A Guide to the Birds of the Mjejane Game Reserve
Welcome to the Mjejane Birding Guide, a bird guide to some of the sensational avian wildlife that ‘twitchers’(also known as birders) are constantly on the lookout for in the Mjejane Game Reserve. This advice comes directly form horses mouth(or should that be the birds beak?) as we have asked the expert safari guides who regularly take our guests out on safari, for their take on the who’s who on the Mjejane birding block of the Kruger National Park.
Mjejane Game Reserve Birds – At a Glance:
As the Mjejane Game Reserve is incorporated into the Kruger National Park, many of the over 500 bird species that call the KNP home in the summer months, can also be spotted in the Mjejane, but the Mjejane also offers up some special treasures and unique ways to encounter the birds!
Over 500 Birds Species
Night Birding
+- 4000 Hectares of Game Viewing Possibility
5 Star Rating on TripAdvisor
Endless Photo Opportunities

Scops Owl

Verreaux's Eagle Owl

Water Thick Knee

Osprey

African Fish Eagle

Red-billed Firefinch

Bronze Winged Courser

Crested Barbet

Burchell's Starling

Dark-capped Bulbul

Dwarf Bittern

European Nightjar

Greater Spotted Cuckoo

Green Sandpiper

Saddle-billed Stork

Green Wood Hoopoe

Jacobin Cuckoo

Jameson's Firefinch

Levaillant’s Cuckoo

Pink-throated Twinspot

Secretarybird

Temminck's courser

Wahlberg's Eagle

White-fronted Bee-eater

African Black Duck

African Finfoot

African Crake

Black Heron
Two Experienced Safari Guides weigh in with Tips on Birding in the Mjejane
Gavin Sims, is an expert Game Ranger that often takes Jacana River Lodge guests out on safari
Mario Paul, has been a guide in the Kruger region since 2012, is a specialist birding guide and has been guiding in Mjejane Game Reserve for years. He is also a Wildlife & Bird Photographer
Which birds are found in the Mjejane and not as frequently elsewhere in the Kruger?
Gavin Sims: “I had fantastic and numerous sightings of certain species that I have had but very rarely seen in KNP. Pink-throated Twinspot, Green Sandpiper, Dwarf Bittern and European Nightjar. I had numerous brood parasite encounters, Dark-capped Bulbul raising a Jacobin Cuckoo chick, Crested barbet raising Levaillant’s Cuckoo and Burchels Starling raising Greater Spotted Cuckoo. Not to mention the Jameson’s and Red-billed Firefinches with their Purple and Village Indigobird broods in tow.”
Mario Paul: “There are some birds that do occur on Mjejane which are very difficult to find in the Kruger National Park. These birds include African Crake, White-backed Night Heron and Temmincks Courser to name a few. ”
Year round, what can one look forward to ‘per season’ when it comes to birding in the Mjejane?
Mario Paul: “The summer months are the most exciting as this is when all the summer migrants are back on the reserve. Although the reserve is small, it has quite diverse habitats which then attract many different bird species to the area. Without having to cover much ground, one can get to these pockets of habitats quite easily. Birds like Broad-billed Rollers, Dusky Larks, European Rollers, European & Carmine Bee-Eaters, Green Sandpiper, Harlequin Quail, Western Osprey, European Nightjar, Lesser-spotted Eagle, are some examples of birds that are present during the summer months. The winter months also offer great birding. Unfortunately there is a perception that one can not bird in the winter. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Yes, the migrants have moved off, but there are still many birds around. I have also noticed that during the winter months, birds like African Hawk Eagles, are much more common. This is probably due to there being far less competition from other raptors. We also find that some altitudinal migrants move into the reserve at this time of the year, especially in the well vegetated areas like withing Erf 1 and along the orange boundary fence. Altitudinal migrants are birds who normally live up on higher elevations in the summer but move down to lower altitudes during the winter. Here they find more food than on the cold escarpment and highveld. These migrants can include birds like Narina Trogon, Olive Bushshrike, White-breasted & grey cuckooshrikes to name a few. Furthermore, there is far less foliage to contend with witch makes spotting the birds far easier. Doesn’t matter at what time of the year you are coming, there will always be some interesting birds around to see. ”
Which birds are seen in larger numbers in the Mjejane?
Gavin Sims: “Not sure about large numbers but Secretary bird gave frequent sightings as they were nesting on Mjejane. Saddle-billed Stork too. Temminck’s and Bronze-winged Coursers were daily sightings. ”
Mario Paul: “Mjejane is home to large numbers of all the common species of which there far too many to name. The open plains close to erf 1 are home to many different lbj’s like African Pipit, Buffy Pipit, Red-capped Lark, Dusky Lark, Sabota Lark and a few different Cisticolas. There is large breeding population of White-breasted Cormorants at Mjejane dam. There is also a high diversity in raptors and accipiter’s to be found on the reserve. ”
What makes birding in the Mjejane different to birding in the Kruger?
Gavin Sims: “As a destination to bird, Mjejane offers a broader network of roads in a smaller area. Access to river and wetland and dams. Together with the open vehicle experience and ability to avoid masses of vehicles one can enjoy a fruitful birding excursion. And a walk through the lodge area will already give you a great bird count. ”
Mario Paul: “Mjejane is a private game reserve with a good road network. This means that sightings are being controlled and never crowded like they can become in Kruger. The road network allows us to get right into the preferred habitats and enjoy the birds at close range. ”
Day birding and night birding, what do you believe is the best option for a Mjejane birding enthusiasts?
Gavin Sims: “For a night birding experience Mjejane will provide a far better experience than KNP as you have the privilege of spending time after dark with access to a really good variety of nocturnal life. ”
