Pallid Scops Owl still alive - Al Uqair

Whilst birding the Al Uqair area 10 November 2023 Phil Roberts and I found a Pallid Scops Owl trapped in an illegal mist net. Luckily the bird was still alive although very badly entangled so Phil cut the bird free with his knife whilst I held the bird and then we released the bird in a tree. It quickly opened its eyes and jumped onto the ground and ran and hid under some low vegetation. I was confident it would survive so when we returned to the location on 29 December, we looked for the owl. Amazingly I found it in the same tree we had released it seven weeks previously. We took a lot of photos of the bird and watched it for some time before leaving it in peace. Hopefully I can find it again the next time I visit as it appears to be wintering on the area. This species is an extremely rare breeding resident and rare winter visitor to Saudi Arabia, although may be more common than thought due to its magnificent camouflage. They are regularly recorded during the winter at Yanbu’ and possibly overwinters in Saudi Arabia more widely than is realized. There is a small breeding population in southwestern Saudi Arabia where birds have been heard calling as well as in the northwest of the Kingdom.

Pallid Scops Owl near Zulfi – Record by Mohammad Al Mohatresh

Mohammed Al Mohatresh an excellent birder from the Zulfi region of the Kingdom saw and photographed a Pallid Scops Owl in wadi south of Zulfi in late December 2016. This is not the first time Mohammed and Masur Al Fahad have seen this species of owl in the winter around Zulfi where it is probably an uncommon winter visitor. The Pallid Scops Owl is a rare or scarce winter visitor to most areas of Saudi Arabia with the majority of records coming from the northern areas of the country with this bird fitting in nicely with the other records of the species in the Kingdom. I would like to Thank Mansur for sending me the record and photo of the species and Mohammed for allowing me to use his excellent photo on my website.

Pallid Scops Owl at Ras al Khafji – Bird records by Mick James

I received an e-mail from Mick James in early October informing me of an interesting owl at Ras al Khafji near the Kuwait boarder in the Eastern Province f Saudi Arabia. Mick sent me a photo and has kindly allowed me to use it on my website with the following information “I was somewhat surprised to find this fella in our car park at work (Ras al Khafji - KJO port) on Saturday morning (4^th October 2014). Looks like it has made its home beneath some of our raised modular office buildings & from the various website photos I have searched I think it’s a  Pallid Scops Owl”. The Pallid Scops Owl is a rare or scarce winter visitor to most areas of Saudi Arabia with the majority of records coming from the northern areas of the country.

Pallid Scops Owl & Western Barn Owl near Zulfi – Bird records by Mansur Al Fahad

Mansur has just sent me an e-mail with a couple of his excellent photos attached. He mentioned he has seen two owls in Zulfi  through to the end of March. Mansur looked for the Western Barn owl for four nights but only saw it once in its usual place and thinks the reason is the restoration work in nearby old buildings where perhaps it was nesting. Mansur also mentioned that during the search for the Western Barn Owl he also saw a Pallid Scops Owl that was active after sunset. Mansur thinks there is a high probability that the species is a winter visitor to the area around Zulfi as one was seen in a similar environment of Tamarix trees in Onaizah (Qassem Area) about 80 kilometers west of zulfi in early December. I would like to thank Mansur for allowing me to use his photos on my website and also for keeping me informed on what is happening in the Zulfi area of Saudi Arabia as well as other regions.

Pallid Scops Owl

Pallid Scops Owl

Western Barn Owl