Bird Watching in Namibia

Don't be deceived by the apparent emptiness of Namibia's deserts; the 630 or so recorded species list has put Namibia firmly on the birding map, and what makes the country such a good destination for birders is the fact that there are some 40 near-endemics, including many whose range is restricted to highly accessible sites in Namibia and extremely inaccessible locations in Angola.

Scour the harsh southern desert areas for larks, pipits and raptors, not to mention Namibia's single endemic, the Dune lark. The Namib throws up all sorts of secrets when you explore its coastal stretches: head for Walvis Bay or Swakopmund for great wetland birding and thousands of pelicans and flamingos.

The open grasslands of the Etosha National Park and the Waterberg Plateau Park are host to kohraans, bustards, rollers, bee-eaters and patrolling raptors. Find a kill in Etosha and tick off vultures, eagles and flycatchers. The open woodlands of the north boast parrots, woodpeckers and all manner of passerines while the well-watered Caprivi Strip offers Namibia's best birding - try the Mahango Game Reserve and its staggering 420 recorded species.

The smaller reserves such as the Daan Viljoen Game Reserve and Hardap Dam will give you a great introduction to the birds of the Kalahari and Namibia's dry west.

If you are up to the challenge of a rainy season visit, go birding in Namibia during the summer months (December to April) when many intra-African and palaearctic migrants arrive: kites, cuckoos, warblers, storks, swallows and swifts.

Birds to look out for:

Namibia's specials include: Hartlaub's francolin, Rueppell's parrot, Rueppell's korhaan, violet woodhoopoe, Monterio's hornbill, Carp's black tit, bare-cheeked babbler, Herero chat, rockrunner, white-tailed shrike, dune lark, Gray's lark and Damara tern.

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