Namibia's Caprivi Strip: 5

Mamili National Park
Mamili National Park lies at the southern most point of the Caprivi where the Kwando River, now the Linyanti River, makes a right angled turn to the north east. This 32,000 ha park is made up of a mosaic of flooded grasslands, braided flood-plain channels, extensive reedbeds and papyrus swamps, heavily wooded islands and open water habitats. The two largest islands, Nkasa and Lupala, form the central focus of the park and seldom, if ever, flood. The rest of the park is inundated at least once every few years during the winter months. The park is really only accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicle even when it is completely dry as the tracks are unserviced and rough. Mamili is now accessed off the D3511 through the villages of Sangwali or Malengalenga. There are several tracks in the park and it is advisable to check the maps at the ranger stations so that you know roughly where you are going as none of them are signposted. Accommodation is limited to unserviced campsites at Nyanda and Lyadura, both of which are quite attractive.

Waterlevel fluctuations strongly influence the occurrence of birds in the park. During the drier periods the extensive grasslands are good for Denham's and Kori Bustard, as well as Black-bellied Bustard. During the rains these grasslands should produce Little Button Quail, Harlequin and Common Quail, Rufous-naped Lark and Red-faced Cisticola. When they have been flooded these grasslands are excellent for Pink-throated Longclaw, Wattled Crane, Slaty Egret and Black Coucal. They are, however, difficult to reach and extreme caution is advised before walking around in the water here as crocodiles come up into these flooded areas to feed. Other wetland habitats yield species typical of these northern swamps and you should see a good range of herons, ducks, rails, weavers (including Thick-billed), Red-headed Quelea, Red-shouldered and White-winged Widows and a number of firefinch species.

Narina Trogon (Laura Watson)

Game is not abundant in the park but be aware that Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Lion and Leopard are regularly recorded. There are a variety of antelope species but heavy poaching before proclamation in 1989 has resulted in low numbers of all species, with only a slow recovery

Katima Mulilo and the Zambezi River
Katima Mulilo is the administrative centre of the Caprivi Region and situated as it is, on the banks of the Zambezi River, has some of the best birding in the Caprivi. It has four distinctive vegetation types or habitats, each of which provides opportunties for different birding. From the west, Katima can be approached by driving directly along the B8 from Kongola or via Mudumu and Mamili along the D3511 which swings north from the village of Linyanti.

West of Katima the vegetation is dominated by Kalahari sand broad-leafed woodland (out to Mpacha Airport, 20 km from town on the B8) and the birds here are much the same as in similar habitat elsewhere in the Caprivi. Pale and Southern Black Flycatchers, Long-billed (Wood) Pipit, White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike, Green-capped Eremomela, Grey Cisticola and African Golden Oriole are all present in broad-leafed woodland. African Hobby is regularly seen on the stretch of road between Mpacha and Katima, especially in the late afternoon.

Much of the area to the south and east of Katima, away from the river, is dominated by mopane woodland and the birds here are much the same as those described for Mudumu National Park, with the significant addition of Black-cheeked Lovebirds. There have been no confirmed records in recent years, but Tim Dodman's recent work on the Zambian side of the river indicates the possibilities for this species in the Caprivi.

The Katima Sewage works are situated in an area which may be regarded as transitional between broad-leafed woodland and mopane woodland. It is on the main road to Kongola (B8) and can be approached directly down a small track marked Buche Buche Brickmaking Project, running west off the main road. Alternatively, the settling ponds can be accessed by driving down the side of Namib Mills and the Likwama Farmers Cooperative (both clearly signposted), turning left and then right down a line of power pylons. The northern settling ponds are excellent for a variety of waterfowl including Hottentot Teal, Fulvous Whistling Duck, White-faced Whistling Duck, White-backed Duck, Black-necked Grebe, Dabchick and this is the most likely site in Namibia to see Yellow-billed Duck. The reeds around the settling ponds host Little Rush Warbler, Lesser Swamp-Warbler and African Reed-Warbler, as well as Purple and Allen's Gallinule, Black Crake and African Water Rail. Barn and other swallows roost in large numbers here at night and Hobby and several species of accipiters can be seen actively hunting them at dusk. The overflow ponds on the southern side of the sewge ponds have fluctuating waterlevels and attract several interesting groups of birds.

Waders are generally well represented and you should see Greater Painted-Snipe and African Snipe, several species of Palearctic migrant waders including Ruff and Green Sandpiper (rare), Long-toed Lapwing, Wattled Plover and Three-banded Plover. Rufous-bellied, Squacco, Green-backed, Purple and Grey Herons are the commonest species of heron, but Slaty Egret and Black Herons have been recorded here as well. Both species of Night Heron have been recorded here, but the chances of seeing White-backed are very small. Rallids are also well represented with African Water Rail and African, Baillon's, Spotted and Black Crakes being regularly recorded. Striped Crake and Red-chested Flufftail have been reported here but are exceedingly difficult to see. Look out in the woodlands surrounding the sewage works for a variety of cuckoos including African Striped, Jacobin, Great Spotted and Klaas's. Both Retz's Red-billed and White Helmet Shrikes occur here and are often in bird parties with Black Cuckoo-shrike and Yellow White-eye. This is a good area for raptors as well and I have regularly seen African Cuckoo Falcon, Lanner Falcon and Dark Chanting Goshawk here.

