MaghrebOrnitho

Les vautours africains diminuent de façon critique, avertit une étude

23 August 2015 / Conservation News

L'empoisonnement est la principale menace touchant les vautours. Cette photo montre 66 vautours qui ont été empoisonnés dans un incident au Derby ferme, Limpopo, Afrique du Sud, 7 mai 2015 (Andre Botha).

Une étude suggère que les vautours africains sont en voie d’extinction. Une équipe internationale de chercheurs, dont des scientifiques de renom du Peregrine Fund, de l’Endangered Wildlife Trust, de l’Université de Makerere et de l’Université Altera de Wageningen, avertit que les vautours africains sont susceptibles de se qualifier comme « en danger critique d’extinction »

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Dutch-ringed Spoonbill shot dead in Morocco

12 July 2015 / Birds of Morocco, Conservation News

Dutch-ringed Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) shot in Kenitra region, Morocco (hunter’s facebook account).

An Eurasian Spoonbill colour-ringed in The Netherlands was shot by a Moroccan hunter most likely near his native city of Kenitra. This photo was not taken in Malta, Cyprus or in the Middle East. No. The hunter is 100% Moroccan, as we can see in the language used in comments by other hunters who disapproved his

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White Storks sharing nests with Cattle Egrets and both breed successively

13 June 2015 / Bird Behaviour, Birds of Morocco

An amazing nesting association between a White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) and Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) was observed at Auberge Amros, near Azrou in the Middle Atlas by Jacques Franchimont. On 7 June 2015, Jacques photographed several nests of Cattle Egrets (maybe 6) that were built on lateral branches of a White Stork nest (see photos).

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House Bunting at Jbel Moussa and Ceuta

3 June 2015 / Birds of Morocco

House Bunting (Emberiza sahari), Ceuta, 14 November 2016 (SEO6Ceuta /Sociedad De Estudios Ornitologicos de Ceuta)

The House Bunting reached Jbel Moussa in 2015, and a year later it reached the nearby Ceuta (see the update below). The House Bunting (Emberiza sahari) colonised Tangier since at least a decade ago and now is abundant in many parts of this big city (Amezian et al. 2006). Then it colonised Tétouan since at least

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Barbary macaques and vultures at Jbel Moussa, Morocco

30 May 2015 / Mammals

Barbary macaque enjoying wild fruits and watching the photographer, Jbel Moussa, Morocco

Jbel Moussa is known as a good point for observing bird migration crossing the Strait of Gibraltar between Africa and Europe. But it’s also known for its colony of the endangered Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus). The macaques inhabit the inaccessible parts of Jbel Moussa, but can easily be observed from the western and southern sides

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Golden Nightjar at Aousserd: first Western Palearctic record

13 May 2015 / Birding News, Birds of Morocco

Golden Nightjar / Engoulevent doré (Caprimulgus eximius), Aousserd, Western Sahara, Morocco; 3 May 2015 (Jurek Dyczkowski)

A Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius) was observed crossing the road between Dakhla and Aousserd and hit by the observers’ car and died on 3 May 2015 (J. Dyczkowski & R. Smykala). This is the first confirmed record for Morocco and the Western Palearctic. This interesting record confirms once more that the Aousserd region is one of the best birding

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Influx of Red-footed Falcons in Morocco

12 May 2015 / Bird Migration

Large influx of Red-footed Falcons (Falco vespertinus) has been detected in Morocco during the last few days and continues to this date. – On 2 May, Brahim Bakass photographed 2 Red-footed Falcons near Kelaat M’Gouna. – On 10 May, Karim Laïdi and his GOMAC colleagues photographed a male and female at Enjil Plateau, Boulemane Province

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Vultures bathing captured by camera trap at Jbel Moussa

10 May 2015 / Bird Behaviour

Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) drinking and bathing, Jbel Moussa, northern Morocco, 8 May 2015.

Vultures bathing in clean water captured by camera-trap at Jbel Moussa, northern Morocco. These photos show a flock of Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) enjoying their “bathing time” near a water source at Jbel Moussa. The images were captured by a camera-trap set up by our team at a small “pool” built by the local villagers

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Black-necked Grebe affected by progressive greying (not leucism)

8 May 2015 / Birds of Morocco

Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) affected by progressive greying, Dayet Aoua, Morocco, May 2015 (Saad Rih Wildlife Photography).

A Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) affected by progressive greying photographed at Dayet Aoua in the Middle Atlas Mountains by Saad Rih. (It’s not a leucistc bird as stated before, see the comment in the update below). Un Grèbe à cou noir touché par le ‘grisonnement progressive’ photographié à Dayet Aoua dans le Moyen Atlas par Saad

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Taxonomic status of the Barbary Falcon

30 April 2015 / Bird Taxonomy, Birds of Morocco

Barbary Falcon (Falco pelegrinoides), Rissani, Morocco, April 2015 (David Walsh)

Below is a discussion about the identification of an interesting falcon observed in Morocco, and an update about the taxonomic status of the Barbary Falcon. Barbary Falcon with some Peregrine characteristics This falcon was photographed on the cliffs where the Barbary Falcons are known to breed near Rissani, Morocco, in mid-April 2015 by David Walsh.

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