Help BRI Bring Bird Field Guides to Local Conservation Leaders in Zambia!

Biologists with BRI’s Biodiversity Research Program work all over the world, and wherever we go, we meet people who care deeply about birds but lack access to the basic tools that foster learning. Printed field guides are often prohibitively expensive or unavailable locally, and many community members, wildlife guides, and young learners tell us that they wish they had one.

BRI is launching a focused effort to help meet this need in one of the places where we work most closely: Western Province, Zambia.

We are raising funds to purchase copies of Birds of Greater Southern Africa, the same field guide used by BRI’s ornithologists during our biodiversity surveys in this region!

This guide is accurate, approachable, and one of the best resources available for learning the birds of Southern Africa. The cost of this guide changes throughout the year, generally between $25 and $45, so we are estimating that for each $35 received, we can purchase one copy.

Donate using the button below. Please indicate “field guide” in the note option on the donation page.

Donate a Field Guide!

How a book can make a difference!

Provides names, illustrations, and range maps that support confident identification of Western Province’s more than 500 species of birds.
Helps local wildlife guides strengthen their skills and improve their livelihoods.
Encourages local communities to engage with nature in a deeper way.
Builds long term local capacity for biodiversity monitoring and environmental stewardship.
Supports learning in places where printed bird guides are difficult to access or too costly.

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Because our team will already be on the ground in Zambia in January, we are well positioned to deliver these guides in person to those who want them. These individuals include community partners, wildlife guides, and birders we meet during our survey work. Our staff will be available to help new users understand how to get the most out of a field guide so that each copy becomes a practical, long-term resource.

Although this campaign focuses on field guides, some donors may wish to support the purchase of binoculars. Quality entry-level binoculars usually start at around $100. Donors who would like to contribute at this level, or who need tax documentation for larger gifts, can contact us for additional information.

This campaign has no minimum or maximum goal. Every single guide we purchase will make a real difference. If you would like to support this effort, you can donate through the link on this page. Your contribution will help bring essential learning tools to people in Western Province, Zambia, who are interested in learning about their local birdlife.

Check out some of the birds from Zambia below! Species photo credits to Mael Glon.