02 January 2024

Two Crested Honey Buzzard wintering - Dhahran Hills

In late December I managed to photograph a Crested Honey Buzzard, although another bird was also present that I did not manage to get any good photos of. These birds have been around since mid-September in Dhahran a location where they have spent the last ten years at least wintering. It is not certain if the birds now stay all summer as well, but summer records are becoming more common. The status, of Crested Honey Buzzard in Saudi Arabia is a scarce passage migrant and winter visitor that also occurs rarely in summer. Most records are from the Eastern province in winter and spring with additional records in the west of the country throughout the year, a location where they may well now be breeding.