Kingdom : Avocet, Birds

Rather large, slender and pied wader with mainly white appearance; at distance flocks on water somewhat recalling small gulls. Black crown and hindneck and long, thin upcurved bill are distinctive features; in flight, shows white wings with prominent black markings; from below pure white with black wing-tips and long trailing greyish blue legs. Flight is […]

Kingdom : Birds, Bittern

More often heard than seen. Smaller than the Grey Heron, with stocky neck and entirely dark brown and golden buff streaked plumage which provides excellent camouflage. Juvenile Little Bittern is similar in plumage but is very much smaller. Juvenile Night Heron is smaller and shows white spots on wings. Juvenile Purple Heron lacks streaks on […]

Kingdom : Birds, Bittern

Smallest type of heron. Identified by tiny size and, at all ages, conspicuous pale covert-panels contrasting with black flight feathers and dark back. Female resembles male but duller with more rufous tinge and buff streaks on underparts. Juvenile more boldly streaked buff and brown with duller, streaked covert panels. Most often seen in flight, when […]

Kingdom : Birds, Cormorant

Large waterbird with a powerful bill, swims low in the water and often perches with wings outstretched. In breeding plumage glossy black with white feathering on nape and neck and white thigh patch. Adults in winter retain white chin and throat patch unlike the Socotra cormorant. Juveniles browner with brownish-white or dirty white underparts. or […]

Kingdom : Birds, Cormorant

Slightly smaller than the Great Cormorant, it has a slimmer head and neck. Adult has sooty black plumage with bronze green wings and back, and without white face and chin patch of Great Cormorant. Bill is much slimmer than that of Great Cormorant and appears paler against dark head. In breeding plumage, more glossy and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Coursers and Whimbrels

Large, brown-mottled, buffish grey wader with long, decurved bill. Plumage warmer, more ochre (less greyish), in fresh plumage (including juvenile). Male smaller than female, with shorter bill, which in young male overlaps with Whimbrel’s, but is more evenly decurved. Flight with rather slow, gull-like wing-beats (obviously slower than Whimbrel), showing barred tail and white wedge […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Rather dark, brownish plover recalling non-breeding European Golden in general outline, but smaller; additionally white or buffish supercilia, meeting in a ‘V’ on nape, and narrow white or pale upper breast band are distinctive features in all plumages. Adult breeding female (male duller) has striking white supercilium and throat contrasting with blackish cap and greyish […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Slightly smaller than Tufted Duck, shape of head close to that of Pochard. No crest but higher crown than Tufted Duck. It has a flatter sloping forehead and longer dark grey bill with black nail when compared with Tufted Duck. Male is rich chestnut brown with white eye, sharply defined pure white undertail coverts and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

In flight it resembles a small female Pintail, having a fairly long neck, wings and tail. On water it is identified by pale plumage, dappled dark and cream with dark oval patch around the eye in otherwise pale head with long black bill. Head appears large and rounded with steep forehead and, in adult, a […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Small diving duck with roundish head but fairly steep forehead. Crest at nape, long and drooping in male, minute in female. Bill blue-grey. Male is black and white with black upperparts and purple green head. Female and eclipse male have brownish sides to body, female sometimes with whitish band around base of bill. In rapid […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Often one of the commonest shorebirds, larger than the Stints, but slightly smaller than Curlew Sandpiper. Longer bill than Stints is slightly down-curved. In summer plumage easily told by black belly-patch. In winter, this patch is lost as are rufous tones to upperparts, then has grey upperparts with narrow pale fringes to coverts and scapulars, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

A graceful, all-white egret, which in adult plumage has a black bill and black legs with yellow feet. Immature birds have brownish green legs and pinkish base to lower mandible. May be confused with white phase of Western Reef Heron. (see that species) Larger than Cattle Egret, also lacks buffish wash to plumage and bill […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

A small, white meadow-dwelling heron, usually seen in flocks, and frequently associates with cattle. It differs from Little Egret by stockier build, shorter pale bill, neck and legs, extended “jowl” under bill and faster flight. Also in breeding season orange-buff wash on crown, back and breast, and reddish bill. Usually seen feeding in flocks or […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

The largest white heron with long, angular neck often stretched to full extent. Adult in breeding plumage told by large size, scapular plumes, black bill with yellow base and black legs, yellowish above joint. In winter bill is yellow and lower legs blackish green or brownish. Sedate in flight and on the ground.

