The Camdeboo Conservancy consists of mountains, Acacia woodland, grass veld, Karoo scrub and dense bush along the rivers.
Verreaux’s Eagle, Rock Kestrel, Cape Bunting and Mountain Wheatear are typical species found in the mountains.
The Acacia woodland in the river valleys is home to Cardinal Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Golden-breasted Bunting, Grey Tit, Fiscal Flycatcher, and Chestnut-vented Warbler.
In the areas where the grass dominates, Cape Longclaw, Red-billed Quelea, Southern Red Bishop and Desert Cisticola are found.
Cape Penduline Tit, Eastern Clapper Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark and Yellow-bellied Eremomela are some of the species that are found in the areas that have more scrub Karoo than grass.
The dense bush along the rivers and in the wooded ravines is ideal habitat for African and Red-billed Firefinch, Swee and Common Waxbill, Southern Tchagra and Southern Boubou.
The Camdeboo Conservancy has a range of excellent habitats and the veld is well managed with many watering points making it a top birding destination.
| Flamingos: |
| Greater Flamingo / Grootflamink |
| Cormorants and Darters: |
| White-breasted Cormorant / Witborsduiker |
| Reed Cormorant / Rietduiker |
| African Darter / Slanghalsvoël |
| Spoonbills: |
| African Spoonbill / Lepelaar |
| Ibises: |
| African Sacred Ibis / Skoorsteenveër |
| Hadeda (Hadada) Ibis / Hadeda |
| Glossy Ibis / Glansibis |
| Herons/Egrets |
| Purple Heron / Rooireier |
| Grey Heron / Bloureier |
| Black-headed Heron / Swartkopreier |
| Western Cattle Egret / Veereier |
| Black-crowned Night Heron / Gewone Nagreier |
| Storks: |
| Black Stork / Grootswartooievaar |
| White Stork / Witooievaar |
| Hamerkop: |
| Hamerkop / Hamerkop |
| Grebes: |
| Little Grebe / Kleindobbertjie |
| Ducks and Geese: |
| White-faced Whistling Duck / Nonnetjie-eend |
| White-backed Duck / Witrugeend |
| Spur-winged Goose / Wildemakou |
| Egyptian Goose / Kolgans |
| South African Shellduck / Kopereend |
| Yellow-billed Duck / Geelbekeend |
| African Black Duck / Swarteend |
| Cape Shoveler / Kaapse slopeend |
| Red-billed Teal / Rooibekeend |
| Vultures: |
| Cape Vulture / Kransaasvoël |
| Eagles: |
| African Fish Eagle / Visarend |
| Large Eagles: |
| Verreaux’s Eagle / Witkruisarend |
| Martial Eagle / Breëkoparend |
| Smaller Eagles: |
| Long-crested Eagle / Langkuifarend |
| Brown Eagles: |
| Booted Eagle / Dwergarend |
| Buzzards: |
| Jackal Buzzard / Rooiborsjakkalsvoël |
| Common (Steppe) Buzzard / Bruinjakkalsvoël |
| Harriers: |
| Black Harrier / Witkruisvleivalk |
| Small Kites and Hawks: |
| Black-winged Kite / Blouvalk |
| Chanting Goshawks: |
| Pale Chanting Goshawk / Bleeksingvalk |
| Gabar Goshawk / Witkruis Sperwer / Kleinsingvalk |
| Accipiters: |
| Black Sparrowhawk / Swartsperwer |
| African Goshawk /Afrikaanse Sperwer |
| Harrier-Hawks: |
| African Harrier Hawk (Gymnogene) / Kaalwangvalk |
| Falcons: |
| Peregrine Falcon / Swerfvalk |
| Lanner Falcon / Edelvalk |
| Kestrels: |
| Rock Kestrel / Kransvalk |
| Ostriches: |
| Common Ostrich / Volstruis |
| Guineafowl: |
| Helmeted Guineafowl / Gewone Tarentaal |
| Francolins: |
| Grey-winged Francolin / Bergpatrys |
| Buttonquails and Quails: |
| Hottentot Buttonquail / Kaapse Kwarteltjie |
| Coots and Moorhens: |
| Red-knobbed Coot / Bleshoender |
| Common Moorhen / Grootwaterhoender |
| Cranes: |
| Blue Crane / Bloukraanvoël |
| Secretarybird: |
| Secretarybird / Sekretarisvoël |
| Large Burstards: |
| Kori Bustard / Gompou |
| Ludwig’s Bustard /Ludwigpou |
| Small Bustards and Korhaans: |
| Southern Black Korhaan / Swartvlerkkorhaan |
