WHO WE ARE
Introduction
This page provides a summary of the African Bird Club, its aims, what it does, how it is managed and the benefits to you of membership or sponsorship. Special thanks are extended to the photographers, artists and writers who contribute their work freely to African Bird Club publications and its website.
Background
The African Bird Club is a UK registered charity which is managed on a voluntary basis by a Council of trustees. The Club was formed in 1994 following a proposal by a number of people with a common interest in African ornithology.
The Club covers the ornithology of the following geographic region:
- Continental Africa
- Indian Ocean islands west of 80° East, e.g. Madagascar, Mascarene islands and Socotra
- Atlantic Ocean on or east of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, e.g. Tristan da Cunha group, Azores and Canaries.
About a quarter of the world’s bird species, more than 2500, have been recorded in this region, with 332 included on BirdLife International’s Red Data species list for 2011, the most recent summary of the world’s threatened and near-threatened species.
- provide a worldwide focus for African ornithology
- raise money to support conservation projects in Africa through the Conservation Fund
- encourage an interest in the conservation of the birds of the region
- liaise with and promote the work of existing regional societies
- publish a twice-yearly colour bulletin
- encourage observers to visit lesser known areas of the region, and search for and study globally threatened and near-threatened species.
