Endemic Bird Species Hot Spots

Endemic Bird Species Hot Spots

 

Falling within the heart of the globes smallest floral kingdom, the Cape Peninsula is host to 40 of South Africa’s 160 endemic bird species. The area is not known for its quantity of birds but rather its quality and although there are around 300 bird species having been recorded on the peninsula, the majority are waterbirds or seabirds that are found elsewhere. The Mediterranean climate together with mixed habitats means that many of the areas special species are extremely hard to find elsewhere.

 

Kirstenbosch, Cape Point & Boulders Beach:

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens was recently named one of the top botanical gardens in the world. It serves as a very important refuge to many of the Cape Peninsula’s faunal species, and it is undoubtedly one of the top destinations in Cape Town to visit as a great location for wildlife and bird photography. During the spring months, the proteas, pin-cushions and erica’s are in flower and they attract large numbers of Cape Sugarbirds and sunbirds to their nectar.

Cape Point forms part of the greater Table Mountain National Park and encompasses vast vistas of pristine fynbos where birding and game viewing is excellent. Bontebok, Cape Mountain Zebra, Ostrich and Chacma Baboons are some of the additional species that may be seen over and above the endemic birds. The coastline hosts a number of tern and gull roost sites and at the Point itself, where the southern ocean meets the high cliffs, Cape Cormorants nest on the narrow ledges.

Boulder’s Beach is the one of the best locations to see and photograph the endemic African Penguin and in the afternoons large numbers return to their roosting and breeding beaches after a day spent feeding at sea. It is possible to approach quite close to the birds and there are a number of wooden boardwalks that allow good vantage points from which to view the birds.

 

Top Species to be expected on the Cape Peninsula Tour:

  • African Penguin
  • Cape Cormorant
  • Hartlaubs Gull
  • Swift Tern
  • Jackal Buzzard
  • Cape Spurfowl
  • Spotted Eagle Owl
  • Cape Bulbul
  • Cape Robin-Chat
  • Cape Rock Thrush
  • Cape Sugarbird
  • Orange-Breasted Sunbird
  • Malachite Sunbird
  • Southern Double-Collared Sunbird
  • Cape White-Eye
  • Cape Bunting

 

Habitats

 

Peter Chadwick

As a dedicated conservationist and wildlife & conservation photographer, Peter Chadwick has over 25 years of experience in terrestrial and marine protected area management. He is the founder of African Conservation Photography and has worked throughout southern Africa in some of its most special wild places, including the Kalagadi Desert, Kruger National Park, Drakensberg Mountains, the sub-antarctic Prince Edward Islands and De Hoop Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area. This has instilled in him a deep passion for Africa, its wild places and its peoples.

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