Articles about birds and birding in Tunisia.
The authors from the Zoological Society of London report their bird observations at Sidi Toui National Park made during six surveys (in 4 years). Although the main focus of the surveys was to monitor the oryx and gazelle populations, their ornithological records were nevertheless very important as they added new information about the birds of …
Bird observations at Sidi Toui National Park, Tunisia Read More »
A new study confirmed that the ‘Subalpine Warbler’ complex is indeed composed of three different species (Moltoni’s Warbler, Western and Eastern Subalpine Warblers). The ‘IOC World Bird List’ accepted the split as proposed by the study. (Note: the main research about the “taxonomy of the Subalpine Warbler species complex” between mid-1990s and 2013 is well …
Split of Western and Eastern Subalpine Warblers confirmed Read More »
Two satellite-tagged Cinereous Vultures (Aegypius monachus) from France and Spain have been tracked to Africa. One has reached as far south as the Niger-Nigeria border, while the other is touring northern Africa after having first spent the winter in the Sahel area. These are the first individuals GPS-tracked in their breeding areas in Europe to …
European Cinereous Vultures wandering across Africa Read More »
A remarkable nesting event of Greater Flamingo at the Sahline saltpans in Tunisia. Une grande colonie de Flamant rose découverte en Tunisie (En français au-dessous de la vidéo). The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is a migratory species fairly well studied especially in the Mediterranean basin. The high dispersal capacity of the species, combined with a …
22,000 Greater Flamingos nesting at Sahline, Tunisia Read More »
Lancement du projet Répartition et évaluation de la vulnérabilité de la Pie du Maghreb Pica mauritanica” (en français, veuillez voir après l’illustration). Until very recently, the Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauritanica) was considered as conspecific with the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica). However, a new study by Song and his co-authors published in 2018 found that Maghreb …
Répartition et évaluation de la vulnérabilité de la Pie du Maghreb (Pica mauritanica) Read More »
Some recent rarities: Moltoni’s Warbler, Franklin’s Gull, Lesser Flamingo and Dunn’s Lark in Morocco and a Terek Sandpiper in Tunisia. Moltoni’s Warbler (Sylvia subalpina) A bird was captured and ringed at Merzouga Ringing Station, Morocco, on 18 April 2019 (Marc Illa and his co-workers). Only four records have been accepted by the Moroccan Rare Birds …
Moltoni’s Warbler in Morocco, Terek Sandpiper in Tunisia Read More »
The Atlas Long-legged Buzzard is more closely related to Common Buzzard than to Long-legged Buzzard according to a new study. The taxon cirtensis should be treated therefore as an allospecies of the Common Buzzard superspecies. La Buse du Maghreb est une alloespèce de la Buse variable: Selon cette étude, la Buse du Maghreb (cirtensis) est …
North African Buzzard is not a Long-legged but an allospecies of Common Buzzard Read More »
Eight falcons seized by the Tunisian customs at Ben Guerdane in southeastern Tunisia, near the border with Libya. From their appearances, we can see that most of them are Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus) and maybe one or two Saker Falcons (Falco cherrug). Some could even be a hybrid between these two species. Comments on the ID …
Eight falcons seized by Tunisian customs near Libya Read More »
An adult Wahlberg’s Eagle photographed in spring 2018 at El Haouaria, northern Tunisia. This is the first record for the country and third for the Western Palearctic. Un Aigle de Wahlberg adulte photographié en avril 2018 à El Haouaria dans le nord de la Tunisie. Il s’agit de la première observation pour le pays et …
First Wahlberg’s Eagle for Tunisia and 3rd for WP Read More »
North African (or Atlas Crossbill) and Balearic crossbills are the most genetically divergent among all Common (Red) Crossbill subspecies in the Western Palearctic according to a new study. This divergence is even greater than between the Common and Parrot crossbills. Parmi toutes les sous-espèces du Bec-croisé des sapins (Loxia curvirostra) dans le Paléarctique occidental, le …
Atlas and Balearic crossbills genetic divergence Read More »