Good birding locations


    Without a doubt the best birding location in Botswana is the Okavango delta, however there are a number of locations in the Game Reserves where birding is particularly rewarding. These include Khwai in Moremi (noted for its raptors during the summer), the Tuli Block along the Limpopo River and along the Chobe River. During the summer months the CKGR and Transfrontier Park are also good for raptors with the available grass seeds and resultant mouse boom. Apart from the Game Reserves there are a number of other locations where birding is fruitful and these are listed below:

    Blacksmith PloverDams & Sewage ponds
    Gaborone, Shashe and Letsibogo Dams all have a good variety of birds with Shashe Dam being perhaps the better of the three. With reedbeds, open water and mopane forest this area has a wide range of species that have been recorded here.
    Sewage ponds don't sound like the most exhilarating place to spend an afternoon but they can be very rewarding. During our trips to the Swaneng Sewage Ponds in Serowe we had sightings of unusual birds such as Whiskered Tern, Ruff and Knobbilled Duck as well as the more usual ones of Blacksmith Plover (pictured), Blackwinged Stilt and Dabchick.

    Tswapong Hills
    Meyer's Parrot Over 330 species of birds have been recorded in this area and I have seen many birds here outside of their range in the bird guides. The abundance of water combined with diverse plant & tree life renders this area particularly attractive to birds. Fruit-eating birds such as the Black-collared Barbet enjoy the many fig species that grow here. The cliffs are inhabited by Black Eagle, Cape Vulture (two breeding colonies can be found here) and Black Storks. Redwinged Starlings, Mocking Chats, Meyer's Parrot (pictured) and Rock Buntings among others are frequently seen.

    Dry River beds
    Another unusual location for a birding expedition but once again this can be rewarding. The two rivers that I have walked in like this are the Metsimasweu River in Serowe and the Lotsane River in Palapye. The tall trees that line the river bed provide ideal habitat for many species including Orangebreasted Bush Shrike, Terrestrial Bulbul, Whitethroated Robin and Brownhooded Kingfisher.

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