25 February 2017

Common Starlings near Jubail – Records by Vinu Mathew

Whilst in the Jubail area recently Vinu saw over 1000 Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris at local camel pens. These camel pens hold good numbers of livestock and attract large numbers of House Sparrows but also a few Common Starlings in the winter. This winter there appear to be more birds than normal but 1000 birds is easily the highest number I have heard of in a single flock in Saudi Arabia. Common Starlings are a winter visitor that is common in the Eastern Province but rather uncommon and erratic in Tabuk, Riyadh and Jeddah. I would like to thank Vinu for letting me use his photograph on my website which is shown below.