- Parkveld
- Provinces
- Free State
- Wildlife
Wildlife recorded in Free State’s reserves
39 mammals and 244 birds are recorded around 23 of the 26 parks and reserves in Free State. Species are ranked by the number of reserves with records nearby; the record count is records, not animals.
- Mammal species
- 39
- Bird species
- 244
- Reserves with records
- 23
- Threatened (CR/EN/VU)
- 7
Mammals recorded near the most reserves
SpringbokAntidorcas marsupialis7 reserves in FS
BontebokDamaliscus pygargus5 reserves in FS
Black WildebeestConnochaetes gnou4 reserves in FS
Plains ZebraEquus quagga4 reserves in FS
Rock HyraxProcavia capensis4 reserves in FS
South African Ground SquirrelXerus inauris4 reserves in FS
Chacma BaboonPapio ursinus3 reserves in FS
Vaal RhebokPelea capreolus3 reserves in FS| Species | Family | Reserves in FS | Records | IUCN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpringbokAntidorcas marsupialis | Bovidae | 7 | 37 | LC |
| BontebokDamaliscus pygargus | Bovidae | 5 | 87 | LC |
| Black WildebeestConnochaetes gnou | Bovidae | 4 | 167 | LC |
| Plains ZebraEquus quagga | Equidae | 4 | 92 | NT |
| Rock HyraxProcavia capensis | Procaviidae | 4 | 25 | LC |
| South African Ground SquirrelXerus inauris | Sciuridae | 4 | 15 | LC |
| Chacma BaboonPapio ursinus | Cercopithecidae | 3 | 69 | LC |
| Vaal RhebokPelea capreolus | Bovidae | 3 | 52 | NT |
| Common ElandTaurotragus oryx | Bovidae | 3 | 51 | NE |
| ImpalaAepyceros melampus | Bovidae | 3 | 8 | LC |
| Yellow MongooseCynictis penicillata | Herpestidae | 2 | 50 | NE |
| Southern GiraffeGiraffa giraffa | Giraffidae | 2 | 22 | NE |
| NyalaTragelaphus angasii | Bovidae | 2 | 15 | LC |
| Fallow DeerDama dama | Cervidae | 2 | 9 | LC |
| Cape PorcupineHystrix africaeaustralis | Hystricidae | 2 | 7 | LC |
| Southern African Mole-ratCryptomys hottentotus | Bathyergidae | 2 | 6 | LC |
| Mountain ReedbuckRedunca fulvorufula | Bovidae | 2 | 4 | EN |
| WaterbuckKobus ellipsiprymnus | Bovidae | 2 | 4 | LC |
| Cape Gray MongooseGalerella pulverulenta | Herpestidae | 2 | 4 | LC |
| Red HartebeestAlcelaphus caama | Bovidae | 1 | 35 | NE |
| Blue WildebeestConnochaetes taurinus | Bovidae | 1 | 14 | LC |
| Bush DuikerSylvicapra grimmia | Bovidae | 1 | 6 | LC |
| Greater KuduTragelaphus strepsiceros | Bovidae | 1 | 5 | LC |
| Scrub HareLepus saxatilis | Leporidae | 1 | 5 | LC |
| MeerkatSuricata suricatta | Herpestidae | 1 | 4 | LC |
| Southern ReedbuckRedunca arundinum | Bovidae | 1 | 4 | LC |
| ServalLeptailurus serval | Felidae | 1 | 4 | LC |
| HartebeestAlcelaphus buselaphus | Bovidae | 1 | 4 | LC |
| AardwolfProteles cristata | Hyaenidae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| Spotted-necked OtterHydrictis maculicollis | Mustelidae | 1 | 2 | NT |
| Sable AntelopeHippotragus niger | Bovidae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| Xeric Four-striped Grass RatRhabdomys pumilio | Muridae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| Southern African Pygmy MouseMus minutoides | Muridae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| Common TsessebeDamaliscus lunatus | Bovidae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| African Clawless OtterAonyx capensis | Mustelidae | 1 | 2 | NT |
| Hewitt's Red Rock HarePronolagus saundersiae | Leporidae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| SteenbokRaphicerus campestris | Bovidae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| GemsbokOryx gazella | Bovidae | 1 | 2 | LC |
| Vervet MonkeyChlorocebus pygerythrus | Cercopithecidae | 1 | 2 | LC |
Birds recorded near the most reserves
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatus21 reserves in FS
Greater Striped SwallowCecropis cucullata21 reserves in FS
Hadada IbisBostrychia hagedash20 reserves in FS
