Mohammed & Abed Al-Najar: Birds Of Saudi Arabia

Acknowledgment:

I would like to thank all those people who helped me bird watching in Saudi Arabia, particularly my dad, my son, my friend Abdullah Ba-Hayan, Jason Hale and all the staff in the Saudi Wildlife Commission.

Table 1. Birds of Saudi Arabia (December 2010, April 2011 & December 2011)

	Common Name	Scientific Name	Date	Location	Number	Note
1	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir		Few of them with fancy ducks.
2	Northern Shoveler	Anas clypeata	29/12/2011	Wetland, near Dammam Airport	4	♀ &/or Juvenile
3	Eurasian Teal	Anas crecca	29/12/2011	Wetland, near Dammam Airport	6	♂ & ♀
4	Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	3,2	2 Groups of 2 & 3 diving.
4	Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	29/12/2011	Wetland, near Dammam Airport	4	Probably more than 4.
5	Brown Booby	Sula leucogaster	30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1	Feeding.
5	Brown Booby	Sula leucogaster	28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1	Flying overhead into land.
6	Great Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche	1
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1	Flying
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	50	On a little island
7	Socotra Cormorant	Phalacrocorax nigrogularis	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	2 or 3	On a little island
8	Black-crowned Night Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons, Jubial Reserve	1	Resting in the middle of the water.
9	Striated Heron	Butorides striata	30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	2	1 adult and 1 Juvenile on rocks.
10	Squacco Heron	Ardeola ralloides	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	1 on ground and 2-3 flying
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	2	In summer plumage
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	2	On Ground
11	Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	On many occasion.
11	Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	8	On ground
12	Western Reef Egret	Egretta gularis	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	Flying. Light morph.
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	2	1 dark & 1 light morph.
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1	Dark Morph.
13	Western Great Egret	Egretta alba	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	Feeding
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	15	Resting in the middle of the water.
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	1 & 2
14	Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	5	Resting in the middle of the water.
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	8
15	Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	7	Feeding.
15	Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	29/12/2011	Dammam Port	70	Feeding.
16	Greater Spotted Eagle	Aquila clanga	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	4 or 5	Flying. 1 flying near Riyadh.
17	Western Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons, Jubial Reserve	2	Female or Juvenile. Circling low above the reed. At least 2 birds.
			29/12/2011	Wetland, near Dammam Airport	1
			29/12/2011	Wetland, near Dammam Airport	1	Not 100% sure, however it behaves like one.
18	Long-legged Buzzard	Buteo rufinus	22/12/2011	Hotat Bani Tamim	1	Flying.
19	Dark Chanting Goshawk	Melierax metabates	11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	70% sure. ♂ Flying low cross very narrow lake towards cover.
20	Common Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	On many occasion.
			24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche	1	Flying.
			28/12/2011	Alrak, Alghwlaa, near Jeddah	1	Flying
21	Lesser Kestrel	Falco naumanni	11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	90% sure
21	Lesser Kestrel	Falco naumanni	26/12/2011	Almughtara Farm - Wadi Hanifa - Riyadh	1	♀ Flying.
22	Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			08/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir		Heard.
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	It has been seen 3 times.
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	5	Could be much more between reeds
			29/12/2011	Wetland, near Dammam Airport	3 or 4
23	Eurasian Coot	Fulica atra	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	5	Could be much more between reeds
24	Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	♂
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central
			24/12/2011	Jubail Industrial City	13	Feeding in water channel.
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	7	7 or more.
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1
			29/12/2011	Wetland, near Dammam Airport	8
25	Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius	11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
26	Common Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1	It has been seen 3 times.
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1
27	Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche		Few of them.
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	6	Could be much more than 6.
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve		Few of them
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1
28	Lesser Sand Plover	Charadrius mongolus	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	2
29	Greater Sand Plover	Charadrius leschenaultii	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	2
30	Grey Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1
31	Red Knot	Calidris canutus	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1
32	Sanderling	Calidris alba	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1
32	Sanderling	Calidris alba	29/12/2011	Dammam Port	6
33	Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche	1 or 2	Feeding.
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central		Few of them.
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	1
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	9
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1
34	Dunlin	Calidris alpina	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche		Few of them.
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	2
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	6
35	Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	2
35	Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	29/12/2011	Dammam Port	2
36	Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	On many occasion.
37	Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche	1
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1
38	Terek Sandpiper	Xenus cinereus	29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1
39	Common Redshank	Tringa totanus	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche	1
