Kingdom : Flora, Herb

Growth form: Perennial herb. Flowering. Mar. Status: Native. Rare. Also recorded: UAE. Habitat & distribution: Recorded from cultivated lands, in light or sandy areas. Uses: Taken as a purgative (Rizk & El-Ghazaly).

Kingdom : Flora, Herb

Growth form: Annual herb. Flowering. Apr–May. Status: Introduced. Rare. Also recorded: Bahrain, E Saudi Arabia, UAE. Habitat & distribution: Recorded as a weed of irrigated land.

Kingdom : Bee-eater, Birds

Larger than European Bee-eater and distinctly green or turquoise-green with a chestnut throat, long central tail-streamers and rusty red underwings framed dark on trailing edge. Juvenile duller and lacks long tail projections. From young European Bee-eater (more uniform greenish upperparts than in adult) by entirely green plumage including crown and underparts, long tail-streamers, and rusty […]

Kingdom : Bee-eater, Birds

Easily distinguished by combination of chestnut crown, bright yellow throat contrasting with turquoise-blue underparts and, in adult, by chestnut back and upperwing-coverts. In flight, shows paler, grey underwings. Juvenile has more greenish upperparts, but still shows chestnut crown and yellow throat; central tail-feathers very short or lacking. Migrates in flocks, often passing high overhead, revealed […]

Kingdom : Brush-footed butterflies or Four-footed butterflies, Insects, Moths and Butterflies

Insect follows Nymphalidae family, and Lepidoptera order. Half wing is velvet black from the base, and the other is blue with orange spots on the wing. Wing is 40 mm long. Larvas attack big number of plant families.

Kingdom : Birds, Robin

Size and shape resembles Robin but slimmer, longer legged and generally more skulking. Pale, broad supercilium distinctive, and diagnostic rust-red tail-base obvious in flight or when perched with cocked tail. Striking features in breeding male are blue chin and throat framed below by black and rusty; depending on race the throat spot is red, white […]

Kingdom : Birds, Crake

Smaller than Spotted Crake and separated by uniform grey underparts (adult male) and heavily barred undertail-coverts. Female has brown-buff underparts, white chin and throat and some grey on cheeks and supercilium. Juvenile lacks grey head pattern and has stronger flank-barring than adult. Hard to see, but often walks on floating vegetation.

Kingdom : Birds, Buzzards and Falcons

Resembles Peregrine in outline and flight but slightly narrower based wings (male) give impression of longer tail. Adult separated from Peregrine by rufous nape and rear eyebrow, narrower moustache and larger pale cheek-patch, almost reaching eye; more creamy, less barred underparts,and often with dark ‘comma’ on greater primary coverts; upperparts paler blue-grey, more often with […]

Kingdom : Flora, Herb

Growth form: Shrublet or small shrub. Flowering. Mar–Apr. Status: Native. Common. Also recorded: Bahrain, Kuwait, E Saudi Arabia, UAE. Habitat & distribution: Frequent on sand sheets, depressions and other sandy areas.

Kingdom : Flora, Herb

Growth form: Parasitic herb. Flowering. Mar. Status: Introduced. Rare. First published record: Abdel Bari (1997). Also recorded: Kuwait. Habitat & distribution: A parasite on Solanum nigrum.

Kingdom : Birds, Kingfisher

Small kingfisher with brilliant blue and green upperparts, reddish underparts, but buffish white throat and neck patch and long, dark bill, though female has red on most of lower mandible. In flight, which is swift, direct and low over water, luminous back and tail obvious. Fairly shy, often inconspicuous when perched, sitting on branch over […]

Kingdom : Birds, Kingfisher

Large, unmistakable brightly coloured kingfisher with enormous red bill, dark brown head and belly, large white ‘bib’, brilliant turquoise-blue upperparts and black forewing. In its fast straight flight shows conspicuous white primary-patches. Rather noisy; often perches on wires (but can sit well hidden) looking for prey on ground, which is often taken in shrike-like manner.

