With a list of over 400 recorded bird species, the uMkhuze Game Reserve (part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park) is one of South Africa’s most highly-rated birdwatching destinations. The reserve is home to many commonly seen and well-known species, both residents and summer migrants, but also hosts several species rarely encountered in South Africa – we, for instance, had our first ever sighting of the African Pygmy Goose at uMkhuze’s Nsumo Pan when we visited the reserve in March, though we sadly didn’t manage a photograph of it. This gallery however shows just some of the almost 100 species we managed to find during our three day visit!
European Roller
Crested Guineafowl
Crested Francolin
Pink-backed Pelicans in flight over Nsumo Pan
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Three-banded Plover
Trumpeter Hornbill
Trumpeter Hornbill
Trumpeter Hornbill
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Spur-winged Goose (male)
Spur-winged Goose (female)
Spur-winged Goose (male)
White-faced Whistling Duck at Kumasinga, uMkhuze
Egyptian Goose at Nsumo Pan
Well camouflaged Water Thick-knee
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-Eater
African Darter
Lappet-faced Vulture
Tawny Eagle
Black-backed Puffback
Red-billed Oxpecker
Female Lesser Masked Weaver
African Jacana
African Jacana (immature)
Chinspot Batis (female)
Chinspot Batis (female) with grasshopper prey
Chinspot Batis (male)
Bearded Scrub-Robin
Woolly-necked Stork Buffet at uMkhuze
DeWetsWild 
nature always gave a unique shape it’s beautiful uMkhuze Birding….
That’s very true! Each species fits perfectly where it belongs.
Wait, shouldn’t that be the Red-Billed GIRAFFE Pecker? 🙂 🙂
Great post. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
😀
Come to think about it, technically, they really should be called tick-peckers…
Happy Easter weekend to you as well, guys!
Dries de Wet http://www.dewetswild.com dewetswild@yahoo.co.za
What an amazing selection of bird and bird photos 😀
uMkhuze comes well equipped with feathery friends!
So I can see! Brilliant 😀
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Pragtige foto’s,Dries!Die boskraai met sy reuse bek,is my gunsteling.Ek voel altyd so ‘n rilling van opwinding as ek een sien!
En daar langs Nsumo Pan hoor mens gereeld hulle klaagliedere…
oh truly wonderful – tweet tweet – this is nat geo quality – again!
So kind of you, thank you very much!
Besondere foto’s soos altyd
Baie dankie, Tina!
I think I am in love with the Chinspot Batis!
Pretty little things, aren’t they!? And so lively!
Dis pragtig!!! Ja, daardie deel van die land is so geseend met baie soorte voels!
Baie dankie, Aletta!
Beauty European Roller! Why is it called a Roller?? odd name for a bird! 🙂
The rollers are a beautiful family of birds, Teresa – pity they don’t have the voice to go with it – named for the aerial acrobatics they perform as they chase insects on the wing.
NEAT! 🙂
Wow! So many cool birds! 😊
uMkhuze has lots to offer, Ilex!
the Spur-WInged Goose (male) has the most beautiful colored feathers!
And he’s impressively large as well!
What fun to see all these different birds!
janet
Thanks, Janet, though even nicer to see them in person!
Delightful!
Very much so!