A variety of hole-nesters such as Black-collared and Crested Barbets can be found here and Cardinal and Olive Woodpeckers may be heard calling from the poplars. Both Greater and Lesser Honeyguide can be heard during the breeding season, usually in the vicinity of their host species. Swee Waxbill is frequently encountered, while Cape Grassbird and Karoo Prinia are also conspicuous. The real specials for Meiringskloof must include Buff-spotted Flufftail, African Olive Pigeon, Southern Bald Ibis (off which a few pairs are still breeding in the kloof) and Barratt’s Warbler, with the latter easily seen during the day in bushy thickets. Other species to look out for around Meiringskloof include Natal Spurfowl, Cape Batis, Southern Boubou and Cape Eagle Owl.

Birding around Fouriesburg town and the road leading to Meiringskloof can be equally productive for various species such as Karoo Prinia, Karoo Thrush, Cape Robin-chat, Southern Boubou, African Red-eyed Bulbul, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Speckled Mousebird, Streaky-headed Seedeater, White-browed Sparrow-weaver, African Harrier-Hawk, Speckled Pigeon, Malachite Sunbird, Black-throated Canary, Black-collared Barbet, Pied Starling and Red-winged Starling.

The grasslands, farmlands and dams in the areas surrounding Fouriesburg offer good birding with Southern Bald Ibis, Southern Red Bishop, Zitting Cisticola, Greater Striped Swallow and Barn Swallow (summer), Bokmakierie, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Cape Weaver, Amur Falcon (summer), Cloud Cisticola, Common Quail (summer), Cape Crow, Helmeted Guineafowl, Red-billed Quelea, Black-winged Kite and African Quail-finch. African Black Swift are often seen overhead and even the occasional Bearded Vulture.

Key species:

Barratt’s Warbler, Southern Bald Ibis, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Cape Grassbird, Karoo Prinia, African Olive Pigeon, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Swee Waxbill and Jackal Buzzard