13 December 2023

Gaber Goshawk – Shatifiyah

Whilst in a small pivot field near Shatifiyah in southwest Saudi Arabia, close to the Yemen border, we saw a bird of prey fly across in front of us. The proportions suggested the bird was a Goshawk, and after checking the details in the field it became apparent it was a juvenile Gaber Goshawk. In Saudi Arabia it is a scarce breeding resident, preferring acacia thickets and mixed open woodland, often near cultivated areas, such as the area where we saw it. This area where we located the bird is seldom if ever birdwatched so the record is of note. Birds occur in Yemen so probably has a continuous range across the border of both countries.