Kingdom : Birds, Flamingo

Flamingos are unmistakable large, long-legged, long-necked pinkish wading birds with characteristic bill-shape. The white plumage of the adults gradually acquires a pink hue and red wing-coverts. Juveniles which are smaller than adults, are greyish with brown markings.

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Medium sized, slightly built dabbling duck. Swims high on water with elevated rear end like Wigeon. Flies with rapid wing beats and has pointed wings like Wigeon. Males mainly dark grey with black around tail, In flight white speculum, bordered black in front, and white belly are visible. Female and juvenile resemble larger and heavier […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Small, Teal sized dabbling duck. Male has unmistakable broad, white stripe above eye to hindneck, black mottled breast contrasting with grey sides and white belly. In flight, striking blue-grey forewing contrasts with dark head, breast and upperparts. Female similr to female Teal, but longer bill and more contrasting dark and light head-stripes widening in front […]

Kingdom : Birds, Godwit

Resembles Black-tailed (which see) especially on ground in non-breeding plumage, bur note more compact, less erect appearance with shorter legs and neck, and slightly upturned bill. In flight, easily separated in all plumages by lack of distinct wing and tail markings typical of Black-tailed. Male in breeding plumage has deep rusty red head and entire […]

Kingdom : Birds, Godwit

Large, graceful wader with long bill and legs and diagnostic, contrasting flight pattern. On ground, most similar to Bar-tailed, but slightly larger and more erect due to longer legs and neck; bill slightly longer and straighter. In summer plumage, both sexes have varying amount of rusty red on head, neck and fore-body with diffuse, dark […]

Kingdom : Birds, Goose

Smallest duck to occur in the region. Short-neck, and short, stubby, goose-like bill, round body with high rear end on water. Male unmistakable with white head, neck and underparts with black cap, eye and band across white breast. Black back with greenish and purple gloss. Female is a drabber version of the male. Flight is […]

Kingdom : Birds, Goose

Slightly larger than a Ruddy Shelduck, has black flight feathers , green speculum and striking white forewing and underwing coverts. Otherwise brownish buff, with variable brownish or greyish upperparts, pale fore-neck and face with prominent dark eye patch, dark collar and belly patch. Legs are long and pink.

Kingdom : Birds, Goose

Smaller than the Greylag Goose. It is a warm grey-brown, with a dark head and hindneck, with orange legs. Bill quite long, pink with white nail. Adult has a large white area surrounding the base of bill, and black bars on underparts. Juvenile warmer brownish, lacks white forehead and black bars on underparts, forehead and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Grebe

The Black-necked Grebe is slightly larger than the Little Grebe.It has a small bill, steeply sloping forehead,and large red eye. Mostly dark chocolate brown and golden in summer. In winter plumage the white throat and cheeks contrast with the grey neck and grey and black body. Often seen in small flocks on open water.

Kingdom : Birds, Grebe

The biggest Grebe in the region. Swims while keeping its long body low, with its graceful, long white neck held upright. During flight it keeps the neck extended and feet under the line of the body. It has a large white patch on the secondaries, white border to front of underwing and on shoulders along […]

Kingdom : Birds, Grebe

The smallest Grebe in the region. Identified by small size, blunt-ended body, short neck and bill, and absence of white in upperwing. Adult birds have dark brown throat and cheeks with a yellow gape patch. In the winter, adult and juveniles paler brown above, pale buff below, variably mixed with dull chestnut on fore-neck (adult). […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Larger than Redshank with long, green (sometimes yellow-green) legs, fairly long, stout, slightly upturned bill and mainly grey and white plumage. Flight action slow and jerky with rather long, uniform, dark wings contrasting with paler head and neck, and conspicuous white tail and wedge up back, similar to much smaller, slimmer and paler Marsh Sandpiper; […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

