South African Birding

Marakele National Park is home to more than 280 bird species. There is no bad time to visit the area as birding is good throughout the year. However, the best season for diversity is between November and April when the seasonal migrants arrive.

The cliffs of the Waterberg escarpment are home to 800 breeding pairs of the critically endangered Cape Vulture. This is the largest colony in Africa, an incredibly important site in the future existence of this remarkable bird. Witnessing columns of the heaviest African raptor soaring on thermals above the escarpment on their 3 metre wingspan is a remarkable sight.

Other notable birds found here are the little bee-eater, the black crake, the African harrier hawk, the jackal buzzard and the mocking cliff-chat, just a snapshot of the great variety.