Pilanesberg National Park

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

Granite peaks and volcanic ridges rise unexpectedly from the savanna floor across this 734-square-kilometre expanse in the North West province, creating a landscape of profound ecological complexity where bushveld transitions into rocky outcrops and seasonal watercourses. The park's geological drama—the remnants of an ancient volcanic caldera—generates microclimates and soil diversity that sustain a rich mosaic of habitats: acacia woodland, mixed savanna grassland, and rocky koppies where succulents cling to stone. This habitat heterogeneity draws a corresponding wealth of wildlife. Large herbivores—zebras, wildebeest, and antelope species adapted to semi-arid conditions—move across the grasslands in seasonal rhythms, while smaller mammals exploit the woodland shelter and rocky refuges. Raptors hunt the open ground and perch on ridge stones; ground-feeding birds work the savanna floor in mixed flocks; and nocturnal creatures emerge as dusk settles over the ridges. The park's water sources, though modest by African standards, concentrate wildlife during drier months and draw birds of many functional guilds to their shores.

For the serious wildlife photographer and birdwatcher, the park's dramatic topography offers unmatched compositional opportunities—the interplay of ridge shadow and golden grass, the framing of wildlife against granite formations, and the quality of light during early morning and late afternoon drives that sweep across varied terrain. The accessibility of diverse habitats within a compact area means visitors encounter the full spectrum of bushveld fauna without spending days in transit between ecosystems. Seasonal movement is pronounced here; migratory birds pass through in spring and autumn, while the rains trigger dispersal of resident species into the broader landscape. The park's proximity to major South African centers, combined with its established road network and accommodation infrastructure, makes extended stays feasible without the remote logistics that constrain other reserves, allowing naturalists to track daily wildlife patterns and light conditions across multiple dawn and dusk cycles.

Website pilanesbergnationalpark.org

Pternistis natalensis

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Pied Kingfisher

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Pycnonotus barbatus

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Lamprotornis nitens

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Calendulauda sabota

Uraeginthus angolensis

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Three-banded Plover

Thinornis tricollaris

Spilopelia senegalensis

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

Egretta garzetta

Swainson's Spurfowl

Pternistis swainsonii

Yellow-billed Stork

Trachyphonus vaillantii

White-throated Robin-Chat

Dessonornis humeralis

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Kurrichane Thrush

Turdus libonyana

Yellow-billed Duck

Butorides atricapilla

Scaly-feathered Weaver

Sporopipes squamifrons

Passer domesticus

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

Scopus umbretta

Southern Boubou

Laniarius ferrugineus

Pin-tailed Whydah

Cisticola fulvicapilla

Micronisus gabar

Spotted Eagle-Owl

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Southern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

African Black Duck

Red-billed Quelea

Black-throated Canary

Crithagra atrogularis

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

Streptopelia semitorquata

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Ploceus cucullatus

Actophilornis africanus

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow

Gymnoris superciliaris

Marico Flycatcher

Bradornis mariquensis

Burchell's Coucal

Centropus burchellii

Microcarbo africanus

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Crested Francolin

Ortygornis sephaena

Urolestes melanoleucus

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Violet-eared Waxbill

Granatina granatina

Motacilla capensis

Rufous-naped Lark

Corypha africana

Speckled Pigeon

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Red-faced Mousebird

Urocolius indicus

Bostrychia hagedash

African Spoonbill

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

Southern Red Bishop

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

Lesser Grey Shrike

Leptoptilos crumenifer

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Sagittarius serpentarius

Passer motitensis

Green-winged Pytilia

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Coqui Francolin

Campocolinus coqui

Struthio camelus

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra australis

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

Anthus cinnamomeus

Oenanthe familiaris

Capped Wheatear

Oenanthe pileata

Chestnut-vented Warbler

Curruca subcoerulea

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis abyssinica

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Hirundo dimidiata

Hirundo rustica

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Laniarius atrococcineus

Acridotheres tristis

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Groundscraper Thrush

Turdus litsitsirupa

White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

Short-toed Rock Thrush

Monticola brevipes

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa

Knob-billed Duck

Sarkidiornis melanotos

South African Shelduck

Fiery-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus pectoralis

White-rumped Swift

Red-crested Korhaan

Lophotis ruficrista

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Clamator levaillantii

Chrysococcyx klaas

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

African Olive Pigeon

Columba arquatrix

African Green Pigeon

Crecopsis egregia

Gallinula chloropus

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

Zapornia flavirostra

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Lesser Flamingo

Phoeniconaias minor

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Gallinago nigripennis

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Tringa glareola

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias hybrida

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Ciconia abdimii

Ciconia ciconia

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Egretta ardesiaca

Ardeola ralloides

Yellow-billed Egret

Ardea brachyrhyncha

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Pandion haliaetus

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

African Cuckoo-Hawk

Aviceda cuculoides

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

White-backed Vulture

Gyps coprotheres

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Wahlberg's Eagle

Hieraaetus wahlbergi

Hieraaetus pennatus

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

Verreaux's Eagle

Aquila verreauxii

Little Sparrowhawk

Tachyspiza minulla

Western Barn Owl

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

Southern White-faced Owl

Ptilopsis granti

White-backed Mousebird

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Woodland Kingfisher

Halcyon senegalensis

Acacia Pied Barbet

Tricholaema leucomelas

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Campethera abingoni

Bearded Woodpecker

Chloropicus namaquus

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

Falco rupicolus

Greater Kestrel

Falco rupicoloides

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Falco amurensis

Falco biarmicus

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Orange-breasted Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus

