COMMON SANDPIPER Tringa hypoleucos 
C More seen at coast than fresh water. 
Common and widespread winter visitor. 
More than 50 sightings. 
TURNSTONE Armaria interpres C Very 
common on the mainland coast and on 
Farasan Kabir. Very common in winter on 
Jeddah sea coast near Corniche, possibly 
attracted to food left by picnickers. 
SOOTY GULL Larus Hemprichii A 
Abundant along the coast, especially near 
fishing villages. Noisy, confiding and bold, 
often coming to within 1 m of people. 
Hundreds at the garbage dump of Al Birk. 
WHITE-EYED GULL Larusleucophthalmus 
C Common but less so than the Sooty Gull 
in the Al Birk area where there were more 
than 600 Sooty Gulls and about 150 White- 
eyed Gulls 8 January 1990. 
the coast. Bold and tame. Many followed 
ferry between Jizan and Farasan Islands 10 
February 1992. 
GULL-BILLED TERN Gelochelidon nilotica 
U Mainly seen on fresh waters, such as 
Malaki backwaters where five 9 February 
1992. 
CASPIAN TERN Sterna caspia C Fairly 
common on the coast, uncommon inland. 
Resident, augmented by migrants in winter. 
Recorded in January, February, July, 
October and December. 
SWIFT TERN Sterna bergii C Another 
common tern of the Red Sea coast. Very 
common near Al Birk 22 October 1987. 
LESSER CRESTED TERN Sterna 
bengalensis C Very common on the coast 
but none seen at inland waters. 
GREAT BLACK-HEADED GULL Larus 
ichthyaetus R Only two records, both from 
Al Birk, 22 October 1987 and 13 March 1989. 
Stagg (1985) recorded a single bird from 
Kamis Mushayt, and Cornwaliis & Porter 
(1987) saw two adults and two immatures 
near Hodeidah in Yemen. 
BLACK-HEADED GULL larus ridibundus 
A Common winter visitor to all sorts of 
waters, but mostly on sea shores. Seventy 
sitting on damp ground near a small pool of 
water, 1 km from Amq 29 December 1991. 
Two groups (114 and 150+) roosting near a 
lagoon in Jizan 9 February 1992. Abundant 
on Farasan Kabir 10 February 1992. Stagg 
(1985) noticed that, with the increase in 
inland waters, there is a noticeable 
movement away from the coast and a 
tendency for sedentary winter occupation 
of favoured inland haunts. 
SLENDER-BILLED GULL Larus genei U 
Uncommon; five birds at Jizan 10 February 
1992. Stagg (1985) found it in the extreme 
southwest of Saudi Arabia. It was reported 
by Phillips (1982) Cornwaliis & Porter (1982) 
and Brooks et al. (1987) from Yemen. 
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Larus 
fuscus C A common winter visitor all along 
BROWN NODDY Anous stolidus C 100 
flying together near Amq 31 July 1991. 
LICHT EN STEIN'S SANDGROUSE 
Pterocles lichtensteinii U Generally seen in 
pairs or small parties of 5-6 individuals, 
maximum nine. Seven out of 12 sightings 
were of pairs. A pair with two juveniles in 
Wadi Aramram 17 March 1989. Stagg (1985) 
found it to be a breeding resident in the 
foothill region only. We regularly saw this 
species in the wadis of Sabr Hali near Kiy ad, 
about 10 km from the hills, and suspect that 
it breeds on the Tihamah coastal plains. 
CHESTNUT-BELLIED SANDGROUSE 
Pterocles exustus A The most common 
sandgrouse of the Tihamah. More than 100 
sightings, generally in flocks of 10 to 50 
individuals. Tracks of two chicks with 
parents, and one nest with three eggs and 
male incubating at 17.45 h 10 March 1989. 
Roost found on bare lava in Sabr Hali area 
Flocks coming from all directions to roost at 
17.07 h 2 January 1990. Remained at roost 
even after sunrise. Go to water around 09.00 
h (e.g. Wadi Alahssahbah and Al Kufferah). 
ROCK DOVE Columbia Uvia C Common 
near mountains. 
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