Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea: An Atlas of Distributioa

Ethiopia and Eritrea have a fascinating and unique avifauna. Poorly known in comparison to many parts of Africa, knowledge on bird distribution in the two countries is scattered throughout the literature. For more than 35 years, the authors have been painstakingly collecting bird records in the region and plotting them on half-degree maps, including published records, data from museum specimens, sightings from their own extensive travels and, more recently, records from the many birdwatchers that now visit Ethiopia. The resulting atlas provides, for the first time, an accurate assessment of the distribution of each of the 870 species known from the two countries, including valuable information on breeding. The succinct text summarises the results and discusses distribution to subspecies level. Extensive introductory chapters cover topics such as topography, geology, vegetation, climate, habitats, conservation, migration, breeding seasons, bird ringing, and the history of ornithology in the region. This groundbreaking book fills a large hole in the literature for one of the most diverse and least known areas of Africa. Contents 8 List of Maps and Figures 9 List of Tables 9 Preface 10 Foreword 11 Acknowledgements 12 A General Introduction to the Region 14 The historical quest for birds in Ethiopia and Eritrea 16 Topographic regions and hydrography in Ethiopia and Eritrea 25 The geology and soils of Ethiopia and Eritrea 28 The vegetation of Ethiopia and Eritrea 30 The climate of Ethiopia and Eritrea 38 Bird habitats in Ethiopia and Eritrea 41 Bird and wildlife conservation in Ethiopia and Eritrea 47 Bird migration in Ethiopia and Eritrea 51 Breeding seasons in Ethiopia and Eritrea 60 General treatment of species and the atlas 62 List A. Species recorded in Ethiopia and Eritrea 68 List B. Hybrid species recorded In Ethiopia and Eritrea 359 List C. Additional species in Ethiopia and Eritrea mapping squares recorded over the border in Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya 360 List D. Species not considered acceptable for inclusion in List A 360 List E. Endemic birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea 364 Appendix 1. Important Bird Areas in Ethiopia and Eritrea 365 Appendix 2. Threatened and Near-threatened Species 367 Appendix 3. Restricted-range species within Endemic Bird Areas of Ethiopia and Eritrea 368 Appendix 4. Biome-restricted species in Ethiopia and Eritrea 369 BIRD RINGING IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA 374 GLOSSARY 383 INTRODUCTION TO THE GAZETTEER 385 GAZETTEER Of LOCALITIES 386 BIBLIOGRAPHY 413 INDEX 438 This groundbreaking book fills a large hole in the literature for one of the most diverse and least known areas of Africa.Ethiopia and Eritrea have a fascinating and unique avifauna. Poorly known in comparison to many parts of Africa, knowledge on bird distribution in the two countries is scattered throughout the literature.For more than 35 years, the authors have been painstakingly collecting bird records in the region and plotting them on half-degree maps, including published records, data from museum specimens, sightings from their own extensive travels and, more recently, records from the many birdwatchers that now visit Ethiopia.The resulting atlas provides, for the first time, an accurate assessment of the distribution of each of the 870 species known from the two countries, including valuable information on breeding. The succinct text summarises the results and discusses distribution to subspecies level.Extensive introductory chapters cover topics such as topography, geology, vegetation, climate, habitats, conservation, migration, breeding seasons, bird ringing, and the history of ornithology in the region.