What is the conservation status of the Saddle-billed Stork?

The Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

What is the Saddle-billed Stork?

The saddle-billed stork, or saddlebill (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south to South Africa, and in The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Chad in west Africa. Considered Endangered in South Africa.

Go Birding

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensisNear threatened

The saddle-billed stork, or saddlebill (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordSaddle-billed Stork20+ stays list it on site or nearby

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 Mpumalanga~910 records

Curve from 1,654 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 Saddle-billed Stork is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

1,654 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Saddle-billed Stork

Places to stay

20+ results in Mpumalanga

Singita Ebony Lodge

Mpumalanga

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 42 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Boulders Lodge

Mpumalanga

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 43 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Lodge

Mpumalanga

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 50 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris

Mpumalanga

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Aardvark, African elephant · Guided walk, Game drives

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

&Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge

Hoedspruit

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 31 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Game drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 37,800 per night

&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp

Phalaborwa

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 31 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Dining experiences

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 52,000 per night

Mdluli Safari Lodge

Hazyview

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives

From R 10,670 per night

Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge

Hazyview

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,400 per night

Dulini Moya

Bushbuckridge

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Leadwood, Leopard · Safaris, Scenic drives

From R 28,990 per night

Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp

Marloth Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Impala, Spotted hyena · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 11,980 per night

Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp

Marloth Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,500 per night

Tomjachu Bush Retreat

Mbombela

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome · 11 birds recorded · Giraffe, Plains zebra · Stargazing, Photography

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 3,300 per night

Orpen Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 56 birds recorded · Delagoa thorn, Knobthorn · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 1,815 per night

Tsendze Rustic Camp Site

Kruger National Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 28 birds recorded · Flaky bark thorn, Leadwood

From R 379 per night

Boulders Bush Lodge

Kruger National Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 28 birds recorded · Flaky bark thorn, Giraffe · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 7,295 per night

Lower Sabie Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 57 birds recorded · Cheetah, Delagoa thorn · Photography

From R 390 per night

Talamati Bushveld Camp

Kruger National Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 56 birds recorded · Delagoa thorn, Giraffe · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 1,756 per night

Skukuza Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 74 birds recorded · African elephant, Cape buffalo · Photography, Golf

From R 390 per night

Dulini River

Bushbuckridge

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Sausage tree, Leopard · Safaris, Scenic drives

From R 28,990 per night

Dulini Leadwood

Bushbuckridge

Saddle-billed Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Leadwood, Jackalberry · Safaris, Game drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 28,990 per night

More stays nearby

Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point

Hazyview

Savanna biome · 1 bird recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Villa

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome

Price on request

Singita Castleton

Mpumalanga

Savanna biome · Yoga

Price on request

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Saddle-billed Stork

Hosts have recorded the Saddle-billed Stork at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.

Best hours of the day

The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.

Where to base yourself

Ways to look

Drive yourself

Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.

Where hosts record it

Kruger

Guided drives from a lodge

A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.

Where hosts record it

Sabi Sand Timbavati

IUCN Red List

Near Threatened

Species

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Records

1 654

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Saddle-billed Stork on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the Saddle-billed Stork in Mpumalanga?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Saddle-billed Stork at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. 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 Saddle-billed Stork in South Africa?

The Saddle-billed Stork is most recorded in Mpumalanga (55% of records), Limpopo (33% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (11% of records), based on 1 654 iNaturalist observations. 21 places to stay on Spekboom in Mpumalanga have recorded the Saddle-billed Stork on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Saddle-billed Stork?

The Saddle-billed Stork 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. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Timbavati Private Nature Reserve: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.