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Welcome to the African Bird Image Database (AFBID)

Welcome to the new version of AFBID (2015). This version includes all the functions of the old version as well as some new features and has been built using the latest website technologies. AFBID has also been moved to a new Host and a new web address which better integrates it with the African Bird Club website.

This photographic database has been created to bring together quality photographs of as many bird species from the African continent and associated islands as possible. This has been done in a concerted effort to promote awareness and conservation of the colourful and varied birdlife of Africa.

The database covers the same region as the African Bird Club:

  • Continental Africa;
  • Indian Ocean islands west of 80° East, including Madagascar and the Mascarene islands;
  • Atlantic Ocean on or east of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, e.g. the Tristan de Cunha group, Azores and Canaries.

About a quarter of the world's bird species, more than 2,500 have been recorded in this region. About 350 of these are included on Birdlife International's red data list, a summary of the world's threatened and near-threatened species. The list of species recorded in this region, the taxonomic sequence and the naming conventions are those of the ABC Checklist.

Users of the site are expected to be tourists, birdwatchers, ornithologists, researchers and anyone with a general interest in the birds of the region. Whatever your own particular interest, we hope that you will enjoy the site, find it of value and visit it frequently.

How to use

Photographers can register on the site and upload their own African bird photos. After your registration has been confirmed, you will be able to upload your images. However, we are required to validate them before they are exhibited in public which gives us the opportunity to correct text and check the identification.

If you have images which you would like to display, but don't have the resources to edit them, add text or upload, we would be only too pleased to help if you contact us.

All photographs should be of genuinely wild birds taken within the African region as defined above. We may include photographs of birds held in the hand if they have been trapped using recognised, approved methods by a qualified bird ringer. We will not include:

  • photographs from zoos or other collections;
  • photographs taken outside of Africa;
  • photographs where we feel that the bird has been caught illegally or harmed in some way.

The hosting space has been increased significantly in this version and images up to I,024kb can be added and displayed at a maximum of 800 x 600 pixels.

Terms of use

All images in this database have been provided by photographers free-of-charge in furtherance of the aims of bird conservation in Africa. However, the photographers retain the copyright to their images. If you wish to use these photos for any purpose, you must obtain their permission first. The link at 'Photographers' will take you to their contact details.

African Bird Club has the final decision on the inclusion of images and the identification of species as well as the right to delete older images from the database as newer and higher quality images become available.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the photographers, for without their contributions this site would not have been possible.

Kevin Vang and Wojciech Dabrowka of Bird Explorers had the original idea for an African Bird Image Database and have given significant time and resources towards its development. Without their foresight, AFBID would not exist.

The technical work of development and maintenance has been carried out since mid 2008 by Tran Corp Online.

Quick links

African Bird Club

African Bird Club is a charity dedicated to the conservation of birds across Africa. It works with people in Africa to provide support for the study of birds and conservation with the aim of improving the status of both migratory and resident species.

Visit African Bird Club


Bird Explorers

Bird Explorers is a non-profit organisation designed to promote bird and wildlife conservation though photography.

Visit Bird Explorers