Migration is one of nature’s most remarkable feats. Some birds that are seen at Londolozi cross continents, deserts, mountain ranges and oceans, to get here guided by instinct and the seasons that have remained unchanged for millennia. I’d like to discuss my five favourite migrants and why encountering them on a game drive is to witness their final chapter of an epic migration journey.

1. The Steppe Eagle

The Steppe Eagle is a bird of vast landscapes. Breeding across the open plains of Eastern Europe and Asia, it embarks on an annual journey that can exceed 10,000 kilometres. Following thermals south through the Middle East and East Africa, some individuals eventually reach southern Africa, including the Sabi Sands.

The Steppe Eagle is one of the biggest non-breeding migratory birds that returns to Southern Africa in the summertime. This bird is on the endangered species list as its numbers have been declining due to habitat loss, electrocutions and poisonings.

At Londolozi, the Steppe Eagle is seen perched low in a bare tree or swooping over erupting termite mounds. After months of relentless travel, the open savanna and abundant prey offer a place to rest and refuel. Seeing such a powerful raptor sitting quietly in the heat of a summer’s day is a humbling reminder of the endurance required to survive a migratory life.

2. The White Stork 

A white Stork patrols an open clearing in search of insects, reptiles and rodents to feed on.

Few birds are as iconic in human history as the White Stork. Breeding across Europe, these large migrants avoid long sea crossings, funnelling through narrow migration routes such as the Bosphorus Strait and the Great Rift Valley. Using rising thermals, they travel in vast flocks, drifting steadily south until they reach Southern Africa, often travelling as far as 12,000 kilometres.

While White Storks breed in Eurasia, there are a few pioneering pairs that breed in the Western Cape of South Africa.

When White Storks arrive in the Sabi Sands, they take advantage of seasonal wetlands, floodplains and open grasslands teeming with insects. Often feeding methodically with slow, deliberate steps, their presence coincides with the explosive growth that follows summer rains. To see a bird so closely associated with European villages foraging in the African bush is a striking example of how deeply connected our natural world truly is.

3. The Amur Falcon

The Amur falcon is a gregarious species and is always in groups, often perched on dead trees or power lines.

The Amur Falcon may be modest in size, but its migration is nothing short of astonishing. Breeding in eastern Asia, these falcons undertake one of the longest migrations relative to body size of any bird. After passing through India, they make a non-stop flight across the Indian Ocean to Africa; a journey spanning 10,000 kilometres and up to seven days without rest.

Nagaland, a.k.a. Falcon Capital of the world, serves as a crucial stopover for millions of Amur Falcons during their migration. The yellow area refers to the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere.

By the time they reach the Sabi Sands, the summer skies are alive with flying insects. Amur Falcons are often seen hawking termites after rain, twisting and turning effortlessly above open areas. Watching them feed so efficiently, it is difficult to comprehend the scale of the journey behind each aerial display. They are living proof that resilience does not always come in large packages.

4. The Barn Swallow

Few birds are as instantly recognisable as the Barn Swallow. With its deeply forked tail and graceful flight, it breeds across Europe and Asia before spending the summer in southern Africa. When the swallows arrive, they do so having completed a whopping 11,500 kilometres journey. Some foreign visitors are known as ‘Swallows’ as they, like the birds, prefer warmer temperatures and head south for a few months at a time.

Barn Swallows are often found in big flocks sitting on the branches of a tree. They are pale-arctic migrants and will remain in the Southern hemisphere until April, when they return to Europe for the breeding season.

At Londolozi, their arrival is often noticed first by their sound, soft chattering calls echoing around camps and waterholes. Barn Swallows spend their days skimming low over open areas, feeding on insects stirred up by game and wind. Their close association with human structures makes them a familiar presence, yet their annual journey links distant continents in a way few people ever stop to consider.

5. The Broad-billed Roller 

The Broad-billed Roller is one of the most striking summer migrants to arrive at Londolozi. Being a breeding migrant, this brightly coloured bird moves south with the onset of summer, searching for suitable nesting sites in dead trees. By following the rainfall and the explosion of insect life that accompanies it, they don’t struggle to find food. Although they don’t migrate across oceans, they can still travel thousands of kilometres to reach Londolozi.

A stunning shot of a pair of Board-Billed Rollers courting one another on a dead tree.

Their vivid blues, browns and purples seem almost unreal against the muted tones of the bushveld, making each sighting feel special. The arrival of the Broad-billed Roller signals more than just a change in species composition; it marks a seasonal shift in the landscape, a reminder that summer has truly taken hold in the Sabi Sands.

The Broad-billed roller is considered a rare sighting amongst the guides and trackers at Londolozi.

Why These Journeys Matter

Migrant birds are more than seasonal visitors. They are indicators of environmental health, sensitive to changes in climate, rainfall and habitat quality across the globe. Shifts in their arrival times or numbers tell a much bigger story that stretches far beyond the boundaries of the Sabi Sands.

Londolozi forms a small but vital part of these global journeys. For a few months each year, it provides food, safety and space for birds that have travelled unimaginable distances to be here. Although their presence is fleeting, a migrant bird’s journey is profound. When the seasons turn, they will lift into the sky and follow ancient routes back toward distant horizons. We are reminded that the African bush is not isolated; it is woven into a living, breathing network that spans the planet.