Bwabwata National Park

National Park · Namibia

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Photo © Jedesto

Photo © Jedesto — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Kavango River winds through northeastern Namibia, vast floodplains and dense riparian woodland create one of southern Africa's most ecologically dynamic protected landscapes. Spanning 14,249 square kilometres across Kavango East, Bwabwata National Park embraces a mosaic of habitats shaped by seasonal water—from permanent lagoons and papyrus marshes to mopane woodlands and acacia savanna that stretch toward the Kalahari's edge. The park's character shifts dramatically with the annual flood pulse, when water levels rise to transform margins into expansive wetlands, attracting concentrations of waterfowl, waders, and aquatic predators. Inland, woodland zones support populations of medium-sized herbivores and smaller mammals adapted to semi-arid conditions, while the permanent water sources sustain year-round populations of larger ungulates and the carnivores that depend on them. This patchwork of open water, dense reed beds, tree-lined channels, and drier upland scrub makes Bwabwata a compressed study in African ecosystem diversity, where wetland specialists and savanna dwellers coexist within a single protected boundary.

For wildlife photographers and serious birders, the park's appeal lies not in a single iconic species but in the sheer abundance and accessibility of multiple habitat guilds across a compact geography. The dry season, from May through October, concentrates animals at remaining water sources, creating predictable opportunities to observe herbivores alongside birds of prey, insectivorous songbirds, and the full cast of aquatic specialists that depend on shallow margins and reed beds. The wet season rewrites the landscape, pushing birds and mammals into seasonal distributions that reward those with patience and local knowledge. Golden light during dawn and dusk cuts across the floodplains with particular drama, while the park's relative remoteness and limited visitor infrastructure mean that time spent here carries a tangible sense of privileged access to a landscape still governed by seasonal rhythms rather than tourism schedules.

Sagittarius serpentarius

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Pel's Fishing Owl

Scotopelia peli

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

Ardeola ralloides

Pied Kingfisher

Holub's Golden Weaver

Ploceus xanthops

Egretta garzetta

Long-toed Lapwing

Vanellus crassirostris

Actophilornis africanus

African Skimmer

Rynchops flavirostris

Laniarius bicolor

Water Thick-knee

Burhinus vermiculatus

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Southern Brown-throated Weaver

