Birding Safaris in Malawi

Malawi is world renowned as a birdwatchers paradise. The country boasts over 650 different species of birds. Ten percent of these are native species non-existent anywhere else on the globe!

Birding safaris in Liwonde National Park

Liwonde National Park is one of the best places for birding in Malawi and arguably in the whole of Southern Africa, with over 380 recorded species out of the country’s 650 species.

The palmnut vulture and Dickinson’s kestrel are often sighted. Flocks of African skimmer compete for the best nesting sites on the sandbanks. African jacana and various plovers search the shoreline and the ever-present water lilies for food. White-backed night herons stalk the quieter backwaters, and hundreds of white cormorants enjoy nesting in the riverside palms. The Bohm’s bee-eater is commonly seen along the riverbanks.

Specials for Liwonde National Park include the rare brown-breasted barbet, bat hawk, Livingstone’s flycatcher, Spur-winged lapwing, white-backed night heron and Pel’s fishing owl often found along the riverine strip. Liwonde is home to the only population of Lillian’s Lovebird in Malawi. The birding safari record for a two-night stay is 266 different species!

Birding Safaris on Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi won’t disappoint you either. Lake Malawi provides an ideal habitat for bird life, boasting the highest concentration of African Fish Eagles on the continent. Their cry is heard frequently, echoing across the skies over the lake.

There are over 100 bird species, especially water birds such as the African fish eagle. Other species seen include African harrier-hawk, trumpeter hornbill, white-breasted cormorant, water thick-knee, African paradise-flycatcher and a variety of herons, weavers, doves and starlings.

Birding Safaris on Nyika Plateau

The Nyika National Park contains over 400 species of bird. It acts as an important refuge for range restricted species such as Black-lored and Churring cisticolas, Chapin’s Apalis, Blue Swallow, Jackson’s Pipit, Scarlet-tufted Sunbird, Yellow-browed Seedeater and Montane Widowbird.

Nyika is also home to a number of endemic subspecies, such as Red-winged Francolin , Baglafecht Weaver and Rufous-naped Lark.

Best time to go: Although a multitude of incredible bird species can be found in Nyika all year round, we recommend the early summer (October and November). At this time the plateau is still fairly dry. So, it’s probably the best time for birding, as breeding activity is at its peak in the forests and grasslands and there is an influx of migratory species.