Table Mountain National Park
Western Cape · Best Sep to Apr
4 places
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Sooty Shearwater
Ardenna griseaNear threatened
The sooty shearwater (Ardenna grisea) is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.
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~58 records
Curve from 66 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 Sooty Shearwater is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
66 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Sooty Shearwater
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Robberg Nature Reserve
Robberg Nature Reserve
From R 1,560a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
Mbali Collection
Kogelberg Nature Reserve
From R 1,590a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
Oudebosch Eco Cabins
Kogelberg Nature Reserve
From R 1,730a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
Smitswinkel Tented Camp
Table Mountain National Park
From R 965a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
Overseers Mountain Cottage
Table Mountain National Park
From R 4,009a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
Slangkop Tented Camp
Table Mountain National Park
From R 770a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
Olifantsbos Guest House
Table Mountain National Park
From R 4,859a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
West Coast National Park
West Coast National Park
From R 1,646a night
Sooty Shearwater recorded here
More stays nearby
Coastal Retreat
Benguela Cove, Hermanus
From R 26,450a night
Birder friendly
Thabile Lodge
Oudtshoorn
From R 1,400a night
Bitou River Lodge
Wittedrift, Plettenberg Bay
From R 2,250a night
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
From R 5,636a night
Birder friendly
Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa
Gardens, Cape Town
From R 2,800a night
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium
Price on request
An African Story by RETURN Africa
Bakoven, Cape Town
From R 9,900a night
Schoone Oordt Country House
Swellendam
From R 4,355a night
La Clé Lodge & Villas
Franschhoek
Price on request
Plumbago Cottage - Stanford Country Cottages
Stanford
From R 2,850a night
Lauradale
Stellenbosch
From R 1,465a night
Coot Club
Stanford
Price on request
Birder friendly
Moonshine on Whiskey Creek
The Crags, Plettenberg Bay
From R 1,950a night
Whale Coast Ocean Villa
Voëlklip, Hermanus
From R 2,235a night
Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel & Spa
Somerset West
Price on request
Franschhoek Country House & Villas
Franschhoek
From R 6,195a night
The Cape Peninsula
Next stop
Mountain, ocean, and fynbos within reach of the city
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Sooty Shearwater
Hosts have recorded the Sooty Shearwater at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park, Kogelberg Nature Reserve and Robberg 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
IUCN Red List
Near Threatened
Species
Ardenna grisea
Records
66
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Sooty Shearwater on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Sooty Shearwater in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Sooty Shearwater at stays in or beside Table Mountain National Park, Kogelberg Nature Reserve, Robberg Nature Reserve and West Coast 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 Sooty Shearwater in South Africa?
The Sooty Shearwater is most recorded in Western Cape (88% of records), Eastern Cape (8% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (5% of records), based on 66 iNaturalist observations. 8 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Sooty Shearwater on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Sooty Shearwater?
The Sooty Shearwater 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. Table Mountain National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Kogelberg Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Robberg Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; West Coast 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 Sooty Shearwater?
The Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Sooty Shearwater?
The sooty shearwater (Ardenna grisea) is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. Ardenna was first used to refer to a seabird by Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi in 1603, and grisea is medieval Latin for "grey".