Ploceus xanthopterus

Microcarbo africanus

Scopus umbretta

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

Butorides atricapilla

Pycnonotus barbatus

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

White-backed Night Heron

Calherodius leuconotus

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Chlorocichla flaviventris

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

Brown Firefinch

Lagonosticta nitidula

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

Coppery-tailed Coucal

Centropus cupreicaudus

African Openbill

Anastomus lamelligerus

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

Yellow-billed Stork

African Wood Owl

Strix woodfordii

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Red-billed Spurfowl

Pternistis adspersus

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Leptoptilos crumenifer

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Terrestrial Brownbul

Phyllastrephus terrestris

Mourning Collared Dove

Streptopelia decipiens

Trachyphonus vaillantii

Meves's Starling

Lamprotornis mevesii

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Streptopelia semitorquata

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Bostrychia hagedash

Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Campethera abingoni

African Green Pigeon

African Pygmy Goose

Nettapus auritus

Egretta ardesiaca

Broad-billed Roller

Eurystomus glaucurus

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

Chirping Cisticola

Cisticola pipiens

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Spilopelia senegalensis

Microparra capensis

Terathopius ecaudatus

African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorus

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Woodland Kingfisher

Halcyon senegalensis

African Red-eyed Bulbul

Pycnonotus nigricans

White-browed Coucal

Centropus superciliosus

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri

Bennett's Woodpecker

Campethera bennettii

Poicephalus meyeri

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus africanus

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

African Barred Owlet

Glaucidium capense

Bradfield's Hornbill

Lophoceros bradfieldi

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Egretta vinaceigula

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

Red-faced Mousebird

Urocolius indicus

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Luapula Cisticola

Cisticola luapula

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Collared Sunbird

Hedydipna collaris

Struthio camelus

Plegadis falcinellus

Pandion haliaetus

Western Banded Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinerascens

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Micronisus gabar

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra australis

Myrmecocichla arnotti

African Grey Hornbill

Lophoceros nasutus

Dark Chanting Goshawk

Melierax metabates

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Lamprotornis nitens

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Red-crested Korhaan

Lophotis ruficrista

Kurrichane Thrush

Turdus libonyana

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

Burchell's Starling

Lamprotornis australis

Southern White-crowned Shrike

Eurocephalus anguitimens

Polemaetus bellicosus

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Dickinson's Kestrel

Falco dickinsoni

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

Shaft-tailed Whydah

Acacia Pied Barbet

Tricholaema leucomelas

Sharp-tailed Starling

Lamprotornis acuticaudus

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

White-crested Helmetshrike

Prionops plumatus

Southern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus chrysoconus

Cisticola fulvicapilla

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Merops nubicoides

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

Greater Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus rufescens

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Phylloscopus trochilus

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

Riparia riparia

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus gracilirostris

Hirundo rustica

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Merops hirundineus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris pugnax

Knob-billed Duck

Sarkidiornis melanotos

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Crested Francolin

Ortygornis sephaena

Swainson's Spurfowl

Pternistis swainsonii

Fiery-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus pectoralis

Centropus senegalensis

Clamator jacobinus

Cuculus clamosus

Cuculus canorus

Burchell's Sandgrouse

Pterocles burchelli

Paragallinula angulata

Allen's Gallinule

Porphyrio alleni

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

Kittlitz's Plover

Anarhynchus pecuarius

Greater Painted-snipe

Rostratula benghalensis

Tringa glareola

Calidris minuta

Rock Pratincole

Glareola nuchalis

African Spoonbill

Rufous-bellied Heron

Ardeola rufiventris

Yellow-billed Egret

Ardea brachyrhyncha

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Pink-backed Pelican

Pelecanus rufescens

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

Wahlberg's Eagle

Hieraaetus wahlbergi

Ayres's Hawk-Eagle

Hieraaetus ayresii

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

Little Sparrowhawk

Tachyspiza minulla

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

African Scops Owl

Otus senegalensis

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

Racket-tailed Roller

Coracias spatulatus

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

Orange-breasted Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Laniarius atrococcineus

Retz's Helmetshrike

Prionops retzii

African Golden Oriole

Oriolus auratus

Urolestes melanoleucus

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Southern Black Tit

Melaniparus niger

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Hirundo dimidiata

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa

Cecropis senegalensis

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Yellow-breasted Apalis

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Marico Flycatcher

Bradornis mariquensis

Capped Wheatear

Oenanthe pileata

Scaly-feathered Weaver

Sporopipes squamifrons

Red-billed Quelea

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Southern Red Bishop

White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

Violet-eared Waxbill

Granatina granatina

Green-winged Pytilia

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Motacilla capensis

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Blue-billed Teal

Spatula hottentota

Yellow-billed Duck

Coqui Francolin

Campocolinus coqui

Caprimulgus natalensis

Square-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus fossii

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

White-rumped Swift

Northern Black Korhaan

Afrotis afraoides

Black-bellied Bustard

Lissotis melanogaster

Centropus grillii

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Clamator levaillantii

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Chrysococcyx klaas

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

Cuculus gularis

Yellow-throated Sandgrouse

Pterocles gutturalis

Speckled Pigeon

Crecopsis egregia

Gallinula chloropus

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Common Buttonquail

Turnix sylvaticus

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

White-crowned Lapwing

Vanellus albiceps

Gallinago nigripennis

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Bronze-winged Courser

Rhinoptilus chalcopterus

Temminck's Courser

Cursorius temminckii

Black-winged Pratincole

Glareola nordmanni

Chlidonias hybrida

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Ciconia abdimii

African Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia microscelis

Ciconia ciconia

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

White-headed Vulture

Trigonoceps occipitalis

Lappet-faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

Necrosyrtes monachus

White-backed Vulture

Macheiramphus alcinus

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Clanga pomarina

Hieraaetus pennatus

Pale Chanting Goshawk

Melierax canorus

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

Ovambo Sparrowhawk

Accipiter ovampensis

Western Barn Owl

Southern White-faced Owl

Ptilopsis granti

Spotted Eagle-Owl

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon albiventris

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus

Falco rupicolus

Red-necked Falcon

Falco chicquera

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Falco biarmicus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Black-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra senegalus