A large gull. Heavily built with deep bill, long legs, heavy breast and long wing projection. Adult a dark ash-grey with orange yellow legs, usually with dark brownish eyes. Bill has large gonys-spot and variable blackish subterminal band. In winter sparse streaking on hindneck. Adult a shade of dark ash-grey with orange-yellow legs and usually […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

The smallest in size of the Gull group with long very dark black wings and mantle. Legs are bright yellow with a small white mirror spot on wingtip when flying. Distinguished from other gulls by dark brown tertials, white tail and rump, tail base with spotted or barred black and white beard. Lives in coastal […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

Similar to Steppe Gull with large white head. Comes to Qatar as winter visitor to coastal areas. Smaller than the Heuglin’s Gull, but more paler in colour with long bill and upright stance and distinctive blank facial expression, sloping rounded head and dark eyes. In flight has less of black and large all white wing […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

Medium-small gull, told (except from Slender-billed) by broad white leading edge of primaries, contrasting below with dark grey remaining primaries. In summer, has dark brown hood; in winter, head white with black spot on ear-coverts and, often, vague bar from eye over crown and from ear-covers over nape. See Slender-billed for separation. Juvenile and 1st […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

Very large gull. Distinctive adult identified in summer by large black hood, large orange-yellow bill with black band near tip and white primaries with black band near wing-tip. In winter, has large dusky patch behind eye; white eye-crescents present in all ages. Juvenile and 1st winter told from other young large gulls by unmarked white […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

Medium-sized gull with wing pattern almost identical to Black-headed, but head completely white in summer when breast often has rosy tinge. Larger than Black-headed with different build; bill distinctly longer, forehead rather sloping with longer upper mandible feathering accentuating length of bill, giving ‘snoutish’ effect. Legs longer (stands higher); when relaxed breast more bulky but […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

Looks very much like the Caspian Gull in size and plumage, including the beak and wings particularly when flying or standing on ground or inside water. Categorized as winter visitor and can be found in all coastal areas of Qatar.

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

Typically larger in size compared to Lesser Black-backed Gull, with upright stance. Categorized in Qatar as passage migrant & winter visitor on most coastal areas. Looks like Caspian and Steppe Gulls in plumage but more darker. Wings greyer and colour of legs vary from pale purple to yellow creating difficulty in identification. Bill is usually […]

Kingdom : Birds, Gull

Distinctive, medium-sized gull with dark sooty brown hood and ‘bib’, dark grey-brown upperparts and wings, dark flanks and underwings (white trailing edge) and narrow white half-collar. Long, thick, straight bill distinctly bi-coloured at all ages (in adult yellow-green with black band near red tip; in young pale blue-grey with black tip). Narrow white crescent above […]

Kingdom : Birds, Goose

The largest goose in the region. Thick neck with heavy, pink bill, greyish head and neck and pink legs. In flight, shows distinctive, pale forewing. Upperparts more greyish than other grey geese, belly has small, black blotches, not forming bars. Juvenile simiar to adult but lacks transverse lines on upperparts and dark belly marks.

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

Stocky, about half the size of the Grey Heron and most active at dusk. Adult’s grey plumage with black back and crown are unmistakable. The brownish juvenile is prominently spotted with white on back and coverts. This feature identifies it from the other brown heron-types, notably the larger Bittern. By the second year the spotting […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

Very large with long legs and heavy bill. Resembles Purple Heron in plumage but is twice the size. Distinctive features of adult are rich chestnut head and hindneck, bluish grey upperparts and rich chestnut underparts and underwing coverts. Told from Purple Heron by large size, stouter head and neck, lack of any black on crown, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

A large heron with long neck and legs and powerful bill. Grey upperparts and white underparts and neck. Adult has characteristic black crest and markings down front of neck. Juvenile has darker grey or browner upperparts and crown with rest of plumage white. Bill yellowish and legs brownish yellow in adult. Juveniles have browner bill […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

Slightly smaller and much darker than Grey Heron, with angular snake-like neck. Adult dark grey with black belly, chestnut on neck edged with black streak, black crown and line across cheeks. Bill a dull yellow. Juvenile has sandy brown upper-parts and hindneck with diffuse dark streaking on neck and blackish crown. In flight has a […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

A small heron which in adult breeding plumage is a delicate golden buff with a purple sheen on mantle and long streaked nape-plumes. The bill has a greenish blue base. Nape-plumes lost in winter when neck becomes streaked and bill has yellowish base. Juvenile is brownish buff with streaked neck and upper breastmaking it well […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

Small, rather dark, thick-set heron. Adult has black crown with long nape-plumes , bluish grey upperparts, buff-fringed coverts and greyish neck and underparts, with a marked facial pattern. Legs are rosy, yellowish or pink. Immature brownish with white spots on tips of wing coverts, brown and white streaked upper breast and yellowish green legs. In […]

Kingdom : Birds, Egrets and Herons

White, dark and intermediate phases occur.White phase similar to Little Egret but less elegant with thicker bill. Bill pale brown to yellowish usually with reddish flush in breeding season. Legs brownish green. Dark phase is slate-grey with white chin and throat and occasionally a few white flight feathers. Juvenile in white-phase often has grey feathers, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

A large knot of stocky build, tapering at rear. In winter plumage (when most likely to be seen in the region) told by long, decurved bill with heavy base, large greyish spots on underparts, faint supercilium (caused by more extensive greyish lores) and obvious tail pattern. White rump/ uppertail-coverts contrasting with dark upperparts and tail; […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Unmistakable with long up-turned crest and greenish upperparts; in flight, broad rounded wings show no wing-bar. In winter upperparts have narrow pale scaling to feathers. Often in large flocks outside breeding season.

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Rather large, colourful plover; easily identified by long bright yellow legs, black head and centre of breast, white ear-coverts, side of neck and breast-side; eye-ring and wattle in front of eye is red. Flight is light with slow wing-beats and shows similar wing pattern to Spur-winged and White-tailed, but tail has black subterminal band with […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Lapwing-sized, with more upright stance, especially when alert. In breeding plumage easily told by long white supercilium, joining on nape, black crown and chestnut-black belly. In winter, loses belly-patch, becomes mottled on breast and supercilium is less distinct (but white forehead usually quite prominent). Juvenile, which is browner than adult, has buffish wash to forehead […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Elegant, long-legged plover, mainly sandy brown above, black head and underparts and contrasting white cheeks and sides of neck. In flight, tri-coloured: conspicuous white band between black flight-feathers and sandy wing-coverts; broad black tail-band; from below black belly and flight feathers contrast with white underwing-coverts. Flight action rather jerky. Juvenile similar to adult. Differs from […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Typical lapwing size, told by plain head (accentuating dark eye), long yellow legs (which protrude in flight) and, in flight, all-white tail; juvenile paler on neck and breast, dark-mottled on upperparts with dark cap and faint brown tip to tail. Slender and graceful on ground, often with neck held erect. When feeding, tips down so […]

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, Oyster-catcher

Large unmistakable black and white wader with long, red bill and rather short, red-pink legs (adult). Flight is strong, direct and duck-like and shows conspicuous white wing-bar, white rump and terminal black tail band; non-breeding adult has white neck collar and duller bill-tip. Juvenile and immature have duller black upperparts, dark tip to bill, greyish […]

Kingdom : Birds, Pelican

Huge bird with a large wingspan. Beak shape makes it easy to differentiate from other birds. Adult is white with contrasting solid black flight feathers. Flight consists of slow wingbeats followed by a glide.

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

A small, elegant wader which swims high on water, often spinning to whirl up food items, which will be taken with needle-thin, black bill. Unmistakable in breeding plumage with striking head and neck pattern. In winter plumage upperparts are ash-grey with white lines and fringes, black mask through eye and black on hind-crown conspicuous. Juvenile […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Large, very slim and elegant dabbling duck. Long neck and tail obvious in flight with more pointed wings than other dabbling ducks. Male unmistakable white neck and underparts, grey upperparts contrasting with dark head and tail and dark slender bill. Female similar similar to other female dabbling ducks, but note dark bill, greyer plumage and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

A slim and delicate plover mostly recalling sand plovers (which see) in size and general appearance, but separated by long attenuated body, with wings projecting well beyond tail-tip, when perched; proportionally longer legs, long neck and smaller head with rather fine tapering bill; broader white supercilium gives a ‘capped’ effect. Male breeding shows distinct blackish […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Dunlin-sized plover with orange legs and bill-base, strong black breast band and white hindneck collar; in flight, shows conspicuous white wing-bar, note also characteristic call. In adult non-breeding black is replaced by dark grey-brown, supercilium and forehead are tinged brown, and bill is nearly black. Juvenile similar to adult non-breeding, but is paler and duller, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Long-legged pied wader with large head and straight massive bill. Adult breeding has black mantle, white head and neck and distinctive black spot around eye; adult winter and immature have dark streaks on crown and nape. Juvenile shows streaking on rear crown, silvery grey mantle, scapulars and tail, and at distance could be mistaken for […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Has heavy, short-necked and pot-bellied appearance, comparatively short legs and bill, white underwing coverts and axillaries. Adult breeding is strikingly coloured black, white and golden; very contrasting in flight from below with white underwings and black belly; feet do not extend beyond tip of tail. Flight pattern above is rather uniform, dark brown spotted golden […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Resembles larger version of Lesser Sand (which see for further details), and isolated individuals can be almost impossible to separate. Note especially: larger size (obviously larger than Ringed); longer, more pointed bill, and larger, more angular head and big eye; sometimes reminiscent in shape of much larger Grey Plover; longer, usually yellowish green legs (especially […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Large, rather robust-looking plover, bigger than European Golden, with heavier head and longer, stouter bill; lacks obvious yellow or greenish tones in upper-parts, except for faint yellow-buff tinge in juvenile. Black axillaries diagnostic in all plumages in flight (most obvious and contrasting in juvenile and non-breeding). Adult breeding recalls European Golden, but more white on […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Small, sandy plover with white underparts, rather long, blackish legs, conspicuous white hindneck-collar and never complete breast band, in flight, a clear, white wing-bar and broad, white sides to tail. Adult breeding male has variable, rufous cap, black frontal bar, and lateral black breast-patches. Breeding female, adult non-breeding and juvenile are much duller, lacking black […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Very similar to Greater Sand in all plumages, behaviour and general outline, and isolated individuals can be impossible to distinguish. Best separated by: size (body only slightly larger than Ringed, Greater Sand distinctly larger); shorter bill, less pointed, more swollen at tip (but overlap with Greater Sand occurs in western birds); head looks smaller, more […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Small, slim and long-winged plover; horizontal stance when perched. In breeding plumage similar to Ringed Plover, but breast band narrower and lacks white wing-bar in flight; note also yellow orbital ring, dark bill, white line behind black forecrown, and muddy coloured or pinkish legs. Adult non-breeding and juvenile have almost plain brown forehead with ill-defined […]

Kingdom : Birds, Lapwings and Plovers

Very similar to and easily confused with slightly bigger European Golden in all plumages. Best separated by generally slimmer structure, voice and underwing. Compared with European Golden, wings often (but not always) protrude 1-2 cm beyond tail-tip (most obvious in adult), bill is finer and longer, legs are clearly longer, particularly thighs, making it appear […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Sloping forehead leading into long bill is characteristic. No crest present. Male has chestnut head and neck, contrasting with black breast and pale grey body. Black bill has has pale grey band in centre. Eclipse male resembles female but greyer above. Female fairly nondescript with dullish brown head and breast, chin and eye-stripe paler, dark […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Plump, Mallard sized, diving duck, but often behaving as a surface feeder, sitting high on the water. Male diagnostic with large red head and paler erectile crest, red bill, black breast and white flanks. Eclipse male resembles female but with red bill. Female drab brown with pale grey cheeks contrasting with dark crown. Dark bill […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Medium-sized greyish wader with bright red legs, in flight showing white barring on tail, and broad, brilliant white trailing edge to wings. Breeding adult heavily dark-spotted, with red base of bill. Winter plumage uniform grey above, paler grey underparts with ill-defined spotted breast, mostly recalling Spotted Redshank (which see). Juvenile buff-spotted upperparts and all-dark bill […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Medium-sized, rather slim wader; in winter plumage with red legs mostly recalling Redshank, but larger, cooler grey upperparts, white underparts, and longer finer bill, slightly drooping at tip; flight pattern differs markedly. In breeding plumage unmistakable: almost black, fine-spotted white above with long, blackish red legs and bill. In flight, shows dark tail and wings […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Slightly larger than Dunlin with shorter, straighter bill. In winter, easily told by very pale plumage with often a dark mark at bend of wing. In summer and juvenile plumage more confusable with other small waders, particularly stints, especially if comparison is not possible. In summer plumage (often shown on spring passage), can be quite […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Slightly smaller than Dunlin, from which told in all plumages by longer bill which is broad-based with downward droop near tip, shorter yellowish grey legs and double supercilium, especially noticeable in breeding plumage. In breeding plumage rather dark upperparts with white ‘V’ on mantle and white line on scapulars and white underparts with noticeable dark-spotted […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Short-legged wader with almost uniform brown upperparts, clean white underparts running up in a wedge between wing and breast side; rather long tail projecting far beyond wing-tips; short neck, horizontal stance, deep chest and constantly bobbing rear-body are also conspicuous features (though shared with Terek, which see). Additionally, has a unique flight action low over […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Told from Dunlin in all plumages by white rump, longer, more decurved bill and longer legs, giving it a more elegant appearance. Easily told in breeding plumage by chestnut-red face and underparts (often with white feather-fringes). In winter, plain grey above, white below with a light suffusion to breast sides and noticeable white supercilium; then […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Easily distinguished by call and contrasting black and white flight pattern. Shy and often well hidden, first seen when flushed. Rather broad black wings above and below contrasting sharply with white belly, and white rump; looks cut off at rear. When standing, blackish upperparts and breast contrast with clear white belly and flanks. Juvenile darker, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Resembles small edition of Greenshank (body size smaller than Redshank’s), but legs proportionally longer, bill straight, thin and fine-pointed and neck slimmer, face almost white, usually with distinctive supercilium; flight pattern also similar to Greenshank’s with dark wings, contrasting white tail and wedge up back, pale head and white underparts; protruding legs distinctive beyond tip […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

When standing easily distinguished by grey head and upperparts bordered by dark shoulder bar, carpal-patch and primary-line; white, deep-chested underparts and long, yellow-based, upcurved, rather pointed bill are striking features; the short legs and neck, horizontal carriage, dark breast side and bobbing rear body reminiscent of Common Sandpiper, but orange-yellow legs and bill shape differ […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

In flight, resembles Green (which see) with dark upperparts, head and wings and contrasting white rump; differs in whitish (not black) underwing-coverts, longer feet-projection (does not look cut off at rear) and characteristic call. When perched, adult shows brown upperparts boldly speckled whitish, conspicuous long supercilium, and rather long, yellowish legs; general appearance is a […]

Kingdom : Birds, Goose

A large, mainly white, goose-like duck. Black head and green gloss, broad chestnut belt around forepart of body and black belly-stripe with a prominent red bill. In flight, shows black flight feathers contrasting strongly with white upper and underwing coverts and black shoulders. Flight is goose like with slow wing beats.

Kingdom : Birds, Goose

Short necked, small billed, goose like duck with orange chestnut body and paler cinnamon-buff head. Black flight feathers with green speculum, striking white forewing and underwing coverts, and a black bill and legs. In flight told from other ducks and geese by size, striking black and white wing pattern, and orange-chestnut body.

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Medium sized, rather heavily built and short necked dabbling duck. Differs from all other ducks with huge spatulate bill. Swims with front end low and bill often dabbling in water. Shape and proportions unique. Male has unmistakable dark bill and glossy green head which contrast markedly with white breast and shoulder. Flanks and belly strikingly […]

Kingdom : Birds, Skua

Wing-span as for Common Gull. Adult in summer has elongated pointed central tail-feathers (6–11 cm). Two phases (with frequent intermediates); see Pomarine for separation. Juvenile variable, from pale to very dark birds; ground-colour generally warmer, more rusty than young Pomarine, which see for further details. Told, with experience, from young Long-tailed by broader wings, slightly […]

Kingdom : Birds, Skua

Body size of Black-headed Gull but wing-span close to Arctic Skua. Resembles pale and rather grey Arctic but told by elongated, long, flexible central tail-feathers (16–24 cm), lack of breast band, white forebody, gradually darkening towards rear, smaller white primary-patch above, pale greyish upperparts contrasting with blackish secondaries and, largely, pale blue-grey legs. Juvenile variable […]

Kingdom : Birds, Skua

Larger size, heavier build and in adult, elongated broad and twisted central tail-feathers separate it from Arctic. Two phases: all-dark (scarce) and a pale phase, which differs from Arctic in more extensive black cap, darker flanks, blacker breast band (sometimes absent), vent and upperparts. In winter, flanks and tail-coverts barred, elongated tail-feathers often short and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Spoonbill

Heron-sized with all white plumage, characteristic black spatulate bill with yellow tip and black legs. Adult has nape plumes and yellowish neck band, which are lost in winter. Immature has dull flesh-coloured bill and legs and black wing-tips. In flight, neck extended and wing beats fastand shallow, interspersed with short glides.

Kingdom : Birds, Stilt

Unmistakable. Exceptionally long, red legs and rather slim black and white body; walks with high, graceful carriage. In flight, white with uniform black wings and noticeable trailing legs. Head and neck pattern varies from pure white to dusky grey. Female has slightly browner mantle and scapulars. Non-breeding adults have dusky head- and neck marks. Juvenile […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Often the commonest small sandpipers on passage and in winter in the region. In summer plumage, colour on face, neck, breast and scapulars varies from dull orange to warm buff: always shows a pale ‘V’ on mantle and dark centre to crown; in this plumage confusion with Sanderling possible but note small size of Little […]

Kingdom : Birds, Sandpiper

Similar size to Little Stint but with more elongated body, shorter legs, which are yellowish grey in all plumages and white sides to tail (useful when flushed at short range). In summer, mainly grey-buff with dark centres to many scapulars, and lacking the rufous-orange tones of Little. In winter the dark scapulars are lost and […]

Kingdom : Birds, Swan

Large swan with a long neck, flattened forehead and bi-coloured bill. Bill black with yellow base extending in a wedge usually to below nostril or beyond.Walks well. Silent in flight, with powerful wingbeats with a flattened head profile.

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Smallest of the common ducks found in the region. Readily takes to the wing with swift flight. At distance, male looks dark headed with greyish body, yellow patches oon side of rump and thin white horizontal stripe on side of body. Female told from Garganey female by evenly coloured head and throat, small light patch […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Medium-sized slender tern with dark grey-brown upperparts (sometimes appearing blackish), blackish wings and black bill and legs; has narrow white forehead-band extending behind eye as narrow supercilium line, black cap contrasting with pale grey hindneck-collar (often hard to see in flight); long outer feathers of deeply forked tail have white sides. Whitish underparts and underwing-coverts […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

