Birds of United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates25 September 1995Draft

The Sociable Lapwing is among the bird species threatened with extinction worldwide. The UAE is only a migration stopover for it, and at least 450 birds pass through in small groups in spring. It feeds on locusts and large caterpillars and is often seen from March to April around the irrigated farmland between Al Shuaib and Ras Al Khaimah. The Socotra Cormorant is a resident breeding bird of the Arabian Peninsula, usually found in huge numbers near the shores of the Arabian Gulf. Its numbers have fallen in recent years because of the disturbance on the islands where it breeds, and it is sad to think of losing for ever the wonderful sight of thousands of these birds flying low over the waves in a figure of eight. The Cream-coloured Courser is a striking resident of the desert. It spends most of its time hunting small insects on the plains and nests early in the season so that its eggs hatch before the summer heat that begins in June. Family groups then move to cooler places, usually near water, in search of food, and they are often seen in gardens and on golf courses on the edge of Dubai. The Hoopoe is perhaps one of the best-known birds in the country. Its numbers have risen steadily over the last ten years as more trees are planted as part of the national policy to combat desertification, and the resident population has grown into the thousands, joined by thousands more that pass through on their spring and autumn migrations between Asia and Africa.