To a large extent Zambia’s avifauna is that of the Central African Plateau. The vegetation is principally miombo woodland, bisected by grassy dambos along drainage lines. In some areas the miombo woodland is replaced by other woodland types, dry forest or thicket. Along watercourses there may be riparian forest, or in wetter areas in the north, wet evergreen forest. Most of these habitats have a distinctive set of birds.

Zambia also has low-lying valleys. These include the Luangwa and Middle Zambezi Valleys and the country between Lakes Tanganyika and Mweru. A number of birds found in these areas are different from those occurring at higher altitudes.

A very small part of Zambia has montane altitudes. The avifauna here is quite different from that of the rest of the country and includes several species with very limited ranges.

Of Zambia’s woodland birds, a few are found only in particular kinds of woodland - miombo or mopane, for example or in association with fig or palm trees. Most, however, occur in a range of woodland types, and often also the edge of forest. This is true of many of the forty-four species of diurnal raptor of the family Accipitridae - the vultures, hawks, eagles, etc. Thus the Bateleur, Shikra and Lizard Buzzard can be found almost anywhere. Among the less common members of this family, the African Cuckoo Hawk, Bat Hawk, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Ayres Hawk Eagle and Crowned Eagle are more common in Zambia than in many other countries where they occur.

Some of the birds inhabiting woodlands are the doves, pigeons, parrots, cuckoos. owls, nightjars, kingfishers, hornbills and the Broad-billed Roller. Barbets, honeyguides, woodpeckers, Swallows, the Fork-tailed Drongo and flycatchers. See the bird checklist for a full list of species found in Zambia.

Lying at the centre of the miombo zone of south-central Africa, Zambia has a greater variety of miombo birds than any of its neighbours. Miombo is the commonest woodland type in Zambia and such areas have an undisturbed avifauna.

Many of the birds of the miombo woodland join mixed-species bird parties. A typical bird party may contain members of ten or twenty species, mainly of territorial insectivorous birds. The party travels slowly through the woodland and membership changes as the route leaves and enters individual territories. A party is often first noticed where one of its more conspicuous members is seen or heard - a Fork-tailed Drongo or Arnot’s Chat, for example. The following are some of the birds that, where they occur, usually join mixed-species bird parties in miombo woodland. Scimitarbill, Hoopoe, barbets, honeyguides, woodpeckers, pipits, cuckoo shrikes, eremomelas, Miombo Barred Warbler (E), hyliotas, flycatchers, Chinspot Batis, tits, Spotted Creeper (E), orioles, Brubru, Southern Puffback, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Fork-tailed Drongo, Violet backed Starling, Yellow-throated Petronia, Chestnut-mantled Sparrow-weaver (E) (n), Weavers, Seed-eaters, Cabanis’s Bunting (E)More independent birds found here are the Pale-billed Hornbill, Central Bearded Scrub Robin, Trilling Cisticola (n) and many of the sunbirds.