Introduction

Relatively few birders have been to Mauritania and ornithological surveys have been largely restricted to the coastal zone. With the Sahara Desert covering over 60% of the country and the resulting travel difficulties, this is hardly surprising. However, Mauritania has some of the most important coastal wetlands in Africa and with a species list of over 500, the intrepid birdwatcher will be well rewarded. Perhaps the following quote from Lonely Planet will whet the appetite: "bird watchers are the luckiest travellers; the 200 km Banc d’Arguin is arguably the best spot on the planet to indulge ornithological passions."

The purpose of this document is to provide a summary of Mauritania 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.