SUB-REGION
West Africa
SIZE
112,622 km²
BIRDS AND BIRDING
SPECIES
Diversity
Strongly Afrotropical avifauna
Approximately 580 recorded species
Birds best found in Benin but occurring more widely
Anambra Waxbill
Proposed splits not yet accepted by IOC
Etchécopar’s Owlet
Western Long-tailed Hornbill
Western Buff-throated Apalis
Black-crowned Capuchin Babbler
Dahomey Forest Robin
Other taxa of interest
Ahanta Spurfowl
Savile’s Bustard
Grey Pratincole
Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle
West African Wattle-eye
Baumann’s Olive Greenbul
Puvel’s Illadopsis
Exclamatory Paradise Whydah
MAIN HABITATS
Grassy river valleys, Guinea woodland, lowland forest, arid savanna
BIRD AREAS
6 Important Bird Areas
BIRDING SITES
>40 km north-east of Cotonou for Anambra Waxbill
W National Park for Guinea woodland and savanna species
Lama Forest for lowland forest species
TIMING (Oct–Nov, Apr)
Best to travel in the dry season (Sep–Apr) when access is easier and Afro-Palearctic migrants are present
Most birds breed Apr–Jul
Avoid the middle of the rains (May–Jul)
RESOURCES
Apps
Birds of Africa (iOS or Android)
Field guides
Birds of Western Africa by Nik Borrow & Ron Demey (2014)
Sounds
African Bird Sounds Vol 2: West and Central Africa by Claude Chappuis
Further reading
The Birds of Benin and Togo: an Atlas and Handbook by Françoise Dowsett-Lemaire & Robert J Dowsett (2019)
Les Oiseaux du Complexe WAP by Gilles Balança, Daniel Cornélis & Roger Wilson (2007)
Benin by R A Cheke in Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: Priority Sites for Conservation edited by Lincoln D C Fishpool & Michael I Evans (2001)
Articles in Malimbus, Bull. ABC, etc.
Websites
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex – UNESCO World Heritage List
Benin Tours – Ashanti African Tours
Facebook groups
Birds of Pendjari , W and Arly Parks
ORGANISATIONS
There is currently no BirdLife Partner in Benin
Bird or conservation organisations active in Benin include –
Nature Tropicale (NT-ONG) – Musée des Sciences Naturelles
Benin Environment and Education Society (BEES-ONG)
Amis de l’Afrique Francophone-Bénin (AMAF-BENIN)
SOS Savane-ONG
Africa Mobile Nature (AMN-ONG)
Eco-Bénin
Union des Associations Villageoises de Gestion des Réserves de Faune (U-AVIGREF)
Coordination pour la Recherche et le Développement en Environnement (CoRDE-ONG)
Centre de Recherche et de Gestion de la Biodiversité et du Terroir (CERGET)
African Parks: Pendjari and W National Park
Association des Campements Touristiques pour l’Appui à la Gestion du Parc Régional W (ACTAG-PRW)
IITA-Benin