Fiche de renseignements - Go-South

TRIP REPORT MOROCCO AND WESTERN SAHARA
4 th – 22 nd April 2010
Morocco offers some of the best birding in the WP, so it was one of the most important
destinations for us to visit. In December 2009 we took the decision to visit this bird-rich
country in early April 2010. The group was made up of Sandra Götsch, Helmut Kräuter,
Seppi Ringert and myself, Ernst Albegger, all for Austria.
The aim of the trip was to find as many as possible of the sought-after Moroccan species, i.e.
the species that in the WP can be seen only or at least most easily in Morocco. We had only
14½ days for birding and wanted to cover not only the typical Moroccan regions but also the
areas of Western Sahara, which have become increasingly popular over the past few years.
This would require both very detailed preparation and planning as well as many hours of
driving. We started preparing in mid-January.
Absolute must-haves are Patrick and Fedora Bergier’s book “A Birdwatchers’ guide to
Morocco” and Dave Gosney’s “Finding Birds in Morocco: the deserts”. For those who would
like more detailed information about the Moroccan avifauna, “The birds of Morocco” by
Michel Thévenot, Rae Vernon and Patrick Bergier can be highly recommended. The
literature we used proved very useful in combination with about 25 trip reports that we
studied in quest of the perfect itinerary and to avoid wasting time searching for details during
the trip. Four trip reports in particular are worth mentioning as the detailed information they
include made them especially useful:
Morocco 8 th -15 th March 2004, Chris Batty
Morocco 2 nd -10 th April 2005, Richard Bonser
Southern Morocco & West Sahara, January 2007, Lee Evans
Western Sahara and Southern Morocco, 14-21 February 2008 by Thomas Pettersson,
Krister Mild & Peder Waern
Many thanks to the authors at this point!
Another source that proved to be very important was Patrick Bergier’s webpage – www.gosouth.org
– which can be highly recommended. PB himself, as well as J.L. Copete &
J. Alvirez, were very helpful and kind and gave me additional information in response to a
huge number of questions.
04.04. Vienna - Agadir
On 04 April 2010 we flew to Agadir from Vienna via Paris and Casablanca (€ 656), which
was fairly expensive. We arrived at the airport at 00:45 to find that Seppi’s suitcase had been
left in Casablanca. This meant that we had to return to the airport before travelling to
Western Sahara. Like Chris Batty in 2004, we were lucky to find 2 singing male Red-necked
Nightjars together with at least 7 Thick-Knees calling in the airport car park. Leave the airport
building and go a few 100 meters to the right to the edge of the car park, then listen for these
two species close to the few trees. The Red-necked Nightjars were even hunting in the area.
This meant that we didn’t have to go to Oued Souss, where some people have reported
problems with the guardians of the Royal Palace, which is located nearby. We hired a
Citroen Berlingo (which came with an empty fuel tank), which proved to be a good vehicle for
the four of us despite two disadvantages: it had only one rear door and the windows in the
back could not be opened.
We drove to Oued Massa at night. The way from the airport is as follows. On leaving the
airport, take the road to the left towards Agadir. At the first roundabout (after 6.4 km), go left.
Go straight across the second roundabout after 4.5 km until you reach a third roundabout.
Turn left here in the direction of Tiznit. Continue straight ahead for 34.1 km from this last
roundabout until a sign on your right indicates “Camping International Wassay Beach”. Turn
right and follow the road until you reach a T-junction, where you must turn right. Continue for
several kms until you reach the Oued Massa carpark.
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If you miss the first junction to Oued Massa you need to turn right at km 36.4 from the third
roundabout, which is signposted to Massa. From there, drive first straight ahead and then in
a northerly direction (right of Massa and the parking lot).
If you go to Oued Massa during the day, a stop after 9.2 km from the third roundabout is
rewarding as on the left side of the road several pairs of Little Swift breed in a garage by a
petrol station.
05.04. Oued Massa, Guelmim
After about 1½ h of not very relaxing sleep we started birding at 6 o’clock. We were all
fascinated by our first male Moussier’s Redstart on the building next to the carpark. This
species is quite common in Oued Massa and we saw 5 m, 2 f. The distinctive sounds of
Common Bulbul were all around as well as the very abundant European Serin and the quite
common Linnets of race mediterranea. To our surprise, Laughing Dove was very common
with many birds to be seen and heard. The first main target bird was Black-crowned
Tchagra, which was found in the bushes on the right of the path to the mouth of Oued
Massa about 500 m from the parking lot. This fascinating species is found more easily when
you know its song.
Black-crowned Tchagra, Oued Massa, 05.04.2010
After about 2.5 km we reached a wall, from where we observed the water birds of Oued
Massa as well as migrating passerines including one Iberian Chiffchaff. We were joined by
the warden, who wanted us to take a guide for the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis,
which has its stronghold in Morocco (2008: 480 birds, 2010: 600 birds in 2 colonies). With the
warden’s help we twice saw a bird flying very far away on the southern side of the Oued
Massa. Although we knew that we would be able to see the bird in Tamri, we decided to pay
500 Moroccon Dirham (MD, ~ 45 €) for the four of us to see this charismatic species. This
saved time and gave some satisfaction to the locals who work on protecting Bald Ibis.
Although this represented a large sum for Morocco, it only amounted to 11 € per person for
incredibly close views of the most important bird of the trip. We returned to the carpark with
our French-, German- and English-speaking guide Lahsen Ahuilat ben M’bark (Sidi R’bat,
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flamingo_290@hotmail.com, phone 00213 648108016) and drove to the second bridge over
Oued Massa. Here we obtained fairly distant views of a Brown-throated (Sand) Martin
(Plain Martin) of race mauretanica, a species that in the WP is restricted to Morocco. We
then drove directly to the nearby site for Northern Bald Ibis to obtain incredible views of a
flock of 32 birds in flight as well as feeding on the ground. The birds seemed oblivious of our
car and we parked about 30 m from the flock.
Northern Bald Ibis, Oued Massa, 05.04.2010
After a rally through sandy tracks, where the Paris-Dakar rally used to pass through, we
returned to the carpark of Oued Massa to say goodbye to our guide and to pass the warden
some dirhams and a few pieces of our huge Easter chocolate supply as a thank-you for
calling the guide. Directly from the car park we observed a group of about 20 spoonbills
when I noticed a strange-looking small white heron, which turned out to be a white morph
Western Reef Heron. Afterwards we drove back along the Oued Massa, stopping just after
the first village. Next to the only palm trees by the road were two breeding holes of Brownthroated
Martin and we saw one bird there.
We returned to the airport, stopping only for Little Swift, to pick up Seppi’s suitcase and drove
directly to Guelmin (Agadir airport – Guelmin 184 km), which took us 3:50 hours. In particular
the beautiful landscape of the Anti Atlas mountains is worth mentioning, although some slow
lorries delayed our journey.
