Tracked Bonelli’s Eagles reached Africa for the first time

/ Bird Migration
Bonelli’s Eagle ‘Zahara’ passing through the Strait of Gibraltar

The recent migration of two young Bonelli’s Eagles across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco shows an unknown dispersive movement in this species. This confirms once again the importance of North Africa to the Iberian raptors. The Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) is usually resident across its breeding range. However, some immature birds sometimes make large dispersive […]

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Spanish Imperial Eagle recovering space beyond borders

/ Bird Migration
Juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) seen at Tarifa, Spain about to cross the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco

Tracking Spanish Imperial Eagles showed the scale of their movements in Morocco and Africa in general. In 2015, six young satellite-tracked Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aquila adalberti) visited North Africa from Andalusia, southern Spain. A recent article by researchers from the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) and the Government of Andalusia explored the subject of these eagles’

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Les vautours au Maghreb: une situation critique et espoirs pour l’avenir

/ Conservation News
Un couple de Vautour percnoptère (Neophron percnopterus) transporte de la nourriture au nid, Moyen Atlas, Maroc, 26 juin 2014 (Rachid El Khamlichi)

Malgré l’état de conservation défavorable du Vautour percnoptère (Neophron percnopterus) et d’autres espèces de vautours, il est encore possible de sauver ces tant décriés oiseaux. Mais davantage études sont nécessaires, car comme le dit le dicton, “nous ne pouvons pas conserver ce que nous ne savons pas”. ‘The plight of the Egyptian Vulture and hopes for

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Northern Bald Ibis at Larache, northern Morocco

/ Birds of Morocco
Northern Bald Ibis - Ibis chauve (Geronticus eremita), Larache, northern Morocco, 1 March 2016 (Imad Yassine)

Two Northern Bald Ibises (Geronticus eremita) were photographed yesterday at Larache, northern Morocco by Moroccan birder Imad Yassine. The birds were not ringed, so they are either from the Moroccan population or from the introduced population in southern Spain (if they have some birds not ringed?). The Moroccan breeding colonies at Tamri and Souss-Massa National

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Egyptian Nightjars arrive early to the breeding areas

/ Birds of Morocco
Egyptian Nightjar / Engoulevent du désert (Caprimulgus aegyptius), near Merzouga, 16 Feb 2014

We received two recent sightings of Egyptian Nightjars (Caprimulgus aegyptius) in this February from two important birding hotspots: Aousserd in Western Sahara and Merzouga in Eastern Sahara. The first bird was seen at Laglat/Derraman near Oued Jenna on 18 Feb. 2016 by Javier Elorriaga and Yeray Seminario (Birding the Strait). In addition to the single Egyptian

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Allen’s Gallinule at Tachektent, Dakhla-Aousserd road

/ Birding News, Birds of Morocco
Allen’s Gallinule / Talève d’Allen (Porphyrio alleni), Tachektent, Oued Dahab, 18 Feb. 2016 (Mohamed Mediani)

Allen’s Gallinule (Porphyrio alleni) found at Tachektent on the Dakhla-Aousserd road yesterday (18 February 2016) by Mohamed Mediani. This is the 11th record for Morocco. The bird photographed by Ali Irizi at Oued Massa on 28 December 2014 and found three days later by Daniel Vrauwdeunt at the same site should be counted as one record in my opinion.

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Swedish Peregrine rescued from poachers at Casablanca, Morocco

/ Conservation News
Peregrine Falcon ‘CX’ in his home city Västerås, Sweden (Anders Nylén).

A 3-year old male Peregrine Falcon ringed in Sweden was captured south of Casablanca by poachers on 18 December 2015. It was released by Karim Rousselon after negotiations with the captors. Un Faucon mâle pèlerin d’origine suédoise de 3 ans capturé par des braconniers le 18/12/2015 au sud de Casablanca. Remis en liberté par Karim

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