26 August 2020

Juvenile Striated Heron - Jubail

Phil Roberts and I found a juvenile Striated Heron near Jubail 10 July 2020. Phil had seen two adults in the same general area for a week or so before we located the juvenile. This is the first evidence of breeding in the Eastern Province where the species is a rare but increasing species. They are common breeding residents on the coasts of the Red Sea but is rare in the northern part of the Arabian Gulf including the Eastern Province. The increase in records in recent years shows that birds are spreading northwards and look likely to become a regular feature of the Eastern Province avifauna.
Juvenile Striated Heron

Juvenile Striated Heron

Juvenile Striated Heron