As a result of I lived in South Africa for many of my youth, I’ve seen a big portion of the large number of species on this wonderful nation. Of those, some have turn out to be specific favourites over time, a few of which I listing right here in no specific order – it was already laborious sufficient to get down to 10 species within the first place (my preliminary title was “10 favorite species”…). Whereas many of those species are slightly widespread within the birding neighborhood typically, a significant motive why I settled on those under is as a result of I both had a particular reminiscence of my seek for or sighting of them. A few of these, nonetheless, are species which I had wished to see for ages with out luck.
Pel’s Fishing Owl
This species needed to be on the listing as a result of it was the primary species I actually wished to see in my life and which I actively went out to see – and discover – in Ndumo Recreation Reserve in South Africa. It’s a actually wonderful chook, as a result of (1) it’s an owl, (2) it’s a uncommon owl, (3) it’s a piscivorous uncommon owl, and (4) it’s a stunning-looking piscivorous uncommon owl. I had a sighting of an grownup and a juvenile in the identical morning, and we additionally heard the grownup’s name earlier that morning. I solely noticed this species as soon as subsequently, in Mkuze Recreation Reserve. It has a really restricted vary in South Africa and though it happens fairly broadly throughout sub-Saharan Africa, it’s unusual in most locations.
Narina Trogon
This chook, like so many different Trogonidae, is just gorgeous. Much like the Pel’s, it was a chook I had wished to see slightly early on in my life as a birder. It’s typically a chook of riverine and lowland forest, the place it has the behavior of turning its vivid pink stomach away from you so you’re left with solely its inexperienced again, making all of it however invisible. I’ve since seen many different species such because the wonderful Whitehead’s Trogon in Borneo, however the Narina Trogon continues to be one among my favourites. My first glimpses of this chook had been in the identical protected space the place I first noticed the Pel’s, however I’ve had much better views since within the Dlinza forest, a widely known birding spot in South Africa. Simply my finest sighting was a male busily calling at eye degree simply meters away in Zimbabwe’s Zambezi River valley.
Black-throated Wattle-eye
I don’t recall once I got here throughout this species in a guide or picture for the primary time, however I’m fairly positive it’s in my previous Robert’s Fowl Information, which I leafed by way of so many instances that I knew the web page on which every species was displayed by coronary heart. I’m seeing a development growing right here that the majority species I notice are ones that happen in South Africa’s jap lowlands, and this chook is not any exception. I first noticed it simply earlier than we departed Amatikulu Nature Reserve on the coast of KwaZulu Natal, after per week of scouring the forests to seek out this little particular. There’s fairly a stunning range of wattle-eyes in Central and West Africa (I encourage you to take a look at Yellow-bellied and Black-necked Wattle-eyes on eBird for some lovely pictures), none of which I’ve seen (desperately calling for a birding journey to those locations).
African Finfoot
To inform you the reality, I’ve by no means seen this chook. Or let’s slightly say, I’ve by no means seen greater than a splash of water as an orange foot disappeared into vegetation overhanging the water and our chook information exclaiming “finfoot!”. This was really in Ndumo Recreation Reserve, the place I additionally noticed the Pel’s Fishing Owl (and Narina Trogon), though on a special go to. I’ve been at many locations the place this species happens, together with some widespread areas for this chook like Borakalalo Recreation Reserve and Enseleni Nature Reserve, however have by no means really seen it. It’s a extremely popular species amongst birders and is uncommon all through its vary, and I can’t await the second once I abruptly see this ghost gliding over the water of some subtropical African river.
Temminck’s Courser
Coursers are amongst my favorite group of birds, together with the associated pratincoles. The Temminck’s Courser is the most typical species in South Africa and it’s additionally the primary courser species I noticed (though I noticed my first Bronze-winged Courser the next day, for some motive!). The plumage of this species (similar to the associated however uncommon Burchell’s Courser which I’ve by no means seen), is amazingly easy with lovely gradual transitions in color. I additionally love their very elegant posture, along with their most well-liked habitat of open plains, a habitat in South Africa that I take pleasure in birding in lots because of the number of different particular arid-country species which might be round.
