Focus: Miombo and general birds
The Harare area and surround supports a large number of birds through diverse habitats ranging from miombo woodlands to wetlands and dams, grasslands and granite formations, large and small.
Miombo and wetland birds are the main focus but excursions can be created and tailor-made according to birdwatchers specific preferences
Visits to Domboshawa & Ngomakurira, Christon Bank, Ewanrigg Botanic Garden, Lake Chivero area and other birding spots in the city are all recommended. Or even slightly further afield to Hippo Pools, where you can overnight. And a visit to Hippo Pools can bring in a number of lower altitude species not found in Harare. There is an abundance of raptors here too.
Target birds :
Miombo specialists including Whyte’s Barbet, Green-backed Honeybird, Wood Pipit, Striped Pipit, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Boulder Chat, Miombo Rock-thrush, Collared Flycatcher (in season), Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Southern Hyliota, Green-capped Eremomela, Red-faced Crombec, Miombo Tit, African Spotted Creeper, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Miombo Double-collared Sunbird, Miombo Blue-eared Starling and Black-eared Seedeater.
Hippo Pools (Umfurudzi Safari Area) :
White-backed Night-heron, African Finfoot, Racquet-tailed Roller, Boulder Chat, Livingstone’s Flycatcher.
Ease of birding Many birds will be easy to see whilst some are elusive or seasonal. Miombo woodlands tend to be quiet in the afternoons so there is an opportunity to look at habitats for other species. Some of these areas require walking in hilly terrain but present no difficulty for persons of average fitness.
2½ birding days (Harare wetlands, miombo)
Focus: Harare wetland species
The Harare area supports a large number of birds through diverse habitats ranging from miombo woodlands to wetlands and dams, grasslands and granite formations, large and small. Miombo and wetland birds tend to be the primary focus.
Target birds
Wetland species include Yellow-mantled and White-winged Widowbirds, Yellow Bishops, Streaky-breasted Flufftail, Striped Crake, Black Coucal, Dwarf Bittern, Marsh Owl, Yellow-throated, Rosy-throated and Cape Longclaw, African Crake
Miombo specialists including Whyte’s Barbet, Green-backed Honeybird, Wood Pipit, Striped Pipit, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Boulder Chat, Miombo Rock-thrush, Collared Flycatcher (in season), Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Southern Hyliota, Green-capped Eremomela, Red-faced Crombec, Miombo Tit, African Spotted Creeper, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Miombo Double-collared Sunbird, Miombo Blue-eared Starling and Black-eared Seedeater.
Ease of birdingMany birds will be easy to see whilst some are elusive or seasonal. Miombo woodlands tend to be quiet in the afternoons so there is the opportunity to sample other habitats for other species. These areas require some walking in hilly terrain but present no difficulty for persons of average fitness. Harare`s wetlands are seasonally flooded and therefore birding for the special wetland species is mostly seasonal (Gum boots a must!)
