Beaulieu Bird Sanctuary

About Beaulieu Bird Sanctuary

Part of the buzzing metropolis of Johannesburg is the nearly-rural suburb of Beaulieu, where gorgeous sprawling properties are nestled in the green countryside of Gauteng. Here, the big-city vibe and any of the pressures of the outside world melt away as you indulge in the fresh air and prettiness of South Africa.

And this is the idyllic setting in which the Beaulieu Bird Sanctuary is situated, within a gated community in Kyalami. This sanctuary is home to a fantastic array of species that make for excellent bird identification and photography.

There are three bird hides in the sanctuary, each of which promise a unique perspective of many species as they bask in the sun, feed, or build their nests. A number of walkways have been established throughout the sanctuary too, giving visitors ample opportunity to see the largest variety of avian delights from up close.

Some popular birds to see and photograph here include the:

• African darter
• African fish eagle
• African marsh warbler
• Black-crowned night heron
• Malachite kingfisher
• Golden weaver
• Sacred ibis
• Southern masked weaver
• Laughing dove
• African wattled lapwing
• Blacksmith lapwing
• Southern red bishop
• Black-headed heron
• Cattle egret
• Dark capped bulbul
• Reed cormorant
• Spotted thick-knee

Kyalami and the bird sanctuary are about half an hour's drive from the OR Tambo International Airport, as well as from the glitzy malls and must-sees of Sandton.