Bird List

Little Grebe (Tachybabptus ruficollis). Oued Massa.
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus). Tamri.
White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax corbo maroccanus). Common at Oued Massa.
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea). Several seen at Oued Massa.
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta). Several seen at Oued Massa.
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). Guelmim, Oued Massa.
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides). Oued Massa.
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). Tamri, Oued Massa.
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). A flock of more than a hundred seen near Guelmim, around the rubbish dump.
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus). Oued Massa.
Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita). Around 230 birds in two flocks, Tamri.
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucurodia). Tamri, Oued Massa.
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus rubber). Oued Massa.
Gadwall (Anas strepera). Oued Massa.
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). Tamri, Oued Massa.
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta). Oued Massa.
Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris). Oued Massa.
Common Pochard (Aythya farina). Tamri, Oued Massa.
Black-shouldered Kite (Elanius caeruleus). It was the first bird seen from the plane at Fez airport. Others seen near Marrakech and Guelmim.
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeroginosus). Oued Massa.
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). Common throughout.
Barbary Falcon (Falco pelegrinoides). Three individuals seen in the Tata area.
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus).Two young birds seen at the roadside shortly after leaving Guelmim.
Montagu’s Harrier (Cyrcus pygargus). One young bird seen at the plains next to Oued Massa.
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus). Oued Massa.
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus). Guelmim area.
Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax). One juvenile seen near km. 22 on the road Guelmim-Tan Tan.
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). One pair seen near the village of Tadakoust.
Water rail (Rallus aquaticus). One at the oued near El Abiar.
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). Oued Massa.
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). Oued Massa.
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus). Oued Massa.
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola). Tamri.
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius). Tamri.
Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus). A few in the beach at Oued Massa.
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus). Oued Massa.
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia.). Oued Massa.
Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos). Oued Massa.
Green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus). Tamri.
Sanderling (Calidris alba). Oued Massa.
Little Stint (Calidris minuta). Oued Massa.
Dunlin (Calidris alpina). Oued Massa.
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago). El Abiar.
Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus). Tamri.
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus). Tamri, Oued Massa.
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus cachinnans). Tamri, Oued Massa, Agadir area.
Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis). 4 seen at the beach, Oued Massa.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis). Small flocks seen near Guelmim.
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata). A single, immature individual seen with a small flock of Black-bellied Sandgrouse near Guelmim.
Rock Dove (Columba livia)
Wood pigeon (Columba palumba)
Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis). One pair seen at Tata.
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) Common throughout.        
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius). One seen near the village of El Abiar.
Little Owl (Athene noctua). One seen by Josele, Tata region.
Little Swift (Apus affinis). Several flew over the Main Square at Marrakech.
Hoopoe (Upupa epops).
Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii). A pair gave excellent views on the way up to Oukaimeden.
Wryneck (Jynx torquilla). Oued Massa.
Skylark (Alauda arvensis). Guelmim area.
Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cicturus). Common in sandy desert areas.
Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti).Common in stony or rocky desert and semi-desert areas, where it takes the place of Bar-tailed Lark.
Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes).Single individuals seen near Guelmim and Tata.
Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae). Seen at several semi-desert areas.
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata). A small group seen at the roadside when leaving Guelmim.
Lesser Short-toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens). A large flock seen near km 22.
Thick-billed Lark (Ramphocoris clotbey). A small group seen at km.22
Rock Martin (Ptyonoprogne fuligula). A single individual seen at “Trumpeter Valley”, near Tata.
House Martin (Delichon urbica). Several seen at Oued Massa.
Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica).
Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica). Oued Massa.
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris). A wintering pair at the plains near Oued Massa.
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis). Tamri, Guelmim.
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba subpersonata). Frequently seen, often around towns and villages.
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). One near El Abiar.
Common Bulbul (Pygnonotus barbatus). Common throughout the trip.
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochrurus). Several seen around human settlements.
Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri). Commonly found in different habitats, from semi desert to woodland and populated areas.
White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga). Possibly the commonest and most characteristic bird of the Moroccan desert.
Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura). Several seen in rocky areas: Tamri, Guelmim.
Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti). Common in desert and semi desert areas south of Guelmim.
Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta). Common around Guelmim. Usually found in pairs.
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe). One seen at the roadside near Guelmim..
Stonechat (Saxicola torquata). Common in bushy and wooded areas.
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius). Tamri.
Blackbird (Turdus merula). Common in areas with vegetation.
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). A single female seen at the gates of Oued Massa.
Sardinian warbler (Sylvia melanocephala). Frequently seen in bushes.
Spectacled warbler (Sylvia conspicillata). One seen at the oued formed by the Abiar river, near Guelmim.
Tristram’s Warbler (Sylvia desertorum). Several seen near Tata and Tagoujgate.
Scrub warbler (Scotocerca inquieta). One seen at the wadi that ended in El Abiar.
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti). El Abiar, Massa.
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita). Seen many times. Common anywhere with some vegetation.  
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) One seen at Oued Massa.
Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis). One of the most commonly seen birds throughout the trip (see text for details).
Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegala.)Oued Massa.
Fulvous Babbler (Turdoides fulvus). A few seen around farms in Chinguetti and Atar.
Magpie (Pica pica mauritanica). Common north of Guelmim.
Jay (Garrulus glandarius). A couple seen on the way up to Oukaimeden.
Chough (Phyrrocorax phyrrocorax). Many seen at Oukaimeden.
Alpine Chough (Phyrrocorax graculus). Many seen at Oukaimeden.
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor). Seen at Agadir airport.
House sparrow (Passer domesticus). Common in all towns and villages.
Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispanoliensis). Tamri.
Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia). Oukaimeden.
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). Oukaimeden.
Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla). One seen at Oukaimeden, among the Chaffinch and Rock Sparrow.
Linnet (Carduelis cannabina). Oukaimeden.
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). Common north of Guelmim.
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris). On the way to Oukaimeden.
Serin (Serinus serinus) Tamri.
Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus). A large number were always around the oasis and “Trumpeter valley”, near Tata.
Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechis sanguinea). A small number seen at Oukaimeden.
Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra). Guelmim area.
Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia). Seen on the road to Oukaimeden.
House Bunting (Emberiza striolata). Common anywhere near human habitation.