The birds of the Parc National de la Garamba, République Démocratique du Congo

Abstract

This is an inventory of the bird species known for certain from the Parc National de la Garamba in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It has involved examination of a large, unpublished, collection of specimens, as well as the limited literature and internet resources. A total of 437 species can be considered as confirmed. Many more have been claimed that are likely to be erroneous or for which acceptable documentation is lacking. However, it is clear that the avifauna of this large and important protected area has been insufficiently explored, that many more species can be expected to occur and the status of what is known is fragmentary. Four species represent the first published records for the DRC: Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus, Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark Eremopterix leucotis, Turkestan Shrike Lanius phoenicuroides and Sahel Bush Sparrow Gymnoris dentata. The park is clearly an important winter area for Whinchat Saxicola rubetra and several other Palaearctic migrants.