Vryheid and surrounding area

Vryheid is situated in northern KZN on the transitional belt between the extensive grasslands to the west and the low-lying bushveld to the east. Many mountains and hills occur and the area, as well as an abundance of small to very large wetlands. forest patches line southern mountain slopes, and are often broken by high cliffs. All these habitats set the scene for a high diversity of bird species, with a list of 340 species recorded in just a 15km radius of the town.

Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve
Klipfontein Bird Sanctuary
Blood River Vlei
Thakazulu Game Reserve


Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve - 230 species recorded.
This 900ha reserve is situated adjacent to the town on Lancaster hill. forest, mixed woodland, wetland, mountain and grassveld habitats ensure a wide variety of species. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife manages the reserve and an entrance fee is charged on weekends and holidays only. A good road network leads one through most of the habitats, and walking is allowed.

Forest Birds: African Crowned Eagle breed in the reserve and the nest can be seen from the road that leads up through the forest.
Other forest birds include African Cuckoo Hawk, Black Sparrowhawk, Tambourine Dove, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Olive Woodpecker, Bush Blackcap, Red-capped Robin-Chat and Chorister Robin-Chat, Garden Warbler, Black Cuckoo, Fairy Flycatcher and Olive Bush-Shrike.

Grassland Birds: 9 Cisticola species are present in the reserve, including Pale-crowned Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Wailing Cisticola and Croaking Cisticola. 6 pipit species occur, including Striped Pipit, Buffy Pipit, Long-billed Pipit and Plain-backed Pipit. Other important grassland birds include Red-winged Francolin, Southern Bald Ibis, Black-winged Lapwing, Buff-streaked Chat, Broad-tailed Warbler, Sentinel Rock-Thrush (winter), African Quailfinch and Malachite Sunbird.

Woodland Birds: Situated below the forest, the mixed woodland hosts Little Sparrowhawk, Shelley's Francolin, Lesser Honeyguide and Brown-backed Honeybird, Black Cuckooshrike, Marsh Warbler, Bushveld Pipit, Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike, Violet-backed Starling, Swee Waxbill and Golden-breasted Bunting.

Mountain and Wetland Birds: Ground Woodpecker, Cape Rock-Thrush, Jackal Buzzard and Rock Kestrel occur on the rocky outcrops while Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, African Marsh-Harrier and Half-collared Kingfisher inhabit moist areas.

Vagrants: Vryheid Hill has had a number of interesting vagrants including: Dwarf Bittern, Red-footed Falcon, Lesser Moorhen, Bronze-winged Courser, Black-throated Wattle-eye and Yellow Bishop.

Vital Information:
Gate opening and closing times: Summer and winter: 6am-6pm.

Office hours: No office.

Camp Telephone number: +27 34 983 2098 (Officer in charge) +27 34 981 4341 (Ntingonono Enviro Centre)

Camp fax number: +27 34 982 2766 (Ntingonono fax)

What to bring with you: Walking shoes, hat, reference books, binoculars, food, bedding, torch, insect repellent.

Special precautions: Bring warm clothes in winter.

How to get there:
From Durban: Enter Vryheid from Melmoth and continue up East Street until a T-junction arrives. Turn right into Klip Street and follow the road up to the reserve.
From Johannesburg: Enter Vryheid from Utrecht and continue along Church Street until you get East Street. Turn left and follow above directions.
Type of road surface: Tar up to the gate, thereafter dirt.

Name of the nearest town and distance: Vryheid. 1km.

Self-guided trails: The reserve has many short trails, crossing all the vegetation types. The overnight Lancaster Trail passes through the reserve.

Concessions: The reserve allows free entrance during weekdays, excepting holidays.

Klipfontein Bird Sanctuary - 200 species recorded.
Situated below the town's sewage works, this artificial wetland was originally created to filter the treated water before it entered the white Umfolozi river. A thriving wetland has now formed and hosts locally important species. The Klipfontein dam is situated adjacent to the bird sanctuary.

