Short-eared Owl - Turaif

Whilst birding the far northwest of Saudi Arabia, near Turaif, in January 2021 I found a Short-eared Owl in the basalt lava area near the Jordan boarder This is a scarce to uncommon winter visitor to all areas north of Jeddah, Riyadh and Hofuf. Two birds have been seen on occasion including two on Bisaita plain in the north of the Kingdom on 13 February 2009. In the Riyadh area it is a rare or scarce winter visitor. The Eastern Province has had records of multiple birds with a minimum of eight near Wari’ah, Diddibah 12-13 February 1987 and six Al Asfar Lake Jnauary to February 2018. This is only the second time I have seen the species in Saudi Arabia after seeing four at Al Asfar lake in February 2018.

Five Short-eared Owls – Al Asfar Lake

Greg Askew found a group of six Short-eared Owls near Al Asfar Lake, Hofuf 27 January. He very kindly let a couple of birders know and so I went the following weekend with Arnold and met up with Greg at the location. We arrived at first light and spent some time walking the area before seeing five birds in flight at some distance. After careful searching we managed to get better views but were unable to see any on the ground and only got flight views although some were close. We did not want to disturb the birds too much so left before we managed to get any shots of the bird on the ground. Short-eared Owl is a scarce to uncommon winter visitor to all areas north of Jeddah, Riyadh and Hofuf. Two birds have been seen on occasion woth the last record being two birds seen on the Bisaita plain in the north of the Kingdom on 13 February 2009. In the Riyadh area it is a rare or scarce winter visitor. The birds of the Eastern Province (Bundy et al 1989) says it is a winter visitor with the following records: one found dead at Abqaiq 12 December 1975, one on a ship in the Gulf 18 October 1979, one Haradh, 29 November 1979, one Abqaiq 3 December 1982. The largest number ever seen were a minimum of eight near Wari’ah, Diddibah 12-13 February 1987. This makes the group of six found by Greg a very rare sight.

Short-eared Owl in Dhahran – Bird record by Paul Wells

Paul Wells found a Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus around the edge of the golf course on 3 November whilst doing his local patch. This is a species I have not seen in Saudi Arabia yet and a great find. The species is a scarce and sometimes rare passage migrant and winter visitor to all areas north of Jeddah, Riyadh and Hofuf. Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) says it is a rare winter visitor and mentions only two records of one collected near Khafs 24 February 1935 and one at Riyadh Air Base, 4 November 1979. The birds of the Eastern Province (Bundy et al 1989) says it is a winter visitor with the following records: one found dead at Abqaiq 12 December 1975, one on a ship in the Gulf 18 October 1979, one Haradh, 29 November 1979, one Abqaiq 3 December 1982 and a minimum of eight near Wari’ah, Diddibah 12-13 February 1987. The most recent record I know is of one near Zulfi 1 December 2016. Paul managed to get to within 15 metres of the bird and take the below photographs that he sent to me and has kindly allowed me to use on my website.

Two good Owl species near Zulfi – Records by Mansur Al Fahad

Mansur was back in his native Zulfi area mid-November and managed to see some very good birds including two species of Owl of which one would be new for me if I saw one. The first was a Short-eared Owl that is a scarce winter visitor to all areas north of Jeddah, Riyadh and Hofuf. This species is seldom seen in the Eastern Province and I have not managed to locate one myself yet. The second was a Pharaoh Eagle Owl a scarce but widespread breeding resident from Abqaiq, Hofuf, northern Hejaz, Tabuk, Hail and Riyadh, nortwards. Not yet confirmed from Hejaz, Asir and Tihamah. This species is much more regularly seen than Short-eared Owl but are still great birds to see and make a good days birding when one is located. I thank Mansur for sending me his beautiful photographs and for allowing me to use them on my website, two of which are shown below.

Short-eared Owl

Pharaoh Eagle Owl