On Tuesday, 1 December 2020, the rare Golden Pipit was spotted near our lodge.

To non-birders, this bright yellow bird might seem unassuming, but to twitchers, it is a golden-feathered delight! It is usually found in dry country grassland, savanna, and shrubland in eastern Africa, but in South Africa, there have only been about 17 recorded sightings of it, making it an extremely exciting and rare bird to spot in this part of Africa. It is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, and has occurred as a nomadic visitor to Oman, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Our guest, Hanlie Maggs, managed to capture these photos of the special sighting:

This is not the first time that the Golden Pipit has been spotted in Manyoni Private Game Reserve but is the first time that it has been seen on our Rhino River Lodge property. Manyoni, which is isiZulu for ‘place of the birds’, is renowned for its abundance of birds and is an excellent choice of destination for birders.