Index of birding news that are of interest to Western Palearctic birders. These include, among others, ‘mega rarities’ found in Northwest African, potential vagrants to the WP from adjacent areas, and other interesting articles.
Other birding news and national rarities (including many “first national records”) are filed under their respective country.
Hooded Bulture at Jbel Moussa, northrn Morocco. It’s the first observation of the species in the country in more than six decades.Un Vautour charognard observé à Jbel Moussa au nord du Maroc. C’est la première observation de l’espece dans la pays depuis plus de six décennies. An immature Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) observed with a […]
Hooded Vulture in northern Morocco Read More »
First record of the Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) for Algeria, plus a number of other good rarities at the border of the Western Palearctic. During a birding trip to southern Algeria (wilaya of Bordj Baji Mokhtar) last autumn, members of the Algerian Wildlife Watchers Association (AWWA) documented the first Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus)
First Northern Grey-headed Sparrow for Algeria plus other rarities Read More »
Last month, the AWWA team recorded the first Chestnut-bellied Starling in Algeria, and a year later they documented the breeding of the species. During a recent birding trip to southern Algeria, members of the Algerian Wildlife Watchers Association (AWWA) observed and photographed a Chestnut-bellied Starling (Lamprotornis pulcher). The bird was found in the region of
First Chestnut-bellied Starling for Algeria Read More »
The White-rumped Seedeater was recorded in southern Algeria for the first two years ago by a group of Algerian naturalists. Karim Haddad visited the region again with his colleague Larbi Afoutni less than a month after their previous trip (when they recorded Blue-naped Mousebirds and Black Scrub Robins in the Wilaya of In Guezzam). In
Status of White-rumped Seedeater in southern Algeria Read More »
During a recent trip to southern Algeria, members of EcoCirta found groups of Blue-naped Mousebird and two Black Scrub Robins. They are, respectively, the second and third records for Algeria. From 20 to 28 December 2021, the EcoCirta Environmental Association organized its sixth naturalist expedition to the far south of the Algerian Sahara in order
Blue-naped Mousebirds and Black Scrub Robins in southern Algeria Read More »
A recent birding trip to southern Algeria produced three new bird species for the country: White-throated Bee-eater, Village Indigobird and Cut-throat Finch. [See also the results of another group’s expedition: Blue-naped Mousebirds and Black Scrub Robins in southern Algeria]. A group of amateur and professional Algerian researchers organized a birding expedition in southern Algeria in
First White-throated Bee-eater, Village Indigobird and Cut-throat Finch for Algeria Read More »
Two very rare visitors from North America and the Arctic landed in Morocco recently: Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Lapland Longspur. Lapland Longspur A Lapland Longspur was found at a small pond near Dayet Dar Bouazza on 13 November 2021 by Benoit Maire. Dayet Dar Bouazza and the adjacent pond where the bird was found are small
First Lapland Longspur and 2nd Yellow-billed Cuckoo for Morocco Read More »
An African White-backed Vulture photographed at Tarifa, southern Spain. October and November is the time of Griffon Vulture migration at the Strait of Gibraltar. Thousands of juvenile and immature birds cross the Strait at this time to winter in Africa. And their African cousins, Rüppell’s and White-backed Vultures, tend also to occur with them at
African White-backed Vulture at Tarifa Read More »
A Sudan Golden Sparrow (Passer luteus) captured at Ceuta during a ringing session. On 3 October, the Chagra Ringing Group captured an unexpected bird during a ringing session at Punta Blanca in Ceuta: a juvenile Sudan Golden Sparrow. How it arrived this far north? While the possibility of a natural arrival can’t be discarded, so
Sudan Golden Sparrow at Ceuta Read More »
Three new species were added to the Algerian list in autumn 2020: Red-tailed Shrike, Little Bunting and African Crake. The Red-tailed Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides) was discovered and photographed at Skikda on 9 October by Youcef Karrit. This is also the first record for the whole Northwest Africa. Other closely related species are also very rare
First African Crake, Red-tailed Shrike and Little Bunting for Algeria Read More »