
Mountain Wheatear
The mountain wheatear or mountain chat (Myrmecocichla monticola) is a small insectivorous passerine bird that is endemic to southwestern Africa.
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 868 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Northern Cape and beyond
Provinces where Mountain Wheatear is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
868 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Mountain Wheatear
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mountain Wheatear recorded here
Bushveld game country and the southern gates of the Kruger
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Mountain Wheatear
Hosts have recorded the Mountain Wheatear at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park and Cederberg Wilderness Area.
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
- LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
- Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
- Northern CapeSelf-driveStays in Northern Cape
- KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Myrmecocichla monticola
Records
868
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Mountain Wheatear on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Mountain Wheatear in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Mountain Wheatear at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Anysberg Nature Reserve and Gamkaberg 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 Mountain Wheatear in South Africa?
The Mountain Wheatear is most recorded in Northern Cape (32% of records), Western Cape (29% of records), Gauteng (21% of records), based on 868 iNaturalist observations. 124 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Mountain Wheatear on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Mountain Wheatear?
The Mountain Wheatear 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; uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Mountain Wheatear?
The mountain wheatear or mountain chat (Myrmecocichla monticola) is a small insectivorous passerine bird that is endemic to southwestern Africa.




































