Bird watchers in Bahrain are calling for greater protection of the kingdom’s wetlands, mudflats and coastal areas, which provide important feeding and resting grounds for migratory birds passing through the country.
The call comes ahead of World Migratory Bird Day marked today, a global awareness campaign highlighting the importance of conserving birds and their habitats, the threats they face during their journeys and the need for international co-operation to protect them.
This year’s theme, ‘Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter’, focuses on the role of community science and public observations in helping to monitor and conserve migratory birds.
Bahrain lies within the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) and the West Asian–East African Flyway, two major migration routes used by birds travelling between breeding and wintering grounds. While the kingdom forms only a small part of these routes, its wetlands and coastal habitats provide important stopover sites for birds to rest and feed before continuing their journeys.
“Right now, pollution and coastal land expansion are the major causes of coastal marine habitat degradation, posing significant threats to migratory birds,” Interior Ministry geographical information system specialist Dr Ajay Kumar Singh, who started his wildlife photography career in 2011, told the GDN.
“Oil pollution and the disposal of industrial waste into the sea have also affected Bahrain. This is concerning as Bahrain’s diverse wetlands and coastal habitats play an important role in attracting and supporting birdlife throughout the year.
“Its mudflats, mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds also provide food such as fish, shrimp and invertebrates, making them important areas for birds to feed, rest and, in some cases, breed,” he added.
The variety of habitats found across the kingdom supports a wide range of resident and migratory species.
Some of the birds found in Bahrain include the Socotra Cormorant, White-cheeked Bulbul, Greater Flamingo, Crested Lark, Western Reef Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Kentish Plover, Namaqua Dove, Moorhen and Swamphen.
Migratory visitors include terns, gulls, wheatears and godwits, while the kingdom has also recorded a number of unusual sightings.
While Bahrain continues to attract a diverse range of species, concerns remain over the long-term impact of changes to the habitats they rely on.
The impact of pollution and reclamation can be seen in the decline of shorebird numbers in Bahrain, with a study published in 2021 and co-authored by Dr Singh recording a fall from around 300,000 birds in 2010 to 100,000 in 2021.
“Migratory shorebirds need to build up large reserves of fat and protein during stopovers to fuel the next stage of their journeys,” Dr Singh noted, adding that their ability to do so depends on access to food such as planktonic prey, intertidal biofilms and other small marine organisms.
“Changes to these habitats can therefore make it harder for birds to build the reserves they need to complete their migration,” he added.
The pressure on these resources can affect individual species in different ways, with Dr Singh highlighting the White-cheeked Tern as an example.
“The migratory summer breeding bird is found across mainland Bahrain and offshore islands, but its ground-nesting habits leave it vulnerable to pollution, habitat loss and human disturbance,” Dr Singh said.
Despite these challenges, Bahrain’s position along major migration routes means birdwatchers occasionally encounter species that are rarely seen in the country, with changes in weather patterns or food shortages along their usual routes sometimes causing birds to stray and end up here.
For Bahrain-based birdwatcher Prejul Prakash, one of the most memorable moments came last year when he photographed a Black Heron at Buhair Valley. He said it was believed to be the first recorded sighting of the species in Bahrain and possibly the Gulf region. The bird is rarely seen in the region because of its limited migration patterns and the relatively small number of suitable wetland habitats.
Mr Prakash, who has worked as a technician in Bahrain for around nine years, took up birdwatching four years ago and has since recorded around 190 of the more than 300 bird species and visitors found in Bahrain.
His observations have also given him a close view of how conditions are changing for visiting birds.
“The country’s coastal areas continue to provide valuable stopover points, but food and space are becoming increasingly limited,” he said.
“Fortunately, Bahrain’s coastal areas are not completely degraded and still give birds places to feed and rest, but the problem is that resources are becoming more limited. When many birds arrive at the same time during migration, there is not enough food and space.”
Mr Prakash has also noticed changes in the timing of migration, with some birds arriving and leaving at slightly different times from previous years.
“Changes in wind, rainfall, food and water availability may also influence where birds stop and how long they stay,” he said. “I think continued observation over the next few years will make these changes clearer.”
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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