Middle East - Kuwait
Being positioned in the extreme southeast corner of the Western Palearctic and on a migration crossroads the State of Kuwait has an enormous amount to offer the visiting birder. Like several of its near neighbours the country has a great infrastructure and welcoming people. Until recently the country has been off-limits to visitors without state sponsorship but all that has now changed and its true birding potential is starting to be realised.
The birding can be spectacular with migrants literally pouring through the country in the right conditions and the possibility of real surprises turning up. The 4th Western Palearctic record of Lesser Frigatebird in April 2008 is an example. Other rarities in 2008 have included Little Whimbrel, Long-tailed Shrike, Oriental Pratincole, Lappet-faced Vulture, Oriental Skylark and Purple Sunbird.
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Basra Reed Warbler © Lee Gregory
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The list of migrant and resident species includes several species which are difficult or impossible anywhere else Western Paleartcic - Socotra Cormorant, Crab Plover, Red-wattled Lapwing, Greater Crested Tern, Bridled Tern, White-cheeked Tern, Egyptian Nightjar, Pallid Harrier, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Grey-headed Swamphen, Dunn's Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Common Babbler, Rufous Bush Robin, White-throated Robin, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Grey Hypocolius, White-cheeked Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, Basra Reed Warbler, Menetries's Warbler, Upcher's Warbler, Daurian Shrike, Turkestan Shrike, Steppe Grey Shrike, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Bank Myna, Common Myna, Pale Rock Sparrow and Cinereous Bunting.
Wintering birds include such enigmatic species as Shikra, Persian Wheatear and even Indian Roller.
Text from Oenanthe Birding Adventures bird tour operators for Kuwait
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Trip Reports
Kuwait, April 2008, author Chris Lansdell (link created October 31, 2008)
(Chris Lansdell, Oenanthe Birding Adventures) Kuwait - 5th-15th April 2006, author Rami Lindroos, Ilkka Sahi & Keijo Wahlroos (added May 31, 2007)
(Our trip was made at the best spring migration time. The total number of observed species was 160, of which we saw 9 -13 new Western Palearctic species each.) Kuwait January 2008, author Richard Bonser (link created March 20, 2008)
(Purple Sunbird, Indian Roller, Shikra, Persian Wheatear, Grey Hypocolius, Common Babbler, Crab Plover, Long-tailed Shrike, MacQueen's Bustard, Lesser Sand Plover, Dunn's Lark, Red-wattled Lapwing, Red-vented Bulbul, Bank Myna) Kuwait April 2007, author Richard Bonser (link created March 20, 2008)
(Grey Hypocolius, Basra Reed Warbler, Socotra Cormorant, Long-tailed Shrike, Common Babbler, Lesser Sand Plover, Red-vented Bulbul, Bank Myna, Crab Plover, Red-wattled Lapwing, Crested Tern, White-cheeked Tern, Bridled Tern, Dunn’s Lark) Kuwait trip report, April 8th-18th 2006, author Andreas Hagerman (added June 9, 2007)
(with a range of site images and Grey Hypocolius) Kuwait, April 2009 with Oenanthe Birding Adventures, author Chris Lansdell (link created June 11, 2009)
(Indian Roller, Socotra Cormorant, Basra Reed Warbler, Swift Tern, Egyptian Nightjar, Hume's Lesser Whitethroat, Crab Plovers and loads more) A birding trip to Kuwait - 24th -31st January 2007, author Ilkka Sahi plus participants (added July 23, 2007)
(total number of species observed was 113)
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