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Benin

Senegal Thickknee Burhinus senegalensis ŠNigel Blake http://www.nigelblake.co.uk/

You will notice that there is no introduction to this section yet.

I would like to fill this gap with an introduction from a local birder [or someone who is a frequent visitor] for every on of the geographical pages. The many thousands of birders now regularly using these pages prefer to read something written by someone who can see the place from an insider's point of view. They know the best spots, not just the ones that first time overseas visitors usually visit or that are on the normal birding trip itineraries.

Each introduction carries the e-mail address of the contributor so that birders can get in touch with them if, for example, they are planning a trip [unless the contributor is unable to do this].

Please get in touch if you feel you can contribute an introduction to this page - you don't have to be an expert; I'm not!

top sites

Important Bird Aeas include:

Lake Ahémé & Aho complex; Lake Nokoué; Lama Forest; Ouémé river basin, Pendjari National Park and W du Bénin National Park.

numbers

Number of bird species:579

useful reading

Birds of Benin

Patrick Claffey British Ornithologists' Union In preparation for 2009
ISBN: 126414
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Birds of Western Africa: An Identification Guide

Nik Borrow and Ron Demey Series: CHRISTOPHER HELM IDENTIFICATION GUIDE SERIES 832 pages, 147 col plates, 1100 dist maps. Christopher Helm
ISBN: 0713639598
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Field Guide to the Birds of Western Africa

Nik Borrow and Ron Demey Series: HELM FIELD GUIDES 496 pages, 150 col plates, 1300 maps. Christopher Helm
See Fatbirder Review
ISBN: 0713666927
Buy this book from NHBS.com

useful information

Proact

Coordinator: none (why not apply?) see http://www.proact-campaigns.net/coordinators
Members: None yet!
Join us at http://www.proact-campaigns.net/team

clubs

African Bird Club

http://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/Benin/introduction.html
In comparison with some of its neighbours, the avifauna of Benin has been poorly studied. Until 1993 only 425 species had been recorded. This was in comparison with 625 for Togo, its neighbour in the Dahomey Gap...

West African Ornithological Society

http://malimbus.free.fr/Country%20pages/Benin.htm
The West African Ornithological Society grew out of the Nigerian Ornithologists Society, which was founded in February 1964. Its object is to promote scientific interest in the birds of West Africa and to further the regions ornithology, mainly by means of its journal Malimbus (formerly the Bulletin of the Nigerian Ornithologists Society). This journal is biannual and bilingual, a unique feature in Africa.

reserves

Benin Parks

http://www.africanet.com/africanet/country/benin/parks.htm
...many species of birds.

Important Bird Areas

http://www.birdlife.net/datazone/search/sites_search.html?action=SitHTMFindResults.asp&INam=&Cty=23&z=1
Clickable list with site descriptions...

Pendjari Biosphere Reserve

http://www.pendjari.net/
In French

Pendjari Biosphere Reserve

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6039&m=0
The Pendjari Biosphere Reserve is located north of the Atakora Cliff in the loop formed by the River Pendjari, serving as the natural border between Benin and Burkina Faso...

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you cant find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page give them a try!

places to stay

Benin Sheraton Hotel

http://www.africa-ata.org/benin_sheraton.htm

Cotonou Hotel

http://hotels-shopper.com/BJ/COO.html
... 115 rooms. 3 stories. Built in 1995. Situated at 400 m from the Convention Centre, the hotel offers business and leisure activities, Children Stay Free...

Birds of Niaouli forest, southern Benin

http://www.africanbirdclub.org/feature/niaouli.html
Benin lies in the Dahomey Gap, a region characterised by relatively low annual rainfall (800-1,400 mm) and that savanna reaches almost to the coast, with an almost complete lack of the tropical forest that is a feature of coastal zones in adjacent countries...