| Eupodotis Korhaans: |
| Karoo Korhaan / Vaalkorhaan |
| Stilts: |
| Black-winged Stilt / Rooipootelsie |
| Thick-Knees (Dikkops): |
| Spotted Thick-Knee / Gewone Dikkop |
| Coursers: |
| Double-banded Courser / Dubbelbanddrawwertjie |
| Lapwings: |
| Blacksmith Lapwing / Bontkiewiet |
| Crowned Lapwing / Kroonkiewiet |
| Charadrius Plovers: |
| Three-banded Plover / Driebandstrandkiewiet |
| Snipes: |
| African Snipe /Afrikaanse Snip |
| Lake Terns: |
| White-winged Tern / Witvlerksterrretjie |
| Sandgrouse: |
| Namaqua Sandgrouse / Kelkiewyn |
| Pigeons and Doves: |
| Speckled Pigeon / Kransduif |
| Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) / Tuinduif |
| African Olive Pigeon / Geelbekbosduif |
| Red-eyed Dove / Grootringduif |
| Cape Turtle (Ring-necked) Dove / Gewone Tortelduif |
| Laughing Dove / Rooiborsduifie |
| Emerald-spotted Wood Dove / Groenvlekduifie |
| Tambourine Dove / Witborsduifie |
| Namaqua Dove / Namakwaduifie |
| Cuckoos: |
| Red-chested Cuckoo / Piet-my-vrou |
| Black Cuckoo / Swartkoekoek |
| Jacobin Cuckoo / Bontnuwejaarsvoël |
| Diederik Cuckoo / Diederikkie |
| Klaas’s Cuckoo / Meitjie |
| Coucals: |
| Burchell’s Coucal / Gewone Vleiloerie |
| Owls and Barn Owls: |
| African Scops Owl / Skopsuil |
| Cape Eagle-owl / Kaapse Ooruil |
| Spotted Eagle-Owl / Gevlekte Ooruil |
| Western Barn Owl / Nonnetjie Uil |
| Nightjars: |
| Fiery-necked Nightjar / Afrikaanse Naguil |
| Swifts: |
| Alpine Swift / Witpenswindswael |
| African Black Swift / Swartwindswael |
| Common Swift / Europese Windswael |
| Little Swift / Kleinwindswael |
| White-rumped Swift / Witkruiswindswael |
| Mousebirds: |
| Speckled Mousebird / Gevlekte Muisvoël |
| White-backed Mousebird / Witkruismuisvoël |
| Red-faced Mousebird / Rooiwangmuisvoël |
| Kingfishers and Halcyon Kingfishers: |
| Giant Kingfisher / Reusevisvanger |
| Half-collared Kingfisher / Blouvisvanger |
| Malachite Kingfisher / Kuifkopvisvanger |
| Brown-hooded Kingfisher / Bruinkopvisvanger |
| Bee-eaters: |
| European Bee-eater / Europese Byvreter |
| White-fronted Bee-eater / Rooikeelbyvreter |
| Hoopoes: |
| Green Wood Hoopoe / Rooibekkakelaar |
| African Hoopoe / Hoopoe |
| Barbets and Tinkerbirds: |
| Crested Barbet / Kuifkophoutkapper |
| Acacia Pied Barbet / Bonthoutkapper |
| Red-fronted Tinkerbird / Rooiblestinker |
| Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird / Geelblestinker |
| Honeyguides and Honeybirds: |
| Greater Honeyguide / Grootheuningwyser |
| Lesser Honeyguide / Kleinheuningwyser |
| Woodpeckers: |
| Cardinal Woodpecker / Kardinaalspeg |
| The Karoo Lark Complex: |
| Eastern Clapper Lark /Hoëveldklappertjie |
| Pipits: |
| African Pipit / Gewone Koester |
| Nicholson’s Pipit / Nicholsonskoester |
| Wagtails: |
| Mountain Wagtail / Bergkwikkie |
| Cape Wagtail / Gewone Kwikkie |
| Swallows: |
| Barn Swallow / Europese Swael |
| White Throated Swallow / Witkeelswael |
| Pearl-breasted Swallow/ Pêrelborsswael |
| Lesser Striped Swallow / Kleinstreepswael |
| Greater Striped Swallow / Grootstreepswael |
| Common House Martin / Huisswael |
| Martins: |
| Brown-throated Martin / Afrikaanse Oewerswael |
| Rock Martin / Kransswael |
| Drongos: |
| Fork-tailed Drongo / Mikstertbyvanger |
| Orioles: |
| Black-headed Oriole / Swartkopwielewaal |
| Crows and Ravens: |
| White-necked Raven / Withalskraai |
| Pied Crow / Witborskraai |
| Tits: |
| Grey Tit / Piet-tjou-tjougrysmees |
| Bulbuls and Greenbuls: |
| African Red-eyed Bulbul / Rooioogtiptol |
| Sombre Greenbul / Gewone Willie |
| Thrushes: |
| Olive Thrush / Olyflyster |
| Karoo Thrush / Geelbeklyster |
| Rock Thrushes: |
