21 May 2016

Sinai Rosefinch near Tabuk – Bird records by Viv Wilson

Viv Wilson a birder from Tabuk in the north west of Saudi Arabia sent me a few of his photographs of Sinai Rosefinch and has given me permission to use them on my website. This species has its entire Saudi Arabian range restricted to the north-west of the country. The birds seen in north-west Saudi Arabia are nominate synoicus who’s range is Sinai, north-west Arabia, Israel, and Jordan. They are small with the upper-part ground colour and sides of body rather dark drab-grey, with the pink and red of adult males being extensive, reaching the tips of both the upper and under tail-coverts. The birds are almost always associated with rocky jebals and cliffs and are often heard calling loudly to each other. They are not easy to photograph so Viv has done well with this pictures.