Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Eastern Cape · Year-round
5 places
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Cardinal Woodpecker
Dendropicos fuscescens
The cardinal woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens) is a widespread and common resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa.
Species insights
When to visit
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.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Eastern Cape~148 records
Curve from 1,645 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
KwaZulu-Natal and beyond
Provinces where Cardinal Woodpecker is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,645 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Cardinal Woodpecker
Stays that give back
Across the Eastern Cape
Aasvogelkrans Farm Cottages & Camping
Nieu Bethesda
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa and 1 other
From R 1,760 a night
Karoo Secret Farm Stay
Aberdeen
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 1,200 a night
Kwandwe Melton Manor
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Cardinal Woodpecker recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Cardinal Woodpecker recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Kwandwe Uplands Homestead
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Cardinal Woodpecker recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Kwandwe Fort House
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Cardinal Woodpecker recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Kwandwe Ecca Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Cardinal Woodpecker recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
More stays nearby
Cycads On Sea
St Francis Bay
Fynbos biome · Spekboom
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 2,460 a night
Pabala Private Nature Reserve
Hankey
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Giraffe · Impala
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 485 a night
Lupus Den Country House
Sundays River Valley, Addo
Albany Thicket biome · Black backed jackal · Bushbuck
Gives back to Wilderness Foundation Africa
From R 2,600 a night
Forest Hall Guest House
Walmer, Port Elizabeth
Albany Thicket biome · Spekboom
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 1,050 a night
GweGwe Beach Lodge
Mkambati Nature Reserve
From R 12,950 a night
Quatermain's Camp
Paterson
Albany Thicket biome · Black wildebeest · Blesbok
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 11,592 a night
Karoo Cottage - Sneeuberg Nature Reserve
Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, Nieu Bethesda
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 3,100 a night
Hlosi Game Lodge
Amakhala Game Reserve
Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Spekboom
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 4,000 a night
Hitgeheim Country Lodge Addo
Sundays River Valley, Addo
Albany Thicket biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 2,000 a night
Walkerbouts Inn - Rhodes
Rhodes
Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 600 a night
Storms River Mouth Rest Camp (Tsitsikamma)
Garden Route National Park
Forest biome · Arum lily · Krantz aloe
From R 457 a night
Mountain Zebra National Park
Mountain Zebra National Park
Grassland biome · Black wildebeest · Springbok
From R 449 a night
Langebos Huts
Addo Elephant National Park
Albany Thicket biome · Spekboom
From R 2,093 a night
Bo-kloof Guest Farm
Baviaanskloof
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Wilderness Foundation Africa
Price on request
Spekboom Tented Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
Albany Thicket biome · Black backed jackal · Spotted hyena
From R 1,490 a night
Camdeboo Rest Camp
Camdeboo National Park
Albany Thicket biome · Blesbok · Springbok
From R 345 a night
Gordonville Manor - Sneeuberg Nature Reserve
Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, Nieu Bethesda
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
Price on request
The Garden Route
Next stop
Forests, lagoons, and Knysna's sheltered bay
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Cardinal Woodpecker
Hosts have recorded the Cardinal Woodpecker at stays in or beside Kwandwe 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.
Ways to look
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
Dendropicos fuscescens
Records
1,645
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Cardinal Woodpecker on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Cardinal Woodpecker in Eastern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Cardinal Woodpecker at stays in or beside Kwandwe Private Game 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 Cardinal Woodpecker in South Africa?
The Cardinal Woodpecker is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (30% of records), Western Cape (18% of records), Mpumalanga (17% of records), based on 1,645 iNaturalist observations. 7 places to stay on Spekboom in Eastern Cape have recorded the Cardinal Woodpecker on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Cardinal Woodpecker?
The Cardinal Woodpecker 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. Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Cardinal Woodpecker?
The cardinal woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens) is a widespread and common resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa. It occurs in a wide range of habitats, ranging from dense forest to thorn bush. It is fairly vocal and is easily identified by its call notes. The sexes are distinguishable by their head patterns.