We slept in the Hotel Bahich, which is often mentioned in birdwatching reports. It is best
found by driving straight through the town until the first roundabout with traffic lights. Turn
right and after about 40 m you will find the hotel on the right. The price was 180 DH for a
double room without breakfast.
06.04. Oued Sayed, Oued Bouhila, Sandy Plains, Khnifiss lagoon, Tarfaya
We left Guelmin at 6:00 a.m. to start birding at 6:30 at Oued Sayed. We took the dirt track to
the right just after the bridge and followed the track, which runs parallel to the river, until we
reached some buildings on the left. We played the tape for Fulvous Babbler and within
seconds we were joined by a bird, which perched on a fence just 4 m from us! We saw at
least four birds in the area.
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Fulvous Babbler, Oued Sayed, 06.04.2010
We continued to Oued Bouhila, which in recent years has apparently become a more reliable
site for Scrub Warbler than Oued Sayed. We drove over the bridge and parked next to the
road. We walked this beautiful wadi in an easterly direction for a few 100 m to find Scrub
Warbler with relative ease with the help of the tape. Here we spotted our only Western
Orphean and Spectacled Warbler of the trip as well as our first Rufous Bush-Robin and
Trumpeter Finches.
Our next stop was at the Sandy Plains at km 22 from the bridge of Guelmin mentioned in
Bergier. Here we found a nesting hole of our first Red-rumped Wheatear as well as several
Temmincks Horned Larks with juveniles.
Temmincks Horned Lark, Sandy Plains,
06.04.2010
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Red-rumped Wheatear, Sandy Plains,
06.04.2010
Another stop at km 35 produced White Crowned and Black Wheatear, several Temmincks
Horned Larks, a male Spanish Sparrow and crippling views of a pair of Thick-billed Larks.
Birding at both stops was done on the east side of the road. After finishing birding in this area
at 11:30 a.m. we drove straight to Khnifiss Lagoon on road N1 with just a single brief stop

close to the sea, 50 km south of Tantan, where we saw a pair of Barbary Falcons and at
least 7 Common Scoters.
Sandy Plains, 06.04.2010 White-crowned Black Wheatear, Sandy
Plains, 06.04.2010
In Akfenir we attempted to secure a permit for Khnifiss lagoon without success as the office
was closed. To reach the office, go past the fuel station on the left and turn right before
passing the police station. After about 70 metres there is a big sign for the office on the left.
Another opportunity to obtain the permit is to sleep at the hotel La Courbine d’Argent, where
the owner can arrange permits. However, we went to the lagoon without a permit and after a
brief discussion with the warden we were allowed to stay for one hour. Despite a fairly strong
wind we were able to pick out our target bird, Kelp (Cape) Gull, quickly. At least 7 adults of
this much sought after species, which recently started to breed here, were present. Without a
boat trip, which is sometimes offered in the area, the large lagoon is difficult to cover. For this
reason we were only able to search a small part before we continued to Tarfaya.
Tarfaya has a strategic position for seawatching. We went straight to the harbour and sat
there for about 2 hours. This produced several Cory’s Shearwaters, Gannets, a Great Skua
and an unidentified Dolphin. We were joined by the police but they were very friendly and
smiled after looking through our scopes. When we left the harbour we were stopped by an
official and had to wait for about 20 min until he had taken down all our details. At this point it
is worth mentioning that we counted a grand total of 12 police checkpoints on our way to
Dakhla, starting north of Guelmin. As suggested in other trip reports we used the attached
Fiche, which we had completed in advance, and we claimed to be “biologists”. This proved a
good choice because most checkpoints were passed with relative ease after showing
passports and passing on the form. On our return journey north controls went much faster.
In Tarfaya we stayed at the Casa Mar, a nice hotel situated close to the entrance of the
harbour. When driving into Tarfaya from the north, continue straight towards the harbour
instead of turning left towards Laayoune. The hotel Casa Mar is on the right just before the
entery to the harbour. We paid 700 MD for dinner, bed & breakfast for all of us.
07.04. Tarfaya - Dakhla
We wanted to reach Dakhla and do some birding in the famous Dakhla Bay. For this reason
we had to move on quickly and only stopped a couple of times. A toilet break south of
Tarfaya produced a fly-by Crowned Sandgrouse. The first proper stop was made about 40
km north of Laayoune. A lake on the left of the road held some waterbirds and a pair of
Thick-billed Larks. In Laayoune we added an adult female Rock Thrush and Marbled Duck
to our list. A brief stop at the river passing through Laayoune can be rewarding. A rubbish
dump 204 km north of Dakhla produced one pair each of Hoopoe Lark, Brown-necked
Raven and Red-rumped Wheatear.
At the first camping site in Dakhla Bay we searched unsuccessfully for African Royal Tern in
the early afternoon and evening. A more rewarding stop was at the southernmost point of the
bay (around the bridge to the harbour) where we had at least 12 European Storm Petrels
as well as 100+ Audouin’s Gulls.
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Audouin’s Gull, Dakhla, 07.04.2010
We stayed at Hotel Cyber, which is situated in a smaller road on the right of the main road
through Dakhla. We paid 200 MD for a double room for 2 nights and had a very slow internet
connection.
It may be helpful to note that the northernmost roundabout of Dakhla seems to be a very
popular place for the local police to hunt tourists with their speed traps. I was a victim of this
game and had to pay 400 MD. Every time we drove in or out of town we saw the police
standing there.
08.04. Aswerd Road, Dakhla Bay
To reach the famous km 41 on Aswerd road in first light, we left Dakhla at 4:15 a.m. On our
way we watched a group of 4 Golden Jackals and some small unidentified hares. We
witnessed a gorgeous sunrise at km 41 and soon found our target birds.
Km 41 at Aswerd Road, 08.04.2010
Desert Sparrows were fairly abundant in the few trees while the distinctive call of Cricket
Warbler was a great help to locate the birds in the spiky grass clumps. After a brief search
we found a small flock of Black-crowned Finch-Larks feeding on the sandy ground
between the grass clumps. After a couple of hours we visited km 43, where we found
African Dunn’s Lark close to a pair each of Desert and Bar-tailed Larks. Here we also had a
Lanner Falcon and a Long-legged Buzzard of race cirtensis.
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Desert Sparrow, Oued Yenna, 08.04.2010 Black-crowned Finch-Lark, Km 41, Aswerd
Road, 08.04.2010
Our next stop at Oued Jenna produced more Desert Sparrows and a group of 6 Fulvous
Babblers. After a short visit to the almost deserted town of Aswerd we headed back to km
41 to obtain closer views of Desert Sparrows and Black-crowned Finch-Larks.
