birding...

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala ©Nigel Blake http://www.nigelblake.co.uk

The Syrian Arab Republic is situated between 32 and 37 degrees longitude north and 35 to 42 degrees latitude to the east and in the heart of the Middle East – a crossroads region for three continents; Asia, Africa and Europe. It is bounded by Turkey to the north, Jordan to the south and Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Its area is about 185,180 square kilometers and its population amounts to more than 16 million with a population density of 56.7 per square kilometer.

Syria contains six natural regions as follows:

1 – The western region which is contiguous with the Mediterranean Sea.
2 – The agrarian region in the north.
3 – The mountainous region with irrigated oases in the mid-west.
4 – The flint regions in the south.
5 – The region of rivers and agrarian plains in the north-east.
6 – The deserts and plains.

There are 22 IBAs [important birds areas] in Syria. They are:

Abu Zad; Baath Lake; Buhayrat Homs; Buhayrat al-Asad; Buhayrat al-Khatuiyah; Buhayrat al-aha; Euphrates Valley; Jabal Abdul Aziz; Jabal al-Bilas; Jabal al-Bishri; Jabal al-Shuh; Jabal Sis; Jabal Slenfeh; Ras al-Ayn; Sabkhat al-Jabbul; Tadmur and Sabkhat Muh; Tual al-Abba; Umm al-Tuyyur; Wadi al-Zib; Wadi al-Qam-Burqush; Wadi al-Radd; Yarmouk valley

The Syrian Arab Republic is considered one of the least studies countries within the Mediterranean region when it comes to its bird life. No one zoologist has ever carried out a biological survey of the region. So it is very difficult to give an authentic overview of Syrian wildlife, especially its birds. The present structure of Syria’s non-governmental environmental organizations and their very newness makes it difficult for them to choose between limited possibilities for avian research which is currently very limited in its scope.

No scientific survey works have been made of the birds of the country for a long time; only very recently has it begun again. The available information until now was a summary given by Kumerloeve between 1967 and 1969, and in 1978 Macfarlane contributed more by gathering information covering the period from 1974 until 1977, then Baumgart and Stephan gathered information about birds until the end of 1983. However, during the four years starting from 2000, Dr. Gian Luca Serra in cooperation with Messrs Ahmad Jaber, Mahmoud Abdullah and Ghazi Al-Qaiyem made a survey of the birds in Al-Talila in the Palmyra desert. The very endangered Bald Ibis Geronticus eremite was observed during the first survey.

[Birdlife International 8th July 2002 – A new colony of critically endangered Northern Bald Ibises has been discovered in an Al Badia (desertic steppe) area of central Syria. The small colony contains three pairs which were discovered incubating eggs, and a seventh adult. This is the first evidence of the continued breeding of Northern Bald Ibises in the Middle East since a colony at Birecek in Turkey became extinct in 1989. Since then there have been sporadic sightings in Saudi Arabia and Eritrea, suggesting that a breeding population still existed somewhere in the region.]

A vital survey of the birds in the Deraa area is considered the first experience of such a survey at a general level of the country. The field information now gathered within the two projects for recording the birds of Deraa zone were done by private individuals. Their morale has been high by virtue of the great support made (for which we express our thanks) by BirdLife International represented by Mr. Mike Evans, and by OSME represented by Mr. Keith Button.

This vital survey has already covered a geographical area estimated by 3,730 sq kms containing 27 seasonal dams located in the southern region of the Syrian Arab Republic adjacent to the boundaries of Jordan and Palestine and which include the following ecologies:

1 – Valleys and dams ecology
2 – plains for growing cereals ecology
3 – Woods and mountains ecology
4 – Farm trees ecology
5 – Pasturage ecology in the southern region
6 – Stony land ecology

I started work on 1st July 2005 and can report that there are great successes already; I welcome any bird observers who are willing to visit the area, especially the Yarmouk Valley. The current survey will take 3 to 4 years if we are going to be able know all we can about the proliferating kinds of birds and their nesting habits during egg laying and hatching. I am in need of support in any possible way.