Nata Bird Sanctuary

The sanctuary covers around two hundred and thirty square kilometres at the northeastern corner of Sua Pan, and it was set up in 1993 by four surrounding villages who moved their cattle out to protect the birds. When the pan floods, which depends entirely on the rains, greater and lesser flamingos arrive in very large numbers to breed, along with pelicans, and the shallow water fills with birds. In a dry year there is white salt and almost nothing on it.

History

In 1988 the Nata Conservation Committee began planning a bird sanctuary in the delta of the Nata River, and with funds from national and international organisations the Kalahari Conservation Society won the voluntary support of the people of four villages, Nata, Sepako, Maposa and Manxotae, who moved some 3,500 cattle to neighbouring land and built a network of dirt roads. The sanctuary opened in 1993 over 230 square kilometres and is now the largest of the three flamingo breeding grounds in Africa (Wikipedia, Nata Bird Sanctuary).

What's there

• The flamingos - greater and lesser flamingos in large numbers in flood years.
• The pelicans - great white pelicans using the shallows alongside them.
• The pan edge - the transition from grassland to open salt.
• The viewing platform - a raised deck over the pan at the sanctuary.

When to go

December to April, after good rains, is when the birds are present. In a poor rainfall year there may be no water and no birds at all. Asking at Nata before driving in saves a wasted trip.

What to expect

Everything depends on the rains and dry years deliver nothing; this is the single most common disappointment here. Facilities are basic and the tracks in are sandy. Birds are usually distant and binoculars are essential.

Nearby

Kubu Island is southwest across the pans, and Nata village is north.

Key facts