Clive Barlow

Clive Barlow has been the Director of "Birds of The Gambia Co, Ltd" since 1985 and is co-author of the award winning book, A Field Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal, organises and leads a variety of tours of 1 to 14 days duration for birders, photographers, sound recordists and film makers. Now, in partnership with Andrew Lamy and Firefinch Adventures, he offers custom birding tours to many parts of West Africa.

Resident and leading tours in the Gambia since 1985, Clive is particularly interested in the biology of avian brood parasitism and the ecology of forest birds. He was instrumental in the creation of the Kiang West national Park, Kunkilling Forest Reserve, and the Tanji Bird Reserves, has been active in research, conservation, and environmental education in The Gambia, and has recently worked in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Mali and Nigeria. With John Hammick and Pat Sellar he has published the three CD set Bird Song of The Gambia and Senegal: an aid to identification. Between 1990-1996 his work included the establishment of the Atlantic Hotel bird garden which subsequently won first prize in Gambia's National Environmental Award Scheme. Clive has been an advisor on several BBC Wildlife TV documentaries including 'Jewel in the Sun' and 'Who's King of the Kingfishers'. Clive Barlow has numerous research publication credits in addition to his field guide, and has most notably co-authored papers with Robert Payne of Michigan State University on Birdsong mimicry of firefinches and waxbills in brood parasitizing whydahs and indigobirds of West Africa.