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Review Article z Available online at http://www.journalcra.com INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRENT RESEARCH International Journal of Current Research Vol. 8, Issue, 06, pp.33029-33050, June, 2016 ISSN: 0975-833X REVIEW ARTICLE A GUIDE TO A COMPLETE ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA *Weldemariam Tesfahunegny Bezabh Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Zoologist (Ornithologist), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article History: Ethiopia is a country where major habitat block is contained within political boundaries, having a high th degree of endemicity in both fauna and flora. This annotated checklist of birds exploresthe current Received 28 March, 2016 Received in revised form status and distribution of the 926 birds’ species of Ethiopia, providing a text with a brief description 23rd April, 2016 and information on habitat, distribution, habits, breeding. Furthermore, threats and IUCN category are Accepted 19th May, 2016 covered. Moreover, a complete list of all known localities is added for each species. I thought birds Published online 30th June, 2016 would be ideal. There was plenty of data available, much as yet ungathered. This annotated checklist of birds is a vital tool for everyone wishing to contribute to our knowledge of the world's birds and to Key words: avian conservation. Effective conservation planning can only be based on a sound knowledge of the species, sites and habitats in need of protection. To make the best decisions, it is most important that Avifauna, the information on which such decisions are made is as accurate, systematic and representative as Endangered, possible. A recent Ornithological knowledge on the complete check list of – Ethiopia avifauna have Endemicity, been compiled in this annotated checklist. It is our intention that these checklists will ease the Ethiopia, scientific inquiry into the conservation of Ethiopian avifauna. The checklist sought to initiate the IUCN, restoration of the depleted bird populations, and protect their threatened ecosystem. As well, it will Ornithological knowledge. help to develop Ornithological conservation psychology packages of important bird areas of the country. The annotated checklist will serve as baseline information for i) conducting baseline surveys and household surveys to understand local people’s attitudes towards bird conservation ii) training of youths and community leaders iii) development of community leadership, iv) information dissemination and v) community support building through introduction of conservation incentives. Conducting more birds’ surveys in other unidentified areas vii) creation of community forests/wetlands in designated key sites for the conservation of bird species viii) development of a community-based eco-tourism programme based on birds’ and wildlife watching as well as the aesthetic value of their natural environments. Generally, this annotated checklist will fill the exsting knowdlge gap observed in the aviafauna list of Ethiopia. Copyright©2016, Weldemariam Tesfahunegny Bezabh. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Citation: Weldemariam Tesfahunegny Bezabh, 2016. “A guide to a complete annotated checklist of the birds of Ethiopia”, International Journal of Current Research, 8, (06), 33029-33050. INTRODUCTION of at least two species fall entirely within the boundary of the EBA. Following this simple definition, a total of 218 EBAs Biodiversity and Birds has been identified across the world, covering the ranges of 93% of restricted-range birds (2,451 species). The majority of A total of 218 Endemic Bird Areas has been identified across EBAs (77%) are in the tropics and subtropics. There are the world, majority of them are found in the tropics and approximately equal numbers of island EBAs (105) and subtropics. There is good congruence between global patterns mainland EBAs (113). Of the island EBAs, 70% are on of bird endemism, as shown by Endemic Bird Areas, and those oceanic islands, 30% on continental-shelf islands, while for the shown by other biodiversity, including other terrestrial mainland ones, 42% are largely in montane areas, 35% in vertebrates, invertebrates and plants for which data are lowland areas and 24% span both. The predominant natural available.An Endemic Bird Area (EBA) is defined as an area habitat in most EBAs (80%) is forest, especially tropical that encompasses the overlapping breeding ranges of two or lowland and montane moist forest. The number of restricted- more restricted-range land birds, such that the complete ranges range land birds occurring in EBAs varies from two to over 50 (the richest EBAs are the Solomon Islands, the Chocó in *Corresponding author: Weldemariam Tesfahunegny Bezabh, Colombia and Ecuador,the Atlantic Forest lowlands in Brazil) Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Zoologist (Ornithologist), Addis (Stattersfield et al., 1998). Ababa, Ethiopia. 