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Birds
The United Arab Emirates supports a rich diversity of bird life. Around 100 species regularly breed in the UAE, and it is also home to many internationally important wintering bird populations. Lying on an important migration route between Asia and Africa, the UAE also hosts large numbers of visiting migrants, bringing the total number of bird species to an impressive 435.
Learn about UAE habitats & speciesBirds found in the UAE
Species 1 - 50 of 247 [ next ]Sort all by common name | Sort all by scientific name
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Alexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)
A magnificently vibrant green, red and pink bird, the Alexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria) is native to south and south-east Asia, but…
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Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba)
Capable of migrating large distances, the Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is an extraordinary bird, spending much of its life on the wing…
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Amur falcon (Falco amurensis)
A small, slender bird of prey, with long, pointed wings, the Amur falcon is noteworthy for undertaking one of the most arduous annual…
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Arabian babbler (Turdoides squamiceps)
A superbly camouflaged dark brown bird, from a distance the Arabian babbler (Turdoides squamiceps) appears rather plain, but upon closer…
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Ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus)
A magnificent flier, the ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) is an agile and highly mobile bird, executing remarkable twists and turns in the…
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Audubon’s shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri)
A majestic seabird with large, elongated wings and a streamlined body, Audubon’s shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) is superbly adapted for…
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Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
An elegant and striking bird, the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) gains its common name from the black colouration on its head, which…
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Baillon’s crake (Porzana pusilla)
A tiny member of the Rallidae family, a group of ground-dwelling waterbirds comprising the rails, coots and crakes, Baillon’s crake is a…
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Bank myna (Acridotheres ginginianus)
A bold and confident bird, the bank myna has a close association with human habitation in many towns across South Asia. This familiar urban…
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Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica)
The bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) is a distinctive wading bird with conspicuous blue-grey legs and a long, dark, slightly upturned…
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Bar-tailed lark (Ammomanes cinctura)
Discovered by Charles Darwin on the Cape Verde Islands off the north-west of Africa, the bar-tailed lark is a small, relatively plain…
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Barbary falcon (Falco pelegrinoides)
Like the Peregrine falcon, with which it often considered conspecific, the Barbary falcon exhibits dazzling aerial mastery and speed…
More about the Barbary falcon »
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Barred warbler (Sylvia nisoria)
The largest member of the genus Sylvia, the curious-looking barred warbler has a stout, pointed bill used to probe crevices for prey and a…
More about the Barred warbler »
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Bay-backed shrike (Lanius vittatus)
A strikingly coloured, delicately built and fine-billed shrike, the bay-backed shrike is a beautiful bird of South Asia. The most…
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Bimaculated lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata)
A black-streaked, ground-dwelling bird, the cryptic plumage of the bimaculated lark offers excellent camouflage against its dry, grassy…
More about the Bimaculated lark »
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Black scrub-robin (Cercotrichas podobe)
The black scrub-robin (Cercotrichas podobe) is a long-legged bird with almost entirely greyish-black plumage and a distinctly long tail…
More about the Black scrub-robin »
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Black stork (Ciconia nigra)
The black stork is a large but fairly secretive bird. The black head, upperparts, wings, tail and long neck have a conspicuous green or…
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Black tern (Chlidonias niger)
A small, graceful tern species, the black tern is unmistakable during the breeding season, when it displays the distinctive dark plumage for…
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Black-crowned sparrow-lark (Eremopterix nigriceps)
A small lark which resembles a finch (Fringillidae species) in appearance, the black-crowned sparrow-lark is easily recognised by the male’s…
More about the Black-crowned sparrow-lark »
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Black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica)
The male black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) is an attractive small bird, its largely yellowish-ochre plumage contrasting with a black…
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Black-headed bunting (Emberiza melanocephala)
The breeding plumage of the male black-headed bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) makes it a very distinctive bird, with a uniformly black head…
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Black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Information on the black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) is being researched and written and will appear here shortly…
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Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
A globally widespread wading bird, the black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is characterised by its extremely long, red legs, white…
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Blue rock-thrush (Monticola solitarius)
The blue rock-thrush is a small and attractive bird, named for the distinctive deep blue colouration of the male, which is slightly brighter…
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Blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus)
