INTRODUCTION

Many of the endemic birds of Ethiopia - like the Thick-billed Raven, Wattled Ibis, Black-winged Lovebird and White-collared Pigeon - are notably common over extensive areas of the plateau, and, because they are big, readily identified and not especially shy, they are consequently easy to see and observe. Even in the highland forests, which support comparatively few endemic species of birds, the endemics are nevertheless obvious and common. The song of one - the Abyssinian Catbird - is considered to be one of the most beautiful of any bird in Africa. Three Ethiopian endemics are confined to the southern edge of the Ethiopian plateau: they are the Stresemann's Bush-Crow, the White-tailed Swallow and Prince Ruspoli's Turaco. The first two occur nevertheless commonly at around 1200 meters (4000 feet) in a small restricted area whose ecological boundaries are so far unexplained; Prince Rusponli's Turaco, the third species, is included ill the "Red Book" of endagered species of the world. Another endemic Ethiopian bird, the Blue-winged Goose, is a very isolated species: its closest relative is a goose, which occurs in South America.

It is surprising that the biology of obvious and common endemic birds of Ethiopia remains poorly known. The nests and eggs of several are not described. The underlying factors - past and present restricting the endemic birds to Ethiopia have yet to be determined. The ecology, behavior and breeding biology have not been fully documented for any of the 23 species, and for many there is virtually no information at all. For the scientist, the endemic birds of Ethiopia provide a great number of interesting problems of investigation; for the tourist, they provide a very enjoyable opportunity of seeing something new and unique; for the bird watcher, they provide the experience of observing 23 birds found nowhere else in the world.

Wing measurements are taken from the African Handbook of Birds (Mack-worth-Praed and Grant).