Marakele National Park

National Park · South Africa

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Photo © Bernard DUPONT

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

Granite ridges and sprawling grasslands dominate this 1,176-square-kilometre reserve in Limpopo's heartland, where bushveld transitions between rocky outcrops and open savanna. The park's rugged topography creates a mosaic of habitats—dense thickets along seasonal watercourses, acacia woodlands clinging to hillsides, and sweeping plateau grasslands that stretch toward distant horizons. This landscape harbours a diverse cast of African wildlife: large herbivores that move seasonally across the grasslands, smaller mammals sheltering in rocky crevices and dense vegetation, and an active predator guild that hunts across the varied terrain. Birds of prey quarter the skies above the ridges and open country, while songbirds and ground-feeding species work the woodland edge and grassland interface. The perennial and seasonal water sources scattered throughout the park draw concentrations of wildlife during dry months, creating reliable viewing opportunities for those who understand the seasonal rhythm of the reserve.

For wildlife photographers and dedicated birders, Marakele rewards patience and early starts. The park's dramatic rock formations and sweeping vistas offer compelling backdrops for action photography, while the mix of open and wooded habitats supports a rewarding diversity of bird families—raptors, woodland species, and grassland specialists that vary with season and elevation. Winter months (June to August) bring cooler temperatures and clearer skies ideal for long days in the field, while spring and early summer reward visitors with migratory arrivals and heightened animal activity. Access is straightforward for self-drive visitors, and the reserve's relatively compact size makes it possible to cover productive habitat over a long weekend, maximizing encounters across its varied terrain without the logistical demands of larger reserves.

Website sanparks.org/parks/marakele

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Struthio camelus

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

Emberiza capensis

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

Pternistis natalensis

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Trachyphonus vaillantii

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Pycnonotus barbatus

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Lamprotornis nitens

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Marico Flycatcher

Bradornis mariquensis

Uraeginthus angolensis

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Cape Robin-Chat

Dessonornis caffer

Crested Francolin

Ortygornis sephaena

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

African Spoonbill

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

African Grey Hornbill

Lophoceros nasutus

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon albiventris

Woodland Kingfisher

Halcyon senegalensis

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

Urolestes melanoleucus

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Denham's Bustard

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Fiscal Flycatcher

White-throated Robin-Chat

Dessonornis humeralis

Malachite Sunbird

Nectarinia famosa

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

Swainson's Spurfowl

Pternistis swainsonii

Zapornia flavirostra

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Scopus umbretta

White-backed Vulture

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

Pied Kingfisher

White-crested Helmetshrike

Prionops plumatus

Lesser Grey Shrike

Zosterops virens

Ploceus cucullatus

Violet-eared Waxbill

Granatina granatina

Long-tailed Paradise Whydah

Vidua paradisaea

Shelley's Francolin

Scleroptila shelleyi

Bearded Woodpecker

Chloropicus namaquus

Coqui Francolin

Campocolinus coqui

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens

Spilopelia senegalensis

Streptopelia semitorquata

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer diffusus

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Orange-breasted Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus

Red-faced Mousebird

Urocolius indicus

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra australis

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus erythrorhynchus

Black-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra senegalus

Cape Rock Thrush

Monticola rupestris

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis abyssinica

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Hirundo dimidiata

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Hirundo rustica

Buff-streaked Chat

Campicoloides bifasciatus

Gyps coprotheres

Rock-loving Cisticola

Cisticola aberrans

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Laniarius atrococcineus

Southern Pied Babbler

Turdoides bicolor

Gurney's Sugarbird

Promerops gurneyi

Knob-billed Duck

Sarkidiornis melanotos

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Fiery-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus pectoralis

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Clamator levaillantii

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa

Red-headed Weaver

Anaplectes rubriceps

Jameson's Firefinch

Lagonosticta rhodopareia

African Black Duck

Tachymarptis melba

Red-crested Korhaan

Lophotis ruficrista

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Yellow-billed Stork

Wahlberg's Eagle

Hieraaetus wahlbergi

Verreaux's Eagle

Aquila verreauxii

Coracias naevius

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Bennett's Woodpecker

Campethera bennettii

Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Campethera abingoni

Melaniparus cinerascens

African Red-eyed Bulbul

Pycnonotus nigricans

Burchell's Starling

Lamprotornis australis

Passer motitensis

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver

Bubalornis niger

Ploceus capensis

Shaft-tailed Whydah

Nicholson's Pipit

Anthus nicholsoni

Anthus lineiventris

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

Spatula smithii

Yellow-billed Duck

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Southern Pochard

Netta erythrophthalma

Coturnix coturnix

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

Caprimulgus rufigena

Freckled Nightjar

Caprimulgus tristigma

Square-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus fossii

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

African Black Swift

White-rumped Swift

Northern Black Korhaan

Afrotis afraoides

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Clamator jacobinus

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Chrysococcyx klaas

Cuculus clamosus

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

Double-banded Sandgrouse

Pterocles bicinctus

Speckled Pigeon

African Green Pigeon

Rallus caerulescens

African Swamphen

Porphyrio madagascariensis

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Common Buttonquail

Turnix sylvaticus

Water Thick-knee

Burhinus vermiculatus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Actophilornis africanus

