The Birds of Gezira, Egypt 
Derek J Evans and Klaas Douzve Dijkstra 
Those birds that choose the narrow passage-way which the River Nile 
provides on their migration through Cairo, Egypt, pass what is the green 
heart of this metropolis: the island of Gezira and the 140 hectares of clubs 
and gardens in its centre. 
Gezira (Arabic for 'island') is almost 3900 m long and just over 800 m 
wide. To the west lies the broad Bahr el Ama, and to the east the Nile, 
which is at its narrowest beside the Marriott Hotel. The island covers an 
area of approximately 251 hectares. The northern half of Gezira consists 
of the totally built-up area of Zamalek; the clubs and parks are in the 
centre and south. The most ornithologically interesting and frequently 
visited part lies north of the 6th of October Bridge - the Gezira Sporting 
Club (GSC). 
GSC consi sts largely of golf courses and trees . In the north of the complex, 
there are stands of mature trees, and in the south there are open golf 
courses and football pitches which are frequently inundated to encourage 
grass growth. In the northwest there is a walled area, surrounded largely 
by trees. This area includes a house with garden, tennis courts, a plant 
nursery and a pet graveyard. At the southwest end of the golf course is 
a walled football pitch, an overgrown garden, a Ficus plantation, a 
rubbish dump and a dilapidated building besides some unkemptbushes 
and tall grass. The southern perimeter is fringed by a row of bushes; 
several shallow and often dry ditches run through the whole area. 
There have been rather few studies of birds in urban areas in the OSME 
region. The sightings listed below largely confirm the comments on 
species status made in The Birds of Egypt but some new information is 
presented. The article principally covers the years 1986-1988 with some 
records for 1989-1992; no observations were made during July or August. 
Access to Gezira Sporting Club and the National Sporting Club is by 
membership only, but other 'green' areas, especially around the Cairo 
Tower, are open to the public though considerably less peaceful. All 
these areas should be avoided on a Friday (except in the early morning) 
when they become particularly busy. 
Following is a systematic list of the birds seen on or from the island of 
Gezira with particular reference to GSC. 
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