Tropical Boubou

Laniarius major

White-breasted Cuckooshrike

Ceblepyris pectoralis

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Southern Fiscal

Lanius collaris

Lesser Grey Shrike

Grey Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus caroli

Pinarocorys nigricans

Calendulauda sabota

Fawn-colored Lark

Calendulauda africanoides

Red-capped Lark

Calandrella cinerea

Grey-rumped Swallow

Pseudhirundo griseopyga

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Little Rush Warbler

Bradypterus baboecala

Tinkling Cisticola

Cisticola rufilatus

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Black-chested Prinia

Prinia flavicans

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Green-capped Eremomela

Eremomela scotops

Chestnut-vented Warbler

Curruca subcoerulea

Southern Pied Babbler

Turdoides bicolor

Acridotheres tristis

Groundscraper Thrush

Turdus litsitsirupa

Kalahari Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas paena

Pale Flycatcher

Agricola pallidus

Grey Tit-Flycatcher

Fraseria plumbea

Ashy Flycatcher

Fraseria caerulescens

Amethyst Sunbird

Chalcomitra amethystina

Purple-banded Sunbird

Cinnyris bifasciatus

Cinnyris cupreus

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver

Bubalornis niger

Spectacled Weaver

Ploceus ocularis

Lesser Masked Weaver

Ploceus intermedius

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Fan-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes axillaris

Bronze Mannikin

Spermestes cucullata

Black-faced Waxbill

Brunhilda erythronotos

Estrilda astrild

Ortygospiza atricollis

Cut-throat Finch

Amadina fasciata

Jameson's Firefinch

Lagonosticta rhodopareia

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Purple Indigobird

Vidua purpurascens

Pin-tailed Whydah

Long-tailed Paradise Whydah

Vidua paradisaea

Anthus vaalensis

Plain-backed Pipit

Anthus leucophrys

Black-throated Canary

Crithagra atrogularis

Crithagra flaviventris

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

White-backed Duck

Thalassornis leuconotus

South African Shelduck

Coturnix coturnix

Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

Caprimulgus rufigena

Schalow's Turaco

Tauraco schalowi

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

Namaqua Sandgrouse

Pterocles namaqua

Rallus caerulescens

Asian Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia episcopus

Butorides striata

African Cuckoo-Hawk

Aviceda cuculoides

Aquila nipalensis

White-backed Mousebird

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Falco amurensis

Poicephalus robustus

Brown-headed Parrot

Poicephalus cryptoxanthus

Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix verticalis

Monotonous Lark

Mirafra passerina

Large Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

South African Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon spilodera

Acrocephalus palustris

Olive-tree Warbler

Hippolais olivetorum

Desert Cisticola

Cisticola aridulus

Barred Wren-Warbler

Calamonastes fasciolatus

Burnt-necked Eremomela

Eremomela usticollis

Northern Yellow White-eye

Zosterops senegalensis

Oenanthe familiaris

Anomalospiza imberbis

African Savanna Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Southern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus sylvaticus

Smith's Bush Squirrel

Paraxerus cepapi

Malbrouck Monkey

Chlorocebus cynosuros

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

Hippotragus niger

African Wild Dog

Southern Lechwe

Syncerus caffer

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Spotted-necked Otter

Hydrictis maculicollis

Acinonyx jubatus

Aepyceros melampus

Hippotragus equinus

Crocuta crocuta

Peters's Epauletted Fruit Bat

Epomophorus crypturus

Lepus saxatilis

Common Dwarf Mongoose

Helogale parvula

Banded Mongoose

Rusty-spotted Genet

Genetta fieldiana

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

Southern Reedbuck

Redunca arundinum

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

Phacochoerus africanus

Damaliscus lunatus

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Genetta genetta

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

Northern Giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

Panthera pardus

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