On our way back to Dakhla we made a last stop on the Aswerd road at km 72 before Dakhla
next to a water pond, which is supposed to be good for Crowned and Spotted Sandgrouse at
9 a.m. We observed one African Rock Martin, but were too late for sandgrouse. We then
drove back to Dakhla Bay where we started our search for terns at 5 p.m. We stopped at the
second public beach approximately 18 km before Dakhla and found at least 6 African Royal
Terns in breeding plumage along with enormous numbers of waders and other waterfowl.
African Royal Tern, Dakhla Bay, 08.04.2010
After an extremely successful day we were very satisfied and also pleased to return safe
from the area, which is potentially mined. Especially at km 41 and Oued Jenna there are
many footprints of both humans and dromedaries in the sand. Nevertheless, we all felt very
uneasy following the birds for some hundred meters away from the tarmac road.
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09.04. Dakhla, Echtoucan, Laayoune, Agadir, Essaouria
Another early-morning start seemed necessary to see the roosting Pied Crows at
Echtoucan, 106 km north of the Dakhla checkpoint. This represents only the 4 th record in the
WP according to Christ Batty. We arrived there in first light after a two-hour drive and found
two birds roosting on the cliffs below the pylons north-west of the petrol station. They soon
took off but remained in the area of the petrol station, feeding on the rubbish. In fact, they
were still there when we finished our breakfast at the café 1½ hours later.
Pied Crow, Echtoucan, 09.04.2010
Except for one brief stop in Laayoune, which produced several waterfowl including Marbled
Duck and a single Little Swift, we pushed on north to Essaouira, which meant a 1400 km
journey in a single day. We arrived in Essaouira at 11 p.m. Together with Helmut I tried
unsuccessfully for 1½ hours to locate Maghreb Tawny Owl, which was reported in 2009 from
the trees close to the harbour (see the map by Javier Alvirez below). We stayed at the hotel
Dar Naciria (58, Bd. Med V Essaouria, essa@darnaciria.net, www.darnaciria.net, phone
00212 24784504) and paid 400 MD per double room including breakfast.
Maghreb Tawny Owl map
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10.04. Essaouria surroundings, Oualidia
After a long day (21 hours) the previous day we treated ourselves to a lie-in and slept until 7
a.m. After breakfast we spent until midday exploring the surroundings of Essaouira including
the beach, which produced a dark-morph Western Reef Heron, a rare bird in Morocco, and
a male Cirl Bunting but little else. It was too early for the most famous bird attraction of the
town, Eleonora’s Falcon, which breeds in huge numbers on the offshore islands. Despite a
careful search we were not able to locate any of the rare Shags of race riggenbachi.
Birding on Essaouria beach, 10.04.2010
After a nice lunch in the fascinating scenery of the old part of Essaouria and wonderful views
of very tame House Buntings we continued north to Oualidia, where we birded for a couple
of hours and added a few species such as Blue Rock Thrush to our trip list. We slept at
Motel-Restaurant A L’Aragnée Gourmande and paid 250 MD for a double room. Our
sleeping rooms were situated next to the restaurant on the southwest edge of the lagoon
rather than in the centre of town. To reach the hotel, drive along the road towards the beach.
The hotel is on the right of the road opposite a kiosk. It can be highly recommended because
of its friendly owner and because of the pleasant rooms.
11.04. Oualidia surroundings, Marrakesh
On the following morning we explored the lagoons south of Oualidia, finding a second
calendar year Grey Phalarope together with good numbers of waterfowl. After a late
breakfast in the restaurant, where we kept an eye on the gull and tern roost in the lagoon of
Oualidia, we made our way towards Marrakesh, finding an impressive density of Calandra
Larks and Corn Buntings on the way, many of which were already feeding chicks, along with
several Collared Pratincoles and Little Owls. As the roads were pretty bad and we had no
reason to hurry we did not arrive in Marrakesh until fairly late in the afternoon. We stayed at
a hotel at the southern end of Marrakesh on the main road to Oukaimeden to have a good
strategic position for an early-morning start to the famous ski resort the next day. We took a
taxi back into Marrakesh and spent the evening around the famous square Djemaa el-Fna
wandering through the souks. Another attempt to find Maghreb Tawny Owl failed because of
the incredibly noisy nightlife in this fascinating town.
12.04. Oukaimeden, Toufliath Forest House, Tizi n’Tichka Pass, Boumalne de
Dades
An early-morning start (4 a.m.) was necessary to reach Oukaimeden ski resort at first light.
The area is situated in the High Atlas at an altitude of 2600 metres.
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Oukaimeden, 12.04.2010
Unsurprisingly it was quite cold in the early morning but it warmed up quickly when the sun
came out. Our main target bird, Crimson-winged Finch, showed well at car park 2 (80+
birds), followed by Seebohm’s Wheatear, Rock Sparrow, Red-billed Chough, Alpine
Chough and Mistle Thrush as well as a superb male Moussier’s Redstart, several Shore
Larks of race atlas and a male Blue Rock Thrush. Oukaimeden also offers a chance to see
Bearded Vulture but although a bird had been seen a few days before we were out of luck.
Crimson-winged Finch, 12.04.2010 Seebohm’s Wheatear, 12.04.2010
Shore Lark ssp. atlas, 12.04.2010 Moussier’s Redstart, 12.04.2010
After a hearty breakfast in the gorgeous mountain scenery next to the highest peak of North
Africa, the Djebel Toubkal (4167 m), we headed down to the two pylons located next to the
road at 2233 m (31° 14’ 14.8’’ N 007° 48’ 59,7’’ W). I was very relieved when we got out of
the car at 09:30 a.m. and found a superb male Tristram’s Warbler singing: the species can
be quite tricky to see. At this spot we also had a pair of Barbary Partridges and 6 Alpine
Swifts. On our way down we heard 2 distant Levaillant’s (Green) Woodpeckers calling but
failed to locate them. We did encounter a pair of Booted Eagle (pale morph), Firecrest of
race balearicus, our only Red-rumped Swallows of the trip and another male Moussier’s
Redstart.
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We decided to avoid the Marrakesh traffic and so took the shortcut to Ait Ounir. We
continued to the Toufliath forest house, where we heard another distant Levaillant’s (Green)
Woodpecker. The long and winding drive to the Tizi n’Tickha Pass produced our only Shorttoed
Eagle of the trip. At the pass we saw another male Seebohm’s Wheatear. After the
pass the road was less windy and so we reached Ouazarzate and the Mamsour Eddahbi
dam much earlier than expected.
Tizi n’Tickha Pass, 12.04.2010
At km 15 after Ouarzazate we took the tarmac road to the lake to find 4 Marbled Ducks and
at least 6 Ruddy Shelducks but little else. We then headed to Boumalne de Dades, where
we stayed at the Hotel Le Soleil Bleu (phone 00212 24830163). To reach this hotel when
coming from Ouarzazate continue on the road to Er-Rachidia. Immediately before leaving
Boumalne de Dades you will see a petrol station on your left. Immediately before this, turn
left onto a small tarmac road that turns into a gravel road after a few hundred meters. You
pass another hotel to find the Auberge le Soleil Bleu. We paid 300 MD per person for dinner,
bed and a packed breakfast.
