Egypt's flying contingency
Whether you're an experienced bird watcher, or going along for the ride, Egypt's scenic bird-watching path makes it well worth the trek. Sherine Nasr takes you on a birding tour through
As the cooler airs settle on the land, and the skies reveal the hints of a breeze, seasonal change envelopes the city -- the most telling sign being the air. It is autumn, and our friends with wings have started their annual mega-mile-trips from areas as far north as Siberia, and east as Asia, to the Middle East and South Africa.
For migratory birds, Egypt occupies a significant and strategic position as a bridge between the north and south during their annual migration. The vast variety of the Egyptian habitats -- ranging from rugged mountains to spacious desert areas, huge wetlands along the Mediterranean coast, and the lush vegetation along the Nile basin -- make Egypt a unique migratory destination and a cosmopolitan country in the language of birds.
"Out of 8,000 species of birds worldwide, there are over 370 species of birds in Egypt alone with about 150 being resident," said Sherif Bahaaeddin, scientific advisor to the Major Conservation Sector, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). "The others are annual visitors from Europe and Asia where they start migration in the fall and return in the spring months."
During migration times, the skies that comprise their travel routes become captivating; filled with hundreds of thousands of birds, their colours, shapes and wingspreds spanning the flock of storks, pelicans, cranes, and birds of prey such as vultures and eagles -- taking off for rest and food in the Sinai Peninsula during autumn and spring.
"Egypt is a great bottle neck for these migratory birds," Bahaaeddin said. "For bird-watching lovers, the experience is unique."
The uniqueness is nothing new on one level -- for centuries the nation's historic and cultural heritage has attracted thousands of tourists each year. The Egyptian landscape, nature and wildlife, however, have remained largely ignored; seen by visitors only in the imprints of the Pharaohs. The Ancient Egyptians were natural historians, vividly documenting the fauna and flora of their time on the walls of the tombs and temples. Over 76 different species of birds can be identified from the wall paintings, reliefs and other artefacts of the Pharaohs.
While the most popular guide to Egypt -- the 700-page Rough Guide to Egypt -- gives only a handful of paragraphs on the country's wildlife, tourists coming to Egypt for sightseeing or diving have time and again been drawn to the birds around them. Jan Landsverk, who came to Egypt primarily to snorkel in Hurghada and sightsee in Cairo and Luxor, was taken in by the skies. During his vacation, Landsverk -- not a staunch bird watcher -- counted 63 different kinds of birds along the Nile basin from Cairo to Luxor and wrote a lively report on his experience to friends back home (Check reports from http://birdtours.co.uk).
While watching migratory birds is for the most part a seasonal indulgence, Egypt's estimated 150 resident species cater to year-round bird-watching. Species to be sited include the Little Green Bee-Eater, which is a common breeding bird of the Nile Valley, Delta, Fayoum and Wadi Al-Natroun; the Pallid Swift, another common breeding bird in the north of Luxor. There are also a number of other endemic birds, such as the White-breasted Kingfisher -- a species of limited number that now breeds in the southern part of the Delta -- and the Egyptian swallow, exclusive to Egypt.
"Egypt is undoubtedly a bird-watching paradise not only because of the big variety but also for the density of bird species," Zeinab Shawki, a tourist guide and a bird watcher, shared with Al-Ahram Weekly. "Where else in the world can one combine cultural tourism, eco-tourism and wild-life- watching except in Egypt?"
Even for those whose visits do not extend beyond the boundaries of Cairo, Shawki suggests that some energy should be saved for the pleasures beyond the city's cultural heritage; the breeding birds of the city. While the noise and pollution have caused some species such as the Egyptian and Griffon vultures to move out, new ones have moved in to their vacant nests, such as the Senegal thick-knees (a bird of cultivated areas) which nests on the flat roofs of the city.
Some of the best sites to bird-watch while in Cairo include the Gezira Sporting Club, built on 140 hectares of land only 20 minutes walk from the centre of town. During migration season, the open grounds and green turf buzz with at least 100 species, including warblers and singing migrants such as the nightingale -- enchanting with its captivating trills. The Agricultural Museum, the Giza Zoo and its neighbouring Botanical Gardens on the main Giza road, are also known for their wide selection of exotic trees and distinctive bird species.
Once out of Cairo, a patient bird watcher can be rewarded with sightings of rarer species, such as the Red-tailed Wheatear and Peregrine falcon, found around the Giza Pyramids.
Moving towards Fayoum, 90km south of Cairo, there are two main water areas, Lake Qarun and Wadi Al-Rayyan -- recently declared as a natural protectorate. Along Lake Qarun, over 200 species of birds have been recorded. These include ducks, gulls, waders -- which come in all sizes -- and in some years, flamingos. Winter offers good numbers of both black- necked Grebe and great-crested Grebe. A devoted bird watcher with an experienced tour guide, may also have the bird- watching luxury of watching the painted snipe, which according to Bahaaeddin, is a very secretive bird that can only be found in certain areas around Lake Qarun.
