The Egyptian nightjar: once a guest, now a resident
A bird once thought to be a rare guest to the UAE in the winter is now a regular breeder here, scientists say.
A paper published in Sandgrouse said the Egyptian nightjar bred in areas from Morocco to north-east Egypt and southern Kazakhstan, but was not thought to have bred in the Arabian Peninsula before 2010.
Summer field surveys by UAE birdwatchers since 2013 show that the species is found regularly in Al Ajban, north-east Abu Dhabi, between March and September.
Breeding was confirmed in March last year and April this year.
Young birds were first seen by Emirati photographer Mohammed Al Mazrouei, who is the undersecretary of the Court of the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra. “I am delighted to have played a small part in this discovery,” Mr Al Mazrouei said.
His work, along with that of local birdwatchers Oscar Campbell and Mark Smiles, led to the publishing of their paper, “The discovery of a breeding population of Egyptian nightjars Caprimulgus aegyptius”.
The paper was the result of five years of fieldwork in Al Ajban.
Up to five pairs, detected through the song of male birds, are believed to have been present this year.
The authors concluded that it was possible the species had been breeding undetected at the site for several years.
“This is an important new find,” said Mr Campbell, who is also chairman of the Emirates Bird Records Committee.
“Research into our UAE birds is a key part of our conservation strategy, something in which all UAE residents can play their part,” said Mr Al Mazrouei.
The author said up to 40 birds might be present in the Ajban area over summer and might also be present farther north, in the desert south of Dubai, for example.
“It provides evidence once again that there is much still be to learnt about UAE wildlife,” Mr Campbell said.
Nearly 100 bird species, excluding some that have been introduced, have been recorded breeding in the UAE as of 2010, according to a book by Simon Aspinall, a former chairman of the Emirates committee.
Several other species have since been added as a result of survey work.
Sandgrouse is the twiceyearly journal of the Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.