustard, and Common Ostrich. If driving this route during the day, look out for Cuckoo Hawk, Banded Harrier-Hawk, Secretarybird, Black-bellied Bustard, Various cisticolas, flycatchers and both Yellow-throated and Orange-throated Longclaws.

Directions

Head north along the N2 from Mtubatuba. Take the Bushlands off-ramp and turn right. Follow this road past Bushlands; about 10km from the off-ramp, the Bonamanzi gate is sign-posted.