MaghrebOrnitho

Identification de la mortalité des rapaces par électrocution au Maroc (rapport)

4 September 2016 / Birds of Morocco, Conservation News

Recent carcasses of Bonelli's (Aquila fasciata) and Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), both juveniles, on Line B2, Guelmim, January 2016 (Catarina Machado)

Read ‘Raptor mortality by electrocution in power lines in Morocco‘ for the summary in English. En octobre 2015, trois Aigles ibériques électrocutés ont été retrouvés dans la région de Guelmim, au sud-ouest du Maroc. C’était grâce à un aigle muni d’un émetteur satellitaire que ces oiseaux ont été repérés par Ali Irizi et deux agents

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Alarming decline of Great Bustard in Morocco

29 August 2016 / Birds of Morocco, Conservation News

Great Bustard (Otis tarda), northern Morocco, 10 March 2015 (Rachid El Khamlichi)

A field-survey carried out in spring 2015 in Morocco confirmed the decline of the highly endangered and the only extant population of Great Bustard (Otis tarda) in Africa. During the study Great Bustards were only seen at two of the seven leks (sites where displaying is taking place) occupied ten years ago. The total number

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Eleonora’s Falcon colony at Bouknadel is doing well

13 August 2016 / Birds of Morocco

Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae), Bouknadel colony, August 2016 (Karim Rousselon)

The Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae) is a medium-sized raptor that breeds colonially on steep sea cliffs, islands and islets on the Mediterranean Sea and on the Atlantic Ocean in the Canary Islands and Morocco. The Eleonora’s Falcon winters in Madagascar and start to return to the breeding grounds by the end of April and early

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Pharaoh Eagle-Owl exhibited for tourists at Marrakech

3 June 2016 / Birds of Morocco

A Pharaoh Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) exhibited for tourists at Jemaa el-Fna, Marrakech reported by Brahim Bakass on 17 April 2016 (photos 1 & 2). Brahim who was displeased by the show sarcastically commented “this is how we apply the laws protecting wildlife”. On 13 May, Halima Bousadik noted that the owl still exhibited at the

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Golden Nightjar song at Aousserd, southern Morocco

26 May 2016 / Birding News, Birds of Morocco

Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius), Oued Jenna, Aousserd, southern Morocco, 21 April 2016 (Jurrien van Deijk)

At least four Golden Nightjars were located near the Aousserd road by the BIOME team (Dan Brown, Richard Moores and Martyn Owen) on 16 March 2016. Two birds were heard singing and one male had responded to song playback. This represents the first possible breeding of the species in the Western Palearctic. In early March,

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Lesser Spotted Eagles at Jbel Moussa, Morocco

21 May 2016 / Bird Migration, Birds of Morocco

Lesser Spotted Eagle at Jbel Moussa, northern Morocco, 24 June 2017 (Rachid El Khamlichi)

Single Lesser Spotted Eagles (Clanga pomarina) migrating through the Strait of Gibraltar in northern Morocco in 2016 and 2017. The first observation is of a 2nd calendar-year bird photographed at Jbel Moussa on 21 May 2016. This is the fourth record of the species in Morocco. The first Moroccan record was observed at Merzouga in April 1996 by

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Namaqua Dove breeds in Morocco for the first time

20 May 2016 / Birds of Morocco

Male Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis), Mijk, near Dakhla, Western Sahara, southern Morocco, 14 May 2016 (F. Chevalier)

One year after the observation of two female Namaqua Doves at Safia reserve, the first breeding of the species in Morocco was confirmed this season near Dakhla. Un an après l’observation de deux femelles de Tourtelette masquée dans la réserve de Safia, la première reproduction de l’espèce au Maroc a été confirmée cette saison près

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Vulture restaurant experiment at Jbel Moussa, Morocco

13 May 2016 / Birds of Morocco

Vultures feeding at the ‘Vulture Restaurant, Jbel Moussa, 10 May 2016

Each spring, especially in May, hundreds of vultures gather at Jbel Moussa for days waiting to cross the Strait of Gibraltar to Europe. Based on our experiences from last few years, we wanted this year to set up a ‘vulture restaurant’ at the site. The idea is to collect the carcasses wild boar left by

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Spring vulture migration at Jbel Moussa, May 2016

9 May 2016 / Bird Migration

Cinereous Vultures (Aegypius monachus) at Jbel Moussa, northern Morocco, 7 May 2016. Two present near a carrion and one perching in a tree.

A summary of raptor migration observations during three days in May 2016 at Jbel Moussa (with emphasis on vultures): 2 May: A Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppelli) was photographed with a flock of 32 Griffon Vultures (G. fulvus) by Rachid El Khamlichi (photo 1). This is the second bird for spring 2016, the first one observed

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4 Golden Nightjars at Oued Jenna, Aousserd: detailed report

24 April 2016 / Birding News, Birds of Morocco

Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius), Oued Jenna, Aousserd, 19 April 2016

Excellent observations in the Western Sahara, southern Morocco. Peter Stronach and Bob Swann have just returned back from a birding trip to the region. They recorded Golden Nightjars and provided valuable details indicating the (highly probable) breeding of the species in the region. They also recorded a Sudan Golden Sparrow at Oued Jenna (first observation

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