Gallinago nigripennis

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Tringa glareola

Calidris pugnax

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Calidris minuta

Bronze-winged Courser

Rhinoptilus chalcopterus

Temminck's Courser

Cursorius temminckii

Leptoptilos crumenifer

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Ciconia ciconia

Microcarbo africanus

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Egretta ardesiaca

Egretta garzetta

Ardeola ralloides

Yellow-billed Egret

Ardea brachyrhyncha

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Sagittarius serpentarius

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Terathopius ecaudatus

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Polemaetus bellicosus

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Micronisus gabar

Pale Chanting Goshawk

Melierax canorus

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

Buteo rufofuscus

Western Barn Owl

African Scops Owl

Otus senegalensis

Southern White-faced Owl

Ptilopsis granti

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

African Pygmy Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Merops nubicoides

Acacia Pied Barbet

Tricholaema leucomelas

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Red-throated Wryneck

Jynx ruficollis

Falco rupicolus

Greater Kestrel

Falco rupicoloides

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Falco amurensis

Falco biarmicus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Poicephalus meyeri

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Retz's Helmetshrike

Prionops retzii

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Square-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus ludwigii

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Southern Fiscal

Lanius collaris

Fairy Flycatcher

Stenostira scita

Southern Black Tit

Melaniparus niger

Grey Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus caroli

Cape Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus minutus

Pinarocorys nigricans

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix leucotis

Calendulauda sabota

Fawn-colored Lark

Calendulauda africanoides

Monotonous Lark

Mirafra passerina

Red-capped Lark

Calandrella cinerea

Sombre Greenbul

Andropadus importunus

Terrestrial Brownbul

Phyllastrephus terrestris

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Sphenoeacus afer

Phylloscopus trochilus

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus gracilirostris

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Acrocephalus palustris

Olive-tree Warbler

Hippolais olivetorum

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Little Rush Warbler

Bradypterus baboecala

Tinkling Cisticola

Cisticola rufilatus

Wailing Cisticola

Levaillant's Cisticola

Cisticola tinniens

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Wing-snapping Cisticola

Cisticola ayresii

Black-chested Prinia

Prinia flavicans

Bar-throated Apalis

Apalis thoracica

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

Barred Wren-Warbler

Calamonastes fasciolatus

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Green-capped Eremomela

Eremomela scotops

Burnt-necked Eremomela

Eremomela usticollis

Chestnut-vented Warbler

Curruca subcoerulea

Acridotheres tristis

Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus africanus

Groundscraper Thrush

Turdus litsitsirupa

Bearded Scrub Robin

Tychaedon quadrivirgata

Kalahari Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas paena

Pale Flycatcher

Agricola pallidus

Grey Tit-Flycatcher

Fraseria plumbea

Ashy Flycatcher

Fraseria caerulescens

African Dusky Flycatcher

Muscicapa adusta

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Ant-eating Chat

Myrmecocichla formicivora

Capped Wheatear

Oenanthe pileata

Amethyst Sunbird

Chalcomitra amethystina

Cinnyris mariquensis

Passer melanurus

Passer domesticus

Scaly-feathered Weaver

Sporopipes squamifrons

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons

Spectacled Weaver

Ploceus ocularis

Lesser Masked Weaver

Ploceus intermedius

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Southern Red Bishop

White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

Red-collared Widowbird

Euplectes ardens

Long-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes progne

Bronze Mannikin

Spermestes cucullata

Coccopygia melanotis

Black-faced Waxbill

Brunhilda erythronotos

Estrilda astrild

Ortygospiza atricollis

Cut-throat Finch

Amadina fasciata

Red-headed Finch

Amadina erythrocephala

Orange-breasted Waxbill

Amandava subflava

Green-winged Pytilia

African Firefinch

Lagonosticta rubricata

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Purple Indigobird

Vidua purpurascens

Dusky Indigobird

Pin-tailed Whydah

Motacilla capensis

Mountain Wagtail

Motacilla clara

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Macronyx capensis

Anthus cinnamomeus

Anthus vaalensis

Plain-backed Pipit

Anthus leucophrys

Black-throated Canary

Crithagra atrogularis

Crithagra flaviventris

Serinus canicollis

Southern Crested Guineafowl

Guttera edouardi

Cuculus gularis

Black-winged Pratincole

Glareola nordmanni

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Ciconia abdimii

Butorides striata

Hieraaetus pennatus

White-backed Mousebird

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

Gorgeous Bushshrike

Telophorus viridis

Riparia riparia

Desert Cisticola

Cisticola aridulus

Lark-like Bunting

Emberiza impetuani

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

African Savanna Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

Syncerus caffer

Oreotragus oreotragus

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Phacochoerus africanus

Aepyceros melampus

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

Tragelaphus angasii

Acinonyx jubatus

Smith's Bush Squirrel

Paraxerus cepapi

Southern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus sylvaticus

Procavia capensis

Parahyaena brunnea

Raphicerus campestris

Crocuta crocuta

Hystrix africaeaustralis

Black-backed Jackal

Lupulella mesomelas

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Mountain Reedbuck

Redunca fulvorufula

Southern African Springhare

Pedetes capensis

Orycteropus afer

Southern Lesser Galago

Common Slender Mongoose

Herpestes sanguineus

Otocyon megalotis

Tragelaphus oryx

Eastern Rock Sengi

Elephantulus myurus

Black Rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

Hippotragus equinus

Hippotragus niger

Damaliscus lunatus

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