13.04. Tagdilt Track, Todra Gorge, Rissani
We spent five hours on the famous Tagdilt Track to find a female Maghreb Wheatear
together with 5 other species of wheatear at the “wheatear wall” (31.3104 N, 5.9007 W).
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Tagdilt Track, 13.04.2010
The best way to reach this point is by following the tarmac road to Ikniouen. Other species
included Black-bellied Sandgrouse (2), Cream-coloured Courser (30+), Hoopoe Lark (3),
Bar-tailed Desert Lark (1), Desert Lark (1), Temminck’s Horned Lark (30+), Desert
Wheatear (10+), Red-rumped Wheatear (5+), House Bunting (1 ♂) and Trumpeter Finch
(8+). The drinking ponds were dry. Afterwards we continued to the scenic Todra gorge,
where it was already midday and where we failed to see Bonelli’s Eagle.
Maghreb Wheatear, 13.04.2010 Red-rumped Wheatear, 13.04.2010
Cream-coloured Courser, 13.04.2010 House Bunting, 13.04.2010
We made our way to Rissani, where we met our guide Brahim Mezane (phone 00212
670181130, desertbirds.live.fr), a young and enthusiastic local. He showed us an adult
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Pharaoh Eagle Owl with three chicks at a different location from the well known site. The big
advantage was that we simply got out of the car and saw the birds. We paid him 150 MD. On
the way back to Rissani we found a pair of Moroccan White Wagtails (race subpersonata)
upstream from the river that is crossed when coming into Rissani. In Rissani we added Bluecheecked
Bee-eater to our list.
The final stop of the day was at Auberge Le Caravane, which is situated about 1 km from the
famous Auberge Yasmina and Morocco’s biggest sand dune system, Erg Chebbi. We
immediately found its owner Ibrahim (phone 00212 666 039175, kadi1974@hotmail.com),
who is said to be one of the most reliable guides for the endangered Houbara Bustard. This
enigmatic species was hunted close to extinction by Saudi falconers in the 1980s but in
recent years birds have been regularly seen in the stony desert north and east of the Erg
Chebbi. We paid 250 MD per person for dinner, bed and breakfast. Our final arrangement
was to pay Ibrahim 1400 MD for a four-wheel drive tour if we saw the bustard and 500 MD if
we failed.
14.04.
On the following morning we went out with Ibrahim’s brother at 05:30 a.m. Ibrahim was busy
and we had had no contact details to reserve him in advance. Ibrahim told us he had seen a
bustard four days ago. Despite carefully searching the stone deserts north of Erg Chebbi
until 09:30 a.m. we were not able to find our target bird. By this time it was clear that we were
out of luck and we returned in poor spirit to the auberge, where a large breakfast cheered us
up. Birds seen on the drive included 5+ Cream-coloured Coursers, 8+ Hoopoe Larks,
which we heard singing everywhere, 2 Desert Larks and 4 Brown-necked Ravens. We
twice heard Black-bellied Sandgrouse calling, but couldn’t locate them.
After breakfast we left the auberge and found at least 20 Brown-necked Ravens feeding in
the rubbish close by. We visited the Spanish ringing station at Auberge Yasmina but
migration was very slow and not many birds were caught. At 12 o’clock we tried the Desert
Warbler site described by Dave Gosney about 8 km west of Auberge Caravan. We started to
search for this bird about 600 m east of the GPS point 31.2415 N, 4.0834 W and were very
surprised to find a pair of African Dunn’s Larks at close range. This species is restricted to
the southern Western Sahara and according to Patrick Bergier this is the first record for
Morocco apart from the Western Sahara. I immediately sent a text message to Patrick
Bergier and on the same day some other birders were able to twitch the lark. Exactly at the
GPS point a singing African Desert Warbler and another bird (probably female) were
located.
African Dunn’s Lark, Merzouga area,
14.04.2010
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In search of African Desert Warbler,
Merzouga area, 14.04.2010
Our next stop was the famous Auberge Derkaoua, which used to be the place for Egyptian
Nightjar. We searched the wadi north of the auberge for this species and Sahara Olivaceous
Warbler but in vain. Our search was complicated by the onset of a sandstorm, which lasted
until night time. The situation was the same at Auberge Tresor, the most reliable place for

Egyptian Nightjar in recent years, and after a brief search there we decided to return to
Auberge La Caravan.
After a one-hour break we went on another four-wheel drive at 4 p.m. and searched until
nightfall for Houbara Bustard in the stony desert east of Erg Chebbi, reaching very close to
the Algerian border. The sandstorm wasn’t helpful and unfortunately we were again
unsuccessful. We stayed a second night at Auberge Le Caravane – two of us in a berber
tent, a nice experience.
15.04. Rissani, Hassan Addakhil, Zeida Plains
Yesterday’s sandstorm had quietened down and so we left Auberge Le Caravane at 4 a.m.
to try our luck with the Egyptian Nightjar at the new hotspot at Auberge Tresor. We heard 1
bird in first light but didn’t manage to see it.
We continued to Rissani, where we walked along the Oued Ziz. This dried out river bed is
mentioned by Gosney as the most reliable site for Saharan Olivaceous Warbler (race
reiseri), which is sometimes thought to be a separate species. After searching for the species
north of the bridge without success - although at least 12 Blue-cheecked Bee-eaters and
one Moroccan White Wagtail (race subpersonata) were some consolation - we located 3
singing birds in the tamarisks south of the bridge.
After a delightful breakfast in Rissani we searched for our final target bird in the area, Longbilled
Crested Lark race macrorhyncha. This subspecies is often treated as a separate
species and we found it to be quite common along the drainage channels next to the road to
the well-known site for Pharaoh Eagle Owl.
Saharan Olivaceous Warbler, Rissani,
15.04.2010
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Long-billed Crested Lark, Rissani,
15.04.2010
We continued north towards Midelt with several stops along the way, including a quick swim
at the beautiful Source Bleue de Meski near Er-Rachidia and some birding at the famous
dam at Hassan Addakhil, where we had a small flock of Greater Flamingos, Ruddy
Shelducks and 5 Marbled Ducks.
