June 15, 2009 (Vol. 29, No. 12)
URL:
http://www.birdquest.net/afbid
Rating:
Strong Points: Good organization
Weak Points: Site is a bit slow
Summary:
We’re going on an African safari! On this excursion, though, we’re not concerned with lions or giraffes. Instead, we’re going to take a gander at the avian biodiversity of the African continent.
In order to promote conservation, the groups Bird Explorers, Birding Africa, and the African Bird Club created this database, which now includes 11,196 images. These images showcase 1,845 species. That is certainly impressive, but the true scope of African bird biodiversity is only realized after one looks at the long list of species not yet represented on the site. So, if you’re looking for an excuse to travel to Africa, pack up your camera, as anybody can submit photographs of birds they encounter. The database is easy to navigate, and one can either peruse the latest photos, browse by species, or search by the country in which the photographs were taken.
