Destination

Birders don't get excited over many pigeons, but this pigeon is an exception. It has a habit of spending most of its time up in the high canopy of lush evergreen forest - making seeing it difficult, and identifying it all but impossible.

Destination

The Eastern Bronze-Naped Pigeon is limited to the eastern side of Africa, and in South Africa it can only be found in the forests on the far North East Coast of the country. The forests of Nkandla, Dlinza and Ongoye are all good candidates to find this rare sighting.

Where To Find

The Eastern Bronze-Naped Pigeon is difficult to see as it lives amongst the dense treetops in evergreen forests. It flies among these treetops where it is hard to get a good sighting of, but it does have to fly down to occasionally drink from forest streams where it can be found hopping amongst fallen branches on the forest floor.

Where To Find

The easiest way to identify the Eastern Bronze Naped Pigeon is through its bright red legs, and the white collar on the back of its neck. This is not always easy to do when it is flying amongst the top branches of the forest, so getting a good vantage point, like that at Dlinza forest's Aerial Boardwalk, is critical. Also, learning its call can help narrow down where to look as it has a distinctive call all year round.

Conservation

The Eastern Bronze-Naped Pigeon is regarded as Vulnerable in South Africa as the indigenous forest habitats have mostly been cleared and the only real areas it can live in are in protected areas. This status, the highly limited range, and tricky behaviour of this pigeon make it a rare sighting.

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Junior Gabela is a real expert on the Spotted Ground Thrush and knows their behaviour, contact calls and habitat, as well as specific good spots to see them. If you are looking to see this rare bird or add it to your life-list, book a tour and add rare bird to your wishlist!