Welcome to the web site of the Zambian Ornithological Society.

For over thirty years, the Zambian Ornithological Society (ZOS) has provided a home for those interested in learning about and protecting Zambia’s bird life.

The society has a serious and long-term commitment to carrying out scientific and educational work on Zambia’s birds and their habitats. In Zambia, as elsewhere, some bird species are threatened by habitat degradation, hunting and poisoning. A few species are extremely rare and efforts to protect them must continue.

The society, in conjunction with Birdlife International, co-ordinates and sponsors academic research into the status of Zambia’s birds. We maintain an authoritative database of Zambian bird sightings and our publications include a field guide, Zambian checklists, a monthly newsletter and annual bird report.

Education is the key to conservation. With this in mind, ZOS is running an IBA education and conservation programme, with the support of the Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF) and NORAD. IBA schools have been selected within or near designated IBAs. These schools are included in ZOS activities within the IBAs (for example the biannual waterbird counts), and are provided with identification guides, copies of our IBA book and educational material on endangered birds.