Anysberg Nature Reserve
Western Cape · Best Autumn and spring
7 places
Go Birdingfrom Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Sentinel Rock Thrush
Monticola exploratorNear threatened
The sentinel rock thrush (Monticola explorator) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.
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~198 records
Curve from 389 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 Sentinel Rock Thrush is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
389 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Sentinel Rock Thrush
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve
Montagu
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Gemsbok
Gives back to Cape Leopard Trust
From R 350 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
Tapfontein
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 250 a night
Anysberg Campsites
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 250 a night
Chameleon Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,520 a night
Leguaan Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,520 a night
Gecko Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,060 a night
Seps Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 930 a night
Agama Cottage
Anysberg Nature Reserve
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 1,340 a night
Smitswinkel Tented Camp
Table Mountain National Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Fynbos biome · King protea · Sugarbush
From R 965 a night
Olifantsbos Guest House
Table Mountain National Park
Sentinel Rock Thrush recorded here · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · King protea
From R 4,859 a night
More stays nearby
Coastal Retreat
Benguela Cove, Hermanus
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome
Gives back to Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy and 1 other
From R 14,985 a night
Thabile Lodge
Oudtshoorn
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Wolwekraal Nature Reserve
From R 1,400 a night
Bitou River Lodge
Wittedrift, Plettenberg Bay
Forest biome
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 2,250 a night
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Black wildebeest · Bontebok
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 5,636 a night
Franschhoek Country House & Villas
Franschhoek
Fynbos biome · English oak
Gives back to Cape Leopard Trust
From R 6,195 a night
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium
Angulate tortoise · Wild olive
Price on request
Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa
Gardens, Cape Town
Fynbos biome · English oak
From R 2,800 a night
An African Story by RETURN Africa
Bakoven, Cape Town
Fynbos biome
From R 9,900 a night
La Clé Lodge & Villas
Franschhoek
Fynbos biome · English oak
Price on request
Schoone Oordt Country House
Swellendam
Fynbos biome
Gives back to Barrydale Hospice
From R 4,355 a night
Plumbago Cottage - Stanford Country Cottages
Stanford
Fynbos biome
Gives back to Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy and 1 other
From R 2,850 a night
Coot Club
Stanford
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · White milkwood · Southern right whale
Gives back to Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy
Price on request
Lauradale
Stellenbosch
Fynbos biome · English oak
Gives back to Cape Leopard Trust
From R 1,465 a night
The Whale Coast
Next stop
Southern right whales, sea cliffs, and Hermanus's harbour town
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Sentinel Rock Thrush
Hosts have recorded the Sentinel Rock Thrush at stays in or beside Anysberg Nature Reserve and Table Mountain 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.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Near Threatened
Species
Monticola explorator
Records
389
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Sentinel Rock Thrush on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Sentinel Rock Thrush in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Sentinel Rock Thrush at stays in or beside Anysberg Nature Reserve and Table Mountain National 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 Sentinel Rock Thrush in South Africa?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush is most recorded in Western Cape (51% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (25% of records), Mpumalanga (10% of records), based on 389 iNaturalist observations. 11 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Sentinel Rock Thrush on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Sentinel Rock Thrush?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush 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. Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Table Mountain National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Sentinel Rock Thrush?
The Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Sentinel Rock Thrush?
The sentinel rock thrush (Monticola explorator) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.