Black-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra senegalus

White-crested Helmetshrike

Prionops plumatus

Fairy Flycatcher

Stenostira scita

Southern Black Tit

Melaniparus niger

Melaniparus cinerascens

Cape Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus minutus

Fawn-colored Lark

Calendulauda africanoides

Monotonous Lark

Mirafra passerina

Large Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Phylloscopus trochilus

Rock-loving Cisticola

Cisticola aberrans

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Desert Cisticola

Cisticola aridulus

Bar-throated Apalis

Apalis thoracica

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

Burnt-necked Eremomela

Eremomela usticollis

Zosterops virens

Southern Pied Babbler

Turdoides bicolor

Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

Burchell's Starling

Lamprotornis australis

Fiscal Flycatcher

Cape Rock Thrush

Monticola rupestris

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Amethyst Sunbird

Chalcomitra amethystina

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

Lesser Masked Weaver

Ploceus intermedius

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Fan-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes axillaris

Red-collared Widowbird

Euplectes ardens

Black-faced Waxbill

Brunhilda erythronotos

Estrilda astrild

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

Jameson's Firefinch

Lagonosticta rhodopareia

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Purple Indigobird

Vidua purpurascens

Shaft-tailed Whydah

Long-tailed Paradise Whydah

Vidua paradisaea

Anomalospiza imberbis

Macronyx capensis

Anthus vaalensis

Plain-backed Pipit

Anthus leucophrys

Crithagra flaviventris

Streaky-headed Seedeater

Crithagra gularis

Lark-like Bunting

Emberiza impetuani

Northern Black Korhaan

Afrotis afraoides

Temminck's Courser

Cursorius temminckii

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

White-backed Duck

Thalassornis leuconotus

Blue-billed Teal

Spatula hottentota

Spatula smithii

Coturnix coturnix

Harlequin Quail

Coturnix delegorguei

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Rufous-cheeked Nightjar

Caprimulgus rufigena

Tachymarptis melba

African Black Swift

Cuculus clamosus

Cuculus gularis

Yellow-throated Sandgrouse

Pterocles gutturalis

Double-banded Sandgrouse

Pterocles bicinctus

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

African Finfoot

Podica senegalensis

Red-chested Flufftail

Sarothrura rufa

Rallus caerulescens

Paragallinula angulata

African Swamphen

Porphyrio madagascariensis

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Common Buttonquail

Turnix sylvaticus

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Greater Painted-snipe

Rostratula benghalensis

Black-tailed Godwit

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Calidris pugnax

Calidris minuta

Bronze-winged Courser

Rhinoptilus chalcopterus

Polemaetus bellicosus

Ovambo Sparrowhawk

Accipiter ovampensis

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorus

Buteo rufofuscus

African Scops Owl

Otus senegalensis

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Merops hirundineus

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Merops nubicoides

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus

Bennett's Woodpecker

Campethera bennettii

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Telophorus zeylonus

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Southern White-crowned Shrike

Eurocephalus anguitimens

Corvus capensis

Grey Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus caroli

Spike-heeled Lark

Chersomanes albofasciata

Pinarocorys nigricans

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix leucotis

Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix verticalis

Mirafra cheniana

Pink-billed Lark

Spizocorys conirostris

Red-capped Lark

Calandrella cinerea

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Chlorocichla flaviventris

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

Riparia riparia

South African Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon spilodera

Sphenoeacus afer

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus gracilirostris

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Acrocephalus palustris

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Little Rush Warbler

Bradypterus baboecala

Tinkling Cisticola

Cisticola rufilatus

Wailing Cisticola

Levaillant's Cisticola

Cisticola tinniens

Cloud Cisticola

Cisticola textrix

Wing-snapping Cisticola

Cisticola ayresii

Barred Wren-Warbler

Calamonastes fasciolatus

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Lamprotornis bicolor

Pale Flycatcher

Agricola pallidus

Grey Tit-Flycatcher

Fraseria plumbea

Cape Robin-Chat

Dessonornis caffer

Ant-eating Chat

Myrmecocichla formicivora

Malachite Sunbird

Nectarinia famosa

Greater Double-collared Sunbird

Cinnyris mariquensis

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver

Bubalornis niger

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons

Ploceus capensis

Long-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes progne

Ortygospiza atricollis

Cut-throat Finch

Amadina fasciata

Red-headed Finch

Amadina erythrocephala

Orange-breasted Waxbill

Amandava subflava

African Firefinch

Lagonosticta rubricata

Anthus lineiventris

Emberiza capensis

American Flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

Black-winged Pratincole

Glareola nordmanni

Butorides striata

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus erythrorhynchus

Poicephalus meyeri

Eastern Long-billed Lark

Certhilauda semitorquata

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

Panthera pardus

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

African Savanna Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Acinonyx jubatus

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

Aepyceros melampus

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Phacochoerus africanus

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Raphicerus campestris

Alcelaphus buselaphus

Black-backed Jackal

Lupulella mesomelas

Damaliscus lunatus

Antidorcas marsupialis

Banded Mongoose

Oreotragus oreotragus

Parahyaena brunnea

Smith's Bush Squirrel

Paraxerus cepapi

Procavia capensis

Syncerus caffer

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

Common Slender Mongoose

Herpestes sanguineus

Black Rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

Tragelaphus oryx

Lepus saxatilis

Southern Lesser Galago

African Savanna Hare

South African Ground Squirrel

Geosciurus inauris

Single-striped Grass Mouse

Lemniscomys rosalia

Mauritian Tomb Bat

Taphozous mauritianus

Caracal caracal

African Wildcat

Common Dwarf Mongoose

Helogale parvula

Sylvicapra grimmia

Mellivora capensis

African Wild Dog

Leptailurus serval

Mountain Reedbuck

Redunca fulvorufula

Southern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus sylvaticus

Hystrix africaeaustralis

European Wildcat

Felis silvestris

Southern Reedbuck

Redunca arundinum

Tragelaphus angasii

Damaliscus pygargus

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