In Upper Egypt, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the east bank of the Nile usually host a wide variety of birds, as do the gardens of the Winter Palace. Also not to be missed -- and certainly the best way to take memorable pictures of various bird species in Luxor -- is to go on a felucca to the south of Luxor, where a number of exotic islands -- including the Jolie Ville Movenpick Luxor Resort's Crocodile Island -- house large duck concentrations, in addition to Egyptian geese.
The scenic Aswan with its combination of wide Nile, lush trees and rocky banks, is quite unlike any other place in Egypt. Strategically, its High Dam and Lake Nasser, which extends into Sudan -- makes it an ideal spot for observing passing migrants with flocks of waders, storks, pelicans, cranes and raptors.
To fully capture the essence and depth of Upper Egypt's flora and fauna, a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan is a must.
"Nowadays, a three-night cruise can start from Qena to Aswan with a combination of sightseeing and bird-watching," Shawki said, explaining that the extensive Cairo-Aswan cruises are no longer in operation.
Moving northwards to Sinai, along the Mediterranean coast, 45km before Al-Arish, there lies the 17-square kilometre stretch of the Zaranik Protectorate -- the first landing point for some species in their long September-November trip from Europe to Africa. "Zaranik is a unique habitat for migratory birds," Bahaaeddin said. In 1985, he explained, Zaranik was internationally recognised as a protectorate under the criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), hence prohibiting development in the area, or any destruction of the flora and fauna.
The popular diving towns of South Sinai, Naama Bay, Coral Bay and Shark's Bay in Sharm El-Sheikh, boast local birds to their name, including the yellow browed warbler, the African collard and the namaqua dove. The nearby desert serves as refuge to the cream-coloured courser, fan-tailed raven and bar- tailed desert lark.
Other water-bound areas of significance are the islands north of Hurghada. Of increasing scientific importance, these islands serve as strategic habitat for a number of breeding seabirds, some at the northernmost limit of their range. Also spotted on the islands are while-eyed gulls, of global importance due to their dwindling numbers.
For the bird-lover coming to Egypt, the country offers treat after treat. But for those not in-tune with the global pastime, the richness is strikingly overlooked.
"We have to admit that the promotion and marketing of this type of tourism has not been done professionally," said Khaled Abdel-Sattar, an organiser of bird-watching tours in Fayoum. "To organise good tours, a tour guide has to be a bird lover himself. Experience and patience are the two main characteristics of a good bird-watching guide," he continued, adding that just a few thousand bird watchers come to Egypt during migration times. "A meagre number if compared to bird watchers visiting other countries such as Kenya for example."
The main difference between Kenya and Egypt, those in the bird-watching arena readily admit, is marketing. Travel agencies dealing with Kenya and its bird-watching likes are filled with tempting packages and luring offers that highlight the nations' birds. In Egypt, those offers tally up to a measly few. Those agencies that do offer bird-watching tours, and those gutsy adventurers that have tried them out, guarantee their worth.
Useful information for bird watchers:
Accommodation:
The Egyptian Hotel Guide, published by the Egyptian Hotel Association, has extensive listings and information on different grade hotels in all governorates.
Contact: eha@link.net
Travel agencies:
Although most travel agencies can arrange for bird-watching tours, the following have regular bird-watching trips:
Abercrombie and Kent
Tel: 00+(202) 393 7740
E-mail: akegypt@abercrombiekent.com.eg
Thomas Cook Overseas Ltd.
Tel:00+(202) 417 1260
E-mail: inbound@thomascook.com.eg
Travco Group
Tel:00+(202) 737 1737
The Jolie Ville Movenpick Luxor Resort on the Crocodile Island in Luxor organises special bird-watching tours.
Tel:00+(2095) 374 855
E-mail: resort.luxor@movenpick.com
Books to read
Directory of Important Bird Areas in Egypt, BirdLife International and The Palm Press, Cairo, 1999, by Sherif Bahaaeddin.
Photographic Guide to Birds of Egypt and the Middle East, R Porter and D Cottridge, The American University in Cairo.
The Birds of Egypt, S Goodman and P Meininger, Oxford University Press, UK, 1989.
Useful links
www.birdingegypt.com
The official site of Mindi Bahaaeddin, a bird expert who also organises bird-watching trips. Very informative on Egypt-based bird-watching, and also provides useful links.
www.birdlife.net
The official Web site of BirdLife International in Cambridge, UK.
www.osme.org
The official Web site of the Ornithological Society of the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia in UK.
www.africanbirdclub.org
Site of the African Bird Club, Cambridge, UK.
