Birds of U.A.E.

United Arab Emirates18 November 1996Draft

The stamps issued to showcase the birds of the United Arab Emirates depict five species found in the region in particular. The UAE has more than 400 species of birds, of which about 90 breed in the country and 320 are migrants. The Egyptian Nightjar is part of a large group of resident birds that nest in the deserts. Little is known about these birds despite their wide distribution in the Emirates, where they live around hills, gravel plains and deserts and rarely come close to people. Every morning they fly several kilometres to gather near water to drink. The Striated Scops Owl is a resident bird that is rarely seen because of its small size. It is found in the Emirates and northern Oman, and long studies have shown that it is widespread in ghaf trees and in areas dense with branches and trees in the Emirates. Its call sounds like a water pump from a distance. The Semicollared Flycatcher is a migrant that breeds in the Middle East. It arrives from its breeding grounds in southern Iran and Iraq in October and makes a remarkable circular migration through Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, reaching the Emirates in flocks in March, where it feeds on the fruit of the arak tree. The White-throated Robin is one of the most delightful migrants in the Emirates and is seen in varying numbers each year from the end of March until May. The male is striking, while the female lacks the red breast and white throat. These birds breed in central Asia, including Turkey and Iran. The Sooty Falcon is a migrant that nests in the country in summer and spends the winter in Madagascar. It breeds in the Middle East, and the UAE hosts only about 25 pairs.