Kruger Park Birding Calendar
Check the arrival times of migratory birds...
Month | Terrain Features | Bird Activity | Sunrise & Sunset | Av. ° Min/Max |
Aug | Late winter: dry bush with little leaf cover; water scarce; veld very prone to fire; mopaneveld is orange-brown; winds indicate spring is on the way; Wild-pear Dombeya in flower attracts lots of insect-eating birds, including the first migrants; red flowers out on Weeping Boer-bean and Natal-mahogany | Migrant arrival intensifies with many European species joining African migrants - cuckoos call noisily through the bush indicating seasonal change; weaver nests are hives of activity; breeding plumage intensifies in colour and shape - particularly noticeable in the Violet-backed Starling* and African Paradise-Flycatcher | 06h35-17h35 | 12-28 |
Sept | First itinerant rains mark the arrival of spring; dramatic flowering of widespread Knob-thorn Acacia gives southern Kruger a yellow hue; Apple-leafs and African Weeping-wattle in flower; Flame creepers flower in riverine forests; good game viewing because vegetation is still thin | Migrant arrival intensifies with many European species joining African migrants - cuckoos call noisily through the bush indicating seasonal change; weaver nests are hives of activity; breeding plumage intensifies in colour and shape - particularly noticeable in the Violet-backed Starling* and African Paradise-Flycatcher | 05h54-17h50 | 12-28 |
Oct | Traditional start of the rainy season; however, climate cycles appear to becoming more variable and less predictable; new leaves in flush on trees; mopaneveld colour shifts from orange-brown to green; grasslands full of new growth; White Kirkias in flower; Sickle-bush begins flowering; pans begin to fill; plenty of game and bird activity around water sources; steep rise in daytime temperatures creates thermals for raptors | Raptors, bee-eaters and other migrants arrive in great numbers from Eurasia and Africa; all birds noticeably more active as insect numbers radically increase and trees are in flower; many fruit-eating and insect-eating species begin breeding as food sources become assured; warbler calls become part of the early summer soundtrack; Black-bellied Bustard* engage in their distinct mating displays | 05h22-18h02 | 16-32 |
Nov | All plants in vegetative flush as rainfall is usually double that of October and high summer temperatures kick in; tree cover increases; grasslands richer and thicker | Insectivore breeding season at its height with a thirtyfold increase in insects since September; Thousands of kestrels and late summer migrants from eastern Europe and Asia arrive; vultures more visible because of increased carnivore activity in the bush | 05h00-18h22 | 16-32 |
Dec | Height of summer; very hot and humid with occasional to regular thundershowers; vegetation thickens; landscape very colourful with veld flowers in bloom; Long-tail Cassia trees distinctive because of their long pods; Wild-plum begins fruiting; Sausage-trees easy to identify because of big fruit that remain on trees until June | Major period of bird activity as all migrants are in the Park; food is plentiful and summer breeding is at its peak; birds are nesting all over the Park; raptors prey on eggs and fledglings; birds are most susceptible to snakes at this time of the year as egg-eaters raid their nests; Tinkerbirds very visible; lots of raptors over the eastern grasslands; water birds abundant along all major rivers; fruiting trees nourish breeding populations of turacos, barbets, African Green-Pigeon and Trumpeter Hornbill | 05h00-18h33 | 18-34 |
Jan | Usually the height of the rainy season, with long thundershowers interspersed with clear days and occasional soft rain; daytime temperatures are at their most extreme; colourful landscape with summer flowers in bloom; Marulas begin fruiting; Combretums start displaying their distinctive four-winged pods | Most birds are rearing young; this is a vulnerable time as many raptors like the African Harrier-Hawk prey on helpless fledglings; flocks of queleas are very common in the central grasslands and are targets for many raptors; birding parties common in grasslands and around fruiting trees; insect populations remain high; rollers, shrikes and hornbills very conspicuous | 05h19-18h52 | 18-34 |
Feb | Hot and humid with high rainfall during long-term wet cycles; this can be a flood season as the Kruger water table is usually saturated and heavy rains can lead to rivers bursting their banks; hot and humid conditions; plants are at their most nutritious; vegetation dense and colourful with many summer flowers still in bloom; grasses are easiest to identify because they are all in seed | Prime birding time as all the migrants are settled, the breeding birds are in full plumage and fledglings are beginning to mature; food is abundant, with sunbirds particularly prolific in flowering trees; reed beds are alive with noisy bishops, widow-birds and weavers; raptors are particularly active | 05h42-18h39 | 18-33 |
Mar | End of summer with the last thunder- showers; temperatures remain high during the day; often windy; can be a bit chilly at night; this is the end of the flowering season for many of Kruger's plants; Wild Date-palm in fruit attracting many birds | Insect numbers begin declining as the rainy season ends; first migrants depart, among them the Steppe Eagle; kestrels begin gathering in large flocks to prepare for their return flights to Siberia; cuckoos on the move through the Park | 05h57-18h13 | 18-33 |
April | Seasonal shift towards autumn; Tree Fuchsia begins long flowering season attracting sunbirds and fruit-eaters; noticeable drop in daytime temperatures; sometimes windy, evenings are chilly, occasional sporadic late rains | Most migrants depart by mid-April for Eurasian and African breeding grounds; many species feed heavily to improve their condition before winter; insect and fruit sources decline; breeding male plumage begins to fade; resident raptor courtship displays begin | 06h11-17h41 | 13-28 |
May | Autumn; many deciduous trees begin dropping their leaves; end of fruiting season for lots of bushveld trees; sometimes windy; most of the eastern grassland pans dry out | Pressure on the food chain begins easing in the wake of the migrant departure - almost 50% decline in bird species as migrants head north into Africa or to Europe and eastern Asia; colourful resident species apparent such as Lilac-breasted Roller and Black-collared Barbet; parrots begin breeding as they prefer drier seeds; woodpeckers breed because of the availability of larvae in dried tree trunks | 06h26-17h19 | 13-28 |
June | Winter sets in; days are mild to warm; evenings are chilly to cold; bush dries up significantly and brown replaces green as the key tone in the landscape; vegetation dies back as deciduous trees are all bare and grass cover recedes; rain is rare, Sacred Coral-trees have bright red flowers; Impala Lily in flower; Cape Honeysuckle in flowerl | Raptor breeding season; courtship displays among the larger raptors; woodpeckers very active; bird numbers pick up a little with the arrival of altitudinal migrants from the escarpment coming down to Kruger for winter feeding; permanent water holes are active birding sites; Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills very visible along roadsides; Bateleurs dominate the skies | 06h40-17h13 | 9-26 |
July | Winter at its height; days are warm, occasionally hot, but temperatures drop quickly at sunset and nights can be very cold; no rain; good visibility through the dry bush; high fire risk time; mopaneveld colours change from green to yellow and orange | Raptors raise fledglings; cainism amongst many raptors as first-born chick ensures the death of the second hatchling in nature's most extreme sibling rivalry; resident raptors very active during the day; African Fish-Eagles call loudly during territorial displays; bird-watching is better in the south and extreme north where there is great diversity of resident species; low birding activity in the mopaneveld until the first rains | 06h42-17h23 | 9-26 |