GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea C 
Common winter visitor. In our study area 
25-30 foraging in a dry Sorghum held on 
insects disturbed by farmers 11 January 
1990. 
WHITE WAGTAIL Motacilla alba C More 
than 50 records. Likely to be seen in all 
suitable habitats in the Tihamah. One on 
the Farasan Islands 11 February 1992. 
YELLOW-VENTED BULBUL Pycnonotus 
xanthopygos A Very common throughout 
the Tihamah and generally seen in pairs. 
Up to 15 noticed around fruiting Salvadora 
and Capparis bushes. One pair on the Farasan 
Islands 10 February 1992. 
GREY HYPOCOLIUS Hypocolius ampelinus 
U In our study area about 30 in one flock 
sitting and calling on top of tall (>3 m) 
Euphorbia bushes 18 December 1991. The 
area had >50 Euphorbia bushes but 
practically no ground cover. All flew off 
south together. 
RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN Cercotrichas 
galactotes U Only two records from the 
coastal plains, Wadi Rim 17 March 1989 
and Habib Banideep 20 April 1989. 
Recorded on all of four days spent in Abha 
(altitude 2,000 m) August 1991. 
BLACK BUSH ROBIN Cercotrichas podobe 
C Common throughout the Tihamah near 
thickets, vegetated wadis and bushes in the 
study area. One pair building a nest 1 7 July 
1991. On the Farasan Islands one bird 
among Salvadora bushes in an abandoned 
farm in Al Hussaini area 12 February 1992. 
Most birds were paired even during winter. 
BLACKSTART Cercomelamelanura A Very 
common throughout the Tihamah. More 
than 100 sightings. Most records from 
vegetated wadis and foothills, not found in 
open areas. 
WHINCHAT Saxicola rubetra U One bird 
Wadi Alahssahbah 8 March 1989. Not seen 
in winter. According to Stagg (1985) it is a 
passage migrant and scarce winter visitor. 
STONECHAT Saxicola torquata C Five 
records between December and March. A 
pair for a ging together in Wadi Alahssahbah 
6 January 1992; male and female seen in the 
same area at Malaki Dam 8-9 February 
1992. 
ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Oenanthe 
isabellina C Seen in varying numbers 
throughout the winter. Three records in 
March in different areas. 
RED-BREASTED WHEATEAR Oenanthe 
bottae U Four records: Wadi Sablal 2 March 
1989; Wadi Hali 21 March 1989; one 5 km 
from Banideep September 1 989 and another 
in our study area 14 December 1989. Not 
recorded by Stagg (1985), CornwallLs & 
Porter (1982) and Phillips (1982) from the 
coastal Tihamah region as this species 
generally lives in highlands, although our 
records show that some individuals may be 
wintering at low elevations. 
BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR Oenanthe 
hispanica R Black-eared morph: recorded 
at Wadi Hali 22 March 1989 and east of 
Banideep 18 December 1991 . Black-throated 
morph: four records: Al Lith 5 March 1989, 
Wadi Al Ghall 7 March 1989, Alahssahbah 
8 March 1989 and our study area 22 March 
1989. Passage migrant. 
DESERT WHEATEAR Oenenthe desert i C 
The most common wheatear in winter on 
the Tihamah. Hundreds of sightings. One 
male on the Farasan Islands 11 February 
1992. An adult and a juvenile male seen 
fighting 5 January 1992; two females in the 
vicinity. 
RED-TAILED WHEATEAR Oenanthe 
xanthoprymna chrysopygia U Two in Wadi 
Al Lith near the foothills at 500 m 13 January 
1992. According to Jennings (1981) it is an 
uncommon winter visitor to all areas except 
Asir, the Tihamah and southern Red Sea, 
but Stagg (1985) found it an extremely scarce 
winter visitor to the highlands of Asir. 
MOURNING WHEATEAR Oenanthe 
lugens persica U A highly territorial male 
seen 26 December 1989, foraging actively 
on bare, rocky hillside and frequently 
chasing pipits. 
