Birds and Insects

Overview

Biodiversity on the Islands

Development Issues & Threats

Birds

Birds of the Socotra Archipelago
with known status at March 2008

RFPorter & Ahmed Saeed Suliman,
on behalf of SCDP, SCF & BirdLife International

Please send records to:richardporter@dialstart.net
for the SCDP/BirdLife International data base
Key:
Vagrant : recorded less than 5 times
CAPITALS : internationally important populations on Socotra
ENDEMICS are shown in blue

(photographs by Richard Porter)

Name	Comments
Common Quail Coturnix coturnix	Passage migrant
Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei	Status uncertain, possibly an occasional breeding visitor.
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	Vagrant
Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelianus	Vagrant
Gadwall Anas strepera	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	Vagrant
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Northern Pintail Anas acuta	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Garganey Anas querquedula	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	Vagrant
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	Winter visitor & passage migrant. Globally threatened
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula	Vagrant
Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus	Recorded offshore; status uncertain
PERSIAN SHEARWATER Puffinus [lherminieri] persicus	Breeding visitor; offshore throughout year.
Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes	Recorded offshore; status uncertain
JOUANIN’S PETREL Bulweria fallax	Breeding visitor; present offshore throughout the year. Globally threatened
Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus	Summer visitor to offshore waters
White-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta grallaria	Recorded offshore; status uncertain
Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica	Recorded offshore; status uncertain
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis	Rare visitor; may have bred
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	Winter visitor
Western White Stork Ciconia ciconia	Vagrant
Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus	Vagrant
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	Vagrant
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis	Vagrant
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Striated Heron Butorides striatus	Status uncertain; possibly a Resident
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii	Winter visitor.
Madagasy Pond Heron Ardeola idea	Vagrant
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis	Winter visitor & passage migrant. May breed.
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	Winter visitor
Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala	Vagrant
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	Uncommon winter visitor & passage migrant
Great Egret Ardea alba	Uncommon winter visitor
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia	Vagrant
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis	Winter visitor & passage migrant
RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD Phaethon aethereus	Breeds; offshore throughout the year
Great Frigatebird Fregata minor	Vagrant
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	Vagrant
MASKED BOOBY Sula dactylatra	Breeds; offshore throughout the year
BROWN BOOBY Sula leucogaster	Breeds; offshore throughout the year
Reed (Long-tailed) Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus	Vagrant
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	Vagrant
SOCOTRA CORMORANT Leucocarbo nigrigularis	Resident and winter visitor. Globally threatened
African Darter Anhinga [ rufa] melanogaster	Vagrant
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus	Resident
Amur Falcon Falco amurensis	Rare passage migrant
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo	Vagrant
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	Resident
Osprey Pandion haliaetus	Resident
Black Kite Milvus migrans	Vagrant
EGYPTIAN VULTURE Neophron percnopterus	Resident. Globally threatened
Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus	Vagrant
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	Vagrant Globally threatened
Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus	Vagrant
SOCOTRA BUZZARD Buteo (socotranus)	Resident
Macqueen’s (Houbara) Bustard Chlamydotis macqueeni	Vagrant. Globally threatened
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus	Vagrant
Corncrake Crex crex	Vagrant
Little Crake Pozana parva	Vagrant
Baillon’s Crake Pozana pusilla	Vagrant
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana	Rare passage migrant
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus	Uncommon visitor. May breed.
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	Vagrant
Common Crane Grus grus	Vagrant
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus	Vagrant
Crab-plover Dromas ardeola	Vagrant
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	Resident and probably winter visitor & passage migrant
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	Vagrant
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	Resident & winter visitor
Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus	Uncommon winter visitor & passage migrant
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii	Uncommon winter visitor & passage migrant
Caspian Plover Charadrius aesiaticus	Vagrant
Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus	Vagrant
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus	Rare winter visitor
Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	Vagrant. Globally threatened
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica	Rare winter visitor & passage migrant
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus	Rare winter visitor & passage migrant
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis	Vagrant
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Terek Sandpiper Tringa cinerea	Vagrant
Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria Interpres	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Red Knot Calidris canutus	Vagrant
Sanderling Calidris alba	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Little Stint Calidris minuta	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta	Vagrant
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Dunlin Calidris alpina	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus	Vagrant
Ruff Philomachus pugnax	Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus	Passage migrant in offshore water
Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor	Resident
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	Vagrant
White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus	Rare visitor. Globally threatened
SOOTY GULL Larus hemprichii	Resident & winter visitor
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans	Rare winter visitor
