Wildlife in Africa goes far beyond the Big Five. The diversity and vibrancy of this vast continent are reflected in its birdlife, which can flash by in the blink of an eye or put on an aerial show to rival the most sought-after safari sightings.
Whether you're a passionate ornithophile or seeking to expand your wildlife-watching horizons, our intimate safari experiences reveal the most breathtaking African birds in a series of extraordinary ways, for moments that stir the soul.
An estimated 2,500 bird species call Africa home, and at least 50% aren't found anywhere else in the world. All are special, but some stand out as must-sees.
The grey-crowned crane, actually adorned with a crown of golden feathers, is found in eastern and southern Africa and is an official symbol of Uganda. South Africa's national bird is the blue crane, and it's particularly special to see these birds leap like ballet dancers when performing their courtship ritual.
A flamboyance of flamingos standing one-legged in the shallows or soaring above the continent's vast lakes is a spectacular sight. On Kenya’s Rift Valley, lakes such as Nakuru, Bogoria and Elementaita, shorelines can turn blush-pink as tens of thousands of lesser and greater flamingos gather. In Tanzania, Lake Manyara and the otherworldly Lake Natron are famed for vast flocks that arrive to feed and, in Natron’s case, to breed.
From the pygmy kingfisher, standing at 12cm tall, to the black-billed giant kingfisher, almost four times its size, Africa boasts several varieties of these beautifully colored birds. Most species favour perches along rivers, lakes, estuaries and flooded channels, but others hunt over open woodland or even mangroves, always choosing clear vantage points from which to spot fish, frogs or insects below before plunging headfirst into the water. But blink and you'll miss their lightning dives to the surface of a shimmering lake.
The most photogenic of all the African birds, the lilac-breasted roller's iridescent plumage and dramatic aerial acrobatics make it easy to spot and impossible to forget.
From the snake-stomping secretary bird to the African sea eagle, with its distinctive shrieking cry that echoes across the bush, African birds of prey are avian royalty.
One of the most iconic birds of Africa, thanks to The Lion King, vivid-beaked hornbills are found across the continent, calling out in captivating cries from rhythmic booming to gentle mewing.
Colorful characters found in forest canopies in Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa, the moss-green, crimson and cobalt plumage of the turacos often looks almost unreal. They are easily identified by their soft clucking calls drifting through fig trees and forest edges as they move between fruiting branches.
One of the strangest of all African birds. Shoebills have a pelican-like appearance and bulky foot-long bills, which clatter together in greeting and when nesting. Standing well over a meter tall with steely-blue plumage and a prehistoric, almost dinosaur-like gaze, they spend long periods motionless in papyrus swamps before suddenly lunging to seize lungfish or catfish at the surface. Your best chances of seeing a shoebill are in Uganda’s wetlands –particularly in the Nile delta in Murchison Falls National Park – as well as in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park, where small but important populations still persist.
Botswana is a birders' paradise. With limited visitor numbers and a commitment to using local guides who live and breathe nature, a Botswana safari is an organic and rewarding approach to seeing some of the most iconic African birds and mammals.
Journey north to the Okavango Delta, the world's largest inland delta, and a UNESCO-protected wetland where endangered species, including black and white rhinos, find respite. 482 species of birds can be spotted here, including cotton-candy clouds of migrating greater flamingo, and the kori bustard, the continent's largest and the world's heaviest flying bird.
Embrace the total tranquility of the waterways on a boat safari that brings you closer to birds and other animals by the banks. Slide along natural paths between a carpet of water lilies in a traditional mokoro (dugout canoe) or explore further in a quiet motorized boat.
The green season between November and April is the best time to visit to see birds on safari. In these months, you can look for Okavango “specials” such as wattled cranes striding through the floodplains, elusive slaty egrets and the sought-after Pel’s fishing owl, alongside African skimmers, pygmy geese and dazzling malachite kingfishers. More familiar faces, from African jacanas tiptoeing across lily pads to bee-eaters, rollers and fish eagles, complete the spectacle.
South Africa is our home, and we use our matchless knowledge to curate personalized safari experiences that inspire connection. There are many ways to discover the birds of South Africa as part of a guided journey that can also include city sights, vineyards and whale watching. Don't miss seeing the African penguins that reside in the rocks on Boulders Beach!
Kruger National Park is home to hundreds of bird species. Rollers and bee-eaters paint rainbow streaks across the sky as southern ground hornbills bellow across the bush and eagles arrow down on their hidden prey. Passionate birders visit in pursuit of Kruger's Big 6: kori bustard, martial eagle, saddle-billed stork, ground hornbill, lappet-faced vulture and Pel's fishing owl.
In addition to game drives in your luxury safari vehicle, you can go on bush walks in the private reserves bordering the park in search of South Africa's birds, accompanied by an expert spotter. The varied habitats, from open grassland to dry woodland savannah, make Sabi Sands a top choice, especially for a summer safari when the sparse vegetation makes birds easier to spot. In these summer months you can also listen for the ringing calls of woodland kingfishers and cuckoos, watch colourful European rollers hawking insects above the roads, and scan rivers and pans for storks, herons and migratory waders that arrive to take advantage of the seasonal abundance.
The mist-cloaked forests and lush savannahs of Uganda are mysterious and immense, offering the chance for unrivalled wildlife encounters that live long in the mind.
Our birding safaris in Uganda center around the country's marshy wetlands, navigated in your own luxury boat via serene waterways and papyrus channels. Here, jewel-colored kingfishers and tip-toeing jacanas flit silently around you as proud herons and bathing elephants wade the banks, the serenity only broken by the occasional guttural croak of colobus monkeys.
Murchison Falls National Park offers the chance to see amazing shoebills, a rare species that appears as if through a portal to another prehistoric time, or another world. Over 550 birds are found in this African national park, drawn by the waters of the Nile. Highlights include goliath herons stalking the shallows, African fish eagles, colorful bee-eaters and kingfishers lining the banks, as well as open-billed and saddle-billed storks that patrol the papyrus fringes.
Zambia is the site of the great migration - just not the one you're thinking of.
The largest mammal migration isn't the wildebeest pacing the Serengeti savannah and Masai Mara, but the movement of African giant fruit bats, which arrive at Kasanka National Park in their millions each November to feed on abundant ripening fruit. An astounding array of Africa's predatory birds soon follows and dazzling pursuits ensue, featuring the rarely seen bat hawks - for once in their element.
Another hotspot for seeing birds on safari in Zambia is South Luangwa National Park. Serene and sublime with a balanced terrain and fewer visitors, this park is where walking safaris were pioneered, and the best way to spot the 450 bird species recorded here each year is on foot. Strolling with your expert guide, you can see a staggering 100 different species in one day, from the elusive Pel’s fishing owl roosting over the river, flocks of southern carmine bee-eaters nesting in sandy banks, African skimmers, and specials such as Lilian’s lovebirds, African pittas and crowned cranes in the dambos.
Seeing the most striking birds of Africa is just the beginning of what a ROAR itinerary can offer. Our experts use their local knowledge to craft bespoke journeys for unimaginable encounters that ensure a part of you will always remain roaming the wilderness.
Meticulously crafted so they run without a hitch to your preferred degree of flexibility, ROAR safaris aren't simply 'vacations' - they're elevated experiences designed to awe and transform.
Inquire today to learn more.
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