13 January 2021

Two invasive species becoming commoner – Dhahran Hills

Whilst birding the Dhahran Hills area recently I came across good numbers of both House Crow and Common Myna. House Crow is native to the Indian Subcontinent but has spread around the Indian Ocean by self-colonization, often hitchhiking on ships and is most often found near port cities It was first recorded in Saudi Arabia in 1980 near Dhahran and is a uncommon breeding resident in the Kingdom although locally common in certain areas such as Dhahran. Numbers appear to be increasing with up to fifty birds seen together on occasions. Common Myna is one of the world’s three most invasive bird species; it was first recorded in Saudi Arabian cities in 1984 and has since established large self-sustaining populations. In Saudi Arabia it has a status as a common breeding resident