Baltic (Lesser Black-backed) Gull Larus fuscus fuscus	Winter visitor
Heuglin's Gull Larus heuglini	Winter visitor
Steppe (Baraba)Gull Larus (cachinnans) barabensis	Rare winter visitor
Baltic (Lesser Black-backed) Gull Larus fuscus fuscus	Winter visitor
Heuglin's Gull Larus (fuscus) heuglini	Winter visitor
Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus	Vagrant
Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei	Vagrant
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon [Sterna] nilotica	Rare winter visitor/passage migrant.
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	Rare winter visitor & passage migrant
Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Swift Tern Sterna bergii	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii	Vagrant
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	Winter visitor & passage migrant
White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa	Passage migrant
SAUNDERS’S TERN Sternula saundersi	Breeding summer visitor
BRIDLED TERN Onychoprion anaethetus	Breeding summer visitor
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscata	Passage migrant
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	Rare passage migrant
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus	Vagrant
BROWN NODDY Anous stolidus	Breeding summer visitor
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus	Vagrant
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii	Resident
Feral Pigeon Columba livia x forma domestica	Resident; introduced
Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis	Resident
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis	Vagrant
Bruce's Green Pigeon Treron waalia	Resident
White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus	Resident
White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus	Resident
Pied Cuckoo Oxylophus [Clamator] jacobinus	Vagrant
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus	Vagrant
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus	Passage migrant
‘SOCOTRA’ Scops Owl Otus sunia/socotranus	Resident; taxonomy under discussion
Short-eared Owl Osio otus	Vagrant
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	Rare passage migrant
Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus	Resident
Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba	Vagrant
FORBES-WATSON’S SWIFT Apus berliozi	Breeding visitor
Little Swift Apus affinis	Vagrant
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis	Vagrant
Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinica	Vagrant
European Roller Coracias garrulus	Passage migrant. Globally threatened
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis	Vagrant
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus	Passage migrant
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops	Passage migrant
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio	Vagrant
Daurian/Turkestan Shrike Lanius isabellinus isabellinus/phoenicuroides	Uncommon winter visitor & passage migrant
SOUTHERN GREY SHRIKE Lanius meridionalis	Resident
Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus	Vagrant
House Crow Corvus splendens	Arrived on boat and now breeding; subject of control programme.
Pied Crow Corvus albus	Vagrant
Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis	Resident
Sand Martin Riparia riparia	Passage migrant
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula	Resident
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum	Passage migrant
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla	Passage migrant (uncommon)
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps	Resident
SOCOTRA CISTICOLA Cisticola haesitatus	Resident. Globally threatened
SOCOTRA WARBLER Cisticola incanus (Incana incana)	Resident
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	Vagrant
Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus	Vagrant
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus	Vagrant
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita	Vagrant
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix	Vagrant
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca	Uncommon winter visitor & passage migrant
Desert Whitethroat Sylvia minula	Vagrant
Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis	Vagrant
Ménétries's Warbler Sylvia mystacea	Rare winter visitor & passage migrant
Abyssinian (White-breasted) White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus	Resident
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris	Vagrant
Somali Starling Onychognathus blythii	Resident
SOCOTRA STARLING Onychognathus frater	Resident
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos	Vagrant
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Siberian Stonechat Saxicola (torquata) maura	Vagrant
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka	Uncommon Winter visitor & passage migrant
DESERT WHEATEAR Oenanthe deserti	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis	Vagrant
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata	Vagrant
SOCOTRA SUNBIRD Chalcomitra balfouri	Resident.
SOCOTRA SPARROW Passer insularis	Resident.
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava	passage migrant
‘Black-headed’ Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg	Vagrant
‘Yellow-headed’ Wagtail Motacilla flava lutea
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola	Uncommon passage migrant
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea	Uncommon Winter visitor & passage migrant
White Wagtail Motacilla alba	Winter visitor & passage migrant
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris	Uncommon passage migrant
LONG-BILLED PIPIT Anthus similis	Resident.
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis	Vagrant
Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus	Uncommon passage migrant
SOCOTRA GOLDEN-WINGED GROSBEAK Rhynchostruthus socotranus	Resident
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana	Vagrant
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting Emberiza tahapisi	Resident
SOCOTRA BUNTING Emberiza socotrana	Resident. Globally threatened

AWAITING EVALUATION
Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris	--

Unsubstantiated Claims
Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas	--
African Spoonbill Platalea alba	--
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	--
Red-footed Booby Sula sula	--
Eleanora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae	--
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor	--
Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides	--
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus	--
Crested Coot Fulica cristata	--
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris	--
Hume’s Tawny Owl Strix butleri	--
Common Swift Apus apus	--
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus	--
Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris	--
Bimaculated Lark Melanoccorypha bimaculata	--
Little Rock Thrush Monticola rufocinerea	--