Birding in Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa

The majority of South African birders rank Ndumo as the country's single finest birding locality.

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With our guide, Johnson, leading the way, we set off from Ndumo Wilderness Lodge at first light on a crisp autumn morning. Giant sycamore fig trees arched above us as we trod gingerly on dry leaves and picked our way as quietly as possible over the network of raised roots which reached out like tentacles across the soil. We cringed each time a twig snapped or a brittle fig leaf crunched loudly underfoot, but we needn't have worried.

Suddenly, a cacophony of bird sound filled the air. And as we entered a clearing, the primary source of the din was revealed: two rival gangs of Red-billed Woodhoopoes cackled madly at one another from their vantage points on dead branches. With their tails swinging back and forth, and glowing red bills doing likewise, they seemed to inspire everything within earshot to join in. Purple-crested Louries bellowed as they glided past on crimson wings, a pair of Black-collared Barbets belted out their urgent duet, and Trumpeter Hornbills wailed like lost infants as they flopped from branch to branch in search of ripe figs.

Unseen, a Heuglin's Robin burst into song just as a Green Coucal emerged from a tangled vine to tap out its alarm call. A brief pause in the chorus allowed us to hear the soft, gentle tinkle of a Pink-throated Twinspot pair as they moved through the undergrowth. And somewhere out beyond the forest, the evocative call of an African Fish Eagle bounced off the still water of the pan. Morning had broken at Ndumo.

Extending over just 11 000 hectares, Ndumo supports an astonishing diversity of birds. More than 400 species have been recorded here, only a few less than at the Kruger National Park, which is about 180 times larger. It is no wonder that the majority of South African birders rank Ndumo as the country's single finest birding locality.

But just why is this small reserve so rich in birds? Tucked into the far northern end of KwaZulu-Natal - on South Africa's border with Mozambique - Ndumo not only supports a range of highly attractive bird habitats but it is also located at the ecological crossroads between tropical and temperate savannas. Birds such as Grey-hooded Kingfisher and Southern Carmine Bee-eater reach their southern limit at Ndumo. Two large rivers - the Usutu and Pongola - converge in the north-eastern corner of the reserve, the Lebombo Mountains rise up to the west, and the warm Indian Ocean is just 50 kilometres to the east. All these elements combine to bring together a glorious array of birds from storks to sunbirds, and from francolins to flycatchers, in this remote part of the country known as Maputaland.

Perhaps the most striking feature of Ndumo is the system of floodplain pans which are filled by the overflow from the Usutu and Pongola rivers. Ringed by groves of ghostly fever trees, the largest pan, Inyamithi, is one of the most hauntingly beautiful places in Africa. Rising and receding with the seasons, these aquatic habitats are incredibly productive and birds throng to the water's edge to feed in the shallows or on exposed mudflats. It is not uncommon to see such spectacular species as Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork and African Spoonbill feeding side by side. Hordes of smaller waders patrol the mudflats in summer, often alongside flocks of White-faced Ducks which gather to rest and dabble in the shallows. African Fish Eagles wait patiently on their favourite perches before launching out to pluck fish from the water, or pirate an easy meal from a stork or heron.

During the late summer months, small numbers of Sooty Falcons take up residence around Inyamithi, perching for much of the day in the sulphur-barked fever trees and becoming active at dusk when they capture winged termites and other insects, as well as the occasional small bird or bat. Although this is by no means the only place to see this rare falcon in South Africa, it is surely the most predictable. Other rare raptors which regularly visit these pans are the Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Palmnut Vulture, Osprey and Cuckoo Hawk. Another species closely associated with the stands of fever trees is the distinctive Broad-billed Roller which arrives to breed here in summer. To the north of Inyamithi lies Banzi Pan which is sprinkled with waterlilies and surrounded by Phragmites reedbeds.

Banzi Pan is home to African Jacana, Common Squacco Heron, Black Crake, Cape Reed Warbler and Southern Brown-throated Weaver, with Lesser Jacana, Long-toed Plover and Pygmy Goose occurring from time to time. The fringe of Banzi, and the smaller pans of Shokwe and Polwe, are ringed by riparian forest dominated by sycamore fig, Natal mahogany, quinine tree and water pear. Here one may encounter the Green Coucal, Golden-rumped Tinker Barbet, Wattle-eyed Flycatcher, Yellow White-eye and that most elusive nocturnal piscivore, Pel's Fishing Owl. Resembling a huge ginger teddy-bear, this owl may be found roosting in a shady tree by day but sometimes obliges birders by perching out in the open, albeit momentarily, if flushed. Trumpeter Hornbill, White-eared Barbet, and African Green Pigeon gorge themselves on ripe figs in the riparian fringe which extends along the Usutu and Pongola rivers.

Moving away from the water, dense Albizia thickets and deciduous woodlands provide ideal habitat for a variety of insectivorous birds, including Yellow-spotted Nicator, Gorgeous Bush Shrike, Eastern Bearded Robin and Pygmy Kingfisher. Of particular interest in these habitats are two of the Maputaland 'specials': Rudd's Apalis and Pink-throated Twinspot. Both are far from uncommon here and may be found without too much difficulty once their call is known.

Troops of Crested Guineafowl strut their stuff beneath tamboti trees, scratching the sand for food while keeping watch for sharp-eyed Crowned Eagles soaring above. In mixed woodland, bird-parties usually include Chin-spot Batis, Southern Black Tit, Long-billed Crombec, Black-backed Puffback and Orange-breasted Bush Shrike.