We arrived at the Zeida plains in the late afternoon, where we visited a site mentioned by
Gosney. Three km south of Zeida we turned right at the crossroads between two bends,
close to the km post that says “Er Rachidia 167” and “Meknes 162”. We stopped after a few
hundred metres along this track (32.7944 N 4.9335 W) and searched for Dupont’s Lark in
light rain. Our hopes were low due to the bad weather and the late time of the day but after a
brief but heavy thunderstorm the sun came out. We were very pleased to hear 5-8 birds
singing, together with 20+ Lesser Short-toed Larks and 15+ Greater Short-toed Larks. After a
long hunt, we managed to get brief views of 2 Dupont’s Larks, which proved extremely
difficult to locate although they were singing directly in front of us. We stayed at the nearby
Hotel Timnay, which turned out to be good value. Although it was not the cheapest hotel, it
can be highly recommend and keeps a birding logbook. It is located about 2 km south of the
junction to the track for the larks on the left when coming from the north. We spent a pleasant
evening at the hotel.

16.04. Zeida Plains, Azrou, Ifrane, Sidi Yaya – Sidi Bettache, Temara
Zeida Plains, 15.04.2010
I felt sick during the night and so did not join Seppi and Helmut in their hunt for Dupont’s
Lark at first light. They found 5 birds at the same spot and enjoyed excellent views of this
highly elusive species.
Dupont’s Lark, Zeida Plains, 16.04.2010
After breakfast we headed on north towards Ifrane. Our main targets were Atlas Pied
Flycatcher and Levaillant’s (Green) Woodpecker, which we had so far only heard. On our
way we added 2 adult Egyptian Vultures to our list and encountered 3 Seebohm’s
Wheatears. We were surprised to find huge numbers of White Storks at a high altitude of up
to 2000 metres feeding by small lakes or in open grasslands. A few kilometres south of
Azrou we stopped by chance and were lucky to find a male Levaillant’s (Green)
Woodpecker immediately in an oak forest. Although we put some effort into locating an early
Atlas Pied Flycatcher we failed to see the species, which is hardly surprising as the first
individuals do not normally arrive until the end of April.
15

We then visited the well known breeding site for Lesser Kestrel just south of Ifrane, where
about 50 birds were hunting for insects at close range. This stop also produced 3 Booted
Eagles (including a pair on a nest) and Black Kites. We continued to Rabat, seeing several
hundred Cattle Egrets on the way. We explored the area between Sidi Yaya and Sidi
Bettache in the afternoon to get a first impression of this famous site for one of the most
sought-after Moroccon species, the enigmatic Double-spurred Francolin. We found 3
Black-shouldered Kites, 1 Booted Eagle and 1 Woodchat Shrike. We struggled to find a
hotel south of Rabat but finally located the Hotel Panorama (www.panoramasabledor.com) in
Témara Plage.
17.04. Sidi Yaya – Sidi Bettache, Lac de Sidi Boughaba, Merja Zerga
We had to get up at 4 a.m. to be at the Double-spurred Francolin site at the parking lot
south of the hunting reserve between Sidi Yaya and Sidi Bettache before dawn. But this was
in vain and we were out of luck this morning. We finally gave up at 7:15 a.m. having only
seen a pair of Barbary Patridge.
Disappointed, we headed north to Lac di Sidi Boughaba, where several White-headed
Ducks (3 adult males, 3 immature males and 1 adult female), 15 Crested Coots with 10 pulli
and 2 adult Purple Gallinules were on the southern part of the lake. Other species included
Ferruginous Ducks, Marbled Ducks and Little Tern.
White-headed Duck, Lac de Sidi Boughaba, 17.04.2010
We had a late breakfast at the Port di Sidi Boughaba, where we also did some seawatching,
which produced Gannets, Sandwich Terns, Cory’s Shearwaters and a distant unidentified
small Skua species.
16

Marbled Duck, Lac de Sidi Boughaba, 17.04.2010
Our next stop was Café Milano in Moulay Bousselham, where we asked for the famous guide
Hassan Dalil (phone 00212 668434110). Please note that the phone number given in the
recent edition of Lonely Planet is wrong. Hassan was quickly summoned by the café’s owner
and we arranged to go out with him in the evening to look for Marsh Owl. In the WP, this
declining species is restricted to Morocco, where it is critically endangered with just 25 pairs
left. According to Hassan, its stronghold is Merja Zerga and in 2010 there were just 1-2
additional pairs in the area of Larache and one pair at Lac de Sidi Boughaba. Hassan
arranged two rooms at the Villa Nora (250 MD per person for b&b) for us, which was not the
cheapest place to stay. Hassan’s fee was also quite hefty: he charged 800 MD to take us to
the Marsh Owl site in the south west of Merja Zerga. Still, it was well worth it as he found us
a beautiful roosting specimen. There were also large numbers of waders feeding in the mud
plains, unfortunately fairly distant. We recorded Black-winged Stilts, Collared Pratincoles,
250+ Grey Plovers, 150+ Dunlins, 20+ Curlew Sandpipers, 1 Red Knot, 100+ Gull-billed
Terns and 1 Iberian Yellow Wagtail. Satisfied with the result of our evening excursion we
headed back to Moulay Bousselham and a great dinner at Café Milano.
17

Marsh Owl, Merja Zerga, 17.04.2010
18.04. Merja Zerga, Larache (Lower Loukkos), Temara
After a leisurely breakfast on the hotel veranda, we met Hassan at 8 a.m. by the harbour. We
had arranged to take a boat trip to the lagoon of Merja Zerga. Heavy rain forced us to delay
our departure but after approximately 20 minutes the rain stopped and we headed out. Our
main target bird was Lesser Crested Tern. The first bird had arrived two days earlier. We
went to a sand bank and struck lucky when we found one bird roosting among Sandwich
Terns.
Lesser Crested Tern, Merja Zerga, 18.04.2010
Soon the skies opened up again and we retreated to the shore where we waited under a tree
for the rain to stop. After an hour the rain subsided and we returned to the lagoon. While we
18

were watching some waders, gulls and terns, the heavy rain started again and we finally
gave up. Despite waterproof clothes we were soaking wet and needed to change. We paid
Hassan 600 MD for the four of us and left Moulay Bousselham heading north.
At midday we arrived at Larache and explored the wide wetland areas east of town. We
birded at a relaxed pace, feeling that we deserved some time relaxing after such a strenuous
trip. The sun came out and we were treated to good views of a variety of birds including
Great White Egret, Little Bittern, Marbled Duck, Crested Coot, Lesser Kestrel, 100+
Collared Pratincoles, Peregrine, 6 Gull-billed Terns, Skylark (rare at this time of the year in
Morocco, two birds singing), 1 Brown-throated Martin and Cetti’s Warbler. On our return
drive to Larache we received a text message saying that our return flights for the next day
had been cancelled due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland and the resulting dust clouds over
Europe. We still had to return to Rabat to drop our car off at the airport the next day. We
were unable to learn anything about the flight situation in the following days and we returned
to Hotel Panorama in Temara in low spirits.
