Today's Edition
HALA AL KHAYYAT (ABU DHABI)
Winter months turn the UAE into a preferred destination of migratory birds seeking warmth, safety, and food, bringing renewed vigour to the nation’s environmental gems.
The UAE makes significant efforts to conserve biodiversity, protect migratory birds, and expand protected areas that serve as a safe haven for nesting and reproduction.
The country’s commitment to these efforts is evident through various initiatives, including the establishment of protected areas to support nesting and breeding. These efforts align with national strategies for biodiversity conservation, aiming to preserve species threatened with extinction, increase their populations, and release them into their natural habitats, especially falcons and houbaras.
With nearly 50 marine and terrestrial protected areas, the UAE becomes the most attractive destination for migratory birds, attracting over 200 bird species from around the world annually. These natural reserves are among the leading environmental tourism destinations, characterised by their biological diversity, stunning geological formations, rare animals, plants, and birds. These sites aim to enhance biodiversity and preserve environmental balance.
As part of the African-Eurasian migratory route, the UAE hosts around two million birds of various species every winter. Some birds stop for rest and food before continuing their journey, while others remain to enjoy the warm winter in the country. Migratory birds passing through the UAE include ducks, waders, plovers, spotted eagles, and Egyptian vultures.
Out of more than 450 bird species recorded in the country, approximately 70% are migratory. Two types of migratory birds visit the UAE: the first type primarily comes during the winter months from Europe and Central Asia, either to spend the winter or to rest on their way to their preferred African regions. Some migratory birds stay in the country for three-five months, while others continue their journey. The second type consists of a group of breeding birds that visit the country in the summer, mainly seabirds coming from the Indian Ocean for breeding.
The UAE boasts more than 30 important sites for migratory and resident birds, covering an area of approximately 4,200 square kilometres. This includes 11 sites classified as legally protected areas, such as Al Wathba, Bu Sayaiyiif, Ras Al Khor, Al Ghafia, Sir Bani Yas, and others. Important migratory bird species to these areas include flamingos, harriers, chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, peregrine falcons, and slender-billed gulls. Resident birds in these areas include the Houbara bustard, larks, wheatears, the white-spectacled bulbul, and the osprey.
The world celebrates World Migratory Bird Day twice a year, on the second Saturday of May and the second Saturday of October. These days are associated with the timing of bird migrations that occur at the beginning of summer and the beginning of autumn. According to the United Nations, there are 11,000 bird species on Earth, and around 5,500 of them migrate annually between the northern and southern hemispheres. It is warned that 40% of these species are declining, with 80% facing the threat of extinction.
