Mkhuzi offers an impressive variety of bird-rich woodlands and wetlands.  It is widely considered as South Africa’s best birding hotspot and some may say the Holy Grail of Southern African birders.

The Nsumu Pan supports vast numbers of ducks, herons, ibises, storks and waders when conditions are right.  It is best scanned with a telescope from the two birding platforms – search for Pygmy Goose and Lesser Jacana. Red-winged Pratincoles breed at the pan and the moist grassland opposite the first platform support Black Coucal in wet summers.

Check the fever trees in the picnic area for Southern Banded Snake Eagle and Pel’s Fishing Owl. 

Mkhuzi Game Reserve boasts a bird list of over 450 species and is the top site for a host of highly sought-after Zululand specials. The best birding areas in the park are the sub-tropical Nsumo Pan, the Fig Forest along the Mkhuzi River and the sand forest. The unique Tongaland Sand Forest around the hides of Kubube and Kumasinga, close to the park’s main camp, is excellent for Crested Guineafowl,

African Broadbill, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, (Eastern) Bearded Scrub-Robin and three of the reserve’s near-endemics: Rudd’s Apalis, Neergaard`s Sunbird, and the beautiful Pink-throated Twinspot, all of which are common here.

A guided walk through the Fig Forest (best done in early morning) along the Mkhuze River is a definite must. When the figs are in fruit, the forest is a glorious cacophony of bird sound, from the guttural croaking of Broad-billed Rollers and explosive calls of Square-tailed Drongos all but drowned out by the deafening wailing of Trumpeter Hornbills.

Scrutinise the canopy for African Green Pigeon, Brown-headed Parrot, White-eared Barbet, Black-bellied Starling, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Narina Trogon, Purple-crested Turaco, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher and Grey Tit-Flycatcher. Green Twinspot, Grey Waxbill and Red-backed Mannikin feed along the path and the undergrowth supports Buff-spotted Flufftail.  With effort and a bit of luck, Green Malkoha, the scarce Southern Banded Snake-Eagle and Black-throated Wattle-eye may be added.

Search the low acacia woodland along the road to the south of the airstrip for Lesser Black-winged Plover and Olive-tree Warbler.  Other excellent birding areas include the Beacon Road for raptors, the Loop Road for raptors, Lesser Black-winged Plover and Bushveld Pippit. Nhonhlela Pan for Pygmy Goose and Southern Banded Snake Eagle and Mantuma Camp for Pink-throated Twinspot.