Mali
Mali spans a dramatic transition from the Sahara Desert in the north through the Sahel to drier savannas in the south. Its defining feature is the Niger River, which arcs through the country and creates the vast Inner Niger Delta around Mopti—a seasonally flooded landscape of lakes, channels, marshes and grasslands amid otherwise arid terrain. Northern Mali includes immense desert plains, rocky massifs and the remote Adrar des Ifoghas.
Overview
Mali’s greatest ornithological feature is the Inner Niger Delta, one of Africa’s most important wetlands and a major wintering area for Palearctic migrants, waterfowl, herons, storks and shorebirds. Sahel habitats support species such as Egyptian Plover, Arabian Bustard, Sudan Golden Sparrow and numerous sandgrouse, larks and raptors. However, Mali is currently an extremely difficult birding destination. Armed conflict, terrorism and instability affect large parts of the country, including areas around major birding sites, while tourism infrastructure has greatly declined. Many regions that would otherwise be ornithologically important are presently unsuitable for conventional birding tourism.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis | 65.6% | 42.5% | 67.2% | 74.1% | 66.4% | 75.1% | 72.1% | 74.2% | 47.0% | 89.6% | 79.8% | 52.4% | 46.8% |
| Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus | 51.5% | 32.5% | 54.4% | 50.0% | 63.8% | 57.4% | 58.5% | 60.8% | 49.3% | 57.5% | 60.5% | 41.4% | 31.4% |
| Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis caudatus | 41.9% | 28.3% | 45.6% | 54.5% | 45.5% | 21.1% | 50.4% | 45.0% | 20.6% | 58.8% | 52.8% | 49.8% | 29.9% |
| Western Plantain-eater Crinifer piscator | 40.9% | 24.2% | 48.1% | 56.7% | 36.7% | 30.9% | 54.0% | 65.0% | 35.9% | 50.4% | 43.6% | 23.8% | 21.4% |
| Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala | 39.8% | 27.1% | 49.7% | 26.0% | 55.4% | 32.9% | 36.5% | 51.7% | 30.9% | 50.4% | 47.6% | 31.9% | 37.2% |
| Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri | 37.1% | 29.7% | 40.0% | 49.6% | 36.9% | 31.9% | 35.6% | 30.0% | 35.0% | 57.5% | 45.3% | 31.8% | 21.4% |
| Senegal Coucal Centropus senegalensis | 36.9% | 29.1% | 28.1% | 51.8% | 46.1% | 29.1% | 54.6% | 70.0% | 19.9% | 45.4% | 31.5% | 22.9% | 14.2% |
| Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus | 35.7% | 19.7% | 25.0% | 9.5% | 57.0% | 37.5% | 45.0% | 30.9% | 31.7% | 74.2% | 55.0% | 28.0% | 14.6% |
| Western Red-billed Hornbill Tockus kempi | 35.1% | 33.1% | 30.8% | 51.7% | 31.6% | 13.2% | 34.2% | 60.0% | 16.3% | 53.8% | 45.5% | 34.4% | 16.4% |
| Yellow-crowned Gonolek Laniarius barbarus | 32.8% | 24.4% | 22.8% | 41.9% | 27.5% | 17.8% | 43.1% | 60.0% | 23.5% | 38.3% | 52.5% | 30.6% | 11.4% |