Important Bird Areas

Three biomes are represented in Chad: the Saharan-Sindian in the north; the Sahel in the centre and the Sudan-Guinea Savanna in the south and these areas hold high proportions of the biome restricted range species. Lake Chad and Lake Fitri are of importance for Palearctic migrants and Lake Fitri is also significant as a drought refuge for Afrotropical waterbirds. Eight Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been recognised covering some 11.4% of the land area of Chad.

Tibesti Massif, Fada Archei and Ouadi-Rimé - Ouadi-Achim have a number of Saharan-Sindian restricted range species including Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii and Crowned Sandgrouse P.coronatus, White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga and Blackstart Cercomela melanura. Ouadi-Rimé - Ouadi-Achim is one of the largest protected areas in Africa, some 6% of Chad’s land area, and also has a large number of Sahel species which include Nubian Bustard Neotis nuba and Little Grey Woodpecker Dendropicos elachus.

Lake Chad has 9 restricted range Sahel species including the little known River Prinia Prinia fluviatilis. Lake Chad and Lake Fitri both hold over 20,000 waterbirds regularly including large populations of both Garganey Anas querquedula and Northern Pintail A.acuta. Lake Fitri also holds a major proportion of the western population of Black-crowned Crane Balearica pavonina.

Zakouma National Park, Binder-Léré and Manda National Park are in the south of Chad with a number of Sudan-Guinea Savanna species including Red-throated Bee-eater Merops bulocki and Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae.

Further information on Chad’s IBAs can be found at BirdLife International.