uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
10 places
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Three-banded Plover
Thinornis tricollaris
The three-banded plover, or three-banded sandplover, is a small wader.
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 KwaZulu-Natal~646 records
Curve from 3,399 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
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Three-banded Plover is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
3,398 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Three-banded Plover
Stays that give back
Across KwaZulu-Natal
Montusi Mountain Lodge
Drakensberg, Bergville
From R 6,800a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Bonamanzi Game Reserve
Hluhluwe
From R 240a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Cobham
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Garden Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 190a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
Price on request
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Mount Currie
Mount Currie Nature Reserve
From R 230a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Weenen
Weenen Game Reserve
From R 130a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Thonga Beach Lodge
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Price on request
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Monk's Cowl
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 130a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Kamberg
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 840a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Kosi Forest Lodge
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Lotheni
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 270a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Spioenkop
Spioenkop Resort
From R 240a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Highmoor
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 200a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Royal Natal (Thendele, Mahai & Rugged Glen)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 360a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Ithala (Ntshondwe)
Ithala Game Reserve
From R 130a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Injisuthi
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 170a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Didima (Cathedral Peak)
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 1,070a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
Giant's Castle
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
From R 1,150a night
Three-banded Plover recorded here
More stays nearby
Kingfisher Cove Umdloti
Umdloti, Ballito
From R 13,000a night
The Cavern Drakensberg Resort & Spa
Drakensberg, Bergville
From R 4,280a night
Makongo Hills Lodge
Magudu
From R 1,280a night
Birder friendly
Sasi Bush Lodge
Bergville
From R 5,400a night
Duma Manzi Wilderness & Wellness Retreat
Richmond
From R 5,990a night
Birder friendly
The Elephant Coast
Next stop
iSimangaliso wetlands, sand forest, and Sodwana reefs
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Three-banded Plover
Hosts have recorded the Three-banded Plover at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Giants Castle 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
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Thinornis tricollaris
Records
3,398
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Three-banded Plover on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Three-banded Plover in KwaZulu-Natal?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Three-banded Plover at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Ithala Game Reserve and Kamberg 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 Three-banded Plover in South Africa?
The Three-banded Plover is most recorded in Western Cape (32% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (19% of records), Mpumalanga (18% of records), based on 3,398 iNaturalist observations. 19 places to stay on Spekboom in KwaZulu-Natal have recorded the Three-banded Plover on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Three-banded Plover?
The Three-banded Plover 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. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; iSimangaliso Wetland Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Giants Castle Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Three-banded Plover?
The three-banded plover, or three-banded sandplover, is a small wader. This plover is resident and generally sedentary in much of East Africa, southern Africa and Madagascar. It occurs mainly on inland rivers, pools, lakes and pans, frequenting their exposed shores. This species is often seen as single individuals, but it will form small flocks.