Here a blog about my trip to Saudi Arabia in April 2025. I went with Gregory Askew, Ibrahim Al Shwamin and a small group of interested birders. It was a nine day trip concentrating on the south western part of the country (the Asir mountains) where most endemic birds are found. In Jazan we did some lowland and coastal birding with a one-day trip to the Farasan islands.
We found all the endemics of the Arabian peninsula that can be seen in Saudi Arabia, including the only endemic for the country, Asir Magpie (may be no more than 200 breeding pairs). Besides that we saw a lot of afro-tropical species, that are unique for the Western Palearctic. We also saw many migrating birds with tens of Barred Warblers, Red-backed, Isabelline and Turkestan Shrikes. White-throated bee-eaters with groups of ten or more flying over, migrating Blue-cheecked and European Bee-eaters, redstarts, Thrush Nightingale, eastern Nightingale (se below) and much more...
Below an overview of the trip with some pictures and sound recordings. The sound recordings are best with headphones!!
We began at Riyadh though to find Arabian Lark...
Arabian Lark around Riyadh
eastern Common nightingale africana/golzii photo by Arthur Geilvoet
After the first day around Riyadh we took a flight to the south west and began at Abha and worked our way down to the coast in Jazan...
Around Abha we had our first day with typical Asir species, such as Yemen Thrush, Little Rock Thrush, Philby's Patridge, Arabian Tchagra, Gambaga Flycatcher, Arabian Serin, Yemen Linnet, Arabian Waxbill and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting. But the best bird here was undoubtedly Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak. It took some effort, but after about five hours we succeeded.
male Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak
female Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
On our first night session we had this
Arabian Scops Owl. Further quiet with a singing
Montane Nightjar...
Arabian Scops Owl
The next days we worked our way through the mountains further south, finding a lot of fine birds, among others the first Hamerkop
African Paradise Flycatcher
Asir Magpie, the sole endemic of Saudi Arabia
Gambaga Flycatcher, an afro-tropical breeder of the Asir Mountains
The night sessions were good for the owls, although the Arabian Eagle Owl took some effort. The nightjars in the mountains were not very cooperative. As mentioned, we heard only one Mountain Nightjar and saw and heard some Plain Nightjars, but no sound recording or photo's of them...
distant views of Arabian Eagle Owl
not so distant views of Desert Owl
Further a wide variety of Asir specialities
Arabian Sunbird
Arabian Wheatear
Buff-breasted Wheatear
Isabelline Shrike
Common Kestrel
African Grey Hornbill
Cucumiau
Little Rock Thrush
Shikra
Rufous-capped Lark
Purple-backed Starling
Tristram's Starling
White-browed Coucal
Abyssianian White-eyes
Yemen Thrush
Yemen Warbler
Laughing Dove
In the lowlands in the Jazan province things went well. We saw the Arabian Golden Sparrows rather quick. Harlequin Quail and Common Buttonquail were not very difficult to flush.
Even Greater Painted Snipe and Black-headed Heron showed, albeit at a distance.
Below some pictures and sound recordings...
Arabian Golden Sparrow, photo by Arthur Geilvoet
Mangrove Reed Warbler avicennae
Black-winged Stilt
Clamorous Reed Warbler
Crab-plover
'Arabian' Helmeted Guineafowl
Nile Valley Sunbird
Nubian Nightjar
Crested Honeybuzzard
Pink-backed Pelican
We visited the Farasan Islands (2 Red-billed Tropicbirds on the way) and took a boat trip there to get closer to all the rock islands. Loads of birds there. The Sooty Falcons were back with a total of 14 birds. Further there the local Egyptian Vultures, Ospreys, Gracefull Prinias, White-eyed Gulls, Sooty Gulls, Bridled terns, Greater and Lesser Crested Terns, Brown Noddies and Brown Boobies. One of the targets in the mangroves was Goliath Heron...On the way back we saw a European Nightjar land on the boat and had both Arctic and Pomarine Skua!
Goliath Heron
Arabian terns
Brown Booby
Bridled Tern
Greater Crested Terns
White-eyed Gull, a Red Sea endemic
Sooty Falcon
African Collared Dove
Lesser Crested Terns
Striated/Little Heron
female Greater painted Snipe at Al Sadd-lake
"mangrove" white-eye", photo's by Arthus Geilvoet
Coastal birding around Jazan was good. We saw two Saunder's Terns, a few Little Terns, a variety of waders with among others Tibetan Sand Plovers, Greater Sand Plovers, Crab-plovers, Terek Sandpipers and Broad-billed Sandpipers. In the mangroves the white-eyes (a cryptic 'form' of Abyssinian?) were difficult to find, but we saw two on the last morning. The Abdim's Storks were still on their nest, so they were easy.
