First Record of the Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina) in Libya.
On 7 August 2025, a single adult Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina) was observed and photographed in Tripoli, Libya, standing on a domestic water tank in a residential area. This represents the first documented record and observation of the species in the wild within Libya.
The Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina) is widely distributed across the Sahel region of Africa; however, this sighting is the first of its kind in the wild in Libyan territory. Its occurrence outside its typical habitats—such as wetlands and grasslands—is likely due to natural vagrancy, dispersal, or the possibility of escape from captivity.
This record extends the known distribution range of the species northward and highlights the importance of continued field monitoring of birds in Libya to document and conserve the country’s biodiversity.
The finding has been published in the Libyan Journal of Environmental and Engineering Science and Technology (LJEEST), providing a new scientific reference on the avifauna of Libya and their conservation status.
For further details, the full paper can be accessed through the Publications section of this platform.
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ما شاء الله بالتوفيق للجميع