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African-Eurasian Flyway System
African-Eurasian Flyway System
Hundred of migratory paleartic bird species migrate from their breeding grounds in Eurasia to their wintering grounds in Africa. Some of them such as the Red-backed shrike (lanius collurio) migrate exclusively via the eastern african flyways. The Bab-el-Mandeb strait is a major bottleneck connecting Africa to Asia. Many migratory landbirds, raptors, waterbirds and seabirds can be seen in the spring and august crossing the Red Sea at this strategic point.
Djibouti is on the East Asia-East Africa flyway route and asian species such as the White-throated Robin (Irania gutturalis) fly trough the country during their migration. Djibouti is also the wintering grounds of many paleartic species such as the Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina) or the Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus).
Intra-african migratory bird species also reach Djibouti in summer to breed such as the White-throated Bee-eater (Merops albicollis) and the Scissor-tailed Kite (Chelictinia riocourii).
Since 2024, the Association DECAN hosts a ringing camp to collect data on migratory bird species during spring and fall migration. The team collect numerous data on the species passing through Djibouti, such as the timing of migration, the duration of the stopover, the fat score and other biometric measurements.
Fecal materials are collected to determine the diets of the birds during their migration and one tail feather is collected for stables isotopes analysis to localize the wintering grounds region in Africa where the birds molted. Such data are analyzed at the Swiss Ornithological Institute Vogelwarte in Switzerland.
At the International level, ringing data make a major contribution to the study of population changes and to our understanding of species declines.
Bird Ringing Camp in Djibouti
Bird Ringing Camp in Djibouti
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
Barred warbler
Curruca nisoria
White-throated Bee-eater
Merops albicollis
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Education and Field training
About 400 bird species can be seen in Djibouti. However, projects focused on birds, whether for research or conservation, are limited due to the scarcity of experienced local ornithologists. The absence of a bird club and opportunities for bird identification and survey training further compound this issue.
To address these gaps, I organize with the Association DECAN and the University of Djibouti training courses. These workshops impart skills in ornithology, covering bird identification, survey techniques, data reporting, and data archiving. Additionally, participants receive an introduction in passive acoustic monitoring.
This initiative seeks to enhance the local community's and the youth`s practical knowledge in ornithology, potentially fostering community-driven conservation projects for birds and their habitats.
These activities were initiated in 2024 with a grant from the African Bird Club that was used to purchase binoculars and recorders Song Meter Micro.
Weekly webinars about research and conservation work on birds.
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