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CHECKLIST

LAKE NGAMI

BOTSWANA
LOCALE

Altitude (m):932
# Species:321
# Excl Vagrants:321
# Endemics:0
# Near Endemics:0
Habitat: Shallow lake bed, sometimes flooded and sometimes dry.

ABOUT THE BIRDING

Lake Ngami is a shallow endorheic lake (that has no natural outlets). For many years the lakebed was completely dry, but the rains of 2004 filled the lake. The water has persisted but the lake could dry out once again. When water is present, the lake has abundant bird life and even when dry is home to the globally threatened Black-winged Pratincole and Lesser Kestrel, qualifying it as one of the 12 Important Bird Areas in Botswana. Other notable birds are the range- or biome-restricted Burchell's Sandgrouse, Hartlaub's Babbler, and Kalahari Scrub-Robin. It's a very scenic area worth birding when water is present in the lake.

LOCATION OF SITE

Lake Ngami is located in the southeast corner of the Okavango basin, about 1 hour drive from Maun.