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The Birds of Dubai
Migration period At any one time during migration periods (July - November and April - May) probably in excess of 250,000 waders are present on intertidal areas of the country's Gulf coast. Taking into account the likely turnover of shorebirds on this Eurasian/West Asian - Arabian Gulf - African flyway, the mudflats of the southern Gulf probably support several million individuals over the course of a year.
The current UAE population of Socotra Cormorants (picture) is around 200,000, which is about 15-33% of the estimated total world population.
Individual sites are regionally important for wader species, namely Abu al Abyadh for its Crab Plover (picture) (dromas ardeola) colony and migratory populations of Lesser Sand Plover (picture) (Charadrius mongolus), Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus and Grey Plover (picture) Pluvialis squatarola, Khor Dubai for its high densities of Kentish plover, Greater Sand Plover (picture) Charadrius leschenaultii, Lesser Sand Plover and Broad-billed Sandpiper (picture) Limicola falcinellus and Khor al Beidah for its large wintering population of Crab Plover and parties of up to 90 wintering Great Knot (picture) Calidris tenuirostris. The summer population of Crab Plover is estimated at over 1,200 shared between Abu al Abyadh and another colony on the island of Umm Amim, while the largest wintering population of over 500 birds is at Khor al Beidah.
Wader watchers are in their element in the northern Emirates where a visit to one of the three major wetlands on the Gulf coast should produce an exciting abundance of palearctic shorebirds.
On 13th November 2006, good numbers of birds were at Ra's al-Khor, Dubai, with highlights including 3 yellow-billed Storks (picture), 1,000 Greater Flamingos, the Lesser Flamingo, 2 Greater Spotted Eagles (picture), a Bonelli's Eagle (picture), 600 Grey Plovers, 1,000 little Stints, 1,200 Curlew Sandpipers, 90 Broad-billed Sandpipers, 250 Caspian / Steppe gulls, 300 Slender-billed gulls and a Masked Wagtail.
The most attractive species include Great White Egret, Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Marsh Harrier, Spotted Eagle, Osprey and Caspian Tern. The area can be viewed from around the perimeter adjacent to the main roads to Hatta and Al Ain. This site has been declared a Wildlife Sanctuary (the country's only one so far) by Dubai's Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, whose interest in the high numbers of Greater Flamingos occurring throughout the year encouraged him to build a breeding island in the centre of the lagoon. The area is patrolled by the police to prevent disturbance to the birds and you may be asked to leave. This restriction may not be enforced if they see and understand you are simply watching the birds. Passes can be obtained from Nad al Sheba police station.
Further up the coast in Umm al Quwain, an even bigger expanse of mudflats at Khor al Beidah hosts the country's largest wintering flock of Crab Plover (up to 500 birds between September and February), often in the company of the even rarer Great Knot, which until recently was believed to winter only in the Far East and Australasia! These two species are good crowd-pullers for attracting visiting birdwatchers. The extensive khor is also a favoured site of Greater Sand Plover, Whimbrel and Terek Sandpiper.
The complex of sheltered intertidal mudflats, islands and mangroves is bounded inland by sabkha (salt flats) and rolling dunes, which host several breeding species of larks, including Black-crowned Finch, Lesser Short-toed and Hoopoe Lark. In winter, Isabelline and Desert Wheatear, Desert Warbler and Tawny Pipit are common. Access to this remote area is by several unofficial dirt tracks.
The spectacular lagoon at Al Jazeerah Khor, south of Ras al Khaimah, where the Arabian Gulf is guarded on the land side by a high bank of red sand dunes from where the observer can get a wonderful view of the mudflats and its bird population.
East Coast beaches and mangroves
At Khor Kalba on the border with the Sultanate of Oman, is situated the country's (and possibly Arabia's) oldest forest of black mangrove Avicennia marina. This area, one of the jewels in the itinerary of visiting naturalists, hosts, amongst other creatures, an endemic sub-species of White-collared Kingfisher. At certain times of the year, turtles (green, loggerback and hawksbill ) may enter the khor to feed, while the nearby coastline is favoured by eight species of tern and six species of gull, which roost on the black sandy beach or feed on dead fish lying discarded on the beach. The mangroves are alive with the calls of Clamorous Reed Warblers, Booted Warblers and Purple Sunbirds for most of the year, while Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters roost in spectacular numbers in autumn. The mudflats are teeming with small crabs, the staple diet of several species, including the White-collared Kingfisher and occasionally Crab Plover, Greater Sand Plover and Whimbrel.
The remainder of the eastern coastline teems with gulls, terns and skuas, plus, at the northern end, the occasional Audubon's Shearwater, Wilson's Storm-Petrel or a 'skein' of Socotra Cormorants. Sooty Falcons are regular migrants along here, where the Hajar Mountains form a spectacular backdrop. One is likely to find a variety of birds of prey, including Lappet-faced and Griffon Vulture, Bonelli's, Spotted and Short-toed Eagle adjacent to the dark, apparently featureless hills.
The most common bird resident in the desert is the Hoopoe Lark, while in winter small areas of scrub are likely to attract Desert Wheatear and Desert Warbler. The unique stands of ghaf trees (Prosopis cinerarea) characterize the UAE desert and provide a magnet for birds, the most comman resident being Great Grey Shrike. During the cool season the trees attract several species of Sylvia warbler (Orphean and Menetries' Warbler and Desert Lesser Whitethroat), while in summer they provide nest sites for Yellow-throated Sparrows.
Qarn Nazwa: Qarn means a 'horn' of rock; in this case a limestone outcrop set in the middle of an expanse of red sand dunes half way between Dubai and Hatta. The outcrop is undeveloped and remains dramatic in appearance in spite of some old quarrying and two roads which dissect the site so providing convenient viewing for the site's well-watched Eagle Owls. The area is important for several rare migrant birds, including Eastern Pied and Red-tailed Wheatear and Hume's Lesser Whitethroat. The caves and cracks in the rock surface support a good vertebrate fauna including red fox and free-tailed bat. The site is fenced from the Dubai-Hatta main road, although easy unrestricted access is available from the road to Margham which branches off here.
The Hajar Mountains
The area around the mountain village of Masafi, which lies at an altitude of 600 metres, has a number of sites worth visiting, particularly on the road to Dibba, where one passes through a range of pale foothills and on to Tayibah plain. The region is quite unspoilt away from the towns and there are lots of wadis to explore. Shale foothills divided by gravel plains with scattered Acacia and Zizyphus trees are set amidst a dramatic mountain landscape comprising one of the most natural, unspoilt and beautiful environments in the UAE. Resident bird species include Bonelli's Eagle, Sand Partridge, Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, Desert Lark, Hume's Wheatear (easily identified by contrasting black-and-white plumage) and House Bunting.
Red-tailed Wheatear, Desert Lesser Whitethroat and Plain Leaf Warbler are regular. Most of the mountains are best explored by four-wheel-drive vehicle since walking can be quite difficult. The mountains were formed by tectonic plate movement against the Indian subcontinent, and have volcanic origins deep beneath the seabed of the Gulf of Oman. These dark 'ophiolitic' mountains support resident Sand Partridge, Pale Crag Martin, Scrub Warbler and House Bunting, while Indian Roller, Yellow-vented Bulbul and Little Green Bee-eater are found in the shaded, more cultivated wadis. The key birds for bird watching visitors occur in winter and include species such as Eastern Pied & Red-tailed Wheatear, Desert Lesser Whitethroat and Plain Leaf Warbler.
Other areas
A bird-watching visit to the Emirates is not complete without touring the numerous golf courses, city parks and agricultural areas. Recommended are the Emirates golf course (where special permission is required), Safa Park and the grass fields around Digdaga and Hamraniyah, south of Ras al Khaimah. In addition there are a number of other sites, less known for their beauty, though teeming with birdlife. These include Ramtha (sewage) lagoons, a place which holds the country's greatest variety of wetland species.
Several islands hold important seabird populations and all are (or were) important in some way. Siniyah, Yasat and Ghagha Islands hold large Socotra cormorant populations; Qarnayn Island alone has breeding red-billed tropicbird Phaethon aethereus , sooty gull and several tern species and other islands in the south-west hold exceptional numbers of white-cheeked, lesser crested Sterna bengalensis and bridled tern Sterna anaethetus. The UAE holds the Gulf's largest breeding population of sooty falcon Falco concolor , a strongly migratory species the bulk of which winters in Madagascar. Osprey Pandion haliaetus has practically disappeared from its former mainland nest sites, now confined almost exclusively to islands, where its numbers appear healthy.
In the Hajar mountains Hume's wheatear and yellow-vented bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos are common residents, with eastern pied wheatear Oenanthe picata , red-tailed wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna and plain leaf warbler widely distributed in winter. The mangrove-lined creek at Khor Kalba holds the country's only population of white-collared kingfisher Halcyon chloris , of the endemic subspecies kalbaensis. This subspecies is endangered, with a population of only 44 pairs remaining at the site. Also here is the country's only breeding site of booted warbler Hippolais caligata , and regular wintering site of Indian pond heron Ardeola grayii .
Birds found in UAE's Mountains and Wadis
The mountains form an easterly backbone to the Emirates and contain a web of wadis (river beds), some wet throughout the year, and a scattering of villages and small towns. The area around the mountain village of Masafi has a number of sites worth visiting, particularly on the road to Dibba, where one passes through a range of pale foothills and on to Tayibah plain. Probably the most interesting bird for visitors is the Hume's wheatear, a mountain resident and easily identified by its contrasting black-and-white plumage. Most of the mountains are best visited by four-wheel drive vehicle as walking can be quite hard going.
