Birding Factoids

350 species
in 50 families
No endemic species
9 speciality birds
6 endangered species
2 week trip expectation -
about 140 species

Tunesia
Hotspots

Tunesia Specialities Marbled Teal - ENDANGERED - Photo copyright Arthur Grosset

Photo copyright Arthur Grosset

....Tunisia and its Wetlands - Lake Kelbia: This is a lake on the

edge of the pre-desert steppe, which dries out completely in dry years, but is important for groundwater conservation and, in wet years, for flood control and waterfowl. After the wet winter of 1995/96 there was enough water to last through summer 1996, and the lake currently holds vast and impressive numbers of waterbirds.

....The Sebkha of North Africa - Sebkha is a North African

vernacular name for a shallow, salty depression. It is a common wetland type especially in semi-arid and arid climates but less so in sub-humid climates. In Tunisia, about 80 wetlands of this type stretch from north to south, most of them located within a short distance of the coast although not usually connected to the sea. They play a major hydrological role in stocking flood waters, recharging and/or discharging groundwater and are prime habitats for a diverse and typical fauna and flora thus generating many benefits to local communities and society as a whole.

....Ichkeul National Park - The Ichkeul lake and wetland are a stopover

point for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds, such as ducks, geese, storks, pink flamingoes, among others, who come to feed and nest there. The lake is the last one remaining in a chain of lakes which once extended across northern Africa. More information on Icheul.

....A Piece of Land between Sea and Sand - Trip Report from Tunisia,

January 1997. Northern Africa is situated between two huge natural elements, a sea and a desert, the Mediterranean and the Sahara.

....Trip Report: Tunisia, January 25 - February 1, 1997. By Joan

Thompson, Hertfordshire, UK. This trip to Tunisia was based at Hammamet with a 1 night stay at Gabes, another at Douz, another at Gafsa and then back to Hammamet for our final day before an evening departure.

...Trip Report: Tunesia: December 1998/January 1999 by J. P. Paris.

It was a trip made with two friends of the CORIF. We simply reserved our plane tickets and rented a car. However, we had a rather good idea of the sites we wanted to visit.

....Trip Report: Tunisia, March 7-15, 1999 - by William Oliver.

....Trip Report: Cap Bon Area (Tunisia), April 26 - May 3, 2000 by

Dirk Raes. Having been home for just two days (after guiding a birding tour to Mallorca), I left Brussels-International for Monastir, Tunisia with some 30 birders. The Belgian ornithological society De Wielewaal asked the travel-agency Ro-Travel to organize one of their yearly birding-trips with me as guide. So the unknown Cap Bon was on the list this year. The area is not that well know to birders and if yes, then mostly during autumn for wintering ducks. Our people left with great expectation and as you'll read it, it was worthwhile.

....Tunesia Trip Reports - you can find more Tunesian trip reports on John

Girdley's BirdTours website by following the Africa/Tuesia link from the main page.

....Tunesia Trip Report - April 26th - May 3rd, 2000 - by Dirk Raes. The

Belgian ornithological society De Wielewaal organised one of their yearly birding-trips with me as guide. We left Brussels-International for Monastir, Tunisia with some 30 birders. The virtually unknown Cap Bon was this year on our list. The area is not that well known to birders except from Autumn onwards for wintering ducks.

Factoids taken from Where to Watch Birds in Africa - by Nigel Wheatley.

Tours and Guides

See DISCLAIMER

Eco-Lodges

See DISCLAIMER

Endemics and Specialities

in Tunesia

Information on endemics and specialities is derived from Sibley & Monroe checklists and bird distribution lists in Thayer's Birder's Diary - Version 2.05, supplemented by material found in Where to Watch Birds in Africa - by Nigel Wheatley. African speciality birds, while not endemic, are those that can only be found in three or less countries of Africa. Information on endangered birds is derived from the IUCN Red List, Birdlife International. The endemic, endangered and speciality birds may be uncommon, extremely rare vagrants, may be extirpated in the country now or may only be present in migration. However, documented sightings of each species noted below have been made in Tunesia.

Endemics in Tunesia
None

Endangered Birds in Tunesia (endemics are printed in *bold italic*)
Breeding Birds		Non-Breeding Birds
___ Audouin's Gull ___ Lesser Kestrel	___ Marbled Teal	___ Corn Crake ___ Ferruginous Pochard ___ Slender-billed Curlew

Other Speciality and Spectacular Birds in Tunesia (adapted from *Where to Watch Birds in Africa* - by Nigel Wheatley.)
___ Barbary Partridge ___ Cream-coloured Courser ___ Desert Sparrow	___ Egyptian Nightjar ___ Levaillant's Woodpecker ___ Moussier's Redstart	___ Red-necked Nightjar ___ Tristram's Warbler ___ White-headed Duck