Here are some rare birds and other interesting observations from the last weeks. Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) One bird present at the port of Essaouira since the end of March (M. A. Ait Baamrane). This is the 12th record for Morocco. A bird photographed at Khnifiss Lagoon on 7 February 2018 and later seen also […]
Rare birds and other interesting sightings in Morocco Read More »
A geolocator study revealed that Plain Swifts breeding in the Canary Islands winter in equatorial West Africa. Plain Swift (Apus unicolor) breeds in the Canary Islands and Madeira in the north-east Atlantic. The populations of these two archipelagos are believed to be partly migratory, with an unknown proportion of the breeding population departing the islands
Plain Swift wintering areas revealed by geolocators Read More »
The natural distribution area of the Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is located in South America, but it has been introduced in several regions around the world. Now, established feral populations (sometimes very big ones) can be found in North America, Macaronesian islands, and in several European countries…etc (see map below). In North Africa, the first
Four previous records of Cinereous Vulture are known in Senegal (between 2005 and 2013). Two new observations were added in 2018. – One bird photographed near Fatick by Julio Rabadán González on 30 January (photo at observation.org). – One bird photographed at Sagata on 26 February during a birding trip organized by Banc d’Arguin Reizen
The newly discovered Eurasian Spoonbill colony near Casablanca is only the second in Morocco. Since 1994, the Smir heronry hosted the only breeding population of the nominate subspecies of the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) in Africa (El Agbani et al. 2002; El Khamlichi & Amezian 2015). The multi-species heronry hosts also Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis),
Colour-marked Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) hunted in Morocco. See below. تمتد مواطن تعشيش ‘بقويقة سوداء الذيل’ على منطقة واسعة ولاكن بشكل متقطع من اسلندا إلى شرق روسيا. في المغرب و شمال إفريقيا يعد هذا النوع من الطيور المهاجرة و المشتية: أي أن البعض يعبر المنطقة في فترات الهجرة فقط، و البعض الآخر يقضي فترة الشتاء
To which taxa belong the ‘crested larks’ observed in the Aousserd region and in the adjacent area of northern Mauritania? First, which species: Maghreb Lark or Crested Lark sensu stricto? And also, which subspecies exactly? À quels taxons appartiennent les «cochevis huppées» observées dans la région d’Aousserd et dans le nord de la Mauritanie ? D’abord,
Taxonomic status of ‘long-billed’ Crested Larks at Aousserd? Read More »
The 23rd report (for 2017) of the Moroccan Rare Birds Committee (MRBC) is published. In 2017, the MRBC examined 116 new records of which 111 were accepted. These included the first Moroccan records of the following four species and one genus: Cinnamon Teal (Spatula cyanoptera), Fea’s/Desertas/Zino’s Petrel (Pterodroma feae/deserta/madeira), Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis), Baird’s Sandpiper
Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) is considered an accidental visitor in Morocco. But based on recent observations, the species should be regarded as a migrant and wintering visitor in Morocco. For example, 4 birds were counted at Jbel Moussa in spring 2017 and 6 birds in spring 2016 (including 3 birds photographed together on 7 May).
First record of Cinereous Vulture for Mauritania Read More »
Wahlberg’s Eagle (Hieraaetus wahlbergi) is an African raptor distributed south of the Sahara. It’s known as an intra-African migrant, but movements north of the range are very rare. Indeed, the first Western Palearctic record was obtained only on 3 May 2013: a bird photographed by Ahmed Waheed on the west coast of Gulf of Suez,
Second Wahlberg’s Eagle for the Western Palearctic Read More »