Western Cape
Goukamma · Rocherpan · Grootvadersbosch
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Purple Heron in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Purple Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Phinda Private Game Reserve.
Ardea purpurea
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Purple Heron
Hosts have recorded the Purple Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Phinda 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
KwaZulu-Natal
Phinda · iSimangaliso Wetland · Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
KwaZulu-NatalGuided drivesStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Guided drives from a lodge
A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.
Where hosts record it
Species
Ardea purpurea
Records
1,647
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Purple Heron on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Purple Heron in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Purple Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Phinda 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 Purple Heron in South Africa?
The Purple Heron is most recorded in Western Cape (59% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (18% of records), Mpumalanga (9% of records), based on 1,647 iNaturalist observations. 53 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Purple Heron on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Purple Heron?
The Purple Heron 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; Phinda Private Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; 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 Purple Heron?
The purple heron (Ardea purpurea) is a wide ranging species of wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. The scientific name comes from Latin ardea "heron", and purpureus, "coloured purple". It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Purple Heron
Every stay on the Purple Heron 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