Wildlife of Nigeria

[5] The rainforest zone stretches inland for about 270 km (170 mi) but its composition varies considerably, with rainfall decreasing from west to east and from south to north.

In Omo Forest Reserve for example, the commonest trees are several species of Diospyros, Tabernaemontana pachysiphon, Octolobus angustatus, Strombosia pustulata, Drypetes gossweileri, Rothmania hispida, Hunteria unbellata, Rinorea dentata, Voacanga africana, and Anthonotha aubryanum.

[7] About one half of Nigeria is classified as Guinea savanna in the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic ecoregion, characterized by scattered groups of low trees surrounded by tall grasses, with strips of gallery forest along the watercourses.

Typical trees here are suited to the seasonally dry conditions and repeated wildfires and include Lophira lanceolata, Afzelia africana, Daniellia oliveri, Borassus aethiopum, Anogeissus leiocarpa, Vitellaria paradoxa, Ceratonia siliqua, and species of Isoberlinia.

Around the Oba Dam, east of Ibadan, various waterfowl can be seen including several species of heron and egret, African pygmy goose, comb-crested jacana, black-winged stilt, Egyptian plover, and black crake.

In the adjoining rainforest, specialties include western square-tailed drongo and glossy-backed drongo, the African oriole and black-headed orioles, painted-snipe, several species of dove, Klaas' and diederik cuckoos, as well as kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, and bushshrikes, including the fiery-breasted bushshrike, flocks of iridescent starlings, and several species of Malimbus, a genus only found in West Africa.

Some birds found in open savanna include hooded vulture, stone partridge, guineafowl, black-billed wood dove, black cuckoo, blue-naped mousebird, and Abyssinian roller.