Goukamma Nature Reserve
Western Cape · Year-round
9 places
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Water Thick-knee
Burhinus vermiculatus
The water thick-knee (Burhinus vermiculatus), or water dikkop is a species of bird in the family Burhinidae.
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~585 records
Curve from 2,090 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
Mpumalanga and beyond
Provinces where Water Thick-knee is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
2,090 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Water Thick-knee
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve
Montagu · From R 350 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Barry House on Riverton
Robertson · From R 1,155 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West · From R 5,636 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge
Oudtshoorn · From R 5,060 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Bliss on the Bay (Pringle Bay)
Pringle Bay · From R 4,640 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Marloth Nature Reserve
Marloth Nature Reserve · From R 1,180 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve · From R 2,170 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
De Hoop Collection
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Luiperd & Rooikat Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve · From R 1,750 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Bakoorvos & Silwervos Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve · From R 1,750 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Ichelesi Cottage
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve · From R 1,950 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Fish Eagle Loft
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,340 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Otter's Rest
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,370 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Kabeljou Cottage
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,560 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Stumpnose Cottage
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,560 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Blacktail Cottage
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,560 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Mvubu Bush Camp
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,380 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Buffalo Valley Vlei Lodge
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,580 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Buffalo Valley River Lodge
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,580 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Buffalo Valley Forest Lodge
Goukamma Nature Reserve · From R 1,410 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
The Whale Trail (De Hoop)
De Hoop Nature Reserve · From R 6,460 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Damara Trail (De Mond)
De Mond Nature Reserve · From R 3,690 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
Wilderness Ebb-and-Flow Rest Camp
Garden Route National Park · From R 287 a night
Water Thick-knee recorded here
The Overberg
Next stop
Whale coast and rolling farm country
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Water Thick-knee
Hosts have recorded the Water Thick-knee at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- Dusk and after dark. Listen for calls; a torch at camp or a night drive works best.
- Daytime. Roosting, well hidden.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Burhinus vermiculatus
Records
2,090
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Water Thick-knee on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Water Thick-knee in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Water Thick-knee at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, De Mond Nature Reserve, Garden Route National Park and Keurbooms River 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 Water Thick-knee in South Africa?
The Water Thick-knee is most recorded in Mpumalanga (32% of records), Western Cape (28% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (19% of records), based on 2,090 iNaturalist observations. 24 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Water Thick-knee on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Water Thick-knee?
The Water Thick-knee 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; De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; De Mond Nature Reserve: Summer for terns and waders, Oct-Mar. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Water Thick-knee?
The water thick-knee (Burhinus vermiculatus), or water dikkop is a species of bird in the family Burhinidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Swaz...