Woodbush Forest Birding

The Woodbush Forest is arguably the prime forest birding site in Limpopo Province. It is a short drive from Magoebaskloof Birders Cottage. The best way of accessing the forest for birding is to drive down the Forest Drive. High clearance vehicles are recommended to complete the journey down to the R71. This route passes the Debegeini Falls. Sedan vehicles can access the top portion of the Forest Drive if conditions are dry.

The suggested routine for birding on Forest Drive is to frequently park your car off the road(forestry trucks use this road) Walk up and down the road listening for birds. The more you stop the more likely you are to meet up with a bird party. I think that the Olive Woodpecker is a good call to follow in search of a bird party. They are frequently found in bird parties. It is always difficult to spot forest birds in the canopy. I recommend that you learn the calls of the forest birds listed below. Woodbush Forest is a very popular birding site so please avoid using recorded bird calls to attract birds to you.

A short list of birds found in the Woodbush Forest. Black-fronted Bushshrike, Olive Bushshrike, Narina Trogon, Barratts Warbler, Cape Parrot, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Orange Ground Thrush, White-starred Robin, Brown Scrub Robin, Green Twinspot.

The birdlist below is taken from the SABAP2 Project Pentad 2345_3000

	Ref	Common group	Common species	Genus	Species	FP (RR%)
1	1172	White-eye	Cape	Zosterops	virens	92.1
2	545	Bulbul	Dark-capped	Pycnonotus	tricolor	81
3	551	Greenbul	Sombre	Andropadus	importunus	79.4
4	622	Apalis	Bar-throated	Apalis	thoracica	76.2
5	4133	Turaco	Knysna	Tauraco	corythaix	74.6
6	672	Batis	Cape	Batis	capensis	69.8
7	688	Wagtail	Mountain	Motacilla	clara	65.1
8	547	Greenbul	Yellow-streaked	Phyllastrephus	flavostriatus	63.5
9	578	Robin-chat	Chorister	Cossypha	dichroa	63.5
10	627	Camaroptera	Green-backed	Camaroptera	brachyura	61.9
11	518	Drongo	Square-tailed	Dicrurus	ludwigii	61.9
12	717	Bush-shrike	Olive	Telophorus	olivaceus	60.3
13	712	Puffback	Black-backed	Dryoscopus	cubla	58.7
14	709	Boubou	Southern	Laniarius	ferrugineus	50.8
15	680	Crested-flycatcher	Blue-mantled	Trochocercus	cyanomelas	49.2
16	649	Prinia	Tawny-flanked	Prinia	subflava	49.2
17	760	Sunbird	Southern Double-collared	Cinnyris	chalybeus	49.2
18	452	Woodpecker	Olive	Dendropicos	griseocephalus	49.2
19	859	Canary	Yellow-fronted	Crithagra	mozambicus	42.9
20	516	Cuckoo-shrike	Grey	Coracina	caesia	42.9
21	511	Saw-wing	Black (Southern race)	Psalidoprocne	holomelaena	41.3
22	84	Ibis	Hadeda	Bostrychia	hagedash	39.7
23	833	Firefinch	African	Lagonosticta	rubricata	34.9
24	655	Flycatcher	African Dusky	Muscicapa	adusta	34.9
25	312	Olive-pigeon	African	Columba	arquatrix	34.9
