Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

National Park · Zambia

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Photo © Diego Delso

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

Where the Zambezi slows and spreads across a basalt shelf before plunging into its chasm, a narrow ribbon of protected riverine bush hugs the southern bank. This is semi-arid country — hot, dry woodland and scrub savanna under a BSh climate, where mopane and thorny thickets hold the soil through a long dry season and flush green with the first rains. The river itself is the ecological spine: a permanent waterline of fringing forest and reedbeds threading through otherwise thirsty terrain, drawing life into a corridor that contrasts sharply with the surrounding bush. Wildlife here follows that moisture. Expect grazing and browsing herbivores moving between riverine fringe and open woodland, elephants tracking the water, and a predator guild that shadows the herds. Birds are the quiet revelation — raptors working the thermals above the gorge, woodland songbirds in the thickets, waterbirds and waders along the shallows, and a steady turnover of migrants exploiting the seasonal flush.

For photographers and birdwatchers, the appeal is the collision of drama and intimacy: the vast geological theatre of the gorge on one side, the close, workable cover of riverine forest on the other. Light is the great variable — the dry months deliver hard, clean sun and dust-hazed sunsets that rim silhouettes in gold, while the rains bring saturated greens, dramatic skies and dispersed, unpredictable movement. Plan around the water: in the dry season animals concentrate along the river and sightings become reliable and close; in the wet season the bush opens up and the birding peaks as residents breed and migrants arrive. Access is straightforward from the nearby town, with guided drives and walks the sensible way to read the terrain. Come for the landscape, stay for the slow patience of watching a waterline — this is a place that rewards those who sit still.

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Merops nubicoides

Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

White-backed Duck

Thalassornis leuconotus

Knob-billed Duck

Sarkidiornis melanotos

Alopochen aegyptiaca

African Pygmy Goose

Nettapus auritus

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Shelley's Francolin

Scleroptila shelleyi

Pternistis natalensis

Swainson's Spurfowl

Pternistis swainsonii

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

Schalow's Turaco

Tauraco schalowi

Centropus senegalensis

White-browed Coucal

Centropus superciliosus

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Clamator levaillantii

Clamator jacobinus

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Double-banded Sandgrouse

Pterocles bicinctus

Streptopelia semitorquata

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Spilopelia senegalensis

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

African Green Pigeon

African Finfoot

Podica senegalensis

Allen's Gallinule

Porphyrio alleni

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Water Thick-knee

Burhinus vermiculatus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Long-toed Lapwing

Vanellus crassirostris

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

White-crowned Lapwing

Vanellus albiceps

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Greater Painted-snipe

Rostratula benghalensis

Actophilornis africanus

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Tringa glareola

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Three-banded Courser

Rhinoptilus cinctus

Rock Pratincole

Glareola nuchalis

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

African Openbill

Anastomus lamelligerus

Leptoptilos crumenifer

Yellow-billed Stork

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Ciconia abdimii

Microcarbo africanus

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Bostrychia hagedash

Plegadis falcinellus

African Spoonbill

Botaurus sturmii

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Egretta ardesiaca

Egretta garzetta

White-backed Night Heron

Calherodius leuconotus

Rufous-bellied Heron

Ardeola rufiventris

Ardeola ralloides

Western Cattle Egret

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Scopus umbretta

Pink-backed Pelican

Pelecanus rufescens

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Terathopius ecaudatus

Western Banded Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinerascens

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Ayres's Hawk-Eagle

Hieraaetus ayresii

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

Verreaux's Eagle

Aquila verreauxii

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

Western Barn Owl

Southern White-faced Owl

Ptilopsis granti

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl

Pel's Fishing Owl

Scotopelia peli

African Wood Owl

Strix woodfordii

Red-faced Mousebird

Urocolius indicus

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

Bradfield's Hornbill

Lophoceros bradfieldi

Crowned Hornbill

Lophoceros alboterminatus

Trumpeter Hornbill

Bycanistes bucinator

Coracias naevius

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon albiventris

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

Woodland Kingfisher

Halcyon senegalensis

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Pied Kingfisher

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Merops hirundineus

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Trachyphonus vaillantii

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus chrysoconus

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

Bennett's Woodpecker

Campethera bennettii

Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Campethera abingoni

Bearded Woodpecker

Chloropicus namaquus

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

Olive Woodpecker

Dendropicos griseocephalus

Dickinson's Kestrel

Falco dickinsoni

Red-necked Falcon

Falco chicquera

Falco biarmicus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Brown-necked Parrot