Pockets of Maputaland's unique sand forest - a dry, closed-canopy forest which typically grows on fossil dunes and is distinguished by a community of particular tree species - exist in various parts of Ndumo. It is here that birds such as Neergard's Sunbird, African Broadbill, Narina Trogon, Forest Weaver, Square-tailed Drongo, Blue-mantled Flycatcher and Grey Waxbill are most reliably found, although they do also occur in other habitats. The African Broadbill is an intriguing little bird which would hardly ever be noticed were it not for its distinctive, soft, trilling call, uttered while performing its short but acrobatic display flight. It hawks insects in the manner of a flycatcher, and builds a cryptically camouflaged, purse-like nest.

Neergaard's Sunbird is one of three predominantly metallic-green, dark-bellied sunbirds at Ndumo; it may be distinguished from the Marico Sunbird by its smaller size and shorter bill, and from the Purple-banded Sunbird by its red, not purple, chest bar.

Birds of prey are well represented at Ndumo, with a 'vulture restaurant' serving to attract occasional Palmnut Vultures and White-headed Vultures along with the more familiar avian scavengers. Several Crowned Eagle nest sites are known in the riparian forest, and for many years Bateleur have nested in a large marula tree alongside the road leading to the main camp.
In addition to the resident bird species and the regular summer migrants, Ndumo is renowned for its interesting vagrants, and it is the prospect of seeing these that lures birdwatchers back time and again. Several Mozambican 'specials' occasionally stray south of the border into Maputaland, and Ndumo is virtually the only place in South Africa where the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike, Vanga Flycatcher, Red-winged Warbler, Red-headed Quelea and Blue-throated Sunbird might be seen. The rare Madagascar Squacco Heron was recently seen alongside Common Squacco Herons at Banzi Pan by well-known bird guides Derek Solomon and Peter Lawson; if accepted by the BirdLife South Africa Rarities Committee, this will be the first record of the species within South Africa.

For many years, part of Ndumo's allure for birdwatchers lay in the fact that it was difficult to secure accommodation in the restcamp administered by the KwaZulu Bureau of Natural Resources (KZBNR). This self-catering camp is set on a hill which overlooks the Pongola-Usutu confluence. There is a network of self-drive roads in the reserve, but the best birding opportunities are on a guided drive around Inyamithi Pan (which is not open to private vehicles), or on a walk led by one of the skilled trackers. Black rhino and buffalo are not uncommon at Ndumo, so no casual birding on foot is permitted.

Ndumo Wilderness Camp opened in 1994, to become the first, and only, private camp in the reserve. This is an upmarket, luxury camp, with safari-style tents raised three metres above the water on wooden decks. Set within a forest of fig trees and overlooking the lily-clad Banzi Pan, this magnificently appointed camp fairly hums with birds and you can spend hours simply birding from the boardwalk or from the main deck.

The camp has its own team of knowledgeable guides and trackers, and 4x4 vehicles which travel around the pans and throughout the reserve. Run by Wilderness Safaris, Ndumo Wilderness Camp is a joint venture with the regional conservation authority (KZBNR) and the neighbouring community, which earns a percentage of the income; an initiative which has made a significant contribution to the long-term support for the reserve. Bookings can be made with vacationtechnician.com

As with most top birding sites, there is no 'best time' to visit Ndumo for there is always something exciting to see. The Maputaland 'specials' are resident throughout the year, so can be found even in the cooler and drier winter months. Early summer sees the arrival of the Palearctic migrants, and if the water level of the pans has dropped, mass gatherings of waders may occur.

And no matter when you visit Ndumo, you can be sure of one thing: you'll see many memorable birds, and long to return to what must surely be the finest bird-watching locality in South Africa.

Scientific names of bird species mentioned in the text, listed in the order in which they appear:

Red-billed Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus
Purple-crested Lourie Tauraco porphyreolophus
Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus
Trumpeter Hornbill Bycanistes bucinator
Heuglin's Robin Cossypha heuglini
Green Coucal Ceuthmochares aereus
Pink-throated Twinspot Hypargos margaritatus
African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
Grey-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala
Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath
Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis
African Spoonbill Platalea alba
White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor
Southern Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus fasciolatus
Palmnut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Cuckoo Hawk Aviceda cuculoides
Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus
African Jacana Actophilornis africanus
Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostris
Common Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Cape Reed Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris
Southern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus xanthopterus
Lesser Jacana Microparra capensis
Long-toed Plover Vanellus crassirostris
Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus
Golden-rumped Tinker Barbet Pogoniulus bilineatus
Wattle-eyed Flycatcher Platysteira peltata
Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis
Pel's Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli
White-eared Barbet Stactolaema leucotis
African Green Pigeon Treron calva
Yellow-spotted Nicator Nicator gularis
Gorgeous Bush Shrike Telophorus nigrifrons
Eastern Bearded Robin Erythropygia quadrivirgata
Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta
Rudd's Apalis Apalis ruddi
Crested Guineafowl Guttera pucherani
Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus
Chin-spot Batis Batis molitor
Southern Black Tit Parus niger
Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta ruficapilla
Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla
Orange-breasted Bush Shrike Telophorus sulfureopectus
Neergaard's Sunbird Nectarinia neergaardi
African Broadbill Smithornis capensis
Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina
Forest Weaver Ploceus bicolor
Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigii
Blue-mantled Flycatcher Trochocercus cyanomelas
Grey Waxbill Estrilda perreini
Marico Sunbird Nectarinia mariquensis
Purple-banded Sunbird Nectarinia bifasciata
White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis
Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons
Vanga Flycatcher Bias musicus
Red-winged Warbler Heliolais erythroptera
Red-headed Quelea Quelea erythrops
Blue-throated Sunbird Anthreptes reichenowi
Madagascar Squacco Heron Ardeola idae