Distributions and Community Composition of Birds in Iraq’s Central Marsh

Abstract

in the CM. We found a total of 125 bird species in the CM across all surveys, with 31 species recorded for the first time in the CM and 11 species categorised as red listed by the IUCN. Fourteen species were confirmed breeding in the CM. Cluster analysis using NMDS ordination showed that the study area can be divided into three main clusters of bird assemblages which are presented here. We provide management recommendations based on our findings.

The Diurnal Birds of Prey (Raptors) in the Mesopotamian Marshes of Southern Iraq With Notes on Their Conservation Status

“…Widespread winter visitor and passage migrant over the marshy lakes and vegetated plains of the Mesopotamian marshes. It was recorded almost by all previous surveys (Cumming, 1918;Donald, 1919;Ticehurst et al, 1922;Meinertzhagen, 1924b;Scott and Carp, 1982;Abed, 2007;Salim et al, 2009;Nature Iraq, 2017;Fazaa et al, 2017). A total of 18 individuals have been recorded in Central Marshes and 10 in Western Al-Hammar Marsh in Thi-Qar province during 2018-2019.…”

“…Uncommon and localized breeding resident in date palm orchids and cultivated fields on the edge of the Mesopotamian marshes; it was recorded by Salim et al (2009), Nature Iraq (2017), and Fazaa et al (2017). An adult has been recorded hovering over sparsely vegetated plains near Haur Al-Auda Marsh (31°37'49.58"N 46°51'13.43"E) in Masyan province on June 2017.…”

“…(ii) Literature review: an intensive review of literature dated from 1918-2017 searching for available information on birds of prey in the Mesopotamian marshes was made. Publications such as journal articles, books, field guides, and academic theses including: Cumming(1918), Donald (1919), Ticehurst et al(1922), Meinertzhagen (1914Meinertzhagen ( , 1924aMeinertzhagen ( , 1924b, Moor and Boswell (1956), Scott and Carp (1982), Scott (1993), Evans (1994), Scott (1995), Abed (2007), Salim et al (2009), Al-Sheikhly et al (2017 , Fazaa et al (2017), and Nature Iraq (2017) which describe historical and recent records obtained for the geographical expanse of Mesopotamian marshes were reviewed. (iii) Personal communications of unpublished data: detailed Interviews with Marsh Arabs (indigenous inhabitants of Mesopotamian marshes), local hunters and trappers were periodically practiced and when possible.…”

“…In October 2013-June 2014, a total of 13 raptors species were recorded in Central Marshes in southern Iraq by Fazaa et al (2017); the recorded species were: one Black-winged Kite, one White-tailed Eagle, two Cinereous Vulture, two Short-toed Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus (Gmelin, 1788), 28 Western Marsh Harrier, one Pallid Harrier, one Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus (Linnaeus, 1758), two Eurasian Sparrowhawk, one Long-Legged Buzzard, two Greater Spotted Eagle, two Steppe Eagle, one Common Kestrel, and one Eurasian Hobby F. subbuteo (Linnaeus, 1758). Among the recorded species, four were listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.…”

“…A total of 12 Steppe Eagle were recorded during winter waterfowl survey in 1979 in the Mesopotamian marshes of southern Iraq (Scott and Carp, 1982;Scott, 1995) and it was recorded during the KBA surveys in 2005-2008(Salim et al, 2009. Moreover, Fazaa et al (2017) recorded two Steppe eagles in Central Marshes during 2013-2014. Regardless, the large Aquila eagles are still frequent to the suitable wintering habitats on the edge of the Mesopotamian marshes as the subsequent field surveys indicated.…”