Poicephalus fuscicollis

Poicephalus meyeri

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Orange-breasted Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra australis

Black-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra senegalus

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

White-crested Helmetshrike

Prionops plumatus

Retz's Helmetshrike

Prionops retzii

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

African Golden Oriole

Oriolus auratus

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Lesser Grey Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Southern Black Tit

Melaniparus niger

Pinarocorys nigricans

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Chlorocichla flaviventris

Terrestrial Brownbul

Phyllastrephus terrestris

African Red-eyed Bulbul

Pycnonotus nigricans

Pycnonotus barbatus

Neophedina cincta

Red-throated Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne rufigula

Hirundo rustica

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis abyssinica

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens

Phylloscopus trochilus

Red-faced Cisticola

Cisticola erythrops

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Yellow-breasted Apalis

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

Southern Yellow White-eye

Zosterops anderssoni

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

Acridotheres tristis

Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Burchell's Starling

Lamprotornis australis

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus africanus

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Kurrichane Thrush

Turdus libonyana

Bearded Scrub Robin

Tychaedon quadrivirgata

Ashy Flycatcher

Fraseria caerulescens

Southern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

Collared Palm Thrush

Cichladusa arquata

Collared Sunbird

Hedydipna collaris

Amethyst Sunbird

Chalcomitra amethystina

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow

Gymnoris superciliaris

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer diffusus

Passer domesticus

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons

Spectacled Weaver

Ploceus ocularis

Holub's Golden Weaver

Ploceus xanthops

Lesser Masked Weaver

Ploceus intermedius

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Ploceus cucullatus

Red-headed Weaver

Anaplectes rubriceps

Red-billed Quelea

Southern Red Bishop

White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

Bronze Mannikin

Spermestes cucullata

Estrilda astrild

Cut-throat Finch

Amadina fasciata

Uraeginthus angolensis

Green-winged Pytilia

Red-throated Twinspot

Hypargos niveoguttatus

Jameson's Firefinch

Lagonosticta rhodopareia

Brown Firefinch

Lagonosticta nitidula

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Pin-tailed Whydah

Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah

Mountain Wagtail

Motacilla clara

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Ciconia ciconia

Blue-billed Teal

Spatula hottentota

African Black Duck

Yellow-billed Duck

Southern Pochard

Netta erythrophthalma

Southern Crested Guineafowl

Guttera edouardi

Crested Francolin

Ortygornis sephaena

Coqui Francolin

Campocolinus coqui

Red-billed Spurfowl

Pternistis adspersus

Red-necked Spurfowl

Pternistis afer

Fiery-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus pectoralis

Freckled Nightjar

Caprimulgus tristigma

Square-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus fossii

Pennant-winged Nightjar

Caprimulgus vexillarius

Böhm's Spinetail

Neafrapus boehmi

White-rumped Swift

Red-crested Korhaan

Lophotis ruficrista

Black-bellied Bustard

Lissotis melanogaster

Coppery-tailed Coucal

Centropus cupreicaudus

Centropus grillii

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Thick-billed Cuckoo

Pachycoccyx audeberti

Chrysococcyx klaas

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

Cuculus clamosus

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

Cuculus gularis

Cuculus canorus

Speckled Pigeon

Mourning Collared Dove

Streptopelia decipiens

Rallus caerulescens

Crecopsis egregia

Paragallinula angulata

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

Grey Crowned Crane

Balearica regulorum

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

Recurvirostra avosetta

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

Microparra capensis

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Calidris pugnax

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Calidris minuta

Temminck's Courser

Cursorius temminckii

Black-winged Pratincole

Glareola nordmanni

African Skimmer

Rynchops flavirostris

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias hybrida

African Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia microscelis

Egretta vinaceigula

Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Sagittarius serpentarius

African Cuckoo-Hawk

Aviceda cuculoides

White-headed Vulture

Trigonoceps occipitalis

Lappet-faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

Necrosyrtes monachus

White-backed Vulture

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

Macheiramphus alcinus

Stephanoaetus coronatus

Polemaetus bellicosus

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Clanga pomarina

