Are you a serious birder or a casual birdwatcher? With over 300 different bird species calling the Madikwe Game Reserve home, there’s plenty for a bird enthusiast to get excited about. Whether you’re make a daily trip into the game reserve or just doing recon from the deck of your mountainside suite at the Madikwe Safari Lodge, here are some of the reserve’s famous and feathered residents.
The Stars Of Flight In Madikwe Game Reserve
![A Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill sits on its treetop perch, looking out onto the Savannah wilderness of the Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa.]](https://madikwesafarilodge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AdobeStock_360728998-1024x683.jpeg)
Despite making its home in leafy woodlands and dry thornveldt, you are most likely to spot this solitary bird along roads and rivers. You’re even more likely to spot this hornbill during its breeding and nesting seasons or during its migration in the dry season.
Partial to dry, open woodlands and the savannah climate, this species of bunting can be seen roaming alone in pairs, or in small groups, or making themselves at home in cup nests among shrubs and saplings.
Keep an ear out for this savannah native’s unique, babbling call. Given its territorial nature, babblers are often seen defending their borders with vocal and wing displays.
These adorable birds are typically spotted chasing swiftly after their prey of insects. During their mating season, you may be lucky to witness the courser’s courtship dance, during which the male flies in semi-circles around the female.
Should you somehow miss the francolin’s bantam-build and cocked tail during your game drive in the Madikwe Reserve, you’re bound to notice its distinctive call – since it’s never quiet!
Some Honourable Mentions
- African finfoot
- Barred wren-warbler
- Black-backed puffback
- Black-throated canary
- Blue-cheeked bee-eater
- Bronze-winged courser
- Burchell’s courser
- Cardinal woodpecker
- Gabar goshawk
- Green-winged pytilia
- Kori bustard
- Marico flycatcher
- Red-billed buffalo-weaver
- Short-toed rock thrush
- Temminck’s courser
- Violet-eared waxbill
- White stork
- White-throated robin-chat
- Yellow-throated sandgrouse
What The Flock?
[Conclusion – best time to visit is between April and November since that’s when most migratory species will be in residence]. Bush Walks and Evening Game Drives raise your chances of catching a glimpse of some of the bird species mentioned in this article – plus a few more with the help of Madikwe Safari Lodge’s certified guides.
Add a little something extra to your birding experience at the reserve when you stay at the Madikwe Safari Lodge. Book your luxury suite today!
