The Top 5 Birding Day Tour Spots In & Around Johannesburg
Birding in a city as large as Johannesburg can sometimes be daunting. Where do you go? Where is it safe? Where will you find good birds? These are all questions that a lot of international birders ask when they plan a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa for the first time. So we’ve put together a list of the top 5 birding day tour spots in and around Johannesburg.
In this article, we won’t just answer some of these common questions but we’ll share with you our top 5 birding “hotspots” in and around the Johannesburg region.
First, let’s set a couple of ground rules. To qualify for the top 5 birding hotspots, each location needs to be easily accessible by vehicle, safe to explore and have some magnificent birds to spot. Keeping those criteria in mind, here’s our list of Johannesburg’s top 5 birding hotspots.
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1) Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens
Our Top 5 Birds:
- Verreaux’s Eagle
- Cape Rock Thrush (Endemic)
- Greater Double-collared Sunbird (Endemic)
- Cape Bunting (Near-Endemic)
- Half-collared Kingfisher
Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens is situated in the North Western reaches of Johannesburg, in a suburb called Roodepoort. It features ample safe parking, and an extensive network of paved and off-road hiking trails and hosts various habitats. Some of the main habitats include Riverine Bush/Forest, Cliff Faces, a Waterfall, Stream & Lake. The extensive network of trails ensures great access to all the habitats available, so racking up a decent bird list for a morning’s birding session is quite easy.
There is a café/restaurant situated in the gardens, but be sure to sit outside whilst sipping your cappuccino, as you’ll often get to see the Verraux’s Eagles soaring overhead.
Finding Our Top 5 Birds At Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens:
- The Verreaux’s Eagles nest on the cliff face near the waterfall. If you don’t have a spotting scope, or can’t see them on their nest, wait until mid-morning. As temperatures rise, they often start flying and find thermals to soar and hunt.
- Cape Rock Thrushes are seen throughout the gardens where there are, you guessed it, rocks. But for the best chance of spotting these endemics, hang around the restaurant, as they lurk and scavenge for morsels patrons leave behind.
- Greater Double-collared Sunbirds mostly spend their time around tubular flowers, such as those of Aloes. So be sure to scan any Indigenous garden with flowers that provide the nectar of the gods. If they’re not in the flowering garden beds, scan the riverine forest area all along the stream that cuts through the gardens.
- Cape Buntings like a rocky-type habitat. So make sure you spend some time listening for their “giggle-like-call” anywhere where there are rocks and surrounding grassland, as they are seedeaters and hop in between the rocks and clumps of grass to feed.
- Half-collared Kingfishers have become increasingly difficult in the Johannesburg region in recent years. But with the right amount of luck and a serious sense of patience, you might be fortunate enough to find one in Walter Sisulu. Try to find a quiet section of the stream cutting through the gardens, where there is little human traffic, and simply sit and wait. Knowing their call before you go would also increase your chances of spotting them, as they have a very distinct call when they fly low and fast across the water.
2) Rietvlei Dam Nature Reserve
Our Top 5 Birds:
- African Fish Eagle
- Secretarybird
- Cloud Cisticola (Near-Endemic)
- Fairy Flycatcher (Endemic)
- Cape Longclaw (Endemic)
Rietvlei Dam Nature Reserve is situated north of Johannesburg closer to the capital city, Pretoria. Spanning 4,000 hectares (9,885 acres), Rietvlei offers the typical high-altitude grassland habitat, better known as the “Highveld”, associated with the Johannesburg region. With a large dam, wetland areas, Acacia woodland and vast open grasslands, Rietvlei offers some of the best birding within the city limits. There is a wide network of paved and unpaved roads to explore, multiple bird hides and a visitor’s centre, all to ensure you stay busy. The reserve also hosts Cheetah, African Buffalo, White Rhino and many common antelope species to distract you further, as you spend your time birding.
Finding Our Top 5 Birds At Rietvlei Dam Nature Reserve:
- African Fish Eagles can be found anywhere along the main large dam or river frontage that connects the wetland areas throughout the reserve. Their call gives their position away very quickly and spotting/identifying them is a breeze.
