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Bird Monitoring
and Protection Team (BMAPT)
At the Kuwait
Environment Protection Society (KEPS)
ANNUAL REPORT
2002
CONTENTS
Membership and
Contacts Page 2
The Year
2002
Page 4
The Need for
Bird Monitoring and Protection in Kuwait Page 5
The Kuwait Bird
List
Page 7
The Commoner
Species of Birds Page 8
The Vagrant
Species of Birds Page
28
The Species of
Birds Requiring Confirmation Page 31
The Species of
Birds of Captive Origin Page 34
Notes on
Selected Bird Species in the Year 2002 Page 35
Recent
Bibliography
Page 52
MEMBERSHIP
AND CONTACTS
Board of
Directors
Chairman:
Khalid Al-Nasrallah
Deputy
Chairman and Bird Recorder:
Mahmoud Shihab
Secretary:
George Gregory
Liaison
Officer:
Abdalla
Al-Fadhel
Kuwait-based
Members
Shaikha Amthal
Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Abdalla
Al-Fadhel abdallaaa@hotmail.com
Misha´l
Al-Jeriwi mishal@kuwaitbirds.com
Fahad
Al-Mansori info@kuwaitbirds.com
Hussain
Al-Qallaf
kdt_naui@hotmail.com
Abdul-Muhsen
Al-Suraye´a surayea@hotmail.com
Andrew Bailey
Andrew.Bailey@kw.britishcouncil.org
Shirley
Carter-Brown
shirleycarterbrown@hotmail.com
Mark Chichester
MChichester@chevrontexaco.com
George
Gregory
ggoldie51@hotmail.com
Eisa
Ramadan
ramadan57@hotmail.com
Barbara
Settles bashinkas@hotmail.com
Mahmoud
Shihab
mahmoud@kuwaitbirds.com
Bird
Records Committee
Bird
Recorder:
Mahmoud Shihab
Secretary: George
Gregory
Other
Members:
Mish´al
Al-Jeriwi
Khalid Al-Nasrallah
Abdul-Muhsen Al-Suraye´a
Andrew Bailey
Eisa
Ramadan
Communications With The Team
All
communications with the team, including records of the occurrence
and breeding of all species of birds, descriptions of vagrant
species of birds, and notice of intended visits to Kuwait, should be
addressed to:
Khalid
Al-Nasrallah, Chairman, BMAPT
Post: P.O.Box 1896, Safat, 13019, KUWAIT
Tel: (965) 484 8256
Pager: (965) 960 6799
Fax: (965) 483 7856
Email:
khalid@kuwaitbirds.com
and/or George
Gregory, Secretary, BMAPT
Email:
ggoldie51@hotmail.com
THE YEAR 2002
The Year 2002
was important for the consolidation of the position of BMAPT and for
the expansion of its activities.
During the year:
The team’s
website at
www.kuwaitbirds.com was upgraded by Omar Al-Faddagh.
The team met
several times at the headquarters of its parent body, KEPS, in
Shuwaikh, to submit bird data, photographs and news and to plan
future activities.
The first
meeting of the Bird Records Committee took place. The committee
started work on the Fourth Edition of the Kuwait Bird List, and
considered a number of descriptions and photographs of vagrant
species of birds.
The Annual
Report 2001 was sent to the OSME Library and to various
international organizations, magazines and ornithologists.
The team and
other bodies were involved in environmental clean-up operations at a
number of coastal and inland sites.
The team secured
management rights over a 100 kilometer squared area of the National
Park, including the important sites of Wadi Ar-Rimam and Tulha.
Management and development work in this area was scheduled to start
in 2003.
The team secured
ownership and management rights over a one kilometer stretch of
Sulaibikhat Bay, to become a new nature reserve. Management and
development work in this reserve was also scheduled to begin in
2003.
The team carried
out a series of breeding bird surveys to Bubiyan Island between
March and June, which rediscovered breeding by a number of species
for the first time in many decades.
A number of
important breeding records, including several first records for
Kuwait, were submitted to the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Arabia.
Restrictions on
over-grazing and on hunting and disturbance helped reduce the impact
of these activities on bird populations in Kuwait.
This annual
report, the third for Kuwait, demonstrates the increasing influence
and effectiveness of BMAPT in the fields of bird monitoring and
protection.
THE NEED FOR
BIRD MONITORING AND PROTECTION IN KUWAIT
Bird
populations are being monitored in Kuwait to find out if human
activities or environmental changes are affecting them.