| Cape Rock Thrush / Kaapse Kliplyster |
| Short-toed Rock Thrush / Korttoonkliplyster |
| Chats and Wheatears: |
| Familiar Chat / Gewone Spekvreter |
| Mountain Wheatear / Bergwagter |
| Other Chat-like Birds: |
| Ant-eating Chat / Swartpiek |
| Scrub Robins: |
| Karoo Scrub Robin / Slangverklikker |
| White-browed Scrub Robin / Gestreepte Wipstert |
| Robin-Chats: |
| Cape Robin-Chat / Gewone Janfrederik |
| Penduline Tits: |
| Cape Penduline Tit / Kaapse Kapokvoël |
| Crombecs: |
| Long-billed Crombec / Bosveldstompstert |
| Sylvia Warblers: |
| Layard’s Warbler (Tit-Babbler) / Grystjeriktik |
| Chestnut-vented Warbler (Tit-Babbler) / Bosveldtjeriktik |
| Leaf Warblers: |
| Willow Warbler / Hofsanger |
| Small Reed Warblers: |
| Lesser Swamp Warbler / Kaapse Rietsanger |
| African Reed Warbler / Kleinrietsanger |
| Short-Tailed Cisticolas: |
| Zitting Cisticola / Landeryklopkloppie |
| Desert Cisticola / Woestynklopkloppie |
| Plain-backed Cisticolas: |
| Neddicky / Neddikie |
| Streak-backed Cisticolas: |
| Levaillant’s Cisticola / Vleitinktinkie |
| Grey-backed Cisticola / Grysrugtinktinkie |
| Prinias and Prinia-Like Warblers: |
| Karoo Prinia / Karoolangstertjie |
| Rufous-eared Warbler / Rooioorlangstertjie |
| Apalises: |
| Bar-throated Apalis / Bandkeelkleinjantjie |
| White-Eyes: |
| Cape White-eye / Kaapse Glasogie |
| Large Flycatchers: |
| Fiscal Flycatcher / Fiskaalvlieëvanger |
| Crested Flycatchers and Flycatcher Warblers: |
| African Paradise Flycatcher / Paradysvlieëvanger |
| Fairy Flycatcher / Feevlieëvanger |
| Batises: |
| Cape Batis / Kaapse Bosbontrokkie |
| Pririt Batis / Priritbosbontrokkie |
| True Shrikes: |
| Southern Fiscal / Fiskaallaksman |
| Red-backed Shrike / Rooiruglaksman |
| Boubous: |
| Southern Boubou / Suidelike Waterfiskaal |
| Tchagras: |
| Southern Tchagra / Grysborstjagra |
| Green Bushshrikes: |
| Bokmakierie / Bokmakierie |
| Olive Bushshrike / Olyfboslaksman |
| Starlings: |
| Cape (Glossy) Starling / Kleinglansspreeu |
| Pied Starling / Witgatspreeu |
| Pale-winged Starling / Bleekvlerkspreeu |
| Red-winged Starling / Rooivlerkspreeu |
| Wattled Starling / Lelspreeu |
| Oxpeckers: |
| Red-billed Oxpecker / Rooibekrenostervoël |
| Sunbirds: |
| Malachite Sunbird / Jangroentjie |
| Amethyst Sunbird / Swartsuikerbekkie |
| Greater Double-collared Sunbird / Groot-rooibandsuikerbekkie |
| Southern Double-collared Sunbird / Klein-rooibandsuikerbekkie |
| Sparrows: |
| Cape Sparrow / Gewone Mossie |
| House Sparrow / Huismossie |
| Yellow-Throated Bush Sparrow (Petronia) / Geelvlekmossie |
| Southern Grey-headed Sparrow / Gryskopmossie |
| Weavers: |
| White-browed Sparrow-weaver / Koringvoël |
| Cape Weaver / Kaapse Wewer |
| Southern Masked Weaver / Swartkeelgeelvink |
| Queleas: |
| Red-billed Quelea / Rooibekkwelea |
| Bishops: |
| Southern Red Bishop / Rooivink |
| Whydahs and Indigobirds: |
| Pin-tailed Whydah / Koningrooibekkie |
| Long-tailed Paradise Whydah / Gewone Paradysvink |
| Dusky Indigobird / Gewone Blouvinkie |
| Village Indigobird / Staalblouvinkie |
| Waxbills and Finches: |
| Red-headed Finch / Rooikopvink |
| Scaly-feathered Weaver (Finch) / Baardmannetjie |
| Common Waxbill / Rooibeksysie |
| Swee Waxbill / Suidelike Swie |
| African Firefinch / Kaapse Vuurvinkie |
| Red-billed Firefinch / Rooibekvuurvinkie |
| Green-winged Pytilia / Gewone Melba |
| Seedeaters and Canaries: |
| White-throated Canary / Witkeelkanarie |
| Streaky-headed Seedeater / Streepkopkanarie |
| Yellow-fronted Canary / Geeloogkanarie |
| Black-throated Canary / Bergkanarie |
| Cape Canary / Kaapse Kanarie |
| Buntings: |
| Lark-like Bunting / Vaalstreepkoppie |
