I’ve noticed over the years that one of the things that stands out to me the most when I’m on safari are the sounds I hear outside. I’m not at all a smell person – I rarely notice most smells and pay very little attention to them. But sounds stand out to me, and when I hear them again later, they can bring me back to that place almost as if I were standing right there.
Here’s a quick list, in no particular order, of some of my favorite safari sounds, along with some YouTube videos so you can see / listen. Most of the videos are mine, but one or two are not.
Fish Eagle calls
The first time I can remember hearing fish eagles calling was at Kanana Camp in Botswana (in fact, I’ve only ever seen/heard them in Botswana) in December 2015. My guide at the time, Amos, brought me to a big watering hole that had dozens, maybe hundreds, of various birds – herons, storks, etc. This was my first trip to Botswana and it was all new to me. I distinctly remember hearing fish eagles calling to each other over and over while we relaxed there for a few minutes, enjoying an evening break with a drink. I don’t remember noticing the fish eagles themselves, or even being aware that they were the ones making the calls. But that moment, and the calls they made, has stuck with me. Since then, one of the things I look forward to when returning to Africa is getting to see and hear fish eagles calling to each other.
Ring-Necked Dove calls
Another sound that I’ve heard since the first time I visited Botswana, but that took me a long time to identify, is the pleasant call of ring-necked doves, also known as cape turtle doves. They make a fairly quiet three-syllable call which they repeat for a while, that becomes a soft background noise for long hot afternoons in Africa. I’ve heard other safari guests talk about how the three syllables sound like a word, and you can make that word whatever you want, usually “Africa” as in “af-ri-ca, af-ri-ca” and so on. To me, I imagine that they’re saying “Bot-swa-na, Bot-swa-na” over and over.
Note that this video is of a lion chase I witnessed in March 2020 at Lebala Camp in Botswana, but I’m linking to a particular moment where for 10 – 20 seconds or so you can clearly hear a dove calling repeatedly.
Woodland Kingfisher
Woodland kingfisher make a very distinct chirping call that can echo from all directions as they call back and forth to each other. I assume the calls are usually males, claiming that this tree belongs to them. This past March, while at Machaba camp in Botswana, we seemed to be surrounded by them.
I honestly don’t remember for sure when I first heard the call of a woodland kingfisher, or even how I began to memorize it over time. The first time I photographed one was in December 2015 in Botswana, but I definitely didn’t know their call then. Over the years I’ve heard it more and more, and now I look forward to hearing it again. They’re a migratory bird though, so hearing them is not a guarantee.
Marbled Reed Frog
In April 2018, while on safari at Kwara Camp in Botswana, with my guide G. and tracker A.T., I heard the chorus of marbled reed frogs for the first time. I couldn’t believe this loud chorus was made by the tiny 2-inch long frongs that could be found sleeping on reed grasses throughout the day. There had to be thousands of them! One night while driving back to camp for dinner, I asked G. to stop the truck on a bridge crossing a watery area and turn off the lights so we could just sit in the darkness and listen to the frogs. He knew exactly what I meant, and brought us to the spot and switched off the engine. We sat quietly for a moment, on a dark night with some starts and moonlight, listening to the frogs calling all around us. If I play the video from that moment and close my eyes, I could be sitting in that truck again.
Lions Roaring
Of course how can I talk about sounds of African safaris without mentioning lions roaring? Despite seeing lions on every safari I’ve been on, the first time I actually heard them calling was on my April 2018 safari while at Splash Camp. One night at dinner the camp manager, who’s name I’m sorry to say I’ve forgotten, told us she heard lions calling in the distance. We all quieted down and sure enough we heard them somewhere off in the darkness, calling to each other. I heard them again on that same safari while at Tau Pan camp a few nights later, when I was woken up in the middle of the night to the sounds of lions calling close to camp.
But nothing can compare to March 2020 at Lebala Camp, when we followed the two resident male lions, Old Gun and Sebastian, as they chased an intruder from their territory. They were very angry that day, and roared constantly during the trotting chase that took roughly 1.5 hours from start to finish if I remember right. I’d seen / heard lions roar on television, but nothing could prepare me for the sound of them roaring just feet away from our truck as they angrily closed the distance between themselves and the intruder. I don’t remember for sure if it was Old Gun or Sebastian who was closer to us, but I do remember the deep bass sound of his roar, which seemed to resonate in my chest and shake the whole truck. It’s not just a sound that is heard, it’s something that you feel as well, as if the air around you is shaking (which, I suppose, it is).
Night Jars
In March 2020 I stayed at Machaba Camp in Botswana, and heard a sound overnight that I’d never heard before – the call of the fiery-necked nightjar. I’d never heard it before, and to this day I’ve never actually seen one of them. But in the evenings they start to call, making this pleasant song for you to listen to as you go to sleep. I’ve only heard them at Machaba Camp, so I guess it’s hit and miss as far as where they like to hang out. Like the woodland kingfisher, the nightjars call back and forth to each other, so it seems that if you hear one, you’re going to hear many of them.