Southern FiscalLanius collaris20 reserves in FS
Speckled PigeonColumba guinea19 reserves in FS
Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus19 reserves in FS
Cape WagtailMotacilla capensis18 reserves in FS
Ring-necked DoveStreptopelia capicola18 reserves in FS| Species | Family | Reserves in FS | Records | IUCN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatus | Ploceidae | 21 | 7 091 | LC |
| Greater Striped SwallowCecropis cucullata | Hirundinidae | 21 | 3 224 | LC |
| Hadada IbisBostrychia hagedash | Threskiornithidae | 20 | 4 697 | LC |
| Southern FiscalLanius collaris | Laniidae | 20 | 4 540 | LC |
| Speckled PigeonColumba guinea | Columbidae | 19 | 4 689 | LC |
| Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus | Accipitridae | 19 | 2 211 | LC |
| Cape WagtailMotacilla capensis | Motacillidae | 18 | 5 949 | LC |
| Ring-necked DoveStreptopelia capicola | Columbidae | 18 | 5 029 | LC |
| Cape Robin-ChatCossypha caffra | Muscicapidae | 18 | 4 355 | LC |
| Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis | Ardeidae | 18 | 2 830 | LC |
| Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis | Columbidae | 17 | 6 824 | LC |
| Southern Red BishopEuplectes orix | Ploceidae | 17 | 6 129 | LC |
| African Red-eyed BulbulPycnonotus nigricans | Pycnonotidae | 17 | 4 668 | LC |
| Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca | Anatidae | 17 | 3 751 | LC |
| Red-eyed DoveStreptopelia semitorquata | Columbidae | 17 | 3 672 | LC |
| Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagris | Numididae | 17 | 3 477 | LC |
| Red-knobbed CootFulica cristata | Rallidae | 17 | 3 386 | LC |
| Yellow-billed DuckAnas undulata | Anatidae | 17 | 3 164 | LC |
| White-rumped SwiftApus caffer | Apodidae | 17 | 2 724 | LC |
| Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephala | Ardeidae | 17 | 2 505 | LC |
| Blacksmith LapwingVanellus armatus | Charadriidae | 16 | 3 852 | LC |
| Crested BarbetTrachyphonus vaillantii | Lybiidae | 16 | 3 628 | LC |
| Long-tailed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus | Phalacrocoracidae | 16 | 3 028 | LC |
| Southern Gray-headed SparrowPasser diffusus | Passeridae | 16 | 2 128 | LC |
| African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicus | Threskiornithidae | 16 | 1 339 | LC |
| African StonechatSaxicola torquatus | Muscicapidae | 15 | 2 566 | LC |
| Red-billed QueleaQuelea quelea | Ploceidae | 15 | 2 559 | LC |
| Levaillant's CisticolaCisticola tinniens | Cisticolidae | 15 | 2 412 | LC |
| Long-tailed WidowbirdEuplectes progne | Ploceidae | 15 | 2 257 | LC |
| Cape StarlingLamprotornis nitens | Sturnidae | 15 | 1 834 | LC |
| Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | Hirundinidae | 14 | 16 437 | LC |
| Cape SparrowPasser melanurus | Passeridae | 14 | 7 047 | LC |
| BokmakierieTelophorus zeylonus | Malaconotidae | 14 | 2 619 | LC |
| Speckled MousebirdColius striatus | Coliidae | 14 | 2 516 | LC |
| Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | Podicipedidae | 14 | 2 298 | LC |
| White-throated SwallowHirundo albigularis | Hirundinidae | 14 | 2 164 | LC |
| Crowned LapwingVanellus coronatus | Charadriidae | 13 | 3 388 | LC |
| Black-collared BarbetLybius torquatus | Lybiidae | 13 | 2 147 | LC |
| Cape WeaverPloceus capensis | Ploceidae | 13 | 1 385 | LC |
| Pied StarlingLamprotornis bicolor | Sturnidae | 13 | 1 251 | LC |
| Pin-tailed WhydahVidua macroura | Viduidae | 13 | 1 234 | LC |
| Karoo ThrushTurdus smithi | Turdidae | 12 | 3 825 | LC |
| Common MynaAcridotheres tristis | Sturnidae | 12 | 3 155 | LC |
| White-browed Sparrow-WeaverPlocepasser mahali | Passeridae | 12 | 1 543 | LC |
| Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild | Estrildidae | 12 | 1 118 | LC |
| Ant-eating ChatMyrmecocichla formicivora | Muscicapidae | 12 | 890 | LC |
