Bird Watching in Hangklip-Kleinmond

Found in the Kogelberg Biosphere, Hangklip-Kleinmond boasts many beautiful and quiet places in which a wide variety of bird life abounds. Seashore, coastlands, wetlands and fynbos-covered mountains are home to many small and large birds some of which are becoming endangered.

Those who love the natural wilderness areas will find access relatively easy. Being only an hour’s drive from Cape Town and served by many good accommodation establishments ranging from self-catering to B&B and guesthouses, the Hangklip-Kleinmond area is a bird-watchers delight and responsible tourism practices are being instilled to keep this very special area a getaway for the informed and caring tourist.

On the rocks and beaches a variety of cormorants and gulls can be found, whilst amongst the rock pools Egyptian geese, Little egrets, Cape Wagtails and a variety of swallows and swifts are often seen. The coastal vegetation supports a large variety of birds, mainly seed-eating such as the Cape Bulbul, Rameron Pigeon, Speckled mousebird and Grassbird.

In the mountains and due to the many trees throughout the area, raptors are well represented. Black and Martial Eagles, Black Sparrow Hawks, Jackal Buzzard, the migrant Steppe Buzzard and Black Shouldered Kites can be spotted flying high above the valleys and peaks.

In short ..
Rooiels estuary – large parties of Terns that include Roseate and Caspian. Pringle Bay beach – Black Oyster Catchers, White Fronted Plover with nests above the high watermark, and Terns who rest there particularly during a gale. Klein Hangklip mountain – for many years the site of a Black Eagle’s nest. Cape Hangklip lighthouse beach areas – Black Oyster Catchers, White Fronted Plovers. Betty’s Bay beaches – Black Oyster Catchers and White Fronted Plovers. Stony Point – The African Penguin colony can be found there and share the site with the increasingly rare Bank Cormorant. Harold Porter Botanical Gardens – rich area for birding with both Leopards and Disa ravines and the riverine vegetation adding to other interesting habitats. The Blue Mantled Flycatcher can be found there. Dawidskraal – Egyptian Geese and a small flock of Geenshanks. Kleinmond Reserve – both sea and land birds frequent the walks with raptors as the Black Harrier. Over 100 species have been recorded on the walk from Palmiet to the Beach House Hotel. Palmiet River – Egyptian Geese, a variety of ducks and many species of Kingfishers.

Many waterfowls, Purple Gallinule, crakes, rails and sometimes pelicans find shelter at the Estuary at Kleinmond (beyond the two bridges). Giant Kingfishers are often found whilst the water level is low enough, summer visiting waders can be found on the mudflats.

Rooisand on the Botriver Lagoon – during summer many migrants and residents can be seen including a large flock of Greater Flamingo with the Lesser one among them. Two resident pairs of Fish Eagles breed regularly on the Lagoon.

Download the updated Bird List
Updated February 2009 – in PDF file format  [ approximately 84KB in size ]