Where to see
Where to see the Fan-tailed Widowbird in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Fan-tailed Widowbird at stays in or beside Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Euplectes axillaris
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Fan-tailed Widowbird
Hosts have recorded the Fan-tailed Widowbird at stays in or beside Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
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.
Species
Euplectes axillaris
Records
655
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Fan-tailed Widowbird on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Fan-tailed Widowbird in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Fan-tailed Widowbird at stays in or beside Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland 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.
Where can you see the Fan-tailed Widowbird in South Africa?
The Fan-tailed Widowbird is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (73% of records), Mpumalanga (12% of records), Gauteng (8% of records), based on 655 iNaturalist observations. 10 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Fan-tailed Widowbird on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Fan-tailed Widowbird?
Sightings of the Fan-tailed Widowbird peak from Oct to Feb, based on 655 iNaturalist records. You may still see it outside those months, sightings are just less frequent.
What is the Fan-tailed Widowbird?
The fan-tailed widowbird (Euplectes axillaris), also known as the red-shouldered widowbird, is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae, which is native to grassy and swampy areas of the tropical and subtropical Afrotropics.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Fan-tailed Widowbird
Every stay on the Fan-tailed Widowbird 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