Western Cape
Goukamma · Rocherpan · Grootvadersbosch
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Black Crake in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Black Crake at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Zapornia flavirostra
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Black Crake
Hosts have recorded the Black Crake at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Western Cape
Limpopo
Kruger
LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe
Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Zapornia flavirostra
Records
1,822
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Black Crake on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Black Crake in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Black Crake at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and Vrolijkheid 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 Black Crake in South Africa?
The Black Crake is most recorded in Western Cape (36% of records), Mpumalanga (27% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (16% of records), based on 1,822 iNaturalist observations. 59 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Black Crake on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Black Crake?
The Black Crake 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; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Black Crake?
The black crake is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae. It breeds in most of sub-Saharan Africa except in very arid areas. It undertakes some seasonal movements in those parts of its range which are subject to drought. No subspecies have been described.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Black Crake
Every stay on the Black Crake 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