The most common
breeding birds in Kuwait are House Sparrow, Laughing Dove,
White-cheeked bulbul, Common Mynah and Feral Pigeon. These species
have increased in numbers because the greening of Kuwait City has
provided food and habitats for them.
Oasis farm
areas at Jahra, Abdali and Wafra are the breeding sites of species
such as White-breasted Kingfisher, Black-crowned Finch Lark and
Spanish Sparrow.
Kuwait’s small
offshore islands are important because they support breeding
colonies of seabirds such as Lesser Crested Tern, White-cheeked Tern
and Bridled Tern. The large island of Bubiyan is an important
breeding site for Western Reef Heron, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, Crab
Plover, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Swift
Tern and possibly other species.
Some species
tolerant of arid conditions, such as various larks and
Cream-coloured Courser, breed in the desert areas and wadi systems.
A number of
reedbed warblers, Little Crake and Moorhen breed at the sewage
outfalls, and other species probably do so.
Many species
pass through Kuwait on spring and autumn migration because it is at
a crossroads of migration routes between breeding grounds in Asia
and winter quarters in southern Arabia, Africa and the Indian
subcontinent.The most common migrant landbirds are Common Swift,
Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Short-toed Lark, Sand Martin,
Swallow, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.
Mud-flats
around the coast are important resting and feeding areas for migrant
herons, egrets, waders, gulls and terns. A number of reedbeds,
freshwater pools, sewage outfalls and flooded sabkha areas are used
by migrant waterside birds.
Birds arriving
in Kuwait for the winter include White Wagtail, Robin, Bluethroat,
Song Thrush and Desert warbler.
Some species
such as Greater Flamingo, Barn Owl and Ring-necked Parakeet can be
found in Kuwait in various seasons without necessarily breeding.
Bird
populations in Kuwait have completely recovered from the
environmental damage at the end of the Iraqi invasion, and some have
increased. The main threats to birds in Kuwait now are over-grazing,
shooting, disturbance, building and oil lakes.
Over-grazing
reduces both plant and animal food for birds, and removes habitats
for nesting and roosting birds. Restrictions on grazing in the east
of Kuwait have been introduced.
There has been
some reduction in shooting in recent years, but it still is fairly
severe in some areas. Shooting is mainly for sport, although some
species, such as Turtle Dove and Barred Warbler, are eaten as
delicacies. The species most commonly shot in Kuwait are Turtle
Dove, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, European Bee-eater and Swallow.
Indiscriminate shooting results in the reduction of some raptors and
regionally scarce species.
Disturbance by
camping and other activities is now prevented by the Public
Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources, the
Environment Public Authority and the Kuwait Environment Protection
Society in the National Park and in Nature Reserves at Jahra Pool,
Doha and Sulaibikhat Bay.
The recent
security fencing around various large oil fields has stopped
grazing, shooting and most disturbance there, and has effectively
created very large nature reserves where the vegetation is
regenerating naturally.
Building
sometimes creates new habitats for birds to nest or roost in, but
chalet building along the coastline prevents the breeding of Kentish
Plover and possibly of other species.
Some of the oil
lakes have naturally dried out and some others have been covered
over. However, others remain, for example at Bahra, where some birds
die by being trapped in oil residues.
The
establishment of more nature reserves, increased control of
shooting, environmental education and publicity to increase public
awareness are some of the best ways of protecting birds in Kuwait.
THE KUWAIT BIRD LIST
(FOURTH EDITION)
The Kuwait Bird
List has been divided, for present convenience, into:
The Commoner
Species of Birds, The Vagrant Species of Birds, The Species of Birds
Requiring Confirmation and The Species of Birds of Captive Origin.
All of these
are analyses of the records of Ahmadi Natural History and Field
Studies Group, S. Al-Ahmadi, K. Al-Ghanim, M. Al-Jeriwi, F.
Al-Mansori, K. Al-Nasrallah, H. Al-Qallaf, Shaikha A. Al-Sabah, M.
Al-Saleh, A. Al-Sarhan, A.Al-Suraye’a, A. Bailey, W. Bindl, R.P.
Blacker, G. Bundy, H-M. Busch, A. Caldwell, S. Carter-Brown, R.E.
Cheeseman, M. O. Chichester, D. A. Clayton, N. Cleere, B. Cooper, P.
Cowan, P.Z. Cox, A.J. Crease, A.Cross, G.Dallemagne, H.R.P. Dickson,
H. McCurdy, V. Dickson, M. Evans, P. Fraser, J. Gaskell, G. Gregory,
P.R. Haynes, S. Holliday, P. A. D. Hollom, S. Howe, P. Johnson, A.
