Pilanesberg National Park

National Park · South Africa

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

Where ancient volcanic calderas rise above the surrounding lowveld, a 734-square-kilometre sanctuary unfolds across the North West Province of South Africa. Granite peaks frame dense acacia woodlands, open grasslands, and rocky outcrops that create a mosaic of microclimates and habitats. Born from a dormant crater approximately 1.3 billion years old, this geological foundation underpins extraordinary biodiversity. The park's concentric rings of rock and soil support distinct vegetation zones, from savanna to thornbush, each nurturing its own community of specialized species. This ecological diversity, compressed into remarkably compact terrain, makes the reserve a living textbook of African landscape evolution.

Wildlife converges here with dramatic reliability. The Big Five roam within accessible distances, while over 500 bird species respond to seasonal rains and fruiting cycles that transform the landscape throughout the year. Golden light bathes the crater walls at dawn, offering photographers unparalleled opportunities to capture predators and prey against dramatic geological backdrops. Just two hours from Johannesburg, the park's road network and multiple lodge options ensure intimate encounters without requiring extensive wilderness expeditions, making it an essential destination for serious naturalists and visual storytellers alike.

Website pilanesbergnationalpark.org

Grey Go-away-bird

Crinifer concolor

Turaco Unicolor

Pternistis natalensis

Francolín de Natal

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Tejedor Enmascarado

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Pied Kingfisher

Martín pescador pío

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Anhinga Africana

Pycnonotus barbatus

Bulbul Naranjero

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

Avefría armada

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

Toco piquigualdo sureño

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Pigargo Vocinglero

Kalahari Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas paena

Alzacola del Kalahari

Lamprotornis nitens

Estornino de El Cabo

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Picabueyes Piquirrojo

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Calendulauda sabota

Uraeginthus angolensis

Azulito angoleño

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Cistícola cascabel

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

Estornino Alirrojo

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

Drongo Ahorquillado

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Serín frentiamarillo

Three-banded Plover

Thinornis tricollaris

Chorlitejo Tricollar

Spilopelia senegalensis

Tórtola senegalesa

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

Escribano Pechidorado

Egretta garzetta

Swainson's Spurfowl

Pternistis swainsonii

Francolín de Swainson

Yellow-billed Stork

Tántalo africano

Trachyphonus vaillantii

Barbudo Crestado

White-throated Robin-Chat

Dessonornis humeralis

Cosifa Gorjiblanca

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

Escribano Canelo

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

busardo ratonero

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer diffusus

Gorrión sudafricano

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Martín gigante africano

Kurrichane Thrush

Turdus libonyana

Zorzal de Kurrichane

Yellow-billed Duck

Ánade picolimón

Butorides atricapilla

Abubilla común

Scaly-feathered Weaver

Sporopipes squamifrons

Tejedorcito Escamoso

Passer domesticus

Gorrión común

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Lavandera Africana

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

Avefría coronada

Scopus umbretta

Southern Boubou

Laniarius ferrugineus

Bubú ferrugíneo

Pin-tailed Whydah

Viuda Colicinta

Cisticola fulvicapilla

Cistícola coronirrufo

Micronisus gabar

Spotted Eagle-Owl

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Alzacola Dorsirrojo

Southern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

Papamoscas Sudafricano

African Black Duck

Red-billed Quelea

Black-throated Canary

Crithagra atrogularis

Serín gorjinegro

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

Alcaraván de El Cabo

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

Pájaro ratón común

Streptopelia semitorquata

Tórtola ojirroja

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Estornino Amatista

Ploceus cucullatus

Actophilornis africanus

Jacana Africana

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow

Gymnoris superciliaris

Gorrión cejudo

Marico Flycatcher

Bradornis mariquensis

Papamoscas del Marico

Burchell's Coucal

Centropus burchellii

Cucal de Burchel

Microcarbo africanus

Cormorán africano

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Crested Francolin

Ortygornis sephaena

Francolín capirotado

African Grey Hornbill

Lophoceros nasutus

Toco Piquinegro

Urolestes melanoleucus

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Cormorán grande

Violet-eared Waxbill

Granatina granatina

Granadero Meridional

Motacilla capensis

Lavandera de El Cabo

Rufous-naped Lark

Corypha africana

Alondra Nuquirrufa

Speckled Pigeon

Paloma de Guinea

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Cuclillo Didric

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Alcaudón dorsirrojo

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Zampullín común

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Tórtola de El Cabo

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

Turdoide de Jardine

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon albiventris

Alción cabecipardo

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Suirirí cariblanco

Red-faced Mousebird

Urocolius indicus

Pájaro ratón carirrojo

Bostrychia hagedash

African Spoonbill

Espátula africana

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

Martín pescador malaquita

Southern Red Bishop

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

Toco piquirrojo sureño

Lesser Grey Shrike

Alcaudón chico

Leptoptilos crumenifer

Marabú africano

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

Barbudo Acollarado

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

ganso espolonado

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Roquero Imitador

Sagittarius serpentarius

Passer motitensis

Gorrión grande

Green-winged Pytilia

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Ánade piquirrojo

Coqui Francolin

Campocolinus coqui

Francolín coqui

Struthio camelus

Avestruz común

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens

Crombec Piquilargo

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

Vencejo palmero africano

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Suimanga Pechiblanco

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra australis

Chagra Coroniparda

Black-chested Prinia

Prinia flavicans

Prinia Pechinegra

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

Cubla Dorsinegra

Anthus cinnamomeus

Bisbita Africano

Oenanthe familiaris

Colinegro Familiar

Capped Wheatear

Oenanthe pileata

Collalba Capirotada

Chestnut-vented Warbler

Curruca subcoerulea

Curruca Azulada

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

Abejaruco Chico

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

golondrina de garganta blanca

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Golondrina Cabecirrufa

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis abyssinica

Golondrina Abisinia

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

Abejaruco Frentiblanco

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Abejaruco Europeo

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Papamoscas Gris

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Hirundo dimidiata

golondrina de pecho perlado

Hirundo rustica

Golondrina común

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

Oropéndola enmascarada

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Laniarius atrococcineus

Bubú pechirrojo

Acridotheres tristis

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Avefría senegalesa

Groundscraper Thrush

Turdus litsitsirupa

Zorzal Litsitsirupa

White-winged Widowbird

Euplectes albonotatus

Obispo Aliblanco

Short-toed Rock Thrush

Monticola brevipes

Roquero de Namibia

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa

Golondrina Pechirrufa

African Savanna Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Elefante africano de sabana

Cebra de Sabana

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

Aepyceros melampus

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

Rinoceronte Blanco

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Hipopótamo común

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Phacochoerus africanus

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Antílope acuático

Raphicerus campestris

Alcelaphus buselaphus

alcelaphus buselaphus

Black-backed Jackal

Lupulella mesomelas

Chacal de lomo negro

Panthera pardus

Damaliscus lunatus

Antidorcas marsupialis

Banded Mongoose

Mangosta Estriada

Oreotragus oreotragus

Acinonyx jubatus

Parahyaena brunnea

Smith's Bush Squirrel

Paraxerus cepapi

Ardilla de Arbol

Procavia capensis

Damán de el Cabo

Syncerus caffer

Syncerus caffer caffer

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

Cercopiteco verde

Common Slender Mongoose

Herpestes sanguineus

Black Rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

rinoceronte Negro

Tragelaphus oryx

Antílope Eland

Lepus saxatilis

Liebre de los matorrales

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