Birdwatching Checklist for Eritrea

Birdwatching in Eritrea

Eritrea Species Checklist

Eritrea Checklist

This comprehensive checklist includes all the species reliably recorded in Eritrea. We have kept it as close as possible to the sequence used in the field guide that visiting birders are most likely to use: Redman, Stevenson and Fanshawe: Birds of the Horn of Africa (Christopher Helm, 2009), following the order and taxonomy given in the checklist at the back of the book. Status symbols used are taken from the ABC Checklist (© ABC and Bob Dowsett 2007). Our selection of species to include follows the official Eritrea checklist kept by John Ash and status information follows Ash and Atkins' Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea (Christopher Helm, 2009). In the Comments column of the checklist, we have indicated where other authors might differ from the above references, regarding splits and lumps, as well as alternative names (Alt) and other points of interest. Many thanks to Nigel Redman, John Atkins, John Ash and John Caddick of ABC for their help in compiling this list.

Click here to open the checklist

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An Expanding Checklist

Eritrea is very underwatched. As a result the current checklist of over 570 species is still increasing. Any visiting birders should keep detailed records of species seen that may be new for the country, including photographic evidence. These records should be submitted to us and to John Ash, whose details can be found on the African Birding Club website, Eritrea page.

Additions to the Eritrea Checklist since 2007 are listed below:

Montane Nightjar	25 February 2009 Adi Keih	Bird flushed, then photographed. Likely to be resident. Several previous records were unconfirmed.
Great Cormorant	03 February 2009 Mai Nefe	One bird photographed on reservoir. Probable vagrant.
Grasshopper Warbler	26 January 2009 Filfil Sabur	One bird photographed. Probably vagrant or winter visitor.
Caspian Gull	24 January 2009 Dahlak Islands	One bird photographed by Giuseppe De Marchi, subsequently confirmed as Caspian, subspecies barabensis (Steppe Gull).
Maccoa Duck	25 April 2008 Adi Keih	Regular on reservoirs, but only officially recorded in 2008. Likely to have recently expanded its range north from Ethiopia into Eritrea.
Cape Eagle Owl	01 April 2008 Adi Keih	A single injured adult bird was recorded and photographed. Likely to be a resident, if uncommon species.
Somali Courser	06 March 2008 Adi Keih	A single bird at Mealawia (2500m), near Adi Keih. Presumed vagrant. Another unsubmitted record of four birds from the Foro area, nearby at sea level by Harte and Berhane* suggests that this species may be resident in the coastal lowlands.
African Olive Pigeon	26 January 2008 Filfil Medhanit	Recorded at Filfil, and more recently photographed at Karibossa, Adi Keih. Likely to be resident, extending the species' previously known distribution range north significantly.
Mountain Wagtail	21 October 2007 Adi Keih	A party of three birds recorded and photographed, including one juvenile. May be breeding in Eritrea. Extends the species' previously known distribution range north significantly.
Familiar Chat	12 October 2007 Safira	Recorded twice near Safira. Likely to be resident.

*Kenneth J. Harte and Dawit Berhane; Trip List to Eritrea, December 2004, unpublished.

Eritrea Information

Abyssinian Endemics

Bird Checklist for Eritrea

Travel & Accommodation

In Italiano

Photos

Other Wildlife

Asmara Birdwatching

Filfil Birdwatching

Adi Keih Birdwatching

Massawa Birdwatching

Dahlak Islands Birdwatching

Elabered / Keren Birdwatching

Gash Barka Birdwatching

Contacts

Links

Children and Schools