Lange, F. Lange, H. McCurdy, R. Meinertzhagen, J. Middleton, N.
Montfort, Natural History Museum Tring, M. Newhouse, D. L. Newman,
G. Ostero, C. W. T. Pilcher, E. Ramadan, P. H. Rathbone, P. Johnson,
J. Rathgeber-Knan, J. Seegers, M. Reed, P. Robertson, A. Ross, G.
Rowlands, L. Sager, V.A.D. Sales, O. and S. Schroder, R. Seargent,
B. Settles, J. Shaw, M. Shihab, S.T.Spencer, W. A. Stuart, B.
Thomas, C. B. Ticehurst, A. Tye, G. Walker, F.E. Warr, J. Webb, R.
Williams, G. Wright, and Anonymous, published in a wide variety of
sources.
Particular
thanks must go to the OSME librarian, Ray Daniel, the ABBA
Co-ordinator, Michael Jennings, the former Kuwait Bird Recorder,
Effie Warr and the former Chairman of the Ahmadi Natural History and
Field Studies Group, Stanley Howe, for their help in making records
accessible. Thanks must also go to the National Commission for
Wildlife Conservation and Development in Riyadh, whose sponsorship
of ABBA enables such work to continue.
The work of
Gavin Rowlands, David Hellam and Zainab Khalil in formatting
versions of this list is gratefully acknowledged.
The Kuwait Bird
List has not been easy to compile, due to loss, destruction and
inaccessibility of records, nor is it immutable, and BMAPT would
welcome any comments, suggested changes or constructive criticism
concerning the list so that it can be kept up to date and accurate.
The list, of course, is constantly changing, as every year brings
new data and new discoveries about Kuwait’s birds.
THE COMMONER
SPECIES OF BIRDS
The Commoner
Species of Birds are those species which are judged to have occurred
at least 10 times in total.
Seasonal Status:
The seasonal status of each species is judged to be one of the
following categories:
Abundant: occurs
annually in very large numbers (10,000+)
Very Common:
occurs annually in large numbers (1,000 - 9,999)
Common: occurs
annually in moderate numbers (100 - 999)
Uncommon: occurs
annually in small numbers (10 - 99)
Scarce: occurs
annually in very small numbers (1 - 9)
Rare: does not
occur annually
Species:
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus
ruficollis)
Scarce winter
visitor. Scarce passage migrant. Rare summer visitor. Has bred.
Great Crested
Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Scarce winter
visitor. Scarce passage migrant
Black-necked
Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Scarce winter visitor.
Cormorant (Phalacrocorax
carbo)
Very common
winter visitor. Very common passage migrant.
Socotra
Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis)
Uncommon
disperser in spring, summer and autumn. Has bred.
White Pelican (Pelecanus
onocrotalus)
Rare disperser
in all seasons. Has bred.
Dalmatian
Pelican (Pelecanus crispus)
Rare disperser
in autumn, winter and spring.
Bittern (Botaurus
stellaris)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Little Bittern
(Ixobrychus minutus)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Scarce summer visitor. Rare winter visitor. Has bred.
Night Heron (Nycticorax
nycticorax)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare summer visitor. Rare winter visitor. Has bred.
Squacco Heron (Ardeola
ralloides)
Common passage
migrant. Rare summer visitor. Rare winter visitor.
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus
ibis)
Uncommon
disperser in autumn, winter and spring.
Western Reef
Heron (Egretta gularis)
Very common
resident. Breeds.
Little Egret (Egretta
garzetta)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Scarce winter visitor.
Great White
Egret (Egretta alba)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor.
Grey Heron (Ardea
cinerea)
Very common
winter visitor. Common passage migrant. Common resident. Breeds.
Purple Heron
(Ardea purpurea)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare summer visitor.
White Stork (Ciconia
ciconia)
Scarce passage
migrant.
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis
falcinellus)
Uncommon passage
migrant.
Spoonbill
(Platalea leucorodia)
Common resident.
Breeds.
Greater
Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Very common
resident. Very common disperser in all seasons. Has bred.
White-fronted
Goose (Anser albifrons)
Rare winter
visitor.
Greylag Goose (Anser
anser)
Rare winter
visitor.
Ruddy Shelduck
(Tadorna ferruginea)
Rare passage
migrant and winter visitor.
Shelduck
(Tadorna tadorna)
Uncommon winter
visitor. Uncommon passage migrant.
Wigeon (Anas
penelope)
Uncommon winter
visitor. Uncommon passage migrant.
