The Central African Republic is a developing nation that has experienced several periods of political instability since independence from France in 1960. Although it has a number of National Parks, facilities for tourism are limited. It has pristine forests and lively cities but also a lawless countryside and crumbling roads.

From an ornithological point of view, it is a very under-recorded country and many areas have not been visited in recent years. With a list of over 700 species, the Central African Republic might appeal to the more adventurous traveller but you would be advised to review the latest travel warnings before embarking on a trip.

The purpose of this document is to provide a summary of the Central African Republic and its birds for birders interested in the country and potentially planning a visit. The information has been put together from a number of sources and it is intended to add new information as it becomes available. As such, readers are welcome to submit contributions by e-mail to info@africanbirdclub.org. You should note that the names of birds used in this document are those of the African Bird Club checklist.