
Southern Boubou
The southern boubou (Laniarius ferrugineus) ('ferrugineus' - rust-coloured) is a bushshrike.
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 3,186 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.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Southern Boubou is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
3,186 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Southern Boubou
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
Southern Boubou recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Southern Boubou recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Southern Boubou recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Southern Boubou recorded here
Southern Boubou recorded here
Southern Boubou recorded here
Southern Boubou recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Southern Boubou recorded here
Southern Boubou recorded here
Southern Boubou recorded here
Southern Boubou recorded here
Rolling green hills, dairy farms, and pottery studios
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Southern Boubou
Hosts have recorded the Southern Boubou at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Kruger National 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.
Where to base yourself
- Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
- LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
- Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
- KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Species
Laniarius ferrugineus
Records
3,186
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Southern Boubou on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Southern Boubou in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Southern Boubou at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, Gamkaberg Nature Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Rocherpan 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 Southern Boubou in South Africa?
The Southern Boubou is most recorded in Western Cape (45% of records), Eastern Cape (18% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (14% of records), based on 3,186 iNaturalist observations. 92 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Southern Boubou on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Southern Boubou?
The Southern Boubou 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; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Gamkaberg 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 Southern Boubou?
The southern boubou (Laniarius ferrugineus) ('ferrugineus' - rust-coloured) is a bushshrike. Though these passerine birds and their relations were once included with true shrikes in the Laniidae, they are not closely related to that family.




