The blue-cheeked bee-eater is named for the blue stripes above and below the eyes, which sometimes, when the plumage is worn, can appear…
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Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
A strikingly beautiful bird, the small and secretive bluethroat takes its name from the bright blue bib of the male. Mostly brilliant blue…
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Blyth’s pipit (Anthus godlewskii)
A small, slender and cryptically coloured bird, Blyth’s pipit (Anthus godlewskii) is named in honour of the English zoologist, Edward Blyth…
More about the Blyth’s pipit »
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Bonelli’s eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus)
Bonelli’s eagle is an agile, mostly silent hunter; its distinctive klu-klu-klu-klee call is heard mainly when it is near the nest or when…
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Booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus)
The booted eagle is a small, stocky eagle with a rounded head and heavily feathered legs. It occurs in two main colour forms that are almost…
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Booted warbler (Hippolais caligata)
A relatively small bird compared to most other species of warbler, the booted warbler is rather dull in appearance. Both sexes are olive…
More about the Booted warbler »
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Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus)
With its sharply contrasting plumage, the widespread Brahminy kite is an unmistakeable bird of prey. While its head, neck, throat, upper…
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Brahminy starling (Sturnus pagodarum)
The wispy crest of elongate, hackled feathers on the glossy black crown of the Brahminy starling (Sturnus pagodarum) distinguishes this…
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Bridled tern (Sterna anaethetus)
The specific name of the bridled tern, anathetus, is derived from the Greek for senseless or stupid, a reference to the ease with which…
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Broad-billed sandpiper (Limicola falcinellus)
Information on the broad-billed sandpiper (Limicola falcinellus) is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly…
More about the Broad-billed sandpiper »
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Brown booby (Sula leucogaster)
Meaning “white stomach”, the Latin name of the brown booby is a reference to its striking white lower breast and belly, which are sharply…
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Brown noddy (Anous stolidus)
A medium-sized, chocolate brown seabird, the brown noddy (Anous stolidus) has a distinctive white-grey forehead that extends over the top of…
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Brown shrike (Lanius cristatus)
Information on the brown shrike is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly…
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Brown-necked raven (Corvus ruficollis)
A large, attractive corvid with glossy plumage, the brown-necked raven (Corvus ruficollis) has distinctive, elongated, pointed and often…
More about the Brown-necked raven »
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Caspian gull (Larus cachinnans)
Previously listed as a subspecies of the herring gull (Larus argentatus), the Caspian gull (Larus cachinnans) is now considered to be a…
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Caspian plover (Charadrius asiaticus)
The Caspian plover is a slim, upright bird with long, thin legs which allow it to wade in shallow water, and a black, narrow, pointed bill…
More about the Caspian plover »
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Caspian tern (Sterna caspia)
The largest of all terns, the Caspian tern (Sterna caspia) is a majestic seabird recognised by its stout, blood red, black tipped bill, and…
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Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis)
The only species in its genus, the cattle egret gains its common name from its habit of commonly wandering alongside herds of cattle. It is…
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Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus)
Although perhaps rather plain in appearance, the plumage of the chestnut-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus) is in fact wonderful…
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Chestnut-shouldered petronia (Petronia xanthocollis)
Information on the chestnut-shouldered petronia is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly…
More about the Chestnut-shouldered petronia »
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Chukar (Alectoris chukar)
The most distinguishing features of this attractive bird are the vivid black and white stripes that decorate the wings and the black band…
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Cinereous bunting (Emberiza cineracea)
One of the least known bunting species in its range, the cinereous bunting is a rather drab, greyish to brownish bird with a white outer…
More about the Cinereous bunting »
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Citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola)
The wagtails are some of the best-recognised and most familiar of birds, so named for their conspicuous habit of wagging the long tail while…
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Clamorous reed-warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)
A rather plain, inconspicuous warbler more often heard than seen, the clamorous reed-warbler is a skulking bird that stays out of sight in…
More about the Clamorous reed-warbler »
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Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Information on the collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly…
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Collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)
A striking, small, blue-green kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris), the collared kingfisher has a blue head, back and rump, with a wash of…
Species 1 - 50 of 247 [ next ]
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
EAD is committed to protecting and conserving Abu Dhabi's biodiversity. More
Arabian oryx
Watch the tale of one of conservation's greatest success stories, how the Arabian oryx was brought back from extinction. View
Coastal Atlas
Want to know about the species that inhabit Abu Dhabi's coast? Explore EAD's award-winning online Coastal Atlas. More
Teaching resources for 7-11 year olds:
What is an Endangered Species? »
Teaching resources for 11-14 year olds:
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