Description of Nest of 
Golden-winged 
Grosbeak 
I J A Brown 
On 26 March 1992, Bill Simpson and I 
were birdwatching in Wadi Hinna in the 
Dhofar Province of the Sultanate of Oman, 
square UB11. We heard an unusual call which 
I identified as Golden-winged Grosbeak Rhyncostruthus 
socotranus. We sighted a pair of birds in a tree and watched 
one descend to a smaller tree where it disappeared. Knowing that the 
species had been identified as having bred in the area the previous year, 
we proceeded towards the tree and saw the tail of the bird protruding 
from a fork near the top. There appeared to be a nest there and we 
obtained some not very good photographs of the bird's head protruding 
from the other side of the tree. It was obviously sitting on a nest. 
A couple of weeks later, I was birdwatching in another area when I 
encountered Michael Gallagher, Hilary Fry and John Ash (the latter 
being in Oman on a project). JSA was looking for suitable areas for his 
project, and mentioned that they were interested in visiting Wadi Hinna. 
When I mentioned that BS & I had seen the nest site of the Grosbeak, HF 
(who had reported the breeding the previous year) mentioned that the 
nest of this species had never been described. Hoping that I could 
remember where BS & I had seen the nest, we set off for the Wadi. 
The relevant tree was identified and the nest appeared to be unoccupied. 
As the tree did not appear very robust and was leaning at an angle, MDG 
(as the lightest in the party) was persuaded to ascend the tree. From his 
precarious perch, he confirmed the nest appeared to be abandoned, and 
proceeded to describe it roughly:- cup 1.5" deep, cup 2.5" dia., overall 
depth of nest 5", height agl approx 12'. 
MDG then attempted to remove the nest, and this was completed very 
successfully. Once on the ground the nest was photographed and more 
accurate measurements taken:- outer dia. 9x12 cm, overall depth 7cm, 
cup depth 4cm, cup dia. 5cm.. 
The nest consisted of a cup of twigs and fine dead grass on a basal 
platform of dead twigs. There were obvious signs of it having been 
27 
