Goukamma Nature Reserve
Western Cape · Year-round
9 places
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Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
The purple heron (Ardea purpurea) is a wide ranging species of wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae.
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 Western Cape~972 records
Curve from 1,647 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 Purple Heron is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,647 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Purple Heron
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
In Toto Retreat
Sedgefield
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 2,200 a night
Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge
Oudtshoorn
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Gemsbok · Greater kudu
Gives back to Wolwekraal Nature Reserve
From R 5,060 a night
Barry House on Riverton
Robertson
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome
Gives back to Pietersfontein Conservancy
From R 1,155 a night
Bliss on the Bay (Pringle Bay)
Pringle Bay
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome · Southern right whale
From R 4,640 a night
Marloth Nature Reserve
Marloth Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,180 a night
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Forest biome
From R 2,170 a night
Grootvadersbosch Campsites
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
From R 300 a night
Grootvadersbosch Cabins
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
From R 1,460 a night
Luiperd & Rooikat Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,750 a night
Bakoorvos & Silwervos Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,750 a night
Coot, Shoveler, Egret & Moorhen Cottages
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,990 a night
Scolopia Cottage
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
From R 1,780 a night
Kingfisher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,500 a night
Flamingo Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
Oystercatcher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
Sandpiper Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
Ichelesi Cottage
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,950 a night
Fish Eagle Loft
Goukamma Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,340 a night
Otter's Rest
Goukamma Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,370 a night
Kabeljou Cottage
Goukamma Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,560 a night
Stumpnose Cottage
Goukamma Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,560 a night
Blacktail Cottage
Goukamma Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,560 a night
Mvubu Bush Camp
Goukamma Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome · Bushbuck · Bushpig
From R 1,380 a night
Buffalo Valley Vlei Lodge
Goukamma Nature Reserve
Purple Heron recorded here · Fynbos biome · Bushbuck · Bushpig
From R 1,580 a night
The Overberg
Next stop
Whale coast and rolling farm country
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Purple Heron
Hosts have recorded the Purple Heron at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve and Grootvadersbosch Nature 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
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 Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Purple Heron at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, De Mond Nature Reserve and Garden Route National Park 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. 28 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape 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. Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct; Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Vrolijkheid 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 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.