Namibia Birding Tours

In addition to the incredible Etosha National Park Namibia has a great many other sites that are widely known for excellent bird-watching. These include the likes of the vast mudflats and salt flats of Walvis Bay and the mighty Spitzkoppe that rises out of the arid plains for all to see from an incredible distance. The Brandberg and Erongo Mountains host some of the best ‘desert-birding’ in the country, while the moister Waterberg Plateau hosts a similar suite of exciting species.  Large rivers form much of the country’s northern borders, with prime examples being the Kunene, Okavango, and Zambezi Rivers – all of which play a vital role in the life of the many birds and other wildlife that call this country home. The moist tropical-deciduous woodlands of the peculiar Caprivi Strip host an entirely different suite of birds and are an excellent supplement to the fantastic dry-country birding to be had elsewhere in Namibia.

Although a bird-watching tour to Namibia will not see you getting as many species as some of its neighboring countries, like South Africa (although it is not far removed), the many restricted and highly sought-after birds available in Namibia easily make up for this. These range from the desert-loving Rüppell’s Korhaan, Burchell’s Courser, Herero Chat, and both Gray’s and Dune Larks to the dry-woodland-restricted Rüppell’s Parrot, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Carp’s Tit, and Bare-cheeked Babbler. Rocky areas and the many mountainous zones hold the much-desired Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, Rockrunner, and Angolan Cave Chat, while the Kunene River to the north hosts the highly prized Cinderella Waxbill among others. The more tropical Caprivi Strip sees more-widespread species but still offers a number of prized specials such as Racket-tailed Roller, Souza’s Shrike, Sharp-tailed Starling, and a great many others. Ephemeral waterbodies in these areas offer further excellent tropical species, which include Wattled Crane, Dwarf Bittern, Allen’s Gallinule, Lesser Moorhen, and even the almost unknown Striped Crake. A visit to this southern African country is a must for any bird watcher and nature traveler alike.