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Large dabbling duck. Male easily told by dark greenish head, yellow bill, and brown breast and grey body. In flight see grey wings, dark blue speculum distinctly bordered by white, and white underwing coverts. Female is mottled brown like other female ducks and told mostly by size, bill shape, bill colour, and wing pattern. Differing […]

Kingdom : Birds, Martin

Smaller than Barn Swallow with black and white appearance; easily recognised by bluish black upperparts with striking white rump and all white underparts; short, forked black tail with white undertail-coverts and rather dark underwings. Juvenile duller with brownish wash on head and breast sides. Flight more fluttering than Barn Swallow with long glides often high […]

Kingdom : Gossamer-winged butterflies, Insects, Moths and Butterflies

Insect follows Lycaenidae family, and Lepidoptera order. It is blue and brown, wing is 24-32 mm long. Larvas feed on flowers, seeds, and cores of many Leguminous plants.

Kingdom : Birds, Peafowl

Weighs from 3.5-5kg. Introduced into Qatar. Male has distinctive long beautiful neck and long greenish glossy feathers with round spots, when displaying its blue, green and beautiful feathers in a dramatic way for attracting females. Peafowl is usually shy but very tame.

Kingdom : Birds, Crake

Mostly heard, seldom briefly seen walking in cover along edge of reeds or other aquatic vegetation. Obviously smaller than Moorhen, but bigger than the three smaller crakes and easily told from them by long, slender bill. Adult has dark, mottled brown upperparts, uniform slate-blue sides of head and underparts with heavy black and white bars […]

Kingdom : Flora, Shrub

Growth form: Shrublet or small shrub. Flowering. Mar–May. Status: Native. Common. Also recorded: Bahrain, Kuwait, E Saudi Arabia, UAE. Habitat & distribution: Occasional in shallow silty or sandy soils, in rocky areas, also in depressions with coarse soils. Uses: The plant is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, gonorhoea, haemorhoids and eye diseases (Rizk & […]

Kingdom : Beetles, Checkered beetles, Insects

Insect follows Cleridae family, and Coleoptera order. Size is between 3.5-7 mm, has glossy greenish blue metallic colour; red legs and antennas. Insect feeds on meat fly larvas (Calliphora). Adult feeds on host surface whereas larvas feed inside dry or smoked meat, causing greater harm. Additionally, insect attacks bones, leather, coconut, dried egg, cheese and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Roller

Its turquoise-blue body and most wing-coverts contrasting with blackish flight-feathers, bright chestnut back and deep blue leading forewing above make this species unmistakable. The juvenile is duller and browner with lightly streaked neck and breast. In flight, has fast vigorous wing-beats, at times not unlike those of Lapwing. Medium–long tail narrow and square-cut. Often sits […]

Kingdom : Birds, Roller

Identified at all ages in flight by large, translucent pale turquoise-blue primary-patch (both surfaces) and pale turquoise-blue tail-feathers (except centrals) with clear-cut dark blue band at tip and base (seen when tail spread). Wing-tip clearly blunter than in European Roller. When perched, lightly white-streaked neck, throat and breast are vinous-cinnamon (turquoise-blue in European Roller) and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Swallow

Easily distinguished by combination of bluish black upperparts (small white patches visible in tail when spread), long tail-streamers, chestnut forehead and throat, solid dark breast band and buffish white underparts including underwing-coverts. Juvenile lacks tail-streamers, has brownish breast band and wings and paler rusty forehead. Flight is strong and elegant with much banking and turning, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Swallow

Size, shape and bluish black upperparts much resembling Barn Swallow but easily distinguished by rufous collar and broad pale rufous rump; underparts, including underwing-coverts, buffish white, faintly streaked (hardly visible in flight); conspicuous black undertail-coverts striking when perched or in flight; lacks breast band and white in tail. Juvenile duller and browner with upperparts fringed […]

Kingdom : Birds, Thrush

Little bigger than Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, with longer tail and bill. Males are easily identified by dark blue plumage (which may seem black from a distance) which in winter can show fine buffish fringe to feathers. Female resembles female Blackbird but has longer bill, shorter tail, and dull buff spotting and barring on underparts. Some […]

Kingdom : Birds, Thrush

Rather small thrush, with short tail and prominent bill. Male easily told by blue-grey upper parts and bib with white patch on back and dull red underparts and tail. In winter feathers of entire plumage edged dark and white producung a scalloped effect. Female and 1st winter similar to winter male but browner, resembling female […]