A juvenile Allen’s Gallinule (Porphyrio alleni) was found yesterday at Oued Massa by my colleague Ali Irizi (coordinates: 29.9998708, -9.6443939). This is the 10th record for Morocco of this Afro-tropical species. It’s wonderful to finish a birding year with such a rarity. Importantly, the bird was found alive which is much better that the dead […]
Marsh Owl (Asio capensis) is represented by an endemic subspecies in Morocco (tingitanus) and it’s Critically Endangered. In the past, the species used to breed in the majority of the marshy areas in northwest Morocco. However, nowadays the northern limit of its breading range is Lower Loukkos, where some pairs still breed in the marshes.
Rare observations of Marsh Owl in northernmost Morocco Read More »
Un Vautour fauve a été abattu par un chasseur très probablement dans la région du Tangérois au nord du Maroc. Taoufik Mazouzi qui s’est indigné par l’acte de ce chasseur a partagé cette capture d’écran le 19 novembre 2014. La photo originale a été publiée par le chasseur vers la fin d’octobre, en plein période
An American Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) found at Kenitra, northwest Morocco on 15 November 2014. This is the first record for Morocco and Northwest Africa. Thomas S. Lahlafi, who reported the news, commented: “The bird found very weak in the city of Kenitra three days ago by my uncle, and was collected to his garden.
First record of American Purple Gallinule for Morocco Read More »
Leucism in birds is a partial or total lack of pigments (melanin) in the feathers resulting in these becoming white. It’s genetically inherited and can vary from only some white feathers (partial leucism) to totally white individuals (total leucism). The eye colour is always normal in leucistic animals (unlike in albinos). However, “not every white
Historically, five vulture species had existed in Northwest Africa (the Maghreb), namely: Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Bearded Vulture, Cinereous Vulture and Lappet-faced Vulture. Of these, only the first three species still breeding in the region, while the last two species are already extirpated (although the Cinereous Vulture is a regular wintering and migrant in Morocco).
A serval (Leptailurus serval) was observed in the Middle Atlas in April 2014 by an amateur hiker named Salim Meghni. This is reportedly the first photo (see below) of this felid in the wild in Morocco. In the IUCN Red List of the species, Jdeidi et al. (2010) wrote: “North of the Sahara, there are
Serval photographed in the Middle Atlas, Morocco Read More »
A team of ornithologists of GREPOM/BirdLife Morocco shouldered by the local team of the Hight Commission for Water, Forestry and Desertification Control (HCEFLCD) and supported by the PIM Initiative (Mediterranean Small Islands Initiative) visited the archipelago of Essaouira (Mogador) in late July to monitor the reproduction of the local population of the Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae). During
Study of Eleonora’s Falcons breeding at Essaouira, Morocco Read More »
Le site-web Avito.ma permet aux braconniers d’annoncer et de vendre des oiseaux sauvages en utilisant leur plateforme. Parce que tous les rapaces et autres oiseaux sont protégés par la loi marocaine, ce commerce illégal des oiseaux sauvages est une infraction criminelle. Le site Avito.ma (et tout autre site-web similaire) sont autant responsable que les braconniers/annonceurs:
Commerce illégal des oiseaux sauvages sur Internet Read More »
Long-tailed Duck at Oualidia: it’s the first record for Morocco and continental Africa. A female Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) was photographed at the lagoons just northeast of Oualidia on 5 and 6 June 2014 (photo above). The bird was found by Bart Brieffies during a ‘Birdfinders’ trip that included eight birders from four European nations.