19.04. Sidi Yaya – Sidi Bettache, Rabat Airport, Tanger
Another early morning start was necessary for a second attempt at Double-spurred
Francolin. We arrived in the dark at the carpark but despite waiting for the first light we again
failed to find the bird. It seems that the car park wasn’t a good spot this year, as the same
happened to a group of Dutch and two Finnish birders we met during our trip. But thanks to
Andreas Uppstu (one of the Finnish birders), who sent us directions to another site for our
target bird, all was not lost. At 33.708682°N 6.921912°W we made another stop and 20
minutes after dawn we were electrified to hear a Double-spurred Francolin calling. In the
end we counted 7 different birds calling from this point in the valley to the east of the road but
although the birds called for at least 1½ hours and we desperately tried to locate one we
failed (like all the other birders that we met).
We returned to the hotel and had breakfast before driving to Rabat airport to return our rental
car. From there we took a taxi to Tangiers having learned that all Moroccan airports were to
remain closed for the next four days. After lengthy negotiations we secured a price of 1200
MD to Tangiers port. During the drive to Tangiers we added Roller as the final new species
for our trip list in Morocco.
At the port of Tangiers we had to accept that the only possibility to return to Austria was the
ferry via Barcelona to Genova, which took us nearly 3 days. Other ideas, such as taking a
ferry to Spain, had to be abandoned because of the lack of rental cars and overbooked
trains.
20.04. – 22.04. Ferry Tanger, Barcelona, Genoa, Udine, Klagenfurt, Graz/Vienna
On the evening of 20 April we saw a group of 15 Storm Petrels off the eastern Spanish
coast. We were not allowed to leave the ship during our stop in Barcelona on 21 April but still
managed to see 8 Monk Parakeets and 4 Ring-necked Parakeets. Later on in the evening
we saw a pelagic flock of 31 Little Gulls off the Spanish Coast. We arrived in Genova on
22 April and made our way back to Austria via rental car and train.
Although our return trip was a nightmare, the trip was incredibly successful with 233 species
including 24 WP ticks for me personally and just one dip, Atlas Pied Flycatcher, which was
hardly unexpected.
19

Fiche de renseignements
Pour chaque voyageur, préciser :
Etat Civil
Nom
Prénom
Date de naissance
Lieu de naissance
Prénom/Nom du père
Prénom/Nom de la mère
Situation familiale
Nombre d'enfants
Nationalité
Profession
Adresse
Passeport
N°
Délivré le
A
Date d'expiration
Voyage
Motif du voyage
Date d'entrée au Maroc
Ville d'entrée
Venant de
Allant à
Véhicule
Voiture (type/marque)
N° d'immatriculation
20

Complete Trip List
1. Zwergtaucher Tachybaptus ruficollis ruficollis Little Grebe
2. Haubentaucher Podiceps cristatus cristatus Great Crested Grebe
3. Schwarzhalstaucher Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis Black-necked Grebe
4. Gelbschnabelsturmtaucher Calonectris diomedea Cory`s Shearwater
5. Sturmschwalbe Hydrobates pelagicus European Storm Petrel
6. Baßtölpel Sula bassana bassana Gannet
7. Kormoran Phalacrocorax carbo maroccanus Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis
8. Graureiher Ardea cinerea cinerea Grey Heron
9. Purpurreiher Ardea purpurea purpurea Purple Heron
10. Silberreiher Egretta alba alba Great White Egret
11. Seidenreiher Egretta garzetta garzetta Little Egret
12. Küstenreiher Egretta gularis gularis Western Reef Heron
13. Kuhreiher Bubulcus ibis ibis Cattle Egret
14. Rallenreiher Ardeola ralloides Squacco Heron
15. Nachtreiher Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax Night Heron
16. Zwergdommel Ixobrychus minutus minutus Little Bittern
17. Schwarzstorch Ciconia nigra Black Stork
18. Weißstorch Ciconia cicoria ciconia White Stork
19. Waldrapp Geronticus eremita Northern Bald Ibis
20. Löffler Platalea leucorodia leucorodia Spoonbill
21. Rosa Flamingo Phoenicopterus rubber roseus Greater Flamingo
22. Graugans Anser anser anser Greylag Goose
23. Rostgans Tadorna ferruginea Ruddy Shelduck
24. Schnatterente Anas strepera strepera Gadwall
25. Stockente Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos Mallard
26. Löffelente Anas clypeata Shoveler
27. Marmelente Marmaronetta angustirostris Marbled Duck
28. Kolbenente Netta rufina Red-crested Pochard
29. Tafelente Aythya ferina Pochard
30. Moorente Aythya nyroca Ferruginous Duck
31. Reiherente Aythya fuligula Tufted Duck
32. Trauerente Melanitta nigra nigra Black Scoter
33. Weißkopfruderente Oxyura leucocephala White-headed Duck
34. Fischadler Pandion haliaetus haliaetus Osprey
35. Gleitaar Elanus caeruleus caeruleus Black-shouldered Kite
36. Schwarzmilan Milvus migrans migrans Black Kite
37. Schmutzgeier Neophron percnopterus percnopterus Egyptian Vulture
38. Schlangenadler Circaetus gallicus gallicus Short-toed Eagle
39. Kornweihe Circus cyanus cyaneus Hen Harrier
40. Wiesenweihe Circus pygargus Montagu`s Harrier
41. Rohrweihe Circus aeruginosus aeruginosus Marsh Harrier
Circus aeruginosus harterti
42. Habicht Accipiter gentilis gentilis Goshawk
43. Adlerbussard Buteo rufinus cirtensis Long-legged Buzzard
44. Zwergadler Hieraaetus pennatus Booted Eagle
45. Rötelfalke Falco naumanni Lesser Kestrel
46. Turmfalke Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus Kestrel
47. Baumfalke° Falco subbuteo Hobby
48. Lannerfalke Falco biarmicus erlangeri Lanner
49. Wanderfalke Falco peregrinus minor Peregrine
50. Wüstenfalke Falco pelegrinoides pelegrinoides Barbary Falcon
51. Felsenhuhn Alectoris Barbara barbara Barbary Patridge
52. Doppelspornfrankolin Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha Double-spurred Francolin
53. Wachtel Coturnix coturnix coturnix Quail
21

54. Laufhühnchen Turnix sylvatica sylvatica Little Buttonquail
55. Teichhuhn Gallinula chloropus chloropus Moorhen
56. Purpurhuhn Porphyrio porphyrio porphyrio Purple Gallinule
57. Bläßhuhn Fulica atra atra Coot
