Ethiopian montane grasslands and woodlands

It excludes the higher-rainfall southwestern and southeastern portions of the highlands, which constitute the separate Ethiopian montane forests ecoregion.

[6][7] In 2017 Eric Dinerstein et al. revised the ecoregion system in the highlands, following the map of potential natural vegetation of eastern Africa developed by VECEA.

[1] Afromontane forests are found in more humid areas of the highlands, generally between 1,500 and 2,700 meters elevation with annual rainfall from 700 to 1100 mm.

Small and mid-sized trees form a stratum below the canopy, and include Allophylus abyssinicus, Apodytes dimidiata, Bersama abyssinica, Cassipourea malosana, Celtis africana, Noronhia mildbraedii, Dovyalis abyssinica, Dracaena steudneri, Ekebergia capensis, Erythrina brucei (endemic), Millettia ferruginea (endemic), Lepidotrichilia volkensii, Maytenus undata, Olinia rochetiana, Prunus africana, Vepris nobilis, and Vepris dainellii (endemic).

Smaller trees and shrubs include Carissa spinarum, Discopodium penninervium, Dombeya torrida, Halleria lucida, Acanthus sennii (endemic), Lobelia giberroa, Myrsine africana, Pittosporum viridiflorum, Ritchiea albersii, Solanecio gigas, and Spiniluma oxyacantha.

[5] At higher elevations between 3,000 and 3,400 meters is a woodland or evergreen bushland with the trees Hagenia abyssinica and Hypericum revolutum along with smaller trees and shrubs including Erica arborea, Lasiosiphon glaucus, Chrysojasminum stans, Myrica salicifolia, Myrsine africana, Myrsine melanophloeos, Nuxia congesta, and Rosa abyssinica.

Acacias are the predominant trees in the primary woodlands, including Vachellia abyssinica, V. lahai, V. pilispina and V. origena, and the endemic species V. negrii, V. bavazzanoi, and Senegalia venosa.

[5] Much of the highlands have been densely populated for centuries, and the vegetation has been much altered by fire, livestock grazing, conversion to agriculture, and overharvesting firewood and timber.

[11] Near-endemic birds include Rüppell's black chat (Myrmecocichla melaena) and Ankober serin (Crithagra ankoberensis), which also range into the montane moorlands, and the lineated pytilia (Pytilia lineata),[1] The blue-winged goose (Cyanochen cyanoptera), Rouget's rail (Rougetius rougetii), Abyssinian catbird (Sylvia galinieri), and Harwood's francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) are endemic to the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and near-endemic to the ecoregion.