Two subspecies of Eurasian Reed Warbler in Saudi Arabia confirmed from DNA

A recent paper on the ‘Mitochondrial phylogeny of the Eurasian-African reed warbler complex’ has confirmed by DNA samples that two subspecies of Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus occur in Saudi Arabia and birds from the southwest once thought to be African Reed Warbler A. baeticatus are in fact Acrocephalus scirpaceus avicenniae. The other subspecies is Acrocephalus scirpaceus fuscus that occurs in central Saudi Arabia (Riyadh - DNA) and Eastern Saudi Arabia (Jubail - ringing details). The paper mentioned above says fuscus is a well-supported clade containing all samples from Kazakhstan and several from Saudi Arabia and Israel, where four samples from Lake Kenneret, collected some time later than 21 May in 1995, may have been local breeders. The western-most sampling locality in the presumed breeding range are Astrachan and Azerbaijan, suggesting that the ranges of fuscus and scirpaceus abut somewhere between the Black and the Caspian Seas. The second clade was avicenniae containing the holotype of avicenniae from Eritrea and samples from breeding populations in Saudi Arabia (Al Shuqaiq), but also a sample from Kenya originally attributed to fuscus. As the latter was obtained away from the breeding grounds, misidentification is a possibility. Most probably this sample represents a migrant from the Red Sea mangrove population. The range of avicenniae is generally believed to be confined to mangroves bordering the Red Sea, but has recently been extended to reach Egypt (Hering et al., 2011a).  The papers records from Lake Kenneret inland Israel, and the observations by Morgan (1998) and Hering et al. (2009, 2011b), imply that this taxon may have a larger distribution and wider choice of habitats than previously known. I have trapped and ringed both these subspecies in Saudi Arabia with photos below of both types and have blood samples from Either Mangroves and Al Qahma Mangroves in the southwest. These blood samples will be tested soon to find out where they lay in relation to the other birds sampled, but will almost certainly be Mangrove Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus avicenniae which is what was assumed when trapped and measured.

Caspian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus fuscus

Mangrove Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus avicenniae

Ringing typical wetland birds – Sabkhat Al Fasl

Nicole and I went ringing at Sabkhat Al Fasl 16 October and although we caught a few birds the numbers were well down on the previous weekend. The weather was extremely humid, so maybe this affected the bird numbers? We caught the typical wetland birds we normally catch with plenty of Indian (Clamorous) Reed Warblers and Common Kingfishers. We also caught several Great Reed Warblers, a juvenile Caspian (European) Reed Warbler, several Graceful Prinias and Barn Swallows. Two Little Bitterns were trapped along with a Turkestan Shrike and the first Bluethroat of the autumn, an immature female bird. It was quite hard work ringing in the high humidity but we ended up with 28 birds trapped and ringed in total so not too bad. Numbers decreased markedly around 09:00 hrs so we ended up getting home earlier than normal to cool off.

Indian Reed Warbler

Great Reed Warbler

Great Reed Warbler

Caspian (European) Reed Warbler

Common Kingfisher - female

Common Kingfisher - male

Little Bittern

Early migration through Zulfi – Bird records by Mansur Al Fahad

Mansur Al Fahad is a very good Saudi Arabian birdwatcher, as well as all round naturalist, who currently lives in Riyadh, but who is originally from Zulfi (north-central Saudi Arabia). Mansur has previously sent me photographs of a number of lizards he has seen in the region as well as helped me with the identification of a lizard I saw at Sabkhat Al Fasl in the Eastern Province. Recently he sent me some excellent photographs, which he has kindly allowed me to reproduce here, taken with his new camera set up of a Canon 7D and 600mm F4 ISII which he took when on holiday in his original home town of Zulfi in August. Copyright of the below photos remains with Mansur.

Zulfi consists of five main environments:
1 - Sand dunes with some shrubs and palm oases constitute two-thirds of the area and are mainly in the north and west.
2 – The eastern plateau with high ground and valleys with some acacia trees and shrubs.
3 – The sharp western edge of the plateau overlooking the city with good vegetation cover and valleys.
4 - Farms around the city consisting mostly of palm plantations, animal feed fields and vegetables
5 - Large farms in western Zulfi (in the sandy plains), for grain and animal feed (pivot irrigation) with some new palm plantations.

Central Saudi Arabia has quite a different birding fauna to the Eastern Province and birds pass through the region and slightly different times and in slightly different numbers. Mansur photographed a number of birds that have yet to come through the Eastern Province this autumn, as far as I am aware, including White-throated Robin and Greater Short-toed Lark. White-throated Robin is a very scarce autumn migrant through the Eastern Province with only two documented records until 1989 (Bundy et al) although it is more regular in spring. Large numbers of this species have recently been seen in the Abha region of South-west Saudi Arabia indicating it has a westerly migration route in autumn through Saudi Arabia. Greater Short-toed Lark is seen in autumn from September until October in the Eastern Province, but again is commoner in spring, showing this species passes earlier through central Saudi Arabia than the east of the country. These records appear to show that Zulfi is on a migration route of a number of birds that do not occur as regularly further east in the country.

White-throated Robin

Greater Short-toed Lark

All the other birds Mansur sent me photographs of have been seen in the Eastern Province this autumn with some resident bird numbers increasing due to passing migrants. Eurasian Hoopoe, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin are examples of three species whose breeding numbers are greatly increased by passing migrants. European Reed Warbler may or may not breed in the Eastern Province but is an early passage migrant with both races including the eastern race Caspian Reed Warbler fuscus passing through. Marsh Warbler is a difficult bird to identify in the field but has been recorded by both Mansur and birders in the Eastern Province this autumn.

Upcher's Warbler

Eurasian Hoopoe

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

European Reed Warbler

Marsh Warbler

I would like to thank Mansur for allowing me to use his excellent photographs and hope to have a few more of his excellent photos to post in the coming days.