The ecology and numbers of aquatic birds on the Kafue Flats, Zambia

Abstract

The Kafue Flats in southern Zambia are located at about 15 degrees 30 minutes S and between 27 and 28 degrees E. They are flooded annually by the Kafue River, and extend for some 140 miles along the river with a width of between 10 and 30 miles. The total area of the Flats is some 2,500 square miles... The Kafue Flats area, with its striking concentrations of Lechwe antelope and birds (including wildfowl, shorebirds, wading and some fish-eating birds), has long been considered one of the greatest spectacles in Africa. Many distinguished ornithologists have expressed the opinion that the variety and numbers of aquatic birds on the Flats compare favourably with the best wetland areas in the world... Little is known about the ecology and movements of aquatic birds in Central Africa. The Kafue Flats provide perfect conditions for the study of wildfowl breeding, habitat and movements.