Index of articles about “Moroccan birds”: ornithological studies and reports, rare birds sightings, general birding news,…etc. In short, everything about birds and birding in Morocco is filed under this category.
At least two Olive-backed Pipits (Anthus hodgsoni) were found at Rabat on 5 November 2017 by Pedro Fernandes. This is the 6th record for Morocco. Au moins deux – peut-être trois – Pipits à dos olive dans le Jardin d’Essais Botanique à Rabat le 5 novembre 2017 (Pedro Fernandes). C’est la 6ème mention pour le
On 18 May 2017, Rachid observed an immature Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) at Jbel Moussa. The bird was migrating northward along with Short-toed Snake Eagles (Circaetus gallicus) and Honey Buzzards (Pernis apivorus) at an altitude of about 1500 m. This is the first record for Morocco. In the Maghreb, the species was previously recorded in
The 22nd report of the Moroccan Rare Birds Committee (MRBC) was published last May. In 2016, the MRBC examined 117 new records of which 99 were accepted. These included the first Moroccan record of Lesser x Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina x Clanga clanga), the second of both Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) and Masked Booby
A Pied Crow (Corvus albus) was photographed at Oum Azza, south-east of Rabat on 1 May 2017 by Petteri Lehikoinen and his group. The coordinates of the ‘village’ are: 33.8808333, -6.7858333 Since most of the birds seen in other regions are/were long-time residents, I think counting the localities where the species has been recorded is
The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) continues to expand its breeding areas in Morocco. After the first breeding at Smir heronry near Tétouan in 2011, then at Merja Fouarat near Kénitra in 2013, and at Bouznika and an urban park at Casablanca in 2015, this year it started breeding at Oued Bou Regreg (on the Rabat side
A Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) photographed at Barrage El-Mansour Eddahbi, Ouarzazate, on 18 March 2017 by Chris Townend during his Wise Birding tour to Morocco. It’s the 7th record for Morocco. Une Fuligule à tête noire (appelée aussi Petit fuligule selon Wikipedia) photographiée au Barrage El-Mansour Eddahbi le 18 mars par Chris Townend. C’est la
Lesser Scaup at Barrage El-Mansour Eddahbi, Morocco Read More »
Robert Swann visited Morocco in late February to see two Western Palearctic rarities: Pied Crow and Kelp Gull. (See below the second photo for updates regarding the latter species). Pied Crow He started at Mhamid where he got good views of the “resident” Pied Crow (Corvus albus) on 23 Feb. Here is his comment: I spotted
White-throated Bee-eater at Dakhla Bay: second record for Morocco and the Western Palearctic. The White-throated Bee-eater was found at Dakhla Bay, Oued Dahab region on 28 February 2017 by Billy Herman and Annelies Jacobs. It’s the second WP record for the species. It should be remembred that the first record was observed at the site
White-throated Bee-eater at Dakhla: 2nd WP record Read More »
The High Commission for Water, Forests and Desertification Control (HCEFLCD) in close collaboration with the National Zoological Park and GREPOM/BirdLife Morocco has released five Griffon Vultures into the Nature Reserve of Jbel Moussa on 7 February 2017. This release operation was intended by the Forestry Administration to be the basis for launching, in the long-term,
Griffon Vultures released at Jbel Moussa (video) Read More »
Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius) is an apparently sedentary sub-Saharan species with a breeding range extending from Senegal and Mauritania to Sudan. Although genetic studies of nightjars and related Caprimulgiformes have been published previously, none has included Golden Nightjar. In this study published in the Ostrich journal (Lawrie et al. 2017), mitochondrial and nuclear DNA of
Taxonomy and breeding range extension of Golden Nightjar Read More »