
Southern Fiscal
The southern fiscal or fiscal shrike (Lanius collaris) is a member of the shrike family found through most of Sub-Saharan 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 8,423 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 Fiscal is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
8,424 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Southern Fiscal
Stays that give back
Across the Northern Cape
Southern Fiscal recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,634 a night
Southern Fiscal recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 2,634 a night
Southern Fiscal recorded here · Savanna biome · Camel thorn · Gemsbok
From R 2,634 a night
Southern Fiscal recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Giraffe
From R 2,634 a night
Southern Fiscal recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,314 a night
Southern Fiscal recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,634 a night
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Saving Private Rhino
From R 1,600 a night
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
From R 1,230 a night
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
From R 1,486 a night
Desert biome · Spekboom
From R 2,050 a night
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 450 a night
Desert biome · Halfmens · Quiver tree
From R 311 a night
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 450 a night
Savanna biome · African elephant · Brown hyena
From R 628 a night
Succulent Karoo biome · Quiver tree · Spekboom
From R 311 a night
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 953 a night
Savanna biome · Camel thorn · Spekboom
From R 1,401 a night
Succulent Karoo biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 192 a night
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Brown hyena
From R 450 a night
Nama-Karoo biome · Gemsbok · Giraffe
From R 362 a night
Savanna biome · Mopane · Spekboom
From R 1,206 a night
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,741 a night
Fynbos biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 373 a night
Succulent Karoo biome · Springbok · Spekboom
From R 1,700 a night
South Africa's vast inland heart: silence, stars, and wide horizons
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Southern Fiscal
Hosts have recorded the Southern Fiscal at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier 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.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Lanius collaris
Records
8,424
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Southern Fiscal on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Southern Fiscal in Northern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Southern Fiscal at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. 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 Fiscal in South Africa?
The Southern Fiscal is most recorded in Western Cape (56% of records), Eastern Cape (13% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (13% of records), based on 8,424 iNaturalist observations. 6 places to stay on Spekboom in Northern Cape have recorded the Southern Fiscal on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Southern Fiscal?
The Southern Fiscal 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. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Southern Fiscal?
The southern fiscal or fiscal shrike (Lanius collaris) is a member of the shrike family found through most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also sometimes named jackie hangman or butcher bird due to its habit of impaling its prey on acacia thorns to store the food for later consumption. It was previously lumped together with the northern fiscal. Together they were known as the common fiscal.
























