Birding

Home to approximately 676 bird species, of which 15 are near-endemics and 1 true endemic, Namibia is a wonderful birding destination. Birding here is easy and photographic opportunities are plenty. Our tours are designed specifically to target as many of Namibia's endemic and near-endemics as possible. They cover a wide range of habitats and visit Namibia's most iconic places such as Etosha National Park and Sossusvlei. We will not only be seeing wonderful birds and breathtaking landscapes, but also many exciting mammals, reptiles and plants, such as the Welwitschia. You can look forward to clean and comfortable accommodation, delicious, wholesome food and friendly people.

Our guides are all round naturalists and greatly enthusiastic about all fauna and flora. They will point out mammals, reptiles and insects as we bird through the country.

Augur Buzzard, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Red-capped Lark, Gray's Lark, Bokmakierie, Common Fiscal, Acacia Pied Barbet, Namaqua Sandgrouse, White-backed Mousebird, Sabota Lark, Red-eyed Bulbul, Mountain Wheatear, Rufous-vented Warbler, Black-chested Prinia, Chat Flycatcher, Pririt Batis, Bokmakierie, Cape Glossy Starling, Dusky Sunbird, Southern Great Sparrow, Cape Sparrow, Yellow Canary, White-throated Canary and Lark-like Bunting can all commonly be found on a birding trip through the Namib Desert.

Large numbers of waterfowl can be found along the Atlantic coast at Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. Namibia boasts numerous species of resident species and palearctic migrants including the Chestnut-banded Plover, Cape Gannet, Cape, Bank & Crowned Cormorant, Great White Pelican, Greater and Lesser Flamingo's, Ruddy Turnstone, Common Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper, White-fronted, Three-banded and Common Ringed Plovers, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Cape, Bank, Great & Crowned Cormorant, African Black Oystercatcher, Hartlaub's, Grey-hooded and Kelp Gull and Damara, Swift, Caspian, Common and Sandwich Terns.

Birds that can be seen along the central escarpment include Sociable Weaver, Common Ostrich, Cape Sparrow, Scaly Weaver, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Dusky Sunbird, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Pygmy Falcon, White-backed & and Lappet-faced Vulture, Short-toed Rock-Thrush, Rüppell's Parrot, Red Bishop, Monteiro's, Red and Yellow-billed Hornbills, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Rockrunner, Pin-tailed, Shaft-tailed and Long-tailed Whydah's.

Several Raptors are commonly encountered on a typical tour like Tawny Eagle, Booted Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Martial Eagle, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Pale Chanting Goshawk and Greater Kestrel.

Burchell's and Double-banded Sandgrouse, Monotonous, Long-billed, Spike-heeled & Red-capped Lark, Grey-backed Sparrowlark, Green-winged Pytilia, African Hoopoe, Verreaux's Eagle-owl, Yellow-bellied & Burnt-necked Eremomela, Abdim's Stork, Blue Crane, Red-crested & Northern Black Korhaan, Kori Bustard, Secretary Bird are just a few of the commoner species that can be seen in the Etosha National Park.

The Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush and the enigmatic Cinderella Waxbill can be seen along the Kunene River in the far northwest of Namibia and arrangements can be made to seek the recently discovered Namibian population of Angolan Cave Chat.

The Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Strip) is especially rich in birdlife due to higher rainfall. It is considered a birding hotspot within Southern Africa. The Okavango River flows from the highlands of Angola, through Namibia and into the Okavango Delta in Botswana and offers spectacular birding opportunities. The Pel's Fishing Owl is probably the most sought after species in this area and has been seen on every trip in search of it so far. Other good species include the Souza's Shrike, Rufous-bellied Tit, Sharp-tailed Starling, Brown Firefinch and Greater Swamp Warbler. The Mahango National Park marks the western-most limit of several other Okavango specialties including Wattled Crane, Lesser Jacana, Coppery-tailed & Black Coucal, Slaty Egret and African Pygmy Goose.

Dickinson's Kestrel, Western-banded Snake Eagle, Cuckoo Hawk, Shalow's Turaco and Racket-tailed Roller are some species that can be found surrounding the Katima Mulilo area.

Birding in Namibia can be done all year round, but generally, the summer months between September and April are the best time as the palearctic migrants have returned and most species are in breeding plumage.

Birding Tours: