Ithala Game Reserve

National Park · South Africa

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Photo © Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE

Photo © Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Rolling thornbush savanna and acacia woodland dominate the landscape of this 494-square-kilometre national park in KwaZulu-Natal's uPhongolo Local Municipality, where granite outcrops punctuate grassland plateaus and seasonal watercourses carve through deeply eroded valleys. The reserve's position along the border with Mozambique places it within a critical transition zone between savanna and subtropical lowveld ecosystems, creating a mosaic of habitats that support impressive mammalian diversity. Here, large herbivores including antelope species and other plains grazers move seasonally across open grasslands, while browsing mammals favour the denser thickets and woodland edges. Predators—both large carnivores and smaller specialist hunters—patrol these varied terrains in response to prey movement and water availability. The park's riverine corridors, fringed with dense vegetation, harbour small mammals, primates, and birds that depend on permanent or semi-permanent water sources, creating wildlife hotspots during dry seasons when animals concentrate around remaining pools and streams.

For naturalists and wildlife photographers, the reserve offers exceptional opportunities to observe savanna fauna within a landscape of genuine remoteness and minimal development pressure. Birdwatchers will find exceptional returns in the woodland canopy and grassland margins, where species adapted to acacia savanna and open terrain congregate throughout the year, with seasonal movements bringing additional migrants and visitors. The park's elevation and geographic position create distinct microclimates that support varied species assemblages across short distances, rewarding patient observation with high encounter rates. Early morning game drives and walking safaris through the thornbush country deliver close views of antelope, birds of prey, and smaller carnivores, while the reserve's night-time soundscape—dominated by vocal mammals and nocturnal birds—rivals its diurnal wildlife spectacles. The dry winter months typically concentrate animals around water, simplifying wildlife observation, though the landscape's dramatic rainy-season transformation into lush green grassland offers equally compelling photographic conditions and different seasonal fauna.

Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri

Sagittarius serpentarius

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Struthio camelus

Buteo rufofuscus

Pycnonotus barbatus

Lamprotornis nitens

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Southern Fiscal

Lanius collaris

Anthus cinnamomeus

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

Amethyst Sunbird

Chalcomitra amethystina

Macronyx capensis

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Trachyphonus vaillantii

Ploceus cucullatus

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

Southern Boubou

Laniarius ferrugineus

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

Cisticola fulvicapilla

Southern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

Fiscal Flycatcher

Pin-tailed Whydah

Scopus umbretta

Verreaux's Eagle

Aquila verreauxii

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

Kurrichane Thrush

Turdus libonyana

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow

Gymnoris superciliaris

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

African Black Duck

Polemaetus bellicosus

Wahlberg's Eagle

Hieraaetus wahlbergi

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Sphenoeacus afer

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Greater Double-collared Sunbird

Uraeginthus angolensis

Motacilla capensis

Bostrychia hagedash

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

Falco rupicolus

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Zosterops virens

Red-capped Robin-Chat

Cossypha natalensis

White-throated Robin-Chat

Dessonornis humeralis

Ant-eating Chat

Myrmecocichla formicivora

Ploceus capensis

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Plain-backed Pipit

Anthus leucophrys

Swainson's Spurfowl

Pternistis swainsonii

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

African Green Pigeon

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

White-backed Vulture

Bar-throated Apalis

Apalis thoracica

Yellow-breasted Apalis

Shelley's Francolin

Scleroptila shelleyi

Southern Red-fronted Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus pusillus

Terrestrial Brownbul

Phyllastrephus terrestris

Crowned Hornbill

Lophoceros alboterminatus

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens

Sombre Greenbul

Andropadus importunus

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

Streptopelia semitorquata

Chrysococcyx klaas

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Red-faced Mousebird

Urocolius indicus

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Cape Rock Thrush

Monticola rupestris

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis abyssinica

African Dusky Flycatcher

Muscicapa adusta

Oenanthe familiaris

Croaking Cisticola

Cisticola natalensis

Black-bellied Bustard

Lissotis melanogaster

Yellow-throated Longclaw

Macronyx croceus

Buff-streaked Chat

Campicoloides bifasciatus

Southern Bald Ibis

Geronticus calvus

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Ashy Flycatcher

Fraseria caerulescens

Anthus lineiventris

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Red-headed Weaver

Anaplectes rubriceps

Stephanoaetus coronatus

Gorgeous Bushshrike

Telophorus viridis

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

Phylloscopus trochilus

Black-bellied Starling

Notopholia corusca

Red-collared Widowbird

Euplectes ardens

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Crested Francolin

Ortygornis sephaena

Fiery-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus pectoralis

African Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia microscelis

Lappet-faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

Gyps coprotheres

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorus

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Bearded Woodpecker

Chloropicus namaquus

Falco biarmicus

Olive Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus olivaceus

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Large Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Bearded Scrub Robin

Tychaedon quadrivirgata

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Coccopygia melanotis

Pink-throated Twinspot

Hypargos margaritatus

Jameson's Firefinch

Lagonosticta rhodopareia

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Dusky Indigobird

Tmetothylacus tenellus

Nicholson's Pipit

Anthus nicholsoni

South African Shelduck

Blue-billed Teal

Spatula hottentota

Yellow-billed Duck

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Coqui Francolin

Campocolinus coqui

Coturnix coturnix

Pternistis natalensis

Freckled Nightjar

Caprimulgus tristigma

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

Tachymarptis melba

African Black Swift

White-rumped Swift

White-bellied Bustard

Eupodotis senegalensis

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Clamator levaillantii

Clamator jacobinus

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

Speckled Pigeon

African Olive Pigeon

Columba arquatrix

Spilopelia senegalensis

Tambourine Dove

Turtur tympanistria

Buff-spotted Flufftail

Sarothrura elegans

Rallus caerulescens

Gallinula chloropus

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

African Swamphen

Porphyrio madagascariensis

Zapornia flavirostra

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Common Buttonquail

Turnix sylvaticus

Water Thick-knee

Burhinus vermiculatus

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

Black-winged Lapwing

Vanellus melanopterus

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

Actophilornis africanus

Tringa glareola

Calidris pugnax

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Egretta garzetta

Yellow-billed Egret

Ardea brachyrhyncha

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Necrosyrtes monachus

Terathopius ecaudatus

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

Circus macrourus

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Buteo trizonatus

African Scops Owl

Otus senegalensis

Spotted Eagle-Owl

African Wood Owl

Strix woodfordii

Apaloderma narina

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Trumpeter Hornbill

Bycanistes bucinator

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

Woodland Kingfisher

Halcyon senegalensis

African Pygmy Kingfisher

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Pied Kingfisher

Acacia Pied Barbet

Tricholaema leucomelas

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Scaly-throated Honeyguide

Indicator variegatus

Ground Woodpecker

Geocolaptes olivaceus

Olive Woodpecker

Dendropicos griseocephalus

Falco amurensis

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra australis

Southern Tchagra

Tchagra tchagra

Square-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus ludwigii

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher

Trochocercus cyanomelas

Lesser Grey Shrike

Corvus capensis

White-necked Raven

Corvus albicollis

Grey Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus caroli

Eastern Nicator

Nicator gularis

Spike-heeled Lark

Chersomanes albofasciata

Eastern Long-billed Lark

Certhilauda semitorquata

Calendulauda sabota

Red-capped Lark

Calandrella cinerea

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Chlorocichla flaviventris

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

Riparia riparia

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa

South African Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon spilodera

Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler

Phylloscopus ruficapilla

Fan-tailed Grassbird

Catriscus brevirostris

Red-faced Cisticola

Cisticola erythrops

Wailing Cisticola

Levaillant's Cisticola

Cisticola tinniens

Desert Cisticola

Cisticola aridulus

Cloud Cisticola

Cisticola textrix

Pale-crowned Cisticola

Cisticola cinnamomeus

Wing-snapping Cisticola

Cisticola ayresii

Drakensberg Prinia

Prinia hypoxantha

Stierling's Wren-Warbler

Calamonastes stierlingi

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Chestnut-vented Warbler

Curruca subcoerulea

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

Acridotheres tristis

Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Burchell's Starling

Lamprotornis australis

Lamprotornis bicolor

Turdus olivaceus

Pale Flycatcher

Agricola pallidus

Grey Tit-Flycatcher

Fraseria plumbea

White-starred Robin

Pogonocichla stellata

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

Chorister Robin-Chat

Cossypha dichroa

Cape Robin-Chat

Dessonornis caffer

Sentinel Rock Thrush

Monticola explorator

Myrmecocichla monticola

Collared Sunbird

Hedydipna collaris

Cyanomitra olivacea

Malachite Sunbird

Nectarinia famosa

Purple-banded Sunbird

Cinnyris bifasciatus

Passer melanurus

Passer domesticus

Spectacled Weaver

Ploceus ocularis

Lesser Masked Weaver

Ploceus intermedius

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Southern Red Bishop

White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

Long-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes progne

Bronze Mannikin

Spermestes cucullata

Black-and-white Mannikin

Spermestes bicolor

Mandingoa nitidula

Ortygospiza atricollis

Orange-breasted Waxbill

Amandava subflava

Green-winged Pytilia

African Firefinch

Lagonosticta rubricata

Long-tailed Paradise Whydah

Vidua paradisaea

Mountain Wagtail

Motacilla clara

Anthus vaalensis

Serinus canicollis

Emberiza capensis

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

Southern Crested Guineafowl

Guttera edouardi

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Square-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus fossii

Cuculus gularis

Yellow-billed Stork

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Asian Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia episcopus

African Spoonbill

Butorides striata

Hieraaetus pennatus

Micronisus gabar

Western Barn Owl

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus bilineatus

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus gracilirostris

Acrocephalus palustris

African Yellow Warbler

Iduna natalensis

Little Rush Warbler

Bradypterus baboecala

Black-chested Prinia

Prinia flavicans

Burnt-necked Eremomela

Eremomela usticollis

Southern Yellow White-eye

Zosterops anderssoni

Cyanomitra veroxii

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

Cinnyris chalybeus

Cinnyris mariquensis

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

Anomalospiza imberbis

Black-throated Canary

Crithagra atrogularis

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Aepyceros melampus

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

Phacochoerus africanus

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Tragelaphus oryx

Damaliscus lunatus

Procavia capensis

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

Alcelaphus buselaphus

Southern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus sylvaticus

African Savanna Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Panthera pardus

Tragelaphus angasii

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

Oreotragus oreotragus

Sylvicapra grimmia

Atilax paludinosus

Black Rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

Mountain Reedbuck

Redunca fulvorufula

Southern Reedbuck

Redunca arundinum

Common Slender Mongoose

Herpestes sanguineus

Mauritian Tomb Bat

Taphozous mauritianus

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