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1
40	Common Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche	1
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1
			24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1
41	Black-tailed Godwit	Limosa limosa	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	1
42	Bar-tailed Godwit	Limosa lapponica	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	1
43	Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	1	Feeding
44	Black-headed Gull	Chroicocephalus ridibundus	28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	6	They have been seen 3 times.
45	Slender-billed Gull	Chroicocephalus genei	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve		Lots of them
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	1
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port		Lots of them.
46	Caspian Gull	Larus cachinnans	28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	2	1^st Winter & adult
47	Baltic Gull	Larus fuscus fuscus	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve		Few of them on a little island
48	Heuglin’s Gull	Larus fuscus heuglini	24/12/2011	Sabkhat al-Fasl Lagoons	1
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve		Few of them on a little island
			29/12/2011	Dammam Port	1	This one was near. Lots of Gull at the back, not easy to identify.
49	Steppe Gull	*Larus barabensis*	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve		Few of them on a little island
50	White-eyed Gull	Larus leucophthalmus	30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central		Few of them.
50	White-eyed Gull	Larus leucophthalmus	28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central	3	They have been seen 4 times.
51	Caspian Tern	Hydroprogne caspia	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	2	On a little island
51	Caspian Tern	Hydroprogne caspia	24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve		Lots of them on another site
52	Lesser Crested Tern	Sterna bengalensis	24/12/2010	Dammam Corniche		Few of them
			30/12/2010	Jeddah South Corniche and Central
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	2	On a little island
53	Rock Dove	Columba livia	22/12/2011	Ibex Reserve	7	More than one group of 5 &7. On Mountain & flying
54	Feral Pigeon	Columba livia (domest.)	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			10/04/2011	Salah-Aldin district - Riyadh
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			26/12/2011	Almughtara Farm - Wadi Hanifa - Riyadh		Lots of them on a rocky mountain.
			27/12/2011	Makkah		Lots of them
			28/12/2011	Jeddah South Corniche and Central		Lots of them
55	Namaqua Dove	Oena capensis	28/12/2011	Alrak, Alghwlaa, near Jeddah	2	♂ & ♀ have been seen 3 times.
56	Eurasian Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Dec. 2010	Near Riyadh
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			13/04/2011	Playing Field, Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			14/04/2011	Playing Field, Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh	4
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			22/12/2011	Hotat Bani Tamim	2
			26/12/2011	Almughtara Farm - Wadi Hanifa - Riyadh	3
			28/12/2011	Alrak, Alghwlaa, near Jeddah		Few of them
			30/12/2011	Playing Field, Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh	2
57	Laughing Dove	Streptopelia senegalensis	Dec. 2010	Riyadh		Quite common.
			08/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			10/04/2011	Salah-Aldin district - Riyadh
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			14/04/2011	Playing Field, Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh	1
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			22/12/2011	Hotat Bani Tamim	2
			26/12/2011	Almughtara Farm - Wadi Hanifa - Riyadh	2
			28/12/2011	Alrak, Alghwlaa, near Jeddah	1
58	Common Swift	Apus apus	08/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			27/12/2011	Jeddah		Few of them flying
59	Pallid Swift	Apus pallidus	13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	More than once.
60	Alpine Swift	Apus melba	13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	More than once.
61	Eurasian Hoopoe	Upupa epops	31/12/2010	Peace Park, Riyadh	1	Flying.
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1	Flying
			14/04/2011	Playing Field, Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh	1	Feeding.
62	White-throated Kingfisher	Halcyon smyrnensis	31/12/2010	Peace Park, Riyadh	1	It has been seen few days before.
63	European Bee-eater	Merops apiaster	11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	7	7 or more on a tree.
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	2
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	6	6 or more
			15/04/2011	Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh	1	1 or more flying and calling.
64	Blue-cheeked Bee-eater	Merops persicus	11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
64	Blue-cheeked Bee-eater	Merops persicus	14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	2
65	Little Green Bee-eater	Merops orientalis	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir		On many occasion.
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	2
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			22/12/2011	Hotat Bani Tamim	1	On Electricity wire.
			26/12/2011	Almughtara Farm - Wadi Hanifa - Riyadh	1
			28/12/2011	Alrak, Alghwlaa, near Jeddah	2	1 has been seen 3 times.
66	Crested Lark	Galerida cristata	18/12/2010	Near Riyadh	Near 10
			08/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir		Seems to be feeding chicks.
			14/04/2011	Playing Field, Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh	2
			24/12/2011	Abu Ali – Jubial Reserve	3
67	Greater Short-toed Lark	Calandrella brachydactyla	18/12/2010	Near Riyadh	1
67	Greater Short-toed Lark	Calandrella brachydactyla	22/12/2011	Dairy Farm	1 or 2	On grass. Between Hotat Bani Tamim & Riyadh
68	Rock Martin	Ptyonoprogne fuligula	Dec. 2010	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			30/12/2010	Makkah		Few of them.
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	1
			14/04/2011	Playing Field, Salah Al-Din District, Riyadh	4	4 or more might be nesting in a building.
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir	4	1 Pair on the nest under the bridge.
			27/12/2011	Makkah	1
69	Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	08/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			09/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			11/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir
			13/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir		Quite few.
			14/04/2011	Wadi Hanifa, Al-Ha'ir		Lots of them.
70	Common House Martin	Del

Monday, 30 January 2012

Birds Of Saudi Arabia