Ethiopia Gambella National Park
Ethiopia is a very important country ornithologically. Some 816 species of bird have been recorded of which at least 596 are resident and 224 are regular seasonal migrants including 176 from the Palearctic.
Parts or all of three Endemic Bird Areas (EBAs) lie within Ethiopia: the Jubba and Shabeelle vallleys EBA is shared with Somalia and 3 of its 4 species occur; the whole of the South Ethiopian highlands EBA with 5 species is within Ethiopia; and most of the Central Ethiopian highlands EBA is in Ethiopia and its 4 species occur. There is also one secondary area which is defined by the distribution of Sombre Rock-Chat Cercomela dubia.
Parts of 4 biome restricted assemblages occur in Ethiopia: Sahel in a small area in the far north with 16 of its species; Sudan-Guinea Savanna which occupies much of the west of the country with 16 of 54 species; Afrotropical highlands which straddles much of the centre of Ethiopia with 49 species; and Somali-Masai across the ast and remaining central parts with 98 species.
Numerous wetlands are important for birds including the lakes of the Rift Valley, montane marshes and bogs and particularly in the west, lowland swamps.
A remarkable 69 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) were defined by the Ethiopian WildLife and Natural History Society in Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands (BirdLife International 2001). They cover 47,757 km2 equivalent to at least 4.3% of the land area of the country. They are as follows:
| 01 Shire lowlands in the Tekeze valley | 36 Jibat forest |
| 02 Dessa’a forest | 37 Tiro Boter—Becho forest |
| 03 Simen Mountains National Park | 38 Mount Zuquala |
| 04 Lake Ashenge | 39 Koka dam and Lake Gelila |
| 05 Hugumburda and Grat-Kahsu forests | 40 Baro river |
| 06 Fogera plains | 41 Lake Zeway |
| 07 Bahir Dar—Lake Tana | 42 Gambella National Park |
| 08 Lake Abe wetland system | 43 Shek Husein |
| 09 Yegof forest | 44 Mugo highlands |
| 10 Yangudi-Rassa National Park | 45 Koffe swamp |
| 11 Denkoro forest | 46 Metu—Gore—Tepi forests |
| 12 Awi Zone | 47 Lake Langano |
| 13 Choke mountains | 48 Abijatta—Shalla Lakes National Park |
| 14 Guassa (Menz) | 49 Boyo wetland |
| 15 Jemma and Jara valleys | 50 Bonga forest |
| 16 Mid-Abbay (Blue Nile) river basin | 51 Senkele Sanctuary |
| 17 Lakes Alemaya and Adele | 52 Sof Omar |
| 18 Ankober—Debre Sina escarpment | 53 Lake Awassa |
| 19 Aliyu Amba—Dulecha | 54 Bale Mountains National Park |
| 20 Finchaa and Chomen swamps | 55 Omo National Park |
| 21 Berga flood-plain | 56 Nechisar National Park |
| 22 Bisidimo | 57 Genale river |
| 23 Entoto Natural Park and escarpment | 58 Anferara forests |
| 24 Sululta plain | 59 Mago National Park |
| 25 Gudo plain | 60 Lower Wabi Shebelle river and Warder |
| 26 Chilimo forest | 61 Mankubsa—Welenso forest |
| 27 Gefersa reservoir | 62 Liben plains and Negele woodlands |
| 28 Awash National Park | 63 Konso—Segen |
| 29 Akaki—Aba—Samuel wetlands | 64 Yabello Sanctuary |
| 30 Dilu Meda (Tefki) | 65 Arero forest |
| 31 Menagesha State Forest | 66 Dawa—Wachile |
| 32 Bishoftu lake | 67 Lake Chew Bahir |
| 33 Chelekleka lake and swamp | 68 Bogol Manyo—Dolo |
| 34 Green Lake Oromiya | 69 Lake Turkana and Omo delta |
| 35 Babille Elephant Sanctuary |
For further details, download the country IBAs from BirdLife International.
