Species

Country checklists and status

You can download and print a checklist for Côte d'Ivoire.

Checklists have been published (THIOLLAY, J.-M. 1985) and (DOWSETT, R.J. & DOWSETT-LEMAIRE, F. 1993) , numbering respectively 683 and 694 species, but numerous additions have since been made and the current total is about 730. A country book is in preparation by V. Salewski, O. Lachenaud and H. Rainey.

Nomenclature and taxonomy here follow the African Bird Club checklist.

Endemic / near-endemic and threatened species

No species is endemic to Côte d'Ivoire. Most of the species occuring in the northern savannas are quite widely distributed, an exception being Emerald Starling Lamprotornis iris, which is only known from Guinea, Sierra Leone and the north-western quarter of Côte d'Ivoire. It can be very locally common in its restricted range.

The forest zone is much richer in restricted-range species since it is part of the Upper Guinea forest block. All but one of the 17 Upper Guinea endemics are known from Côte d'Ivoire, the exception being Liberian Greenbul Phyllastrephus leucolepis (which doubtless occurs here, since its only known locality is in Liberia just across the border). Most of these species are widespread within the Upper Guinea block but some have a more restricted distribution: Sierra Leone Prinia Prinia leontica (highlands from Sierra Leone to western Côte d'Ivoire, with lowland records from Taï and Lamto probably erroneous), Gola Malimbe Malimbus ballmanni (near-endemic to Liberia, extending just across the border in Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire), Nimba Flycatcher Melaenornis annamarulae (so far known only west of Bandama river) and White-necked Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephalus (patchily distributed due to its need for rocky areas; in Côte d'Ivoire mostly found in the western mountains with isolated colonies in Taï National Park and Lamto).

All but three Upper Guinea endemics are considered threatened or near-threatened due to the dramatic deforestation occuring in their range. Côte d'Ivoire holds (probably by far) the largest population of White-breasted Guineafowl Agelastes meleagrides, which is mostly concentrated in Taï National Park; other Upper Guinea endemics are believed to be more numerous in Liberia where the forests are better preserved.

21 threatened and 12 near-threatened species have been recorded from Côte d'Ivoire, of which 25 are resident including 13 Upper Guinea endemics. One, Denham's Bustard Neotis denhami is a breeding migrant. The remaining seven are non-breeding migrants to the country; Black-crowned Crane Balearica pavonina has not been seen for a number of years. Corncrake Crex crex (Vulnerable) has been recorded as a vagrant only and is therefore not listed below.

Upper Guinea endemics and threatened species recorded from Côte d'Ivoire

UGE = Upper Guinean endemic
Status: R = Resident; MB = breeding migrant; M=non-breeding migrant
Status: DD = Data Deficient; NT - Near Threatened; V - Vulnerable; E - Endangered

Last page update 1st March 2007

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