It was 25 years ago this month that the world's attention turned to Ethiopia, thanks to Bob Geldof and his Live Aid concerts for famine relief. Abiding images of a dusty land and starving people persist in the popular imagination but travelling birders know better.
Ethiopia is a diverse country in the Horn of Africa where habitats range from Afro-alpine moorlands at 4,500 m, to the lowest point on the planet, the scorching Danakil Depression in the Rift Valley at 150 m below sea level, via Rift Valley lakes, temperate highlands and acacia savannah. Ethiopia offers a comprehensive African birding experience with an array of endemic birds such as the curious Stresemann's Bush-crow Zavattariornis stresemanni, the fabulous Prince Ruspoli's Turaco Tauraco ruspolii and the mythical Nechisar Nightjar Caprimulgus solala.
The endangered endemics of southern Ethiopia will justifiably receive far greater prominence as the subject of next month's Birdfair at Rutland Water, but world birders have been seeking them out for more than 20 years. Until now there has been no site guide to aid them in their quest. But, like the proverbial buses, you wait 20 years for a decent site guide and then two come along at once!
The first comes from Lynx Edicions, publishers of the awesome HBW. Its authors are a trio of South African birders who lead tours for Tropical Birding. It seems curious that a bird-tour company would give away so much 'gen' - almost like killing the (Blue-winged) Goose Cyanochen cyanoptera that laid the golden eggs - but they have generously provided itineraries for 26 sites in Ethiopia. The fact that bird-tour companies have been visiting Ethiopia for more than two decades means that an established 'circuit' has developed for a three-week tour. Between November and March, when the resident avifauna is swollen by Palearctic migrants, it's possible to see 500 species in three weeks. The Horn of Africa holds approximately 60 endemics, many of them out of reach in lawless Somalia, but a haul of nearly 40 endemics on an Ethiopia tour is possible, including almost all of the 15 species restricted to Ethiopia alone.
Birding Ethiopia is divided into three principal sections: the North-west, the Great Rift Valley and the South. The preceding Introduction includes useful information for planning your trip plus sections on biogeography, conservation and taxonomy. But How to Use This Book is the section that contains the key information once birders are on the ground.
The North-west section includes 11 sites, starting in the capital, Addis Ababa, and stretching up to the historic site of Lalibela in the far north. The Great Rift Valley section encompasses seven sites, from the arid Afar Plains and Awash National Park to the Rift Valley lakes and south to the remote Nechisar National Park. The South section (eight sites) takes you from the Bale Mountains through Ruspoli's Country to Yabello. Each site entry lists Key Species, Other Species of Interest, Habitat, Birding, Time (very useful for those on tight deadlines) and Directions. The directions are detailed and make frequent use of GPS co-ordinates and/or distances between fixed points. There are also neat annotated maps for every location. The location accounts are liberally sprinkled with excellent photos of the key species and habitats. Some of these, such as that of the stunning Rosy-patched Bush-shrike Rhodophoneus cruentus, are given full-page treatment.
Following the site guide there are a further 26 pages of Speciality Birds (endemics and more widespread species that are difficult to see elsewhere in Africa) to remind you what your target birds should be. The book concludes with an Index of Species that would make a handy checklist for your trip.
Birding Ethiopia is an attractively packaged, near-pocket-size book that will prove very useful to birders visiting this wonderful country. My only caveat is the Americanised spellings of bird names, but that's a minor quibble. And the final test of the authors' selfless intentions? Detailed directions to Prince Ruspoli's Turaco with GPS co-ordinates for one of its favourite fig trees! Pack up your Land Cruiser and get going.
Adrian Pitches
Lynx Edicions, 2010 Pbk, 190pp, colour photographs and many maps ISBN 978-84-96553-55-2 Subbuteo code M20547 £24.99 Buy this book from the British Birds bookshop which is run by Subbuteo Natural History Books.
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Volume:
Issue 7