- Secretarybird can be a hit-and-miss bird for Rietvlei. The open grassland habitat, with rolling hills, is extremely suitable for them, but spotting them isn’t always easy. Make sure to scan the tops of any flat-looking Acacia trees early in the morning, as they might still be roosting shortly after sunrise.
- Cloud Cisticola is best located by call. So learn their call before exploring Rietvlei. When they do call, they will most likely be 20-30m (65-100 feet) in the air. They will be associated with any large open grassland area, so scan for them throughout the reserve.
- Fairy Flycatchers are only present in Rietvlei from around late Autumn (Fall) to early Spring (April to September). Their distinctive call is a clear giveaway in most stands of Acacia trees found dotted throughout the reserve.
- Cape Longclaws are one of the easiest endemics to encounter in any “Highveld” grassland habitat, in the Johannesburg region. Their typical pipit-like features and bright orange throat make them easy to identify. Scan along the roadside edges, or anywhere with shorter grassy patches throughout the reserve.
3) Marievale Wetland Nature Reserve (Bird Sanctuary)
Our Top 5 Birds:
Marievale Wetland Nature Reserve is a birder’s paradise. Only about an hour’s drive south of Johannesburg and spanning 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres), Marievale is a perfect hotspot for wetland birds. And did we mention that it’s a RAMSAR site? Offering a mix of Wetland and Grassland birding, Marievale is a great birding spot for anyone looking to go out birding for half a day. There are multiple bird hides to sit in and observe/photograph birds and whether you’re looking to spend either a morning or an afternoon’s birding session at Marievale, you won’t be disappointed. With 6 hides to explore, all angled to accommodate the sun’s direction at different times of the day, you can be sure you’ll get that perfect light for the perfect shot.
The reserve has fairly basic facilities, so pack some lunch.
Finding Our Top 5 Birds At Marievale Wetland Nature Reserve:
- African Rail is best looked for early in the morning. Make sure you get to Marievale as soon as the reserve opens and spend some time in any of the hides with decent water in front of it, and some muddy/rocky banks. With enough patience and by being completely silent, you’ll have a Rail foraging into the open in no time.
- African Snipe are some of the most camouflaged birds in our opinion. What’s great about them though, is that they don’t flush/scare too easily. So scan any marshy wetland areas with some good grass cover as you drive in between the bird hides. We find that late afternoons are best for them, especially when you drive the far northern stretch of dirt track in the reserve.
- Marsh Owls will either be seen hunting low along the grassy edges of the wetland early in the morning or if you don’t mind a little walking, you could quite easily flush one when walking through the grass close to the wetland. But be ready, because as you flush them, they can go down again pretty quickly and don’t put too much pressure on them.
- Goliath Heron is by no means a rare find in South Africa. But their giant stature and calm dominant demeanour make them one of our absolute favourite bird species to come across at Marievale. You haven’t seen a Heron until you’ve seen a Goliath Heron. They’re pretty common throughout the reserve, especially in shallower water along the edges where they hunt.
- Blue-billed Teal is another common resident (in the right areas). Their tiny build, full black cap and bright blue bills make them very unique and are always a great find in any wetland habitat that they inhabit. They like feeding in the shallower waters along reedy and grassy edges, so scan for them from every bird hide or whilst driving between the hides.
4) Zaagkuilsdrift Road
Our Top 5 Birds:
- Ashy Tit (Near-Endemic)
- Great Sparrow (Near-Endemic)
- Marico Flycatcher (Near-Endemic)
- Kalahari Scrub-Robin (Near-Endemic)
- Burchell’s Starling (Near-Endemic)
The Zaagkuilsdrift Road is a public road that crosses from the Limpopo Province into the North West Province of South Africa. It’s roughly a 1.5-hour drive North of Johannesburg and stretches about 25 km (15.5 miles) from East to West. The road connects a network of privately owned Cattle and Game Farms, so all the birding is done along the main gravel road. From the little farming village of Pienaarsrivier, you drive along the Zaagkuilsdrift road and bird a myriad of habitats, stretching from Acacia woodland, open grassland, bushveld and riverine bush along the Pienaarsrivier. In summer one can easily spend an entire day here, so be sure to pack a picnic basket and enough coffee to keep you going for the day.