Specials: The reedbeds provide habitat for many rallids such as African Rail, African Crake, Baillon's Crake, Black Crake and Red-chested Flufftail. The African Rail are quite easily seen in winter when they sun themselves in the early morning sun on top of the reedbeds. A pair of Grey Crowned Crane breed in the reeds each year. Hottentot Teal and Red-billed Teal, Yellow-billed Duck, Southern Pochard, South African Shelduck, Cape Shoveler and African Black Duck are found on the small dams and pans and African Purple Swamphen roam the mudflats. The reedbeds also abound with many warblers such as Great Reed-Warbler, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, African Reed-Warbler, Little Rush-Warbler, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler and Sedge Warbler. They are all quite easily seen and heard in season. African Snipe and Greater Painted-snipe occur, the latter only occasionally though. Green-backed Heron, Giant Kingfisher, African Jacana and Burchell's Coucal occur on the white Umfolozi river, which forms the western boundary of the sanctuary. African Palm-Swift, Wood Sandpiper, Three-banded Plover, Orange-breasted Waxbill and Half-collared Kingfisher are also recorded regularly.

Birds not associated with water but recorded at the sanctuary include a breeding pair of Wahlberg's Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Red-throated Wryneck, African Firefinch and Black-throated Canary.

Directions: Take the road to Babanango (West Street) and proceed past the airfield. At the intersection, continue over the road onto the dirt road. On the left is the wetland.


Blood River Vlei –147 species recorded.
This large (5000ha) wetland is situated in the upper Tugela river catchment and is one of the most important wetlands in northern KZN. 147 Species have been recorded in the 2 main habitats; wetland and grassland.

Wetland birds: Grey Crowned Crane gather in large flocks (up to 143) in winter, African Rail, Red-chested Flufftail, Baillon's Crake, African Jacana and Lesser Jacana, Yellow Wagtail, Little Bittern, 13 species of duck including Fulvous Duck, White-backed Duck, Comb Duck, South African Shelduck and Cape Shoveler. Egyptian Goose and Spur-winged Goose numbers reach thousands in the winter months. Many herons and egrets including Squacco Heron, Goliath Heron and Black Heron are resident. African Marsh-Harrier and Western Marsh-Harrier have both been recorded.

Grassland specials: Blue Crane, Blue Korhaan, Spike-heeled Lark, Pale-crowned Cisticola, Buffy Pipit and Plain-backed Pipit, Southern Bald Ibis and African Grass-Owl all occur in the surrounding grasslands.

Vagrants: Wattled Crane, Yellow-billed Stork and Osprey have been recorded.

Directions: The wetland is situated on private land, but birders are welcome (phone beforehand). Access is on the Scheepersnek dirt road, 15km west of Vryheid. For detailed direction and contact numbers please phone Duncan McKenzie at 083 330 1170.


Thakazulu Game Reserve–245 species recorded.
Situated in the black Umfolozi valley, this area is superb for bushveld birding. It is privately owned, and accommodation is available. About 245 species have been recorded to date.

Specials: Species such as Southern Ground-Hornbill, Grey Go-away-bird, Green-winged Pytilia, Arrow-marked Babbler, Long-tailed Paradise-Whydah, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Lesser Masked-Weaver, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Bushveld Pipit, Grey Penduline-Tit, Bearded Woodpecker, White-fronted Bee-eater and Levaillant's Cuckoo are found in the thornveld/ open woodland areas and African Green-Pigeon, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Terrestrial Brownbul, Purple-crested Turaco, Crowned Hornbill and Trumpeter Hornbill, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, Tambourine Dove and Black-bellied Starling are found in the thickets and forest patches.

Raptors include Martial Eagle, Verreauxs' Eagle, Tawny Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle and African Crowned Eagle, White-backed Vulture and Lappet-faced Vulture, Lizard Buzzard, Little Sparrowhawk and Black Sparrowhawk, African Goshawk and Secretarybird.

Directions: Take the Gluckstadt turnoff, 30km south of Vryheid on the R34 and follow the Swart Umfolozi/ Tangami Safari Spa road signs. The reserve is approximately 40km from Gluckstadt on gravel road.

Duncan McKenzie 2001.  dmck@vhd.dorea.co.za