Where to see
Where to see the Karoo Thrush in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Karoo Thrush at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Anysberg Nature Reserve and Rocherpan Nature Reserve.
Turdus smithi
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Karoo Thrush
Hosts have recorded the Karoo Thrush at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Anysberg Nature Reserve and Rocherpan Nature 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.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Turdus smithi
Records
1,715
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Karoo Thrush on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Karoo Thrush in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Karoo Thrush at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve and Swartberg Nature Reserve. 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 Karoo Thrush in South Africa?
The Karoo Thrush is most recorded in Gauteng (68% of records), Northern Cape (8% of records), Free State (7% of records), based on 1,715 iNaturalist observations. 35 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Karoo Thrush on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Karoo Thrush?
The Karoo Thrush 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. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct; Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Karoo Thrush?
The Karoo thrush (Turdus smithi) also known as Smith′s thrush, is a member of the thrush family in Africa. It has traditionally been considered a subspecies of the olive thrush (with which it is known to hybridize), but is increasingly treated as a separate species.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Karoo Thrush
Every stay on the Karoo Thrush 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