58. Kammbläßhuhn Fulica cristata Crested Coot
59. Austernfischer Haematopus ostralegus ostralegus Oystercatcher
60. Stelzenläufer Himantopus himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt
61. Säbelschnäbler Recurvirostra avosetta Avocet
62. Triel Burhinus oedicnemus saharae Stone Curlew
63. Rennvogel Cursorius cursor cursor Cream-coloured Courser
64. Rotflügelbrachschwalbe Glareola pratincola pratincola Collared Pratincole
65. Kiebitz Vanellus vanellus Lapwing
66. Kiebitzregenpfeifer Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover
67. Sandregenpfeifer Charadrius hiaticula Ringed Plover
68. Flußregenpfeifer Charadrius dubius curonicus Little-ringed Plover
69. Seeregenpfeifer Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus Kentish Plover
70. Pfuhlschnepfe Limosa lapponica lapponica Bar-tailed Godwit
71. Regenbrachvogel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus Whimbrel
72. Großer Brachvogel Numenius arquata arquata Curlew
73. Rotschenkel Tringa totanus Redshank
74. Grünschenkel Tringa nebularia Greenshank
75. Waldwasserläufer Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper
76. Flußuferläufer Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper
77. Steinwälzer Arenaria interpres interpres Turnstone
78. Thorshühnchen Phalaropus fulicarius Grey Pharalope
79. Bekassine Gallinago gallinago gallinago Common Snipe
80. Knutt Calidris canutus canutus Knot
81. Sanderling Calidris alba Sanderling
82. Zwergstrandläufer Calidris minuta Little Stint
83. Alpenstrandläufer Calidris alpina Dunlin
84. Sichelstrandläufer Calidris ferruginea Curlew Sandpiper
85. Kampfläufer Philomachus pugnax Ruff
86. Skua Stercorarius skua skua Great Skua
87. Schmarotzerraubmöwe Stercorarius parasiticus Arctic Skua
88. Korallenmöwe Larus audouinii Audouin`s Gull
89. Kapmöwe Larus vetula Cape Gull
90. Mittelmeermöwe Larus michahellis michahellis Yellow-legged Gull
91. Heringsmöwe Larus fuscus graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gull
92. Schwarzkopfmöwe Larus melanocephalus Mediterranean Gull
93. Lachmöwe Larus ridibundus Black-headed Gull
94. Dünnschnabelmöwe Larus genei Slender-billed Gull
95. Zwergmöwe Larus minutes Little Gull
96. Lachseeschwalbe Gelochelidon nilotica nilotica Gull-billed Tern
97. Raubseeschwalbe Sterna caspia Caspian Tern
98. Flußseeschwalbe Sterna hirundo hirundo Common Tern
99. Zwergseeschwalbe Sterna albifrons albifrons Little Tern
100. Königsseeschwalbe Sterna maxima albididorsalis Royal Tern
101. Rüppellseeschwalbe Sterna bengalensis torresii Lesser Crested Tern
102. Brandseeschwalbe Sterna sandvicensis sandvicensis Sandwich Tern
103. Sandflughuhn Pterocles orientalis orientalis Black-bellied Sandgrouse
104. Kronenflughuhn Pterocles coronatus coronatus Crowned Sandgrouse
105. Felsentaube Columba livia livia Rock Dove
106. Hohltaube Columba oenas oenas Stock Dove
107. Ringeltaube Columba palumbus excelsa Woodpigeon
108. Turteltaube Streptopelia turtur Turtle Dove
109. Türkentaube Streptopelia decaocto decaocto Collared Dove
110. Palmtaube Streptopelia senegalensis Laughing Dove
111. Halsbandsittich° Psittacula crameri Ring-necked Parakeet
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112. Mönchssittich° Myiopsitta monachus Monk Parakeet
113. Kuckuck Cuculus canorus Cuckoo
114. Wüstenuhu Bubo ascalaphus desertorum Pharaoh Eagle Owl
115. Steinkauz Athene noctua glaux Little Owl
Athene noctua saharae
116. Kapohreule Asio capensis tingitanus Marsh Owl
117. Rothalsziegenmelker Caprimulgus ruficollis ruficollis Red-necked Nightjar
118. Ziegenmelker Caprimulgus europaeus Nightjar
119. Pharaonenziegenmelker Caprimulgus aegyptius saharae Egyptian Nightjar
120. Alpensegler Apus melba Alpine Swift
121. Fahlsegler Apus pallidus brehmorum Pallid Swift
122. Haussegler Apus affinis galilejensis Little Swift
123. Eisvogel Alcedo atthis atthis Kingfisher
124. Blauwangerspint Merops persicus chrysocercus Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
125. Bienenfresser Merops apiaster apiaster Bee-eater
126. Blauracke Coracias garrulous garrulous Roller
127. Wiedehopf Upupa epops epopos Hoopoe
128. Wendehals Jynx torquilla Wryneck
129. Buntspecht (Maurenspecht) Picoides major mauritanus Great Spotted Woodpecker
130. Atlasgrünspecht Picus vaillantii Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker
131. Weißstirnlerche Eremopterix nigriceps albifrons White-crowned Sparrowlark
132. Sandlerche Ammomanes cincturus arenicolor Bar-tailed Desert Lark
133. Steinlerche Ammomanes deserti payni Desert Lark
Ammomanes deserti algeriensis
134. Einödlerche Ammomanes dunni Dunn`s Lark
135. Wüstenläuferlerche Alaemon alaudipes alaudipes Hoopoe Lark
136. Knackerlerche Ramphocoris clotbey Thick-billed Lark
137. Kalanderlerche Melanocorphya calandra calandra Calandra Lark
138. Kurzzehenlerche Calandrella brachydactyla brachydactyla Short-toed Lark
Calandrella brachydactyla rubiginosa
139. Stummellerche Calandrella rufescens minor Lesser Short-toed Lark
140. Dupontlerche Chersophilus duponti duponti Dupont`s Lark
141. Haubenlerche Galerida cristata kleinschmidti Crested Lark
Galerida cristata riggenbachi
Maghreblerche Galerida cristata macrorhyncha Long-billed Crested Lark
142. Theklalerche Galerida theklae Thekla Lark
143. Feldlerche Alauda arvensis Skylark
144. Ohrenlerche Eremophila alpestris atlas Shore Lark
145. Saharaohrenlerche Eremophila bilopha Temminck`s Horned Lark
146. Braunkehluferschwalbe Riparia paludicola mauretanica Brown-throated (Sand) Martin
147. Uferschwalbe Riparia riparia riparia Bank Swallow
148. Felsenschwalbe Hirundo rupestris Crag Martin
149. Steinschwalbe Hirundo fuligula presaharica Rock Martin
150. Rauchschwalbe Hirundo rustica rustica Barn Swallow
151. Rötelschwalbe Hirundo daurica rufula Red-rumped Swallow
152. Mehlschwalbe Delichon urbica urbica House Martin
153. Iberische Schafstelze Motacilla flava iberiae Iberian Yellow Wagtail
154. Gebirgsstelze Motacilla cinerea cinerea Grey Wagtail
