Goliath Heron – Amaq Mangroves

Whilst birding the Amaq Mangroves I came across a Goliath Heron along the edge of an inland lagoon. This was only my second record of the species for Saudi Arabia and gave excellent views until it flew off after half an hour or so. In Saudi Arabia the Goliath Heron is an uncommon winter visitor as well as breeder to the southern Red Sea and especially offshore islands with the only inland record a bird present for several days in October at a Tabuk sewage farm. The Goliath Heron occurs from Africa south of Sahara as well as southwest Saudi Arabia and southwest Yemen, Iraq and southern Iran. They are also recorded from scattered sites in Indian Subcontinent from Pakistan to Bangladesh and south to Sri Lanka. The normally occur near water, fresh or salt and are frequently found in shallow water along lakeshores, also marshes, rivers, estuaries, reefs and mangrove creeks where they are almost completely confined to in Saudi Arabia. Their diet is mainly large fish, frogs, lizards, snakes, rodents, crabs, prawns and floating carrion. They are solitary and are normally seen alone or in pairs.

Al Qahma Mangroves

Shuqaiq Mnagroves (17 48.20N, 41 53.20E) is an area of mangroves on the southern Red Sea shore about 20km north of Shuqaiq. It is a shallow bay with large intertidal mudflats and stands of mangrove but little activity was occurring first thing in the morning on the day of our visit 4 July. As a result we travelled further north towards Al Birk on the main road looking for mangroves as we went and when we found any we tried to access the area by driving down any track that you can find to get near to the mangrove areas and then getting out of the car and walking around listening for calls. We eventually found a good area of mangroves just south of Al Qahma (17 57.856N, 41 40.841E). As a result we travelled further north towards Al Birk on the main road looking for mangroves as we went and eventually found a very nice large stand. The mangrove areas are accessed by driving down any track that you can find to get near to them and then getting out of the car and walking around listening for calls.

Collared Kingfisher

Collared Kingfisher

We drove down to the site we found and started looking in the mangroves when a loud series of calls alerted us to the presence of Collared Kingfisher and after a short while we had seen four birds with others calling. These mangroves had more crabs present than I have ever seen and as crabs are the primary food of Collared Kingfisher conditions looked ideal. The birds were seen in flight and occasionally perched in the mangroves themselves but did not allow us close approach. 

Goliath Heron

Greater Sand Plover

Purple Heron

Sooty Gull

Whilst looking for the Collared Kingfishers and scanning the edge of the mangroves we also found a Goliath Heron perched in the mangroves, presumably driven there by the rising tide. Other good birds seen at the site included Sooty Gull, Striated Heron, Crab Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Indian Reef Heron, Purple Heron and African Collared Dove.