26	772	Sunbird	Amethyst	Chalcomitra	amethystina	34.9
27	758	Sunbird	Greater Double-collared	Cinnyris	afer	33.3
28	337	Turaco	Purple-crested	Gallirex	porphyreolophus	33.3
29	720	Bush-shrike	Black-fronted	Telophorus	nigrifrons	31.7
30	350	Cuckoo	African Emerald	Chrysococcyx	cupreus	31.7
31	314	Dove	Red-eyed	Streptopelia	semitorquata	31.7
32	503	Swallow	Lesser Striped	Hirundo	abyssinica	31.7
33	610	Warbler	Barratt’s	Bradypterus	barratti	31.7
34	671	Woodland-warbler	Yellow-throated	Phylloscopus	ruficapilla	31.7
35	546	Brownbul	Terrestrial	Phyllastrephus	terrestris	30.2
36	154	Buzzard	Steppe	Buteo	vulpinus	30.2
37	138	Eagle	Long-crested	Lophaetus	occipitalis	30.2
38	589	Robin	White-starred	Pogonocichla	stellata	30.2
39	319	Dove	Tambourine	Turtur	tympanistria	28.6
40	581	Robin-chat	Cape	Cossypha	caffra	27
41	393	Trogon	Narina	Apaloderma	narina	27
42	387	Palm-swift	African	Cypsiurus	parvus	25.4
43	771	Sunbird	Collared	Hedydipna	collaris	25.4
44	322	Dove	Lemon	Aplopelia	larvata	23.8
45	343	Cuckoo	Red-chested	Cuculus	solitarius	22.2
46	160	Goshawk	African	Accipiter	tachiro	22.2
47	1105	Thrush	Olive	Turdus	olivaceus	22.2
48	825	Waxbill	Swee	Coccopygia	melanotis	22.2
49	858	Canary	Forest	Crithagra	scotops	20.6
50	810	Bishop	Yellow	Euplectes	capensis	19
51	644	Cisticola	Red-faced	Cisticola	erythrops	19
52	824	Mannikin	Red-backed	Spermestes	nigriceps	19
53	843	Waxbill	Common	Estrilda	astrild	19
54	404	Bee-eater	European	Merops	apiaster	17.5
55	402	Kingfisher	Brown-hooded	Halcyon	albiventris	17.5
56	552	Thrush	Kurrichane	Turdus	libonyanus	15.9
57	556	Ground-thrush	Orange	Zoothera	gurneyi	14.3
58	827	Twinspot	Green	Mandingoa	nitidula	14.3
59	155	Buzzard	Forest	Buteo	trizonatus	12.7
60	152	Buzzard	Jackal	Buteo	rufofuscus	12.7
61	143	Eagle	African Crowned	Stephanoaetus	coronatus	12.7
62	89	Goose	Egyptian	Alopochen	aegyptiacus	12.7
63	171	Harrier-Hawk	African	Polyboroides	typus	12.7
64	390	Mousebird	Speckled	Colius	striatus	12.7
65	4132	Parrot	Cape Parrot	Poicephalus	robustus	12.7
66	867	Seedeater	Streaky-headed	Crithagra	gularis	12.7
67	791	Weaver	Spectacled	Ploceus	ocularis	12.7
68	344	Cuckoo	Black	Cuculus	clamosus	11.1
69	441	Honeyguide	Scaly-throated	Indicator	variegatus	11.1
70	682	Paradise-flycatcher	African	Terpsiphone	viridis	11.1
71	383	Swift	White-rumped	Apus	caffer	11.1
72	685	Wagtail	African Pied	Motacilla	aguimp	11.1
73	362	Wood-owl	African	Strix	woodfordii	11.1
74	447	Woodpecker	Golden-tailed	Campethera	abingoni	11.1
75	625	Apalis	Yellow-breasted	Apalis	flavida	9.5
76	522	Crow	Pied	Corvus	albus	9.5
77	664	Flycatcher	Southern Black	Melaenornis	pammelaina	9.5
78	63	Heron	Green-backed	Butorides	striata	9.5
79	823	Mannikin	Bronze	Spermestes	cucullatus	9.5
80	183	Spurfowl	Natal	Pternistis	natalensis	9.5
81	745	Starling	Red-winged	Onychognathus	morio	9.5
