A white-tailed eagle has been sighted in Saudi Arabia for the first time in 20 years by a nature reserve manager who said he could “not believe his eyes”.
The juvenile, migratory white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) – which usually lives further north – was spotted over wetlands at the kingdom's Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve.
It was photographed in flight by the reserve's biodiversity monitoring and research manager Ali Al Faqih, the reserve said in a statement. It added that the eagle's presence shows the growing significance of the site as a refuge for migratory bird life.
“I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw a large raptor flying heavily after drinking,” Mr Al Faqih said. “I gazed intently at this magnificent bird and realised I was looking at an unfamiliar species that I had never seen before.
“Observing a rare bird in the reserve indicates to me that we are seeing improving habitat quality and providing migratory birds with a safe and productive environment to rest and feed during their long journeys.”
The reserve said the sighting at the Wadi Thalbah Wetland “reflects the progress” of its efforts to restore habitats. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has environmental objectives of protecting 30 per cent of the kingdom's land and sea area by that year, restoring ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity.
The 24,500-square-kilometre reserve, which includes marine areas, is home to 15 distinct ecosystems and exceptional biodiversity. More than 50 per cent of all recorded species in the kingdom have been documented within its boundaries.
Since 2021, the reserve has conducted six biodiversity studies with experts from Saudi Arabia and five other countries. To date, these studies have recorded 247 bird species, including seven new global range extensions. This represents 49 per cent of all bird species documented in the kingdom.