Finding Our Top 5 Birds At Zaagkuilsdrift Road:
- Ashy Tit is found along most of the Zaagkuilsdrift road. Focus on the stands of Acacia woodland as you stop and listen for their distinctive call. They usually respond quite well to playback, but use this in moderation to not disturb the birds too much.
- Great Sparrow is another “great” special for this area. They like associating with Acacia woodland mixed with grassland habits, as they feed on grass seeds. Scan the tops of trees as you drive along. They like sitting up high and exposed, calling and observing the area.
- Marico Flycatchers are dime a dozen along Zaagkuilsdrift. Their clear white bellies are a dead giveaway as they usually sit along the lower edges of trees, hawking insects.
- Kalahari Scrub-Robin can be quite tough on the best of days. Their repetitive call will give you a clear indication of where they might be perched. From there it’s just a patience game. Quite skulky in behaviour, they like to perch in thicker habitats close to the middle of scrubby bushes or in densely vegetated trees. They will often hop down onto the ground, foraging for insects and whatever bits of food they can find. If you sit and wait long enough, you should see one emerge from the thickets.
- Burchell’s Starling is another great near-endemic for this road, and what makes them so great is that they are very common along the entire stretch of the road. Lookout along the roadside edges, perched in trees or on farming fences for these large-tailed birds. Their iridescent plumage is unmistakable and their large build and tale easily distinguishes them from the other commonly found, Cape Starling.
5) Mongena Private Game Reserve
Our Top 5 Birds:
- Scaly-feathered Weaver (Near-Endemic)
- Acacia Pied Barbet (Near-Endemic)
- Crimson-breasted Shrike (Near-Endemic)
- Pale Chanting Goshawk (Near-Endemic)
- Southern White-faced Owl
African Lion – Panthera leo
Mongena Private Game Reserve is a hidden gem of a birding hot spot and not many birders know about it. Hosting a variety of habitats such as Acacia woodland, open grassland, riverine forest, large wetlands, brood-leafed woodland and more, you can imagine what the birding must be like and the kind of variety this spot holds. Mongena lies within the Dinokeng Game Reserve but is a privately owned concession and can only be accessed by prior arrangement and with a private guide. Being a safari lodge, there are a few different opportunities for overnight accommodation. We, at One Day Safaris, are fortunate enough to have exclusive birding day tour access to this 8,000-hectare (20,000 acres) Big 5 wildlife concession. We easily spend an entire day birding here and often don’t even get to explore 20% of the entire concession, as the birding is just that good!
Finding Our Top 5 Birds At Mongena Private Game Reserve:
- Scaly-feathered Weavers like Acacia woodland mixed with open grassland habitats. They use the trees for safety, nesting and sunbathing and feed on the grass seeds. Just spend some time in any habitat that has this mix, and you should come across a flock ranging from a couple to over 30 individuals.
- Acacia Pied Barbet, as the name suggests, likes Acacia woodland habitat. Their distinctive call is a dead giveaway and scanning every Acacia that you can see will eventually offer up a great view of one. Learn their distinctive call before you, this will minimise your time scanning Acacias for this spectacular-looking Barbet.
- Crimson-breasted Shrikes draw a lot of attention with their bright red throat and belly, black upperparts and white wing bars. They too spend a lot of their time associated with Acacia woodland and would either be on the ground hunting for insects or gleaning in the lower reaches of the Acacias.
- Pale Chanting Goshawk is a raptor species widely associated with dryer more arid climates and habitats. Mongena is fortunate enough to have a decent population in the northern reaches of the concession and we often spot them sitting atop tall trees, surveying the area for prey.
- Southern White-faced Owl is best looked for at night (as you would expect). Other than a variety of Nightjars, Owls and other nocturnal critters, Southern White-faced Owls are some of our favourites to encounter on a night drive within Mongena Game Reserve. They occupy a wide variety of habitats on the reserve, but in our experience tend to focus more on the broad-leafed woodland areas.
Birding day trips in and around Johannesburg can be very rewarding. Knowing where to go and what to look for will make for a truly enjoyable day’s birding. If you’re still not too sure how to go about a day’s birding around Johannesburg, look at our birding day trips on offer or contact us directly at info@onedaysafaris.com