33030 Weldemariam Tesfahunegny Bezabh, A guide to a complete annotated checklist of the birds of Ethiopia Ethiopia, a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa, graculus) has been recorded at 8,080 m on Mt Everest. As has firmly established itself as one of Africa’s top birding members of ecosystem, birds play many roles, including as destinations. Currently, the avifauna of Ethiopia includes a predators, pollinators, scavengers, seed dispersers, seed total of 926 species taxonomically grouped in to 27 orders and predators and ecosystem engineers. Therefore, the animal 155 families of which 24 are endemic and three are rare or species will be given protection because they are of ecological, accidental (EBI, 2015). Out of those total species, at least 596 educational, historical, recreational, aesthetic, economic, and are resident and 224 are regular seasonal migrants, including scientific value to the people of the state (Bibby, 1999; BLI, 176 from the Palearctic, and 13 are shared with Eritrea 2000; Dickinson, 2003). In modern sense birds can be used to (Shimelis and Dellelegn, 2004). In Ethiopia, 73 important Bird provide early warning of environmental problems. The cost in Areas (IBAs) have been identified and of these 30 sites (41% biodiversity damages due to climate change pressure on natural of the total) comprise wetlands, while the rest are ecosystem interconnected with alarming species extinction- representatives of other types of ecosystems (Shimelis and prone. Conserving species and ecosystems can be seen as a Afework, 2008). Wetlands are found everywhere and they moral duty. This aligned both because of their intrinsic right to account nearly for 6.4% of our world. The total area of exist as part of our natural and cultural heritage. Nationally and wetlands in Ethiopia may exceed 22500 km2 (2%) a figure that globally, those who benefit from biodiversity conservation; corresponds with the estimated remaining forest area of the including its dispersed ecosystem services and existence nation. On the other hand, Hillman (1993) listed 77 wetlands values, must be prepared to pay for it, rather than watch it with a total area of 13,699 km2 or 1.4% of the country’s land vanish similar to the amount of the resources needed is such surface. However, other estimates with additional evidences that the major source must be tax revenue, raised by from various sources estimate the total wetland area of governments. The state of the world’s birds therefore tells us a Ethiopia at 22500 km2, some 2% of the country’s land surface lot about the state of the world. However, the distribution of (EWNRA, 2005). To conserve the diverse and important birds is uneven; the different biogeographic realms vary biological resources, 21 National Parks, 11 Wildlife Reserves, substantially in terms of the numbers and types of bird species 3 Sanctuaries, 21 Controlled Hunting Areas, 4 community they hold. By far the richest is the Neotropical realm which conservation areas, 5 open hunting areas, 4 biosphere reserves holds 36% of all known land bird species (3,370 species). This and 58 national forest priority area have been established as is followed by; Afrotropical (21%, 1,950 species), refugee. These protected areas represent only a small fraction Indomalayan (18% 1,700 species), Australasian (17%, 1,590 of the total land mass (about 14% of the total area of the species), and then Palearctic (10%, 937 species), Nearctic (8%, country) and represent only a few of the diverse ecosystems of c. 732 species), Oceanic (2%, 187 species), Antarctic (85 the country (Cherie Enawgaw Beyene, 2013). Ethiopian species) (BLI, 2004; IUCN and UNEP-WCMC, 2014). Today biodiversity institute actively engaged in the science of birds are the most successful of all terrestrial vertebrates, with conserving incredible diversity of life due to their valuable 29 orders containing a total of 181 families and about 10,000 ecosystem service. These conservation activities are part of our species. Ethiopia has 320 (36) known endemic species of policies or pinpoint responsibility. This all results in mammals, 926 (24) birds, 202 (17) reptiles, 73 (30) discovering new species, understanding patterns of amphibians and 200 (40) fish species and 1,249 arthropods 23 biodiversity, and providing sound management are endemic (EBI, 2015; World Resources Institute, 1995). In recommendations to save wild animals and their ecosystem. Africa it ranks the fourth, surpassed by Madagascar, Zaire, There are over
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