Bee Eaters

There are many species of bee eaters present across Namibia and Botswana, however we only began to spot them after we’d crossed over into Botswana

On the Chobe riverfront near Ngoma we had our first encounter with the Southern Carmine Bee Eaters, the largest of all the Bee Eaters.

Crossing Chobe National Park to Savuti we spotted Swallow Tailed Bee Eaters and Little Bee Eaters a plenty.

In Kwara we encountered by far the most birdlife, huge flocks of Southern Carmines as well as large numbers of White Fronted Bee Eaters. There were also multiple Swallow Tailed and Little Bee Eaters to watch as well.

Southern Carmine Bee Eater

The Southern Carmine Bee-Eater is a colorful bird found in sub-Saharan Africa known for its striking carmine-red plumage. They feed on flying insects and nest in colonies.

Southern Carmine Bee-Eaters typically arrive in the Chobe area of northern Botswana during their breeding season, which typically occurs from September to November. This period coincides with the arrival of large insect swarms, providing abundant food for these birds. Their presence is most prominent during this time when they form nesting colonies along the riverbanks

The largest flocks of Carmines we saw was in the Okavango Delta, they were clearly visible in the trees alongside the waterways at sunset, hunting insects in the warm evening sun.

There was a fantastic coffee-table book on the Carmines at Roy’s Rest Camp near Grootfontein – “Chariots of Fire” – we enjoyed it very much and the proceeds support a Carmine colony in Namibia which we did not have chance to visit.

White Fronted Bee Eater

The White-fronted Bee-Eater is a colorful African bird known for its green plumage, white forehead, and red eye markings. It primarily feeds on flying insects, nests in colonies, and can be found across sub-Saharan Africa in savannas and grasslands. They play a role in controlling insect populations and are a favorite among bird enthusiasts.

We were lucky enough to have a small group of them near the Heronry on Gcodikwe Lagoon in the North East of the Okavango delta. We had taken a boat from our camp at Kwara along the Moanachira channel. The Heronry is also reachable from the expensive lodges Mboma or Shinde, and possibly from Xakanaxa, where it’s possible to camp.

Little Bee Eater

Our sightings of little bee eaters were limited to single individuals during the midday sun. They were much more difficult to spot and to photograph, and did not fancy staying in one place for too long

Swallow Tailed Bee Eater

Easily identified by their forked tail, the swallow tailed bee eater looks similar to both the little bee eater and the white fronted bee eater. We spotted fewest of these birds on our journey, however they were still abundant in Norther Botswana