Wahlberg's Eagle

Hieraaetus wahlbergi

Hieraaetus pennatus

Dark Chanting Goshawk

Melierax metabates

Ovambo Sparrowhawk

Accipiter ovampensis

Circus macrourus

African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorus

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

African Barred Owlet

Glaucidium capense

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Apaloderma narina

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

Racket-tailed Roller

Coracias spatulatus

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

African Pygmy Kingfisher

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

Miombo Pied Barbet

Tricholaema frontata

Acacia Pied Barbet

Tricholaema leucomelas

Green-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus zambesiae

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Falco rupicolus

Falco amurensis

African Broadbill

Smithornis capensis

Pitta angolensis

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Laniarius atrococcineus

White-breasted Cuckooshrike

Ceblepyris pectoralis

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Urolestes melanoleucus

Grey Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus caroli

Eastern Nicator

Nicator gularis

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix leucotis

Sombre Greenbul

Andropadus importunus

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Grey-rumped Swallow

Pseudhirundo griseopyga

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

Riparia riparia

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Hirundo dimidiata

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Cecropis senegalensis

Livingstone's Flycatcher

Erythrocercus livingstonei

Greater Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus rufescens

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus gracilirostris

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Acrocephalus palustris

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Little Rush Warbler

Bradypterus baboecala

Rock-loving Cisticola

Cisticola aberrans

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Tinkling Cisticola

Cisticola rufilatus

Luapula Cisticola

Cisticola luapula

Cisticola fulvicapilla

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Desert Cisticola

Cisticola aridulus

Stierling's Wren-Warbler

Calamonastes stierlingi

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Green-capped Eremomela

Eremomela scotops

Burnt-necked Eremomela

Eremomela usticollis

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Hartlaub's Babbler

Turdoides hartlaubii

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

Lesser Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chloropterus

Groundscraper Thrush

Turdus litsitsirupa

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Pale Flycatcher

Agricola pallidus

Grey Tit-Flycatcher

Fraseria plumbea

Red-capped Robin-Chat

Cossypha natalensis

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Myrmecocichla arnotti

Capped Wheatear

Oenanthe pileata

Oenanthe familiaris

Cinnyris mariquensis

Purple-banded Sunbird

Cinnyris bifasciatus

Variable Sunbird

Cinnyris venustus

Cinnyris cupreus

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver

Bubalornis niger

Scaly-feathered Weaver

Sporopipes squamifrons

Southern Brown-throated Weaver

Ploceus xanthopterus

Euplectes capensis

Magpie Mannikin

Spermestes fringilloides

Ortygospiza atricollis

Orange-breasted Waxbill

Amandava subflava

Violet-eared Waxbill

Granatina granatina

Orange-winged Pytilia

Purple Indigobird

Vidua purpurascens

Shaft-tailed Whydah

Long-tailed Paradise Whydah

Vidua paradisaea

Anomalospiza imberbis

Motacilla capensis

Anthus cinnamomeus

Anthus vaalensis

Plain-backed Pipit

Anthus leucophrys

Anthus trivialis

Anthus lineiventris

Black-throated Canary

Crithagra atrogularis

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Black-eared Seedeater

Crithagra mennelli

Tachymarptis melba

Livingstone's Turaco

Tauraco livingstonii

Tambourine Dove

Turtur tympanistria

Butorides striata

African Scops Owl

Otus senegalensis

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus erythrorhynchus

Lilian's Lovebird

Agapornis lilianae

Ethiopian Boubou

Laniarius aethiopicus

Laniarius bicolor

Large Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Northern Yellow White-eye

Zosterops senegalensis

Thrush Nightingale

Luscinia luscinia

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

African Savanna Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

Heterohyrax brucei

Procavia capensis

Malbrouck Monkey

Chlorocebus cynosuros

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

Greater Cane Rat

Thryonomys swinderianus

Smith's Bush Squirrel

Paraxerus cepapi

Common Slender Mongoose

Herpestes sanguineus

Banded Mongoose

Aepyceros melampus

Sylvicapra grimmia

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Southern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus sylvaticus

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

Phacochoerus africanus

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Syncerus caffer

Tragelaphus oryx

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

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