Purple-chested Flufftail
That is one other species I wished to see for ages. Ultimately, I noticed a feminine very briefly in a small nature reserve near my house, because it emerged into a gap within the reeds. I’ve but to see a male, which has far more enticing plumage. Earlier than I first noticed this species, I learn someplace that one other observer was shocked at how small this species was, anticipating it to be across the dimension of a rooster when it was extra like a thrush. I believed that this was slightly foolish however caught myself considering the very same factor when this tiny ball of feathers popped out between the reeds. Much like crakes, their chicken-like form (I don’t know if that is derogatory for the wonderful birds that crakes are) is in some way deceptive.
Lilac-breasted Curler
A basic species of the Kruger Nationwide Park, I needed to embrace this chook as a result of it was this species we practically all the time stopped to have a look at throughout recreation drives, no matter how widespread they’re. Their vivid colors actually brighten up the bush, particularly within the dry season. Furthermore, as a result of they’re comparatively tame, they’re a extremely popular topic for photographers to get a shot of throughout flight, when their wonderful flight feathers are uncovered.
Inexperienced Woodhoopoe
I added this species as a result of it was a daily backyard chook the place we lived in Pretoria, and tried to breed in a palm tree in our backyard. The species appears wonderful however the household teams steal the present when the perch on a department collectively and descend right into a loopy cacaphony of gaggling sounds whereas swinging forwards and backwards on the department. They’re one among these birds that basically have an apparent character (just like the Arrow-marked Babblers that additionally journey in household teams and chatter away all day), which makes them wonderful to look at, particularly once they’re exterior your bed room window!
Collared Sunbird
A species that I all the time liked to see alongside the jap lowlands of the nation, this cute sunbird may be very vibrant and has an adorably compact form. It’s a fairly widespread species and sometimes visits aloe flowers, one among my favorite teams of crops on the earth. As it’s comparatively short-billed, it spends extra time gleaning bugs from foliage than different sunbird species which might be extra particularly nectarivorous (just like the Southern Double-collared Sunbird on this publish’s featured picture). I typically spent a while watching them in Letaba camp in Kruger Nationwide Park, as they had been used to the folks right here and thus allowed an in depth method to have a look at its shiny scale-like plumage.
Rufous-necked Wryneck
Whereas I’d want to stay to the previous identify “Purple-throated Wryneck” which I nonetheless have in all of my previous guides, I made a decision to stay with the identify on eBird to be according to the remainder of this listing. That is the opposite species on this listing that I’ve by no means seen and certainly one of many causes I’ve included it right here is that the wryneck might be one among my greatest bogey birds (a.ok.a. nemesis chook) in South Africa. I’ve been to many locations – from Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve to Wakkerstroom – which might be supposedly glorious for this species, however it has all the time gotten away. Additionally it is a typical highveld chook so I believed it’s good to incorporate a species of this habitat provided that it covers a lot of the nation.
Southern Floor-Hornbill
That is most likely one of the charismatic-looking birds within the nation. This can be a species of open bushveld and savanna, requiring mature bushes for breeding and due to this fact being sadly slightly endangered. I didn’t come throughout them recurrently, however the sightings are normally fairly good as they aren’t shy once they forage on the bottom within the small household teams. Their dimension and look makes them completely gorgeous birds.
Knysna Turaco
I nonetheless have the second burned into my thoughts of a Knysna Turaco flying above us river whereas I used to be canoeing on a river with my household alongside the Backyard Route. This was earlier than I used to be a devoted birder (though I already favored birds), however the vivid pink wings had been simply an irresistably lovely distinction to the inexperienced forest. They aren’t troublesome to see, however it’s fairly unusual to get clear views of this species as they are typically slightly shy. I managed to get a flight {photograph} of this chook solely as soon as, within the legendary Magoebaskloof forest in northeastern South Africa.
I’ve gone proper up reminiscence lane with this publish by reminiscing on my previous sightings and desired sightings. So maybe I’ll comply with up with an extra publish on my favorite birds of one other nation of the southern African subregion, since I typically appeared on the subregion as a complete slightly than the nations individually by way of birding (largely as a result of my chook information and guidelines are for the subregion slightly than solely South Africa).
