Limpopo
Kruger
Self-drive
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the African Wood Owl in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the African Wood Owl at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve.
Strix woodfordii
Planning a trip
When and where to find the African Wood Owl
Hosts have recorded the African Wood Owl at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- Dusk and after dark. Listen for calls; a torch at camp or a night drive works best.
- Daytime. Roosting, well hidden.
Where to base yourself
- Limpopo
Western Cape
Grootvadersbosch · Keurbooms River · Marloth
Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe
Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Guided drives from a lodge
A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.
Where hosts record it
Species
Strix woodfordii
Records
297
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the African Wood Owl on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the African Wood Owl in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the African Wood Owl at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the African Wood Owl in South Africa?
The African Wood Owl is most recorded in Western Cape (40% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (26% of records), Limpopo (18% of records), based on 297 iNaturalist observations. 34 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the African Wood Owl on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the African Wood Owl?
The African Wood Owl is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the African Wood Owl?
The African wood owl or Woodford's owl (Strix woodfordii) is a typical owl from the genus Strix in the family Strigidae which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the African Wood Owl
Every stay on the African Wood Owl page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay