Avifaunal updated survey in St. Catherine protectorate, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Saint Catherine Protectorate, PO Box 46616, Saint Katherine City, South Sinai, Egypt.

2 Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, PO Box 819, 34517 New. Damietta, Damietta, Egypt

3 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt

Abstract

St. Catherine is a unique and remarkable stopover place for migratory birds and a high-quality resource habitat for resident birds. St. Catherine is an important bird area (IBA) and declared a protectorate. In the present study, the bird community was surveyed across a gradient of different habitat types across the St. Catherine protectorate. A total of 3884 individuals belonging to 73 bird species (represented by 12 orders and 28 families) were recorded during the period from June 2017 to August 2018. The total resident bird species richness was 25 bird species with 3100 individuals in abundance belonging to 7 orders and 16 families. The most abundant resident bird species were Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), Rock Dove (Columba livia), Sinai Rose Finsh (Carpodacus synoicus), and Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti).  The crossing over Palearctic migratory species was higher than resident species, with a richness of 48 bird species related to 8 orders and 18 families. The top abundant migrants were White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca), Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), and European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus). This survey showed the importance of St. Katherine for both resident and migratory birds. A continuous standardized bird survey is required in this very special protectorate for both migratory and resident bird species.

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