al (1987) recorded 314 from the Tihamah 
foothills to the highland plateau (250-2,800 
m) in Yemen. 
ISABELLINE SHRIKE Lanius isabellinus C 
Frequently seen in Acacia wadis in winter. 
Hundreds of records from our study area. 
RED-BACKED SHRIKE Lanius collurio U 
Two records, one from Jandalah3 November 
1987, and another from our study area 20 
April 1990. According to Stagg (1985) it is a 
spring and autumn passage migrant. 
BAY-BACKED SHRIKE lanius vittatus S 
One record in April 1989. First record from 
the Tihamah. Other Arabian Peninsula 
records are from the Batinah of Oman 29 
April 1979 (Gallagher & Woodcock, 1980) 
and from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 
(Richardson, 1990). Jennings (1981) 
mentioned an unconfirmed record from 
Dhahran. The first author is very familiar 
with this bird in India. 
GREAT GREY SHRIKE Lanius excubitor A 
The most common shrike of the Tihamah. 
Prefers more open areas than the Isabelline 
Shrike, especially open Acacia woodlands. 
Hundreds of records. 
MASKED SHRIKE Lanius nubicus U One 
record from winter and six from spring. 
One male in Wadi Shesia, sitting inside 
branches of Ziziphus near a running stream 
in a wooded wadi. 
INDIAN HOUSE CROW Corvus splendens 
C Now common and a great nuisance in 
Jeddah. 
BROWN-NECKED RAVEN Corvus 
ruficollis C Common all over the Tihamah 
especially around bedouin settlements. 
Frequently seen scavenging at carcasses 
along with vultures and kites. 
AMETHYST STARLING Cinnyricinclus 
leucogaster U Seen only in spring and 
autumn on migration. First sighting of a 
male, repeatedly calling, in Wadi Aramram 
17 March 1989. From 25 August to 1 
September 1991 it was seen every day in 
Wadi Juwa. 
COMMON MYNAH Acridotheris tristis U 
One, possibly with a nest, in Makkah city on 
traffic light February 1989. Certainly an 
escape. Well established in Jeddah with the 
population increasing every year. 
HOUSE SPARROW Passer domesticus A 
Common throughout the Tihamah. 
ARABIAN GOLDEN SPARROW Passer 
euchlorus A Abundant in all agricultural 
areas of the Tihamah. Moving with rains 
and growth of crops, especially maize and 
millet. Mixed species flocks of 100-300 
Arabian Golden and House Sparrows seen 
around Habib Banideep on ripening crops 
by January. Small, untidy, globular nest in 
Acacia. Sometimes one tree may have up to 
10 nests. By March most males are in full 
breeding plumage although some males 
can be seen in breeding plumage by early 
February. It is abundant in the Yemen 
Tihamah (Bowden 1987). 
RUPPELL'S WEAVER Ploceus galbula A 
Hundreds of sightings. Abundant around 
cultivated fields in the Tihamah. Extremely 
common around the backwaters of Malaki 
Dam 8-9 February 1992. Mixed flocks with 
Arabian Golden Sparrows. Nesting depends 
on local conditions but may start as early as 
mid January. Nesting colonies invariably 
near water. However, may nest near crop 
fields after good rainfall e.g. January 1992, 
when males building nests on Acacia near 
crop fields in Habib Banideep; no standing 
water for many kilometres. Nest seen on 
Dobera, Hyphaene thebaica, Ziziphus or any 
tree, not necessarily on thorny species, with 
a few nests even on Salvadora. Fledgling 
seen 8 March 1989. 
AFRICAN SILVERBILL Euodice cantons C 
Another common small passerine of 
cultivated regions of the Tihamah. Most 
sightings around agricultural fields but often 
in wooded wadis feeding on 'seeds' of 
Panicum and Pennisetum grasses. 
HOUSE BUNTING Emberiza striolata C 
Fairly common in wadis and on rocky 
hillocks but less common than the next 
species. 
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