West of Katima on the road to the Zambian border and ferry crossing is the Katima Farm. This is a good area for Smaller Banded Snake Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Dickinson's Kestrel, Brown-necked Parrot and in the mopane areas, White-headed Black Chat. This road is relatively quiet at night as the border is closed and is quite good for nightbirds. Pennant-winged, Fiery-necked and Square-tailed Nightjar are present, as are Bronze-winged Coursers and Water Dikkop. The whole of the Katima area is good for owls and you should hear African Wood, White-faced and Common Scops and Barn Owls and Pearl-spotted and African Barred Owlets if you overnight here. Verreaux's Eagle-Owl is also regularly recorded in the town.

The dense forest and woodlands fringing the Zambezi River provide very good birding and the best areas are the conservation area just downstream of the golf course and the woodlands near Hippo Lodge. These woodlands are the favoured haunts of Green (Livingstone's) Turaco, Trumpeter Hornbill, African Pygmy Kingfisher, African Goshawk, African Little Sparrowhawk, Crested Barbet, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Wood Owl, White-browed and Red-capped Robin-Chats, Coppery Sunbird and Grey Tit-Flycatcher. Yellow-bellied Bulbul and Terrestrial Brownbul are common here, as are Orange-breasted Bush Shrike, Black-crowned Tchagra and Grey-headed Bush Shrike. The golfcourse is a good area to look out for Bat Hawk at dusk and several species of nightjar can be seen hunting insects around the spotlights at night.

The rocky outcrops, sandbanks and flooded river margin woodlands of the Zambezi River have a distinct avifauna as well. Rock Pratincole, African Pied Wagtail and Common Sandpiper can be easily seen on the rocky outcrops and rapids on the western side of Katima. The pumpstation area (near the town generator) is the best site for Rock Pratincole. African Skimmer, Collared Pratincole, White-crowned and Wattled Plover are commonest on exposed sandbanks, the Skimmers using these for roosting and breeding during periods of low water. The larger islands and backwaters of the Zambezi are often fringed with a distinctive flooded woodland of waterberry, Syzigium guineense, and these are the best areas to see African Finfoot, Pel's Fishing Owl, White-backed Night Heron and African Giant Kingfisher. Access to these areas is easiest by boat which can be hired at a number of places in Katima. Reedbeds and flooded grasslands are good areas for Black and Coppery-tailed Coucal, Red-headed Quelea, Chirping and Red-faced Cisticola.

There is plenty of accommodation in Katima. The Zambezi Lodge is in the centre of town and offers luxury hotel style accommodation and a separate campsite. Hippo Lodge is about 5 km out of town on the Ngoma road and offers cheaper rooms and camping. Kalizo Lodge is nearly 40 km out of town and has rooms and a campsite. Boats can be hired at all three sites, but make prior arrangements. The best areas to explore are around the Hippo Island and the wooded waterways of the Maningi Manzi area, where African Finfoot, Pel's Fishing Owl and White-backed Night Heron are all a possibility.

The Eastern flood-plains, and the Chobe River area
For those with access to a four-wheel-drive vehicle, an adventurous spirit and few qualms about sleeping rough the eastern flood-plains and the Chobe River area provide the opportunity for some interesting birding. It is unlikely that you will find anything markedly different from the sites described above, but the area is poorly watched and anything is possible. The area is criss-crossed by numerous small, rough tracks which can be very difficult to drive on during the wet season.

The area is principally made up of extensive flooded grasslands, traversed by drainage lines and the occasional wooded island. In areas where the grasslands are flooded Long-toed Lapwing, Pink-throated Longclaw, Rufous-bellied Heron, Little Bittern and African Jacana are common. Slaty Egret and Black Heron have been recorded in this type of habitat. Open water with water lilies is the favoured habitat for African Pygmy Goose and White-backed Duck. The wooded islands may contain typical forest species such as White-browed Robin-Chat, Terrestrial Brownbul, Green Turaco and Collared Sunbird. The margins of these wooded areas are a good place to look for Orange-breasted Waxbill, firefinches and Red-faced Cisticola. They are occasionally used as roosts by Pel's Fishing Owl. At night listen out for the distinctive, slow, chop chop chop, call of Swamp Nightjar, which is seemingly quite common.

General Information
The majority of the areas described in this article are controlled by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and all carry some sort of entrance fee or accommodation cost. These are generally low so please pay them willingly as the income provides an incentive to continue conserving and managing these magnificent areas. For more information about Namibia in general please write to:

Namibia Tourism, 6 Chandos Street, London W1M 0LQ. Tel: (+44) 171 636 2928/24 or Fax: (+44) 171 636 2969 or: Tourism Section, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Private Bag 13267, Windhoek, Namibia.

They put together a good package of information including a roadmap with all the road numbers referred to above and an accommodation guide giving the addresses, telephone numbers and rates of all the facilities mentioned in the article. This package is free.

There are three books worth using, none of which adequately reflects species distributions in the Caprivi. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa, by G. L. Maclean, Newman's Birds of Southern Africa, by Ken Newman and, The Illustrated Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa, by Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey and Warwick Tarboton.

There are several birding companies doing trips to Namibia, but few actually take in the whole Caprivi Strip. Anyone wanting to do a group trip to Namibia is welcome to contact me directly and I will be happy to provide further information regarding some of the trips I lead in the area. (Contact Christopher Hines, PO Box 22527, Windhoek, Namibia.)

Last page update 4th August 2010