These dark 'ophiolitic' mountains support resident sand partridge Ammoperdix heyii, desert lark Ammomanes deserti and pale crag martin Hirundo obsoleta , while Indian roller Coracias benghalensis and little green bee-eater Merops orientalis are found in the shaded, more cultivated wadis. The key birds for birdwatching visitors occur in winter and include species such as eastern pied & red-tailed wheatear, desert lesser whitethroat and plain leaf warbler.
Jebel Hafit, near Al Ain, reaches 1,500 metres, towering above the surrounding plain. A drive up the superbly-engineered highway to the top of Jebel Hafit should provide a few good views of Hume's wheatear and possibly a glimpse of the more elusive hooded wheatear Oenanthe monacha . Most of the indigenous species inhabiting the mountains rarely stray far from this habitat so it is worth spending a day or two ..searching some of the Acacia plains and the more promising looking wadis. Yellow-vented bulbul and pale crag martin are easy to find, but scrub warbler Scotocerca inquieta and house bunting Emberiza striolata (subspecies striolata ) need more determined work. Arabian babbler favours more cover, sometimes in short supply in this overgrazed land. Lichtenstein's sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii can be encountered anywhere in the mountains but is more reliably seen (or at least heard) shortly after dusk at a favoured water hole.
Of the migrants, red-tailed wheatear and desert lesser whitethroat are the most common. Less common, plain leaf warbler can usually be located by its insistent, though quiet "tch, tch, tch...." call. A few pairs of Bonelli's eagles Hieraaetus fasciatus and barbary falcons Falco pelegrinoides nest on the higher crags, while the mountains are also favoured by migrant short-toed eagles Circaetus gallicus and long-legged buzzards Buteo rufinus . The most interesting raptor in the area is the lappet-faced vulture. This negevensis dark-race can be a real prize if encountered, usually soaring high like a giant flying carpet, north and east of Al Ain.
Birds found in UAE's Gardens and Agricultural Areas
A bird-watching visit to the Emirates is not complete without touring the numerous golf courses, city parks and agricultural areas. In Abu Dhabi, a visit is recommended to Bateen Gardens and the adjacent Mushref Palace Gardens and the Khalidiyah Spit at the western end of the Corniche. In and around Dubai are Safa Park, the Creek Park, the Emirates golf course (where special permission is required to birdwatch) and the cultivations around Al Awir and Al Habab. The grass fields around Digdaga and Hamraniyah (Ras al-Khaimah), the central grassed areas of Al Wathba (Abu Dhabi) and the Al Ain camel race tracks are usually full of migrants and associated birds of prey. In addition there are a number of other sites, less known for their beauty, though teeming with birdlife. These include sewage lagoons and water treatment plants, which sometimes hold the country's greatest variety of wetland species.
Highlights include:
1. Cultivated fields around Digdaga and Hamraniyah, south of Ras al-Khaimah: for hundreds of Indian rollers and little green bee-eaters; migrant birds of prey including imperial eagle Aquila heliaca ; booted eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus ; both pallid and Montagu's harrier Circus macrourus and C.pygargus ; large number of lesser kestrels Falco naumanni feeding on larvae of the large convolvulus hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli . Breeders here include Spanish sparrows Passer hispaniolensis (largest flock of over 300 recorded in March 1995); European Rollers Coracias garrulus, Bank Mynahs Acridotheres ginginianus .
2. The camel race tracks at Al Ain and Al Wathba for larks, pipits, wheatears and other tired and hungry migrants. The rare specialities found here from October to February include Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata, Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula and Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewski . Between 08.00h and 09.30h throughout the year flocks of up to 200 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse arrive and by mid morning from September to March half-a-dozen pallid and Montagu's harriers are often seen foraging over the fields. Small groups of Cream-coloured Coursers Cursorius cursor are attracted to the Al Ain camel track in autumn and winter while Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus and Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta can occur between August and October. Since 1993 the nearby plantations at Al Wathba have regularly attracted small groups of Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus in November and March.
3. Mushrif National Park for striated (Bruce's) Scops owl.
4. Qarn Nazwa for desert eagle owls Bubo bubo (ascalaphus )
5. Parks and gardens of Abu Dhabi and Dubai for Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum, Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura, lesser noddy Anous tenuirostris , white-throated bee-eater Merops albicollis, Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus, Dusky & Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus and Phylloscopus schwarzi and White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti .
~ Checklist of the Common SpeciesArticles:
Bye Bye Birdie: The surprise visitor to the UAE has apparently left... flown away! An Ashy Drongo, a small Asian bird, was spotted for the first time in the UAE a few days ago, according to the Emirates Bird Records Committee (EBRC)........
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