82	496	Swallow	Wire-tailed	Hirundo	smithii	9.5
83	686	Wagtail	Cape	Motacilla	capensis	9.5
84	50	Cormorant	Reed	Phalacrocorax	africanus	7.9
85	47	Cormorant	White-breasted	Phalacrocorax	carbo	7.9
86	656	Flycatcher	Ashy	Muscicapa	caerulescens	7.9
87	584	Scrub-robin	Brown	Cercotrichas	signata	7.9
88	77	Stork	Woolly-necked	Ciconia	episcopus	7.9
89	493	Swallow	Barn	Hirundo	rustica	7.9
90	502	Swallow	Greater Striped	Hirundo	cucullata	7.9
91	495	Swallow	White-throated	Hirundo	albigularis	7.9
92	385	Swift	Little	Apus	affinis	7.9
93	804	Weaver	Thick-billed	Amblyospiza	albifrons	7.9
94	846	Whydah	Pin-tailed	Vidua	macroura	7.9
95	517	Drongo	Fork-tailed	Dicrurus	adsimilis	6.3
96	131	Hawk	Bat	Macheiramphus	alcinus	6.3
97	442	Honeyguide	Lesser	Indicator	minor	6.3
98	849	Indigobird	Dusky	Vidua	funerea	6.3
99	395	Kingfisher	Giant	Megaceryle	maximus	6.3
100	521	Oriole	Black-headed	Oriolus	larvatus	6.3
101	398	Pygmy-Kingfisher	African	Ispidina	picta	6.3
102	723	Bush-shrike	Grey-headed	Malaconotus	blanchoti	4.8
103	352	Cuckoo	Diderick	Chrysococcyx	caprius	4.8
104	95	Duck	African Black	Anas	sparsa	4.8
105	149	Fish-eagle	African	Haliaeetus	vocifer	4.8
106	654	Flycatcher	Spotted	Muscicapa	striata	4.8
107	127	Hawk	African Cuckoo	Aviceda	cuculoides	4.8
108	396	Kingfisher	Half-collared	Alcedo	semitorquata	4.8
109	394	Kingfisher	Pied	Ceryle	rudis	4.8
110	580	Robin-chat	White-browed	Cossypha	heuglini	4.8
111	736	Starling	Violet-backed	Cinnyricinclus	leucogaster	4.8
112	576	Stonechat	African	Saxicola	torquatus	4.8
113	763	Sunbird	White-bellied	Cinnyris	talatala	4.8
114	437	Tinkerbird	Yellow-fronted	Pogoniulus	chrysoconus	4.8
115	410	Bee-eater	Little	Merops	pusillus	3.2
116	872	Bunting	Cinnamon-breasted	Emberiza	tahapisi	3.2
117	874	Bunting	Golden-breasted	Emberiza	flaviventris	3.2
118	719	Bush-shrike	Orange-breasted	Telophorus	sulfureopectus	3.2
119	144	Buzzard	Lizard	Kaupifalco	monogrammicus	3.2
120	628	Camaroptera	Grey-backed	Camaroptera	brevicaudata	3.2
121	860	Canary	Black-throated	Crithagra	atrogularis	3.2
122	513	Cuckoo-shrike	Black	Campephaga	flava	3.2
123	317	Dove	Laughing	Streptopelia	senegalensis	3.2
124	61	Egret	Cattle	Bubulcus	ibis	3.2
125	72	Hamerkop	Hamerkop	Scopus	umbretta	3.2
126	55	Heron	Black-headed	Ardea	melanocephala	3.2
127	115	Hobby	Eurasian	Falco	subbuteo	3.2
128	507	House-martin	Common	Delichon	urbicum	3.2
129	130	Kite	Black-shouldered	Elanus	caeruleus	3.2
130	734	Myna	Common	Acridotheres	tristis	3.2
131	609	Rush-warbler	Little	Bradypterus	baboecala	3.2
132	4142	Sparrow	Southern Grey-headed	Passer	diffusus	3.2
133	690	Wagtail	Grey	Motacilla	cinerea	3.2
134	799	Weaver	Cape	Ploceus	capensis	3.2
135	801	Weaver	Golden	Ploceus	xanthops	3.2
136	439	Barbet	Crested	Trachyphonus	vaillantii	1.6
137	731	Brubru	Brubru	Nilaus	afer	1.6