| Orange River White-eyeZosterops pallidus | Zosteropidae | 11 | 25 657 | LC |
| Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | Rallidae | 11 | 2 717 | LC |
| Fiscal FlycatcherSigelus silens | Muscicapidae | 11 | 2 414 | LC |
| Swainson's SpurfowlPternistis swainsonii | Phasianidae | 11 | 2 143 | LC |
| Red-winged StarlingOnychognathus morio | Sturnidae | 11 | 1 835 | LC |
| Grey HeronArdea cinerea | Ardeidae | 11 | 1 329 | LC |
| Common OstrichStruthio camelus | Struthionidae | 11 | 1 226 | LC |
| House SparrowPasser domesticus | Passeridae | 10 | 3 783 | LC |
| Rock MartinPtyonoprogne fuligula | Hirundinidae | 10 | 2 328 | LC |
| NeddickyCisticola fulvicapilla | Cisticolidae | 10 | 2 312 | LC |
| Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensis | Anatidae | 10 | 1 893 | LC |
| Cape LongclawMacronyx capensis | Motacillidae | 10 | 357 | LC |
| Red-faced MousebirdUrocolius indicus | Coliidae | 9 | 3 009 | LC |
| Black-chested PriniaPrinia flavicans | Cisticolidae | 9 | 2 866 | LC |
| African HoopoeUpupa africana | Upupidae | 9 | 2 578 | NE |
| Acacia Pied BarbetTricholaema leucomelas | Lybiidae | 9 | 2 233 | LC |
| Lesser Swamp WarblerAcrocephalus gracilirostris | Acrocephalidae | 9 | 1 990 | LC |
| Brown-throated MartinRiparia paludicola | Hirundinidae | 9 | 1 641 | LC |
| Familiar ChatOenanthe familiaris | Muscicapidae | 9 | 1 593 | LC |
| African PipitAnthus cinnamomeus | Motacillidae | 9 | 1 450 | LC |
| Cape CanarySerinus canicollis | Fringillidae | 9 | 725 | LC |
| Southern Bald IbisGeronticus calvus | Threskiornithidae | 9 | 594 | NT |
| African DarterAnhinga rufa | Anhingidae | 9 | 453 | LC |
| Little SwiftApus affinis | Apodidae | 8 | 3 199 | LC |
| Black-throated CanaryCrithagra atrogularis | Fringillidae | 8 | 2 591 | LC |
| Wattled StarlingCreatophora cinerea | Sturnidae | 8 | 2 474 | LC |
| Cape White-eyeZosterops virens | Zosteropidae | 8 | 1 521 | LC |
| Northern Black KorhaanAfrotis afraoides | Otididae | 8 | 1 390 | LC |
| Malachite SunbirdNectarinia famosa | Nectariniidae | 8 | 761 | LC |
| Jackal BuzzardButeo rufofuscus | Accipitridae | 8 | 668 | LC |
| Red-throated WryneckJynx ruficollis | Picidae | 8 | 157 | LC |
| Red-headed FinchAmadina erythrocephala | Estrildidae | 7 | 3 917 | LC |
| Yellow CanaryCrithagra flaviventris | Fringillidae | 7 | 1 691 | LC |
| Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis | Cisticolidae | 7 | 1 035 | LC |
| Cape CrowCorvus capensis | Corvidae | 7 | 781 | LC |
| South African ShelduckTadorna cana | Anatidae | 7 | 726 | LC |
| Mountain WheatearOenanthe monticola | Muscicapidae | 7 | 720 | LC |
| Banded MartinRiparia cincta | Hirundinidae | 7 | 496 | LC |
| South African Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon spilodera | Hirundinidae | 7 | 483 | LC |
| Ground WoodpeckerGeocolaptes olivaceus | Picidae | 7 | 420 | NT |
| Pied CrowCorvus albus | Corvidae | 7 | 342 | LC |
| Amur FalconFalco amurensis | Falconidae | 7 | 267 | LC |
| Olive ThrushTurdus olivaceus | Turdidae | 7 | 254 | LC |
| Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops | Upupidae | 7 | 74 | LC |
| Spotted Thick-kneeBurhinus capensis | Burhinidae | 6 | 2 197 | LC |
| White-backed MousebirdColius colius | Coliidae | 6 | 2 178 | LC |
| Dideric CuckooChrysococcyx caprius | Cuculidae | 6 | 875 | LC |
| Yellow-crowned BishopEuplectes afer | Ploceidae | 6 | 821 | LC |
| Little EgretEgretta garzetta | Ardeidae | 6 | 689 | LC |
| Cape Rock ThrushMonticola rupestris | Muscicapidae | 6 | 517 | LC |
| Cape BuntingEmberiza capensis | Emberizidae | 6 | 376 | LC |
| Red-billed TealAnas erythrorhyncha | Anatidae | 6 | 366 | LC |
| Desert CisticolaCisticola aridulus | Cisticolidae | 6 | 363 | LC |
| Red-capped LarkCalandrella cinerea | Alaudidae | 6 | 322 | LC |
| Wailing CisticolaCisticola lais | Cisticolidae | 6 | 312 | LC |
