ID :
107080
Wed, 02/17/2010 - 14:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/107080
The shortlink copeid
American bird arrives in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, Feb 17, 2010 (WAM)- Last month, a new bird species was discovered at Abu Dhabi's Al Wathba Wetland Reserve. Wilson's Phalarope, Steganopus tricolor, a small wader, is the first ever record of this species in the United Arab Emirates. This is a remarkable new find because this bird is generally found only in the America.
The species has only been recorded on four previous occasions in the Middle East, in Oman (twice) and in Turkey (twice in the 1980s). The species is well known for its far-flung wanderings, and is recorded annually in western Europe in autumn. It has also reached the Falkland Islands, southern Australia and even Antarctica.
The species feeds either by swimming in shallow water, frequently spinning in circles as it does, or by walking along the shoreline. Both methods were observed at Al Wathba, and the bird was seen to stalk floating insect prey and then seize it with a sudden stab of its long, very fine bill. Given that there is little other suitable habitat in the area, EAD experts believe it may remain in the vicinity for some time, feeding up before it departs northwards.
This 5 km area, which was declared a protected area upon the orders of the late UAE president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1998, has long been recognised as one of the most important sites for birds in the UAE. Visited by thousands of migrants every winter, including waders, ducks and birds of prey, it is also the site of the UAE's first breeding colony of the charismatic Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus. For years, the Reserve has been attracting the attention of scientists and birdwatchers that are keen to study both common species and rarer visitors.
Once formal descriptions and photographs of the Wilson's Phalarope have been assessed by the EBRC, it will become the 435th wild species on the official UAE Bird List, maintained by the EBRC in association with EAD.
"This new record is a welcome addition to the growing list of birds in the UAE and once again highlights the importance of reserves for migratory birds," said H.E Mr. Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi.
"The presence of three flamingos, two tagged in lake Tuzla of Turkey in 2007 and one at Lake Uromiyeh in Iran in 1989 also highlights the importance of Al Wathba for the flamingos and other waterbirds. This clearly shows the importance of Al Wathba as a migratory stopover for many birds. Continued protection of a network of such coastal and inland wetlands sites is critical for the conservation of waterbirds and wetland biodiversity and also in attracting new species such as the Wilson's Phalarope," said Dr. Salim Javed, Deputy Manager, Bird Conservation at EAD and Manager of Al Wathba Wetland Reserve.
The species has only been recorded on four previous occasions in the Middle East, in Oman (twice) and in Turkey (twice in the 1980s). The species is well known for its far-flung wanderings, and is recorded annually in western Europe in autumn. It has also reached the Falkland Islands, southern Australia and even Antarctica.
The species feeds either by swimming in shallow water, frequently spinning in circles as it does, or by walking along the shoreline. Both methods were observed at Al Wathba, and the bird was seen to stalk floating insect prey and then seize it with a sudden stab of its long, very fine bill. Given that there is little other suitable habitat in the area, EAD experts believe it may remain in the vicinity for some time, feeding up before it departs northwards.
This 5 km area, which was declared a protected area upon the orders of the late UAE president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1998, has long been recognised as one of the most important sites for birds in the UAE. Visited by thousands of migrants every winter, including waders, ducks and birds of prey, it is also the site of the UAE's first breeding colony of the charismatic Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus. For years, the Reserve has been attracting the attention of scientists and birdwatchers that are keen to study both common species and rarer visitors.
Once formal descriptions and photographs of the Wilson's Phalarope have been assessed by the EBRC, it will become the 435th wild species on the official UAE Bird List, maintained by the EBRC in association with EAD.
"This new record is a welcome addition to the growing list of birds in the UAE and once again highlights the importance of reserves for migratory birds," said H.E Mr. Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi.
"The presence of three flamingos, two tagged in lake Tuzla of Turkey in 2007 and one at Lake Uromiyeh in Iran in 1989 also highlights the importance of Al Wathba for the flamingos and other waterbirds. This clearly shows the importance of Al Wathba as a migratory stopover for many birds. Continued protection of a network of such coastal and inland wetlands sites is critical for the conservation of waterbirds and wetland biodiversity and also in attracting new species such as the Wilson's Phalarope," said Dr. Salim Javed, Deputy Manager, Bird Conservation at EAD and Manager of Al Wathba Wetland Reserve.
