Birding Galore 

Bird lovers flock to the park too, particularly in the wetter seasons between November and April. Migratory birds from Europe and Northern Africa are present during this time while resident birds can often be seen nesting and in their colorful breeding plumage. Sightings of the long red-beaked Bradfield’s hornbill, the pigeon-sized Burchell’s sandgrouse, the large spur-winged goose, the robust rufous-naped lark and red-billed spurfowl are always exciting and fairly common. And during the migrant season, the bronze-winged courser (sometimes known as the violet-tipped courser) is also plentiful. The usually ground dwelling kori bustard, Africa’s largest flying bird, is also seen here. The male kori bustard is thought to be the heaviest living animal capable of flight.  

Some other birds that may be seen at the Hwange Game Reserve: the African golden oriole, African skimmer, Allen’s gallinule, Arnot’s chat, black-headed oriole, black-winged pratincole, collared pratincole, Egyptian vulture, Goliath heron, lesser moorhen, purple gallinule (sometimes known as the yellow-legged gallinule), southern ground hornbill, southern pied babbler, Taita falcon – and the rare Yellow Morph Crimson-breasted Shrike. 

Optimizing the Land 

Once home to the nomadic San bushmen who lived off the land, the wildlife reserve was created as it was unsuitable for agriculture. Scarce water supply continues to be an issue and so strategically placed artificial waterholes have been created to boost wildlife. 

Visit the Hwange Game Reserve during our Rivers & Rails of Africa itinerary.