The Republic of Burundi is a small country in the Great Lakes region of East Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the south and east, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. While the country is landlocked, much of the southwestern border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika. Most of the country's once extensive forests have been cleared for pastureland and farmland, and human settlements are encroaching upon the habitats of Burundis wildlife.

Of the animal species that inhabit Burundi, 18 are threatened. Burundi has ratified an international agreement intended to protect endangered species. About 5.3 percent of the country's total area is officially protected from development. The main protected areas are Kibira National Park, Ruvubu National Park , Ruzizi Nature Reserve, and Bururi Nature Reserve. Burundi has an equatorial climate and is part of the Albertine Rift, the western extension of the Great Rift Valley.

The country lies on a rolling plateau in the center of Africa. The average elevation of the central plateau is 5,600 feet (1,700m), with lower elevations at the borders. The highest peak, Mount Heha at 8,810 feet (2,690m), lies to the southeast of the capital, Bujumbura. The Nile is a major river in Burundi. Lake Victoria is also an important water source, which serves as a fork to the Kagera River. Another major lake is Lake Tanganyika, located in much of Burundi's southwestern corner. Burundi's lands are mostly agricultural or pasture.

Poor land management has damaged the country's environment Deforestation of the entire country is due to overpopulation, with a mere 230 square miles remaining and an ongoing loss of about 9% per annum. Settlement by rural populations has led to deforestation, soil erosion and habitat loss.

There are two national parks, Kibira National Park to the northwest a small region of rain forest, adjacent to Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda, Rurubu National Park to the northeast (along the Rurubu River, also known as Ruvubu or Ruvuvu). Both were established in 1982 to conserve wildlife populations.

Burundi is home to an impressive number of species of birds that vary from residents, that stay all year around, to breeding birds, that spend a good part of the growing season in Burundi to raise their young, migrants who pass through Burundi with the seasons, to wintering birds who like to spend a good part of the winter in Burundi to escape colder conditions up north.

Among the species of the Check list of the birds of Burundi you can find waterfowl and wading birds, a large suite of song birds, raptors, game birds, swifts and nighthawks, etc., many of which occupy several ecosystems simultaneously, as they fly to and from forests, meadows, shorelines of waters, cities and and urban green spaces. At Birdlist, we have developed a coding system that can help you predict when you may expect a certain species, with a code for seasonality, such as resident, nesting, wintering, etc.

A code for abundance will give you a clue on the likelihood that you may actually see a certain species of bird. As we progressed with the coding, we realized that there should be a differentiation in the coding for "common", such as less common, common and very common birds. However, this would require reliable quantative data, which for most states, are not revealed by the commission of bird records. We hope to provide those in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the current Check list of the birds of Burundi.

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