The fauna of Burundi remains rich and varied because of the diversity of biotopes. It is composed of relatively well known vertebrates and very poorly studied invertebrates. Vertebrates include mammals, birds, reptiles, reptiles, amphibians, and fish with around 1202 species.

Burundi has more than 584 species of birds. This ornithological wealth derives especially from the presence of terrestrial and aquatic biotopes sheltering both migratory and sedentary species. Some sites such as the Rusizi Nature Reserve, the dune beaches of Ruvubu Park and Lake Rwihinda, also called “Bird Lake”, are birdwatching paradises par excellence. Endemic birds number 22 species, divided into 22 genera and 13 families. The family containing many endemic species is Silviidae (6 species). The most species-rich genus (4 species) is Nectarinia from the Nectariniidae family.

Burundi has 27 endangered species (13 endangered species and 14 vulnerable species) divided into 17 genera and 10 families.

This document gives a certainly non-exhaustive list of avian species in Burundi (Table 1). This list is based on the inventory work carried out as part of the Biological Diversity Project (1992) of the Peace Corps (Field Museum of Natural History, FMNH) and the various studies carried out at INECN and the University of Burundi. We therefore present the major contributors as well as all the documentation containing data on the avifauna of natural environments in Burundi.