The largest tern identified by heavy red bill (can be seen at long distance), almost gull-like flight with slow steady wing-beats and by call; wings and back pale grey, under surface white with distinctive dark primaries below. Juvenile has more orangy bill, more extensive black cap to below eye (unlike adult), weak dark scales on […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Adult birds in spring are easy to identify from their red bill with black tip, black cap and red legs, which remain red throughout the year. The tail does not extend beyond the wing tips of standing birds. Immature birds are difficult to distinguish from immature White-cheeked terns. The Common Tern has a whitish rump, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Resembles Sandwich Tern but has shorter, thicker, gull-like all black bill and, in adult, shallower forked tail; lacks short crest of Sandwich Tern and has whitish grey rump and tail (only slightly paler than mantle, white in Sandwich); lacks contrast shown by Sandwich between dark outer and pale inner primaries above; outer primaries have distinct […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Size of Sandwich Tern but resembles Swift Tern more closely in plumage. Has long slim orange-yellow bill, pale ash-grey upperparts with rump and tail paler grey. Slightly crested nape black as may be forehead for short period in summer, but forehead otherwise white. In winter, bill paler orange-yellow and solid black is confined to nape. […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Easily identified from other terns (except Saunders’s) by small size, narrow wings with very fast beats both when hovering and in direct flight. Adult in summer pale grey above (extending onto centre of rump in some) with narrow grey-black leading (two) primaries and yellow bill tipped black; white forehead usually extends as white point to […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Medium-sized tern with very pale grey upperparts and wings, long slender black bill tipped yellow (latter hard to see at distance), long narrow wings, medium-short forked tail and fairly long extended neck in flight, which is powerful with deep wing-beats. In summer, black cap has short crest; in winter, black confined to nape extending forward […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Very difficult to separate from Little Tern in non-breeding plumage, particularly in Arabian Gulf, where intermediates between the two apparently occur. In breeding plumage there is a triangular white spot on the forehead. This is larger in Little Tern. In flight outer primaries tend to show more black than in Little Tern. Rump is more […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Large slender tern, size between Sandwich and Caspian; adult best identified from Lesser Crested by longer, thicker, more drooping waxy yellow bill tinged greenish (slimmer, orange-yellow in Lesser Crested) and by much darker ashy grey upperparts; rump and tail paler grey than back. In summer, black crested cap always broken by white forehead-band (never black […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Slightly larger than Little and Saunder’s terns with slightly longer, broader wings, slightly more forked tail (adult), longer legs and heavier bill; flight buoyant and restless. It both snatches and dives for food. Adult in summer has uniform pale grey upper surface (including rump and tail); sooty grey underparts contrasting with whitish cheek-stripe and underwings. […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tern

Slightly smaller than Common Tern with shorter wings, slightly shorter legs but with fairly long bill. A dark tern, in breeding plumage it is easy to identify with its black cap, white cheeks, dark grey wings and light underparts. Bill colour varies from almost all red to almost all black.The legs are a dark brownish-red. […]

Kingdom : Birds, Martin

Smaller than Whiskered with clearly shorter, thinner bill and more buoyant flight. Adult in summer identified by solid black body and underwing-coverts contrasting with greyish white flight-feathers below, white tail and upperwing. In winter, underparts white, upperparts pale grey; rump and tail white; a few show some black marks on underwing- coverts, making identification easier. […]

Kingdom : Birds, Tropicbird

Unlikely to be confused with any other sea bird in the Middle East. Plump-bodied, white with long white-tail streamers and red bill. White plumage is relieved by black eye-stripe, black outer primaries and narrow black barring on upperparts and coverts. Juvenile lacks tail streamers, has black-tipped tail, yellow bill and blackish collar. Flight is direct […]

Kingdom : Birds, Turnstone

A medium-sized, stocky, short-billed and short-legged wader; easily distinguished in breeding plumage by striking head and breast markings, chestnut shoulder-patch and wing-coverts, and bright orange legs. Flight is strong and direct and shows distinctive pied and chestnut appearance, black breast is a striking feature. In winter and juvenile plumage, head and neck are much darker, […]

Kingdom : Birds, Coursers and Whimbrels

Smaller, and slightly darker than Curlew, with faster wing-beats. Bill usually shorter and more decurved near the tip (though overlaps with young Curlew in length), dark crown with pale central stripe and dark eye-stripe give head more contrast than in other curlews; flight-pattern similar to larger Curlew and slightly smaller Bar-tailed Godwit (note bill-shape of […]

Kingdom : Birds, Duck

Medium sized rather rufous duck with short neck, rounded, steep forehead and small grey bill, tipped black. Looks to have a high rear end when seen on water. Has a white belly patch, obvious in flight and when on land. Adult male has creamy yellow forehead and forecrown contrasting with chestnut head and neck, pinkish […]