The nearly 25-year-old man-made lake has created many new habitats 
for birds in the Nile Valley between Aswan in the north and Wadi 
Haifa (Sudan) in the south. On the other hand, it has destroyed natural 
habitats which has lead to the disappearance of several breeding spe- 
cies, such as Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus and Fulvous Babbler Turdoi- 
desfulvus (Goodman and Meininger 1989). 
The shores in the vicinity of Abu Simbil (and around most of the lake) 
are steep and rocky, offering little suitable feeding habitat for most 
birds, although many nesting species, such as Black Kite Miluus 
migrans, Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus and Pale Crag Martin 
Ptyonoprognefuligula have been most successful here. Numerous khors 
(bays) and islands are found throughout the lake, and the suitability of 
these for birdlife is governed strictly by the constantly changing water 
level in the lake. Generally speaking, the innermost shores of the khors 
are the most interesting because they usually slope gently and tend to 
have the richest vegetation. 
The fluctuating water level is the single most important factor influ- 
encing the ecology of the lake. The water level reaches its highest 
during the winter months, then gradually recedes to its lowest levels 
during the summer. Another larger pattern is determined by the cycles 
of rainfall and drought in the Abyssinian region and other Nile 
sources. At the gently sloping inner khors, the shoreline is very mobile. 
Between November 1989 and June 1990, the shoreline of one of the 
khors to the north of Abu Simbil receded by at least 3 km, leaving 
extensive grassy banks and muddy pools behind. 
The natural vegetation along the shore of the lake in the vicinity of Abu 
Simbil consists almost exclusively of Tamarisk Tamarix nilotica. This 
appears to be the only plant capable of tolerating being nearly com- 
pletely submerged for part of the year and exposed to the scorching 
heat and drought of the Nubian Desert for the other part. Extensive 
growths of aquatic vegetation are found in the shallow areas. This 
forms a thick and biologically rich layer along the inner khor shores 
when the lake water recedes. 
All attempts at establishing agriculture along the shores of Lake 
Nasser have been only marginally successful because of the fluctuating 
water levels. However, around the temple and the town at Abu Simbil 
there are many trees and gardens, as well as cultivated plots, and to the 
east of the airport along the lake, the Lake Nasser Development 
Authorities have created a large and successful agricultural area. 
2 