| African SpoonbillPlatalea alba | Threskiornithidae | 6 | 264 | LC |
| African Palm SwiftCypsiurus parvus | Apodidae | 5 | 2 158 | LC |
| European Bee-eaterMerops apiaster | Meropidae | 5 | 1 627 | LC |
| Streaky-headed SeedeaterCrithagra gularis | Fringillidae | 5 | 1 105 | LC |
| Common ScimitarbillRhinopomastus cyanomelas | Phoeniculidae | 5 | 1 053 | LC |
| Kalahari Scrub RobinErythropygia paena | Muscicapidae | 5 | 780 | LC |
| White-necked RavenCorvus albicollis | Corvidae | 5 | 439 | LC |
| Cape VultureGyps coprotheres | Accipitridae | 5 | 346 | VU |
| Spike-heeled LarkChersomanes albofasciata | Alaudidae | 5 | 268 | LC |
| Blue CraneAnthropoides paradiseus | Gruidae | 5 | 263 | VU |
| Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax | Ardeidae | 5 | 204 | LC |
| African SnipeGallinago nigripennis | Scolopacidae | 5 | 192 | LC |
| Giant KingfisherMegaceryle maxima | Alcedinidae | 5 | 51 | LC |
| Spotted Eagle-OwlBubo africanus | Strigidae | 5 | 40 | LC |
| Goliath HeronArdea goliath | Ardeidae | 5 | 28 | LC |
| White-bellied SunbirdCinnyris talatala | Nectariniidae | 4 | 2 192 | LC |
| Green WoodhoopoePhoeniculus purpureus | Phoeniculidae | 4 | 1 619 | LC |
| Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba | Apodidae | 4 | 1 456 | LC |
| Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris | Sturnidae | 4 | 917 | LC |
| Three-banded PloverCharadrius tricollaris | Charadriidae | 4 | 758 | LC |
| White-breasted CormorantPhalacrocorax lucidus | Phalacrocoracidae | 4 | 598 | NE |
| Amethyst SunbirdChalcomitra amethystina | Nectariniidae | 4 | 586 | LC |
| Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus | Threskiornithidae | 4 | 506 | LC |
| Wing-snapping CisticolaCisticola ayresii | Cisticolidae | 4 | 396 | LC |
| Rock KestrelFalco rupicolus | Falconidae | 4 | 291 | NE |
| Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida | Laridae | 4 | 234 | LC |
| Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides | Ardeidae | 4 | 199 | LC |
| African Black DuckAnas sparsa | Anatidae | 4 | 170 | LC |
| Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilis | Dicruridae | 4 | 113 | LC |
| African Paradise FlycatcherTerpsiphone viridis | Monarchidae | 4 | 53 | LC |
| Malachite KingfisherCorythornis cristatus | Alcedinidae | 4 | 41 | LC |
| African Fish EagleHaliaeetus vocifer | Accipitridae | 4 | 29 | LC |
| Long-crested EagleLophaetus occipitalis | Accipitridae | 4 | 21 | LC |
| Cloud CisticolaCisticola textrix | Cisticolidae | 4 | 20 | LC |
| Purple HeronArdea purpurea | Ardeidae | 4 | 19 | LC |
| Rufous-naped LarkMirafra africana | Alaudidae | 3 | 1 096 | LC |
| Grey Crowned CraneBalearica regulorum | Gruidae | 3 | 732 | EN |
| African Wattled LapwingVanellus senegallus | Charadriidae | 3 | 669 | LC |
| Blue WaxbillUraeginthus angolensis | Estrildidae | 3 | 668 | LC |
| Grey-headed GullChroicocephalus cirrocephalus | Laridae | 3 | 592 | NE |
| Cape GrassbirdSphenoeacus afer | Macrosphenidae | 3 | 362 | LC |
| Red-collared WidowbirdEuplectes ardens | Ploceidae | 3 | 341 | LC |
| Cinnamon-breasted BuntingEmberiza tahapisi | Emberizidae | 3 | 337 | LC |
| Gray-winged FrancolinScleroptila afra | Phasianidae | 3 | 326 | LC |
| White-faced Whistling DuckDendrocygna viduata | Anatidae | 3 | 279 | LC |
| Fan-tailed WidowbirdEuplectes axillaris | Ploceidae | 3 | 254 | LC |
| African Black SwiftApus barbatus | Apodidae | 3 | 250 | LC |
| Cape ShovelerSpatula smithii | Anatidae | 3 | 240 | LC |
| Blue KorhaanEupodotis caerulescens | Otididae | 3 | 231 | NT |
Showing the 150 birds recorded near the most reserves of 244.
Source: GBIF.org occurrence data within a radius of each reserve; names and IUCN categories from the GBIF backbone. Records near a reserve are not proof that a species lives inside it.