Mario Paul: “Both are good options and should be considered when visiting. Day birding is easier and will result in a far higher species count, however night birding will yield good results with the nocturnal species like the Owls, Nightjars, Night-herons, Thick-knees etc. I have seen some of my best White-backed Night-heron sightings on Mjejane at night. ”
Birding safaris in the Kruger and the Mjejane are popular pursuits, what do you believe is required ‘kit’ to bring along for you birding excursion?
Gavin Sims: “Bino’s are a must for a birder. I am not of the opinion that one needs the most expensive optics to have a good birding experience. For 90% of birders, amateur or experienced R5k will set you up with a more than great pair. Photographers are a different kettle of fish all together. Good glass gets good photos. Some 'cash' and lastly one cannot bird without some sort of reference material. I personally use Roberts and BirdPro app hand in hand. For the amateur BirdPro is good as it has the function to load a photo and it identifies for you. For those who surpass the amateur stage, I can recommend Fransie Peacocks books on Waders and LBJ’s. ”
Mario Paul: “Binoculars are by far the most important tool for any birder! A good pair of binoculars are a must! Struggling to see the details on a bird will frustrate and demotivate any birder. There are many binoculars out there in all price ranges. You need to go and test them yourself and see if they work for you and your pocket. If I can recommend a very good quality pair of binoculars at a decent price, it will definitely be the Vortex Diamondback range. They are crystal clear and don’t break the bank. Also consider the size carefully. This is important as a lot of birding is done in low light conditions and if you choose wrong, will impact your visibility. A good option is the 10x42, 8x42, 10x40 or 8x40. If you have a scope, they come in very handy, but they are not a necessity on Mjejane. Field and Reference Guides are a must! There are many options out there, from books to apps, and you will need to see what works for you. When it comes to books, the new Robbert’s and Sasol books are very good. I personally prefer using the apps on a smartphone, purely because you have the info of 10 books and more stored in a device that you can carry around easily. The best apps for me are Birdpro and Robbert’s, but there are a few others that are also good. These apps are unfortunately not free, but well worth the investment. ”
Are there known bird breeding pairs that return annually?
Gavin Sims: “I mentioned the Secretary Birds which I have been told breed regularly on Mjejane. The WB Cormorants, Fish Eagles, Saddle-billed Storks, WF Bee-eaters, BB Rollers, Wahlberg’s Eagles, Green Wood Hoopoe are a few I noticed nesting and they usually return to the same place to nest annually.”
Mario Paul: “There are several birds that return to breed in the same nests each year. On the reserve we have the Secretary Birds, Wahlberg’s Eagles, Tawny Eagles, Bateleur and Saddle-billed Storks to name a few that regularly return to the same nesting sites. ”
Are these special bird call sounds that pierce the night which guests can listen for at night?
Mario Paul: “At night you will hear the Water Thick-knees around the lodges. Other nocturnal birds that can be heard are Scops Owls, Verraux’s Eagle Owl, Fiery-necked, Freckled & Square-tailed Nightjars and Lapwings ”
As the Mjejane is bordered by the Crocodile River can you explain the bird-life species and their interactions with this water habitat and what guests can look out for?
Gavin Sims: “The Croc River is a haven for a myriad of species, and it varies with the season as the level of water changes. When the waters a low, many Islands appear, mud flats are created and feeding grounds for all manner of water fowl are created. The banks provide nesting for Bee-eaters etc. The large trees house Raptors, Owls and their fruit sustenance for many species. ”
Mario Paul: “The Crocodile is one of Kruger’s Larger rivers and supports a wide diversity of bird life. Because this river has year-round water, some bird species that depend on water can be found here. Rare birds like African Finfoot, Black Herons & African Black Ducks are seen from time to time from the banks of the river. The river is home to many fish species which in turn support a large number of fish-eating birds like Kingfishers, Herons, Night-herons and Fish Eagles.”
What would you say is the reason you would suggest a newly-started-out-birder visit the Mjejane?
Gavin Sims: “First, one can just walk through the Stands and have a fantastic opportunity to learn as the variety is diverse. Secondly, most the guides in Mjejane are good birders themselves as opposed to KNP where very few know the difference between a duck and a sparrow. ”
Mario Paul: “It is a very accessible reserve with good infrastructure. With over 330 bird species recorded on the reserve, you will not be disappointed! In addition, you will add many new species to your life list. The birds around the lodges are very habituated to humans and this makes it easier to identify them for a beginner. ”
Alternatively, what would you say would the benefit be to an advanced birder to visit the Mjejane?
Gavin Sims: “Mjejane Game Reserve seems to be a place of special happenstance. Migrating species stop off, and there is often something interesting passing by. I have been birding all over southern and east Africa for many years and have never had a dull day birding Mjejane. ”
Mario Paul: “The reserve produces its fair share of rarities and vagrants each year. Difficult to find birds like White-backed Night-herons, Western Osprey, Green Sandpiper and African Crake are often seen on the reserve. The sheer diversity of birds should be enough of an attraction for any serious birder. ”
Are migratory bird species flocking in the Mjejane that guests can look out for and times at which the birds congregate?
Gavin Sims: “Birds are constantly moving through Mjejane. A simple count of what I had in October and then in December and then March could show a rather large difference in species abundant in one but absent in another month. ”