| Cinnamon-breasted Bunting / Klipstreekkoppie |
| Golden-breasted Bunting / Rooirugstreepkoppie |
| Cape Bunting / Rooivlerkstreepkoppie |
| SPECIES | COMMON NAME |
| Azima tetracantha | Speldedoring. Needle-bush |
| Boscia oleoides | Karoo-witgat. Karoo Sheperds-tree |
| Buddleja glomerata | Karoo-saliehout. Karoo Sagewood |
| Buddleja salviifolia | Saliehout. Sagewood |
| Cadaba aphylla | Swartstorm. Wormbush |
| Carissa haematocarpa | Karoo-noemnoem. Karoo Num-num |
| Celtis africana | Witstinkhout. White-stinkwood |
| Cussonia paniculata subs. paniculata | Bergkiepersol. Mountain Cabbage-tree |
| Diospyros austro-africana | Jakkalsbessie. Jackalberry |
| Diospyros lycioides | Bloubos. Bluebush Star-apple |
| Diospryros scabrida | Valsswartbas. Coastal Bladder-nut |
| Dodonaea viscosa subs. angustifolia | Sandolien. Sand-olive |
| Ehretia rigida | Deurmekaarbos. Puzzle-bush |
| Euclea crispa | Bloughwarrie. Blue Guarri |
| Euclea undulata | Kleinblaarghwarrie.Small-leaved Guarri |
| Grewia occidentalis | Kruisbessie. Cross-berry |
| Grewia robusta | Karoo-kruisbessie. Karoo Crossberry |
| Gymnosporia buxifolia | Gewone Pendoring. Common Spikethorn |
| Heteromorpha arborescens | Wildepietersieliebos. Parsley-tree |
| Kiggelaria africana | Wildeperske. Wildpeach |
| Lycium oxycarpum | Wolwedoring. Honey-thorn |
| Lycium cinereum | Kriedoring. |
| Lycium prunus-spinosa | Bloukareedoring |
| Pappea capencis | Doppruim. Jacket-plum |
| Pittosporum viridiflorum (Protected) | Kasuur. Cheesewood |
| Portulacaria afra | Spekboom |
| Maytenus acuminata | Sybas. Silkybark |
| Maytenus undata | Kokoboom. Koko-tree |
| Myrsine africana | Kaapse-mirt. Cape-Myrtle |
| Olea europaea subsp. Africana | Olienhout. African Olive |
| Olinia sp. | Hardepeer. Hard-pear |
| Osyros lanceolata | Rotslooibas. Rock Tannin-bush |
| Rhamnus prinoides | Blinkblaar. Shiny-leaf |
| Rhigozum obovatum | Geelberggranaat. Three-leaved Rhigozum |
| Rhus burchellii | Karoo-koeniebos. Karoo Kuni-bush |
| Rhus erosa | Besemkaree. Broom Karee |
| Rhus lancea | Karee. Willow Rhus |
| Rhus pyroides | Gewone Taaibos. Common Current |
| Salix mucronata Subsp. Capensis | Kaapse silwerwilg. Silver Willow |
| Scotia afra | Karoo-boerboon. Karoo Boer-bean |
| Tarchonanthus camphoratus | Vaalbos.Campher tree |
| Vachellia karroo | Soetdoring. SweetThorn |
Other species widely occurring within the Conservancy include bats, baboons and vervet monkeys, hares and rabbits, squirrels, springhares, porcupines, jackals, otters, mongooses, genets, aardwolf, wild cats, caracal, aardvark, rock dassie (hyrax), bushpigs, kudu, mountain reedbuck, steenbok and duiker.
Members of the Conservancy, through partnerships such as that with SANParks and the Great Karoo Wilderness, have been able to unlock other conservation partnerships with organisations aimed at protecting mutually important species. Through these partnerships, Conservancy members help to provide sightings and breeding information to larger landscape projects and help to contribute to the understanding of these species for generations to come. Partners in the landscape include Bird Life SA, Black Footed Cat Working Group and the Endangered Wildlife Trust Vulture Safe Zone
Our area is part of the Sneeuberg Center of Endemism. The larger area is already designated a conservation priority due to its high level of biodiversity and endemic species.
Two members, Willem and Luzahn Wagener, frequently post on iNaturalist. Their aim is to show that the Camdeboo Conservancy, with its bio-diversity, is a hotbed for species in the Sneeuberg region on the Great Escarpment of South Africa.
