The deep connection between Indigenous communities and nature plays a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation. Ethiopia, one of Africa's priority countries for bird conservation, harbours 821 bird species and 83 ethnic groups of Indigenous people. However, cultural and spiritual ties between Indigenous peoples and bird species remain largely unexplored. This is particularly true for remote Indigenous communities such as the Nuer. Relying on preexisting bird survey data, we conducted focussed group discussions and semi‐structured interviews with Indigenous Nuer in western Ethiopia to explore human–bird interactions and documented associated traditional ecological knowledge and considered their conservation implications. We found that Nuers have strong ties with birds. In Nuer community, birds are collectively known by three interchangeable terms: ‘gaatkuoth’ to mean sacred children of god, ‘kuoth’ meaning bearers of spirit and ‘diit’ symbols of human twins (since birds nurture multiple offspring, they associate the incidence of twins in human with birds). We identified 71 culturally important bird species that were used in seven different use categories. Among these species, 10 were used as bushmeat, five for traditional medicine, eight as fish indicators, seven as omens (believed to indicate upcoming misfortunes), three as amulets (believed to protect against danger when bird's body parts are used as necklaces and bracelets), three as season indicators and 45 for their scenic beauty. An informant consensus factor for species in all use categories was >90%, except for the scenic value, indicating a high homogeneity of knowledge about species uses. Bird species with multiple uses have significant cultural values among locals, emphasizing the need to understand these values in conservation efforts. Nuer traditional systems regulate the direct use of birds including for bushmeat. Hunting is permitted only by impoverished households during severe food shortages and is prohibited for those with a history of twins in their ancestry. The Nuer people exhibit a profound cultural connection to birds, viewing them as sacred and spiritually valuable beings. This deep‐seated reverence and traditional knowledge highlight the importance of integrating Indigenous perspectives into bird conservation strategies to enhance their effectiveness and respect cultural values. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Harwood’s Spurfowl Pternistis harwoodi is an endemic bird of Ethiopia. Globally, it is categorised as Vulnerable. Habitat loss and hunting are the major conservation threats to the species. This study investigated the activity patterns of Harwood’s Spurfowl in relation to biophysical variables in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia. A species focal sampling method was applied to quantify the time budget of the target species during the dry and wet seasons of 2016. The time spent by the species on various activity patterns were significantly different (p < 0.05). The mean proportion of time utilised by the species for ‘calling’, ‘feeding’, ‘preening’ and ‘resting’ activities based on habitat types and seasons were also statistically different (p < 0.05). Except for ‘resting’, most activity patterns showed bimodal patterns with peaks during the early morning and late in the afternoon. The number of Harwood’s Spurfowl (birds per hour per square metre) detected was higher during the cooler wet season. The highe... Schémas d’activité diurne du Francolin de Harwood Pternistis harwoodi en relation avec les types d’habitat et les conditions climatiques dans les hauts plateaux du centre de l’EthiopieLe Francolin de Harwood Pternistis harwoodi est un oiseau endémique de l’Ethiopie. À l’échelle mondiale, il est classé comme Vulnérable. La perte d’habitat et la chasse sont les principales menaces pour la conservation de l’espèce. Cette étude examine les modèles d’activité du Francolin de Harwood par rapport aux variables biophysiques dans les hautes terres centrales de l’Éthiopie. La méthode d’échantillonnage focale des espèces a été appliquée pour quantifier le budget-temps des espèces cibles durant les saisons sèches et humides de 2016. Le temps passé par l’espèce sur différents modèles d’activité était significativement différent (p < 0,05). La proportion moyenne de temps utilisée par l’espèce pour «émettre des cris», «s’alimenter», «se toiletter» et «se reposer» en fonction des types d›habitat et des saisons était égal...