Where to see the Crimson-breasted Shrike in South Africa

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Crimson-breasted Shrike at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kruger National Park, Madikwe Game Reserve and Marakele National Park. 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.

The Crimson-breasted Shrike is most recorded in Northern Cape (32% of records), North West (28% of records), Limpopo (21% of records), based on 825 iNaturalist observations. 14 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Crimson-breasted Shrike on site or nearby.

The Crimson-breasted Shrike 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. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Madikwe Game Reserve: Apr-Sep; Marakele National Park: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

The crimson-breasted shrike (Laniarius atrococcineus) or the crimson-breasted gonolek, ('gonolek' - supposedly imitative of its call), is a southern African bird. It has black upper parts with a white flash on the wing, and bright scarlet underparts. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as a "least-concern species".