155. Bachstelze Motacilla alba alba White Wagtail
Trauerbachstelze Motacilla alba yarellii
Marokkobachstelze Motacilla alba subpersonata Moroccon White Wagtail
156. Brachpieper Anthus campestris campestris Tawny Pipit
157. Rotkehlpieper Anthus cervinus Red-throated Pipit
158. Graubülbül Pycnonotus barbatus barbatus Common Bulbul
159. Senegaltschagra Tchagra senegala cucullata Black-crowned Tchagra
160. Raubwürger Lanius excubitor algeriensis Great Grey Shrike
Lanius excubitor elegans
161. Rotkopfwürger Lanius senator Woodchat Shrike
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162. Rotkehlchen Erithacus rubecula rubecula Robin
163. Nachtigall Luscinia megarhynchos megarhynchos Nightingale
164. Blaukehlchen Luscinia svecica Bluethroat
165. Heckensänger Cercotrichas galactotes galactotes Rufous Bush Robin
166. Hausrotschwanz Phoenicurus ochruros gibraltariensis Black Redstart
167. Gartenrotschwanz Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus Redstart
168. Diademrotschwanz Phoenicurus moussieri Moussier’s Redstart
169. Braunkehlchen Saxicola rubetra Whinchat
170. Schwarzkehlchen Saxicola Torquata rubicola Stonechat
171. Saharasteinschmätzer Oenanthe leucopyga leucopyga White-crowned Black Wheatear
172. Trauersteinschmätzer Oenanthe leucura syenitica Black Wheatear
173. Steinschmätzer Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe leucorhoa
174. Seebohmsteinschmätzer Oenanthe seebohmi Seebohm’s Wheatear
175. Berbersteinschmätzer Oenanthe halophila Maghreb Wheatear
176. Fahlbürzelsteinschmätzer Oenanthe moesta moesta Red-rumped Wheatear
177. Maurensteinschmätzer Oenanthe hispanica hispanica Black-eared Wheatear
178. Wüstensteinschmätzer Oenanthe deserti homochroa Desert Wheatear
179. Steinrötel Monticola saxatilis Rock Thrush
180. Blaumerle Monticola solitarius solitarius Blue Rock Thrush
181. Amsel Turdus merula mauritanicus Blackbird
182. Misteldrossel Turdus viscivorus deichleri Mistle Thrush
183. Akaziendrossling Turdoides fulvus maroccanus Fulvous Babbler
184. Seidensänger Cettia cetti cetti Cetti`s Warbler
185. Rohrschwirl Locustella luscinioides luscinioides Savi`s Warbler
186. Schilfrohrsänger Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Sedge Warbler
187. Drosselrohrsänger Acrocephalus arundinaceus arundinaceus Great Reed Warbler
188. Saharablaßspötter Hippolais pallida reiseri Saharan Olivaceous Warbler
189. Isabellspötter Hippolais opaca Western Olivaceous Warbler
190. Cistensänger Cisticola jundicis cisticola Fan-tailed Warbler
191. Wüstenprinie Scotocerca inqieta theresae Scrub Warbler
192. Schuppenkopfprinie Spiloptila clamans Cricket Warbler
193. Fitis Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler
194. Zilpzalp Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaff
195. Iberischer Zilpzalp Phylloscopus brehmii Iberian Chiffchaff
196. Berglaubsänger Phylloscopus bonelli Western Bonelli`s Warbler
197. Mönchsgrasmücke Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla Blackcap
198. Gartengrasmücke Sylvia borin borin Garden Warbler
199. Saharagrasmücke Sylvia deserti African Desert Warbler
200. Westliche Orpheusgrasmücke Sylvia hortensis Western Orphean Warbler
201. Samtkopfgrasmücke Sylvia melanocephala melanocephala Sardinian Warbler
202. Weißbartgrasmücke Sylvia cantillans cantillans Subalpine Warbler
203. Brillengrasmücke Sylvia conspicillata conspicillata Spectacled Warbler
204. Atlasgrasmücke Sylvia deserticola Tristram’s Warbler
205. Sommergoldhähnchen Regulus ignicapillus balearicus Firecrest
206. Trauerschnäpper Ficedula hypoleuca Pied Flycatcher
207. Tannenmeise Parus ater atlas Coal Tit
208. Kohlmeise Parus major excelsus Great Tit
209. Afrikanische Blaumeise Parus ultramarinus African Blue Tit
210. Kleiber Sitta europaea hispaniensis (atlas) Nuthatch
211. Gartenbaumläufer Certhia brachydactyla mauritanica Short-toed Treecreeper
212. Grauammer Emberiza calandra calandra Corn Bunting
213. Zaunammer Emberiza cirlus Cirl Bunting
214. Hausammer Emberiza sahari House Bunting
215. Buchfink Fringilla coelebs africana Chaffinch
216. Girlitz Serinus serinus Serin
217. Grünling Carduelis chloris aurantiiventris Greenfinch
218. Stieglitz Carduelis carduelis parva Goldfinch
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219. Bluthänfling Acanthis cannabina mediterranea Linnet
220. Rotflügelgimpel Rhodopechys sanguinea aliena Crimson-winged Finch
221. Wüstengimpel Rhodopechys githaginea zedlitzi Trumpeter Finch
222. Kernbeißer Coccothraustes coccothraustes buvryi Hawfinch
223. Haussperling Passer domesticus tingitanus House Sparrow
224. Weidensperling Passer hispaniolensis hispaniolensis Spanish Sparrow
225. Wüstensperling Passer simplex saharae Desert Sparrow
226. Steinsperling Petronia petronia Barbara Rock Sparrow
227. Einfarbstar Sturnus unicolor Spotless Starling
228. Pirol Oriolus oriolus oriolus Golden Oriole
229. Eichelhäher Garrulus glandarius whitakeri Jay
230. Elster Pica pica mauritanica Magpie
231. Alpenkrähe Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax barbarus Chough
232. Alpendohle Pyrrhocorax graculus graculus Alpine Chough
233. Dohle Corvus monedula spermologus Jackdaw
234. Schildrabe Corvus albus Pied Crow
235. Wüstenrabe Corvus ruficollis ruficollis Brown-checked Raven
236. Kolkrabe Corvus corax tingitanus Raven
° = Barcelona
Mammals & Reptiles
1 Atlashörnchen Atlantoxerus getulus Barbary Ground Squirrel
2 Fette Sandratte Psammomys obesus Fat Sand Rat
3 Goldschakal Canis aureus Golden Jackal
4 Kaphase / Savannenhase Lepus capensis / Lepus microtis Cape Hare / African Savanna Hare
5 Dromedar / Arabisches Kamel Camelus dromedarius Dromedary / Arabian Camel
6 Wildschwein Sus scrofa Wild Boar
7 Berberaffe Macaca sylvanus Barbary Macaque
1 Nordafrikanische Dornschwanzagame Uromastyx acanthinurus Spiny-tailed Agama
2 Maurische Landschildkröte Testudo graeca Spur-thighed Tortoise
3 Maurische Bachschildkröte / Spanische Wasserschildkröte Mauremys leprosa Mediterranean Turtle
25