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Birds at Kruger National Park

Saddle billed stork Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Saddle-billed Stork, 5 ft tall with a 9 ft wingspan

Most people visit Kruger National Park in South Africa for the “Big 5” however birders can add to their life lists. And the vehicles with a “birders on board” sticker drive even slower than the rest.

Marabou Stork Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Marabou Stork 4.9 ft tall with 8.5 ft wingspan

I do like to bird watch yet don’t seem very good at getting their pictures. They just don’t seem to hold still long enough, or maybe I’m just impatient. But there were some really BIG birds here. Yet I still saw more birds during my visit to Kruger National Park than I can show.

Vultures Kruger National Park H7 E Mpumalanga South Africa

Vultures

Some of the birds are familiar like I see at home.

Goliath Heron Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Goliath Heron

Or at least similar. This is the world’s largest heron standing up to 5 feet tall with a 7 ft wingspan.

Lilac breasted roller Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Lilac-breasted Roller with an average length of 14.5 inches

Many look like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

European Roller Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

European Roller

I have a birder friend who asked me to take pics of unusual South African birds.

Marabou Storks Kruger Nationa Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Marabou Storks

Marabou Storks may have an ugly bald head but it makes sense when you know they are carrion eaters. Joan said it was very unusual to see them all walking like this.

Guinea fowl Kruger Natioal Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Guinea Fowl

Not so unusual to see the Guinea Fowl walking along the road. Sort of reminded me of grouse, also known as “fool hens,” because they’d be easy prey. We kidded about them being breakfast.

Orange Hornbill in tree Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Orange Hornbill

Hornbills can also have red or yellow bills. I especially liked these because they remind me of some breakfast cereal. Most birds must have been seen in the early mornings when I was hungry.

Fish eagle Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Fish Eagle eats fish, carrion and is a kleptoparasite

Similar to the American Bald Eagle, and well recognized by its clear call, the African Fish Eagle is often known as the “Voice of Africa.” It was absolutely amazing to watch soar.

So many birds at Kruger National Park.  I sure added several new life birds to my list. Hope you did too.

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Lions at Kruger National Park

Lioness Kruger National Park South Africa

I held my breath and my heart stopped beating as the lions walked no more than 10 feet (3.048 meters) from Joan’s truck, just ambling past up the road. The lion is the second largest living cat in the world after the tiger, and we were in a Toyota at Kruger National Park.

Lioness Kruger National Park South Africa

Panthera leo evolved in Africa between 1 million and 800,000 years ago.

Sunrise R531 E Mpumalanga South Africa

Sunrise R531 East, Mpumalanga

It rained a little the night before entering Kruger National Park. The air smelled a clean green like no other than Mpumalanga Lowveld, a low subtropical woodland region with thick scrubby trees and dense thickets of thorn bushes with grassy undercover between.

Female lions Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

First two females walked past, one stopping to call for cubs with her gentle yet insistent “cha…cha…cha” voice, like “it’s all clear.”  Females can mate throughout the year with a 110 day gestation period then typically birth 3-4 cubs. Lions live on average 10 to 15 years in the wild, longer in captivity.

Two female lions & 5 cubs stoll past

Next five cubs strolled past with the confidence of youth in numbers. Young cubs are vulnerable to predation by hyenas, leopards and black backed jackals. They begin hunting at about 11 months and stay with their mothers for two years. Lion populations are untenable outside of designated reserves and national parks primarily due to habitat loss and conflicts with humans.

Lions Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

The males sauntered in behind and promptly plopped down on the warm tarmac/asphalt. Males can weigh in excess of 550 pounds (250 kilograms) and boast impressive manes of a long hair fringe that encircles their heads.

Lions Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

They were patient with the cubs and appeared to be brothers, almost like regreeting each other after time apart. Fiercely protective of his pride, or family unit, male lions patrol a vast territory normally covering about 100 square miles (260 square kilometers).

Lions Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Finally, an old female carrying her long life scars brought up the rear. Female lions are the pride’s primary hunters. They often work together to prey upon antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, and other large animals of the open grasslands. Many of these animals are faster than lions, so teamwork pays off. They normally eat about twice a week yet many lion hunts are surprisingly unsuccessful because they lack stamina and even though they can run up to 35 mph (60 kmh) they can only sustain it for awhile.

Lions Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

They all moved like no one else was around, not a care in the world except to enjoy the warmth radiating up from the pavement while several car loads of visitors stayed in their cages and watched in amazement clicking as many photographs as possible. Myself included.

Lion cubs Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Lions are the only cats that live in groups called prides, a family unit that may include up to three males, a dozen or so females, and their young. All of a pride’s lionesses are related, and female cubs typically stay with the group as they age. Young males eventually leave and establish their own prides by taking over a group headed by another male.

Lion Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

They can sleep for up to 24 hours a day.

Female lion Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

I had no concept of time or how long we sat mesmerized. Eventually I remembered to take some video. Have to admit I’m no cinematographer, and hope at least a small clip will download.

Lion yawn Kruger National Park Mpumalanga South Africa

Both male and female lions roar, and that roar can be heard over five miles away.

Lions weren’t the first wildlife seen on this first day in Kruger National Park. We saw all the Big 5, plus more.

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First day and I saw the Big 5 at Kruger National Park

Dung Beetle Kruger National Park South Africa

Dung Beetles find where elephants have been

It is almost unheard of to see all the Big 5 at Kruger National Park in one day, but that’s what happened on my first day.

African Elephant Kruger National Park South Africa

OMG but these African elephants are Huge weighing in at about 5 ton.  Although they eat about 60 pounds of vegetation a day they only digest about 40 percent of what they eat leaving behind plenty for the dung beetles to enjoy.

Giraffe and White Rhinos Kruger National Park South Africa

White Rhinos aren’t white yet are seen more often than Black Rhinos.  They weigh about 1 ton.  Unlike the blacks, the whites herd their young in front.  Because they’re color blind, contrary to popular belief, they do not charge red cars or trucks.  But then we’re driving a white truck anyway so we’re safe.

Leopard Kruger National Park South Africa

The leopard is very difficult to see as it hides either in the tall grass or lounges on a tree branch.  Because they can only run short distances they usually drop or pounce on their prey.  We were lucky that a guide driving along the road directed us to this leopard taking a cat nap.

Female lion Kruger National Park South Africa

On the way back to camp we became part of a Lion jam along the road.  First two females came out of the bush pausing to call cubs, of which there were five.

Lion cubs Kruger National Park South Africa

Then along came two young males.  They like to sleep on the warm road overnight.

Lions Kruger National Park South Africa

I thought my heart would pound out of my chest as I held my breath watching these lions walk no more than 5 feet from the truck.

Buffalo Kruger National Park South Africa

Figuring we were damn lucky to have seen 4 out of the Big 5 we pulled up to the campground gate and saw the buffalo.

Sterling Silver Big 5 necklace Kruger National Park South Africa

Sterling Silver necklace of the Big 5

So why are they called the Big 5?  Not because they are the biggest animals.  The Big 5 are the hardest to shoot while on a hunting safari.  But of course we’re only shooting them with cameras.

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Lijit

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