Gadwall
(Anas strepera)
Uncommon winter
visitor. Uncommon passage migrant.
Teal (Anas
crecca)
Common passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor.
Mallard (Anas
platyrhynchos)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Scarce winter visitor.
Pintail (Anas
acuta)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor.
Garganey (Anas
querquedula)
Common passage
migrant. Rare winter vistor.
Shoveler (Anas
clypeata)
Uncommon winter
vistor. Uncommon passage migrant.
Pochard
(Aythya ferina)
Uncommon winter
visitor. Rare passage migrant.
Ferruginous
Duck (Aythya nyroca)
Rare passage
migrant and winter visitor.
Tufted Duck
(Aythya fuligula)
Uncommon winter
visitor. Uncommon passage migrant.
Honey Buzzard
(Pernis apivorus)
Uncommon passage
migrant.
Black Kite (Milvus
migrans)
Common passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor.
Egyptian Vulture
(Neophron percnopterus)
Uncommon passage
migrant.
Griffon Vulture
(Gyps fulvus)
Scarce disperser
in spring, autumn and winter.
Black Vulture
(Aegypius monachus)
Rare disperser
in autumn, winter and spring.
Short-toed Eagle
(Circaetus gallicus)
Uncommon passage
migrant.
Marsh Harrier (Circus
aeruginosus)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor. Rare summer visitor.
Hen Harrier
(Circus cyaneus)
Rare passage
migrant and winter visitor.
Pallid Harrier
(Circus macrourus)
Common passage
migrant.
Montagu’s
Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Uncommon passage
migrant.
Goshawk
(Accipiter gentilis)
Rare passage
migrant and winter visitor.
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter
nisus)
Common passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor.
Shikra (Accipiter
badius)
Scarce passage
migrant and winter visitor.
Levant
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes)
Rare passage
migrant and winter visitor.
Buzzard (Buteo
buteo)
Very common
passage migrant. Uncommon winter visitor.
Long-legged
Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)
Common passage
migrant. Scarce winter visitor.
Spotted Eagle (Aquila
clanga)
Common passage
migrant. Scarce winter vistor.
Steppe Eagle (Aquila
nipalensis)
Very common
passage migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Eastern Imperial
Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Golden Eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos)
Rare disperser
in autumn, winter and spring.
Booted Eagle
(Hieraaetus pennatus)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Bonelli’s Eagle
(Hieraaetus fasciatus)
Rare disperser
in autumn, winter and spring.
Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Lesser Kestrel
(Falco naumanni)
Very common
passage migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Kestrel
(Falco tinnunculus)
Common passage
migrant. Common winter visitor. Uncommon resident. Has bred.
Merlin
(Falco columbarius)
Rare winter
visitor. Rare passage migrant.
Hobby (Falco
subbuteo)
Common passage
migrant.
Lanner Falcon
(Falco biarmicus)
Rare disperser
in autumn, winter and spring.
Saker Falcon
(Falco cherrug)
Rare passage
migrant and winter visitor.
Peregrine Falcon
(Falco peregrinus)
Rare disperser
in all seasons. Rare resident.
Quail
(Coturnix coturnix)
Common passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor. Rare summer visitor.
Water Rail
(Rallus aquaticus)
Uncommon
resident. Uncommon passage migrant. Has bred.
Spotted Crake (Porzana
porzana)
Uncommon
resident. Uncommon passage migrant.
Little Crake
(Porzana parva)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor. Has bred.
Baillon’s Crake
(Porzana pusilla)
Scarce passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Corncrake
(Crex crex)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor.
Moorhen
(Gallinula chloropus)
Common resident.
Uncommon winter visitor. Breeds.
Coot (Fulica
atra)
Uncommon passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor. Rare resident. Has bred.
Common Crane
(Grus grus)
Rare winter
visitor and passage migrant.
Demoiselle
Crane (Anthropoides virgo)
Rare passage
migrant.
Macqueen’s
Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata)
Rare disperser
in all seasons. Has bred.
Oystercatcher
(Haematopus ostralegus)
Common passage
migrant. Uncommon winter visitor. Rare summer visitor.
Black-winged
Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Common passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor. Scarce summer visitor. Has bred.
Avocet
(Recurvirostra avosetta)
Uncommon winter
visitor. Uncommon passage migrant. Rare summer visitor.
Crab Plover
(Dromas ardeola)
Very common
resident. Breeds.
Stone Curlew
(Burhinus oedicnemus)
Uncommon Passage
migrant. Rare winter visitor.
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