Sunday, September 9, 2012

 Photo shows the collared Pratincole display for mating / Salah Al Din governorate spring 2012

Collared Pratincole 

one of the breeding birds in open lands in Iraq, it's often seen near water in the evening, hooking for insects. It reside in the warmer parts of Europe, southwest Asia and Africa. In winter migrate to tropical Africa, and return to breeding countrys in spring to proliferation after mating the female lay 2–4 eggs on the ground or between rocks, the parents guarding the chicks after hatching so when anything close up its nest many of collared Pratincoles come and display in its wings to let the Strangers away.

this photo shows the chick of collared Pratincole in the nest between rocks/ Babylon governorate summer 2012











this photo shows the collared Pratincole defend it nest / Babylon governorate summer 2012

Friday, August 17, 2012

Marbled teal      Marmaronetta angustirostris 

One of the birds is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List it's an elegant bird having a brown body dappled dark and cream with dark oval patch around eye. This bird breed in central and southern areas of Iraq it could seen near the rivers, lakes and marshes. spread after the breeding season to different parts of Iraq is endemic in ponds and marshes, feeding on small seeds and invertebrates. This species is exposed to many threats of the destruction of spawning areas and feeding areas in the marshes and other habitats, overfishing by firearms, fishing nets and vulnerability to toxins that are intended for fish

   Photos was taken in summer birds surveys in Babylon governorate, AL-Escandria / AL- Qadiriya site summer years 2011 - 2012 

  Marbled teal juvenile 
  Flaying  marbled teal 




Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Common snipe  Gallinago  gallinago

One of the winter visitors birds in Iraq, it could Seen on the banks of the rivers, lakes and marshes and wet grassland crouched in the muddy areas with short bushes near water, that are a good hideout 

photo was taken in one of winter birds survey on the banks of AL- Dagharah river in AL- Diwaniyah governorate winter of 2011


Thursday, August 9, 2012

Black-crowned Night Heron  Nycticorax  nycticorax 

 


 one of the breeding birds in wide range in Iraq seen in the open land during day its habitat is rivers, lakes and marshes with tree and dense vegetation nest in reeds or trees mostly seen hunting fish in the early morning we can see many of this birds around the fish lakes

This photo show adult Black-crowned Night Heron near fish lakes in AL-Musayib / Babylon governorate spring 2012     

Friday, June 15, 2012


White eared bulbul : one of the common resident birds in wide range of Iraq, spread from the south to the north but in a few numbers in the northern region this bulbul have a lovely shape having a large white cheek-patch with guiltless eyes, it voice is lively bubbling jumble of notes with simple repetitive tune . its threaten by hunt and arrest, most hunters capture the chicks from the nests and sell it in the popular animal markets that is called (suq) like suq Al-gazzill in Baghdad every year we see thousands of this bird in the cages there is no rules prevent these hunters, most birds of this species stay in cages to a few years until die, so it can't mating or breeding and most time stay alone it's so hard life . This picture show two juveniles of white eared bulbul waiting their parents to bring food

Thursday, March 15, 2012

ferruginous duck

ferruginous duck Aythya nyroca
one of the threatened species in Iraq
this picture show tow male with four female flying on Tigris river north of Iraq , winter 2012