138	857	Canary	Cape	Serinus	canicollis	1.6
139	648	Cisticola	Lazy	Cisticola	aberrans	1.6
140	642	Cisticola	Rattling	Cisticola	chiniana	1.6
141	4131	Coucal	Burchell’s	Centropus	burchellii	1.6
142	318	Dove	Namaqua	Oena	capensis	1.6
143	133	Eagle	Verreaux’s	Aquila	verreauxii	1.6
144	213	Finfoot	African	Podica	senegalensis	1.6
145	835	Firefinch	Jameson’s	Lagonosticta	rhodopareia	1.6
146	707	Fiscal	Common (Southern)	Lanius	collaris	1.6
147	206	Flufftail	Buff-spotted	Sarothrura	elegans	1.6
148	174	Francolin	Crested	Dendroperdix	sephaena	1.6
149	618	Grassbird	Cape	Sphenoeacus	afer	1.6
150	323	Green-pigeon	African	Treron	calvus	1.6
151	550	Greenbul	Yellow-bellied	Chlorocichla	flaviventris	1.6
152	727	Helmet-shrike	White-crested	Prionops	plumatus	1.6
153	57	Heron	Purple	Ardea	purpurea	1.6
154	418	Hoopoe	African	Upupa	africana	1.6
155	851	Indigobird	Village	Vidua	chalybeata	1.6
156	703	Longclaw	Cape	Macronyx	capensis	1.6
157	506	Martin	Rock	Hirundo	fuligula	1.6
158	803	Masked-weaver	Southern	Ploceus	velatus	1.6
159	373	Nightjar	Fiery-necked	Caprimulgus	pectoralis	1.6
160	650	Prinia	Black-chested	Prinia	flavicans	1.6
161	579	Robin-chat	Red-capped	Cossypha	natalensis	1.6
162	258	Sandpiper	Common	Actitis	hypoleucos	1.6
163	156	Sparrowhawk	Rufous-chested	Accipiter	rufiventris	1.6
164	604	Swamp-warbler	Lesser	Acrocephalus	gracilirostris	1.6
165	380	Swift	African Black	Apus	barbatus	1.6
166	386	Swift	Alpine	Tachymarptis	melba	1.6
167	715	Tchagra	Black-crowned	Tchagra	senegalus	1.6
168	714	Tchagra	Brown-crowned	Tchagra	australis	1.6
169	316	Turtle-dove	Cape	Streptopelia	capicola	1.6
170	599	Warbler	Willow	Phylloscopus	trochilus	1.6
171	839	Waxbill	Blue	Uraeginthus	angolensis	1.6
172	813	Widowbird	Red-collared	Euplectes	ardens	1.6
173	321	Wood-dove	Emerald-spotted	Turtur	chalcospilos	1.6
174	411	Bee-eater	Swallow-tailed	Merops	hirundineus	0
175	409	Bee-eater	White-fronted	Merops	bullockoides	0
176	196	Buttonquail	Kurrichane	Turnix	sylvaticus	0
177	639	Cisticola	Wailing	Cisticola	lais	0
178	621	Crombec	Long-billed	Sylvietta	rufescens	0
179	59	Egret	Little	Egretta	garzetta	0
180	837	Firefinch	Red-billed	Lagonosticta	senegala	0
181	162	Goshawk	Gabar	Melierax	gabar	0
182	141	Hawk-eagle	African	Aquila	spilogaster	0
183	443	Honeybird	Brown-backed	Prodotiscus	regulus	0
184	850	Indigobird	Purple	Vidua	purpurascens	0
185	397	Kingfisher	Malachite	Alcedo	cristata	0
186	458	Lark	Rufous-naped	Mirafra	africana	0
187	637	Neddicky	Neddicky	Cisticola	fulvicapilla	0
188	172	Osprey	Osprey	Pandion	haliaetus	0
189	359	Owl	Barn	Tyto	alba	0
190	416	Roller	Broad-billed	Eurystomus	glaucurus	0
191	158	Sparrowhawk	Little	Accipiter	minullus	0
192	185	Spurfowl	Swainson’s	Pternistis	swainsonii	0
193	774	Sunbird	Scarlet-chested	Chalcomitra	senegalensis	0
